The Poetry Society of Tennessee (PST) holds members-only contests through the year. Contests winners receive monetary prizes, and first place poems are published in PST's anthology, Tennessee Voices. See publications page for information on past and forthcoming editions and how to purchase a copy.
CALL FOR SPONSORS 2025/2026
Become a sponsor and help shape Tennessee Voices Anthology, 2025-2026. You choose the form or topic and the prize amounts. First-come, first serve until slots are full. Click here to submit.
CALL FOR SPONSORS 2025/2026
Become a sponsor and help shape Tennessee Voices Anthology, 2025-2026. You choose the form or topic and the prize amounts. First-come, first serve until slots are full. Click here to submit.
2025/2026 MEMBERS-ONLY CONTESTS
While we work on our full line-up of contests for the 2025-2026 contest season, enjoy the first contest of the year open through May 25, a Burma shave poem sponsored by contest chair Russell Strauss. The form consists of a rhyming couplet divided into four lines and an ending line "Burma Shave." Learn the form and the history of the Burma shave signs that graced roadway from the 1920s and for decades beyond.
When you participate in a contest, you connect to your community, practice your craft, and take advantage of an opportunity to be published.
Note: contests without specified line limits are the shorter of 40 lines or the form requirement.
While we work on our full line-up of contests for the 2025-2026 contest season, enjoy the first contest of the year open through May 25, a Burma shave poem sponsored by contest chair Russell Strauss. The form consists of a rhyming couplet divided into four lines and an ending line "Burma Shave." Learn the form and the history of the Burma shave signs that graced roadway from the 1920s and for decades beyond.
When you participate in a contest, you connect to your community, practice your craft, and take advantage of an opportunity to be published.
Note: contests without specified line limits are the shorter of 40 lines or the form requirement.
PAST WINNERS
Congratulations to winners and many thanks to sponsors, judges and all entrants in our members-only contests.
Get the 2024-2025 Member Contest Winners list (including the additional Full Moon Poetry contest).
Get the list of 2023-2024 and 2022-2023 monthly contest winners.
Congratulations to winners and many thanks to sponsors, judges and all entrants in our members-only contests.
Get the 2024-2025 Member Contest Winners list (including the additional Full Moon Poetry contest).
Get the list of 2023-2024 and 2022-2023 monthly contest winners.
MEMBERS-ONLY CONTEST RULES **UPDATE** Effective September 1, 2024
FORMAT
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Prepare an ID Copy and a Blind Copy as follows:
MAILED ENTRIES
E-MAILED ENTRIES
1. Unless otherwise noted, contests accept emailed entries. (PST prefers email entries.)
2. Submit your entry via email to [email protected].
3. For the email subject line, type "Submission for [Month] Contest-[Last Name]"
4. In the body of your email, list the month and name of the contest, followed by your name, address, email address, and title of your poem.
5. Attach an ID Copy and a Blind Copy to your email.
a) For the ID Copy we recommend a file name of Month_Last Name_Title (e.g., July_Manning_Sawdust Tree).
b) For the Blind Copy we recommend a file name of Month_Title (e.g., July_Sawdust Tree). Ensure no identifying information appears in the document or file of your Blind Copy.
HAVE QUESTIONS? NEED HELP?
Ask us. We’re eager to help. Email [email protected] with the subject line: CONTEST INFO PLEASE.
Especially for our digital non-natives: Need help getting your poem single-spaced in Word? Not sure how to attach a file to email? Other technology questions? Reach out. Email [email protected] with the subject line: CONTEST INFO PLEASE.
Questions on poetic forms? See Florence Bruce's Blogspot and more, available on our resources page.
Get a printer-friendly version of our guidelines here.
- Poetry Society of Tennessee (PST) members may enter (dues owed must be paid in full). Not a member? Join us.
- Unless otherwise specified in a contest, the following rules apply:
- Unless otherwise specified, a contest opens for submission the 1st through 15th of the month PRIOR to the contest month. (e.g., the July contest is open June 1-15.) Entries postmarked or emailed before the 1st or after the 15th will not be considered.
