$250-$2500 Poetry Society of America Annual Awards

The PSA’s Annual Awards are among the most prestigious honors available to poets. They offer emerging and established poets recognition at all stages of their careers, including student poetry award and book awards for publishers.

Award 1
The Writer Magazine/Emily Dickinson Award
$250
For a short poem, no longer than 16 lines.
Judged by Tawanda Mulalu.

Award 2
Cecil Hemley Memorial Award
$500
For a narrative poem.
Established by Jack Stadler, former Treasurer of the PSA, and his late wife, Ralynn Stadler.
Judged by Kathy Fagan.

Award 3
Lyric Poetry Award
$500
For a lyric poem on any subject.
Established under the will of PSA member Mrs. Consuelo Ford (Althea Urn), and also in memory of Mary Carolyn Davies.
Judged by Richie Hofmann.

Award 4
Lucille Medwick Memorial Award
$500
For a prose poem.
Established by Maury Medwick in memory of his wife, the poet and editor.
Judged by Sandra Lim.

Award 5
Alice Fay Di Castagnola Award
$1,000
For 10 pages of poetry from a manuscript-in-progress.
Previously published poems are acceptable; include acknowledgment of publications on your cover sheet. Poems entered as part of a Di Castagnola manuscript may be entered individually in other PSA awards, if they haven’t been previously published.
Offered in memory of a benefactor and friend of the PSA, and partially endowed by the Estate of Rachel Dalven, and the estate of Ellen Lamon Anderson.
Judged by Lucy Ives.

Award 6
George Bogin Memorial Award
$500
For a selection of four or five poems that use language in an original way to reflect the encounter of the ordinary and the extraordinary and to take a stand against oppression in any of its forms.
Established by the family and friends of George Bogin.
Judged by Claire Schwartz.

Award 7
Robert H. Winner Memorial Award
$2,500
For a manuscript of 10 pages by a mid-career poet who has not had substantial recognition. Open to poets 40 and over who have published no more than one full-length collection of poetry. Poets who have not published a poetry collection are eligible.
Previously published poems are acceptable; include acknowledgment of publications on your cover sheet. Poems entered as part of a Winner manuscript may be entered individually in other PSA awards, if they haven’t been previously published.
Established by the family and friends of Robert H. Winner, whose first book of poems appeared when he was almost fifty years old.
Judged by Nathan McClain.

Requirements

• All submissions must be through Submittable.
• Poetry Society of America members can enter all awards for free.
• Non-Members of the Poetry Society can enter each contest for a fee. Single poem awards are $10, multiple poem contests are $

Application Instructions