- Only one entry per contest per member.
- Your work must be original, created without use of Artificial Intelligence assisted technologies.
- Your work must not have been previously published, including online displays.
- No simultaneous submissions.
- While PST welcomes a variety of themes and topics, we do not accept explicitly violent or sexual content for our contests.
- Contests are judged blind. Send an ID copy and a Blind copy in accordance with submission guidelines. The ID copy will be forwarded to the Contest Chair; the Blind copy will be forwarded to the judge. Please ensure no identifying information is included on the blind copy.
- PST publishes first-place poems in Tennessee Voices Anthology. By submitting an entry, you agree to give PST first publishing rights should your poem be selected for publication. Following publication, all rights revert to the author. You also grant PST non-exclusive electronic permission to post this work in archives and share it through social media and/or live presentations. We ask that you credit Tennessee Voices if the work is published elsewhere in the future.
FORMAT
- Entries must be single spaced, typed or computer generated in 12-point Times New Roman or similar font.
- Unless otherwise specified, line count does not include the title or one space below the title. All other lines, including blank lines, are included.
- If your poem runs more than one page, please clearly note continuation on the first page and place the title on all pages.
- We do not accept hand-written poems or poems on onion skin paper.
- We accept these formats for digital entries: .doc. .docx, .pdf and .txt.
- If your poem is selected for publication, we will maintain format if at all possible. Should lines exceed 55 characters including spaces, we will reformat. We reserve the right to make minor revisions to works (e.g., spacing conventions for em dashes, correction of typographical errors, and the like).
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Prepare an ID Copy and a Blind Copy as follows:
- ID Copy: Include ID information on all pages of the ID copy. List the month and name of the contest in the upper left side of each page of the entry. Place the poet's ID information in the upper right side of each page of the entry: include name and address for all entries (for mailed entries, an address label/sticker is acceptable.) For email entries, also include your email address.
- Blind Copy: Place the month and name of the contest in the upper left side of the entry. Do not place any identifying information on this copy.
- Entries must be postmarked or emailed during the open period for the contest (see rules at top of page)
MAILED ENTRIES
- Unless otherwise noted, contests accept mailed entries.
- Be sure to submit both an ID and Blind Copy.
- Poems two pages or longer must be stapled.
- Submitting in a regular business envelope is fine.
- Send mailed entries to the Monthly Contest Chair: Russell Strauss, 18 S. Rembert Street Memphis, TN 38104.
E-MAILED ENTRIES
1. Unless otherwise noted, contests accept emailed entries. (PST prefers email entries.)
2. Submit your entry via email to [email protected].
3. For the email subject line, type "Submission for [Month] Contest-[Last Name]"
4. In the body of your email, list the month and name of the contest, followed by your name, address, email address, and title of your poem.
5. Attach an ID Copy and a Blind Copy to your email.
a) For the ID Copy we recommend a file name of Month_Last Name_Title (e.g., July_Manning_Sawdust Tree).
b) For the Blind Copy we recommend a file name of Month_Title (e.g., July_Sawdust Tree). Ensure no identifying information appears in the document or file of your Blind Copy.
HAVE QUESTIONS? NEED HELP?
Ask us. We’re eager to help. Email [email protected] with the subject line: CONTEST INFO PLEASE.
Especially for our digital non-natives: Need help getting your poem single-spaced in Word? Not sure how to attach a file to email? Other technology questions? Reach out. Email [email protected] with the subject line: CONTEST INFO PLEASE.
Questions on poetic forms? See Florence Bruce's Blogspot and more, available on our resources page.
Get a printer-friendly version of our guidelines here.
MORE CONTESTS
The National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS) offers contests annually, including:
Get details on NFSPS and other state society contests.
The National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS) offers contests annually, including:
- Annual poetry contests
- Blackberry Peach Spoken & Heard: a contest for page and stage
- Blackberry Peach National Slam
- College Undergraduate Competition: chapbook competition
- Barbara Stevens Poetry Manuscript Competition
- Manningham Trust Student Poetry Contest (for grades 6 through 12)
Get details on NFSPS and other state society contests.