Paying submissions

Poetry

Poetry — poems. This list has single poems and full-length manuscripts. Line and page limits come from each market's page. 9 currently open of 9 total.

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Wow! Literary Award 2026 (SETI Institute)
Open
payThe Wow! Literary Award comes with a $1,000 award and publication on the SETI Institute’s website. The SETI AIR team will award three honorable mentions with $100 and a profile in the SETI AIR Newsletter.
pay whenunknown
windowDeadline for all contest entries: Thursday, September 10, 2026 at 11:59 pm PDT.
feeno entry fee required
genreliterature, speculative fiction/sci-fi, experimental poetry, and philosophy
wordspoetry submissions must not exceed 80 lines total (stanza breaks DO NOT count as lines, nor do titles or subheadings); prose submissions up to 2000 words; visual poetry submissions up to 8 pages
simultaneousno ("nor entered simultaneously in any other contest or competition for which it is also eligible to win a prize")
verified2026-08-31
sourceSource
flagEmerging writers: must not have published a full-length book (chapbooks are fine). Open to US, Canadian, and international writers. Submissions must be in English.

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Carers UK Poetry Competition 2026
Open
payPrizes in each category: 1st prize = £50 high street voucher; 2nd prize = £30 high street voucher; 3rd prize = £20 high street voucher.
pay whenunknown
windowentries by midnight on Wednesday 30 September 2026
feeEntry to the competition is free
genrepoetry (themes: The joy of caring at Christmas; The challenges of caring at Christmas)
wordsno longer than 30 lines (circa 300 words)
simultaneousunknown
verified2026-08-31
sourceSource
flagEntrants must be currently living in the UK. Cannot be a current Carers UK staff member or trustee. Prizes are high street vouchers, not cash.

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GPS 2026 Open Poetry Competition
Open
payWinner: £200; Runner Up: £80; Third Prize: £40; Friendship Prize: £50 (GPS Friendship Members only). Featured in the Steel Jackdaw magazine.
pay whenunknown (page: notified by November 2026, and any cash prizes will be awarded accordingly)
window1st July ~ 30th September 2026 (midnight UK time)
fee£4 per poem or £13 for up to 4 poems; GPS Friendship members can enter up to 3 poems without charge as part of their membership
genrepoetry (any subject)
wordsmust not exceed 40 lines in length (excluding title)
simultaneousyes with withdraw ("Ideally, we would ask that you avoid dual submissions. However... should a poem you have submitted to us be subsequently placed or published elsewhere, we should be notified immediately and the poem withdrawn.")
verified2026-08-31
sourceSource
flagOpen to international entries. Judge: Kate Potts. Friendship Prize is members-only.

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Monica Taylor Poetry Prize 2026 (takahē)
Open
payThe winning poem receives $300 (NZD) and publication in the December 2026 issue of takahē. The runner-up receives $150 (NZD).
pay whenunknown
windowEntries close at 11:59PM 30th September 2026.
fee$5 (NZD) per poem
genrepoetry
wordsno more than 50 lines, excluding the title
simultaneousNo simultaneous submissions.
verified2026-08-31
sourceSource
flagOnly writers living in Aotearoa New Zealand or New Zealand citizens and residents currently living abroad are eligible to enter.

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Passionfruit Poetry Prize 2026
Open
pay1st prize £600; 2nd prize £150; 3rd prize £50; 9 × COMMENDED POEMS £15 EACH
pay whenunknown
windowDeadline for submissions 23:59 (BST) 30th September 2026
fee£4 for 1 poem, £6 for 2, or £7 for 3
genrepoetry (theme: love)
wordsup to 40 lines – including spaces
simultaneouswelcome ("Simultaneous submissions are welcome")
verified2026-08-31
sourceSource
flagunknown

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2026 Sejong International Sijo Competition
Open
payWinner: $500 USD; Runner-up: $250 USD; Honorable Mentions: $100 USD
pay whenunknown
windowSubmission deadline: September 30, 2026 (11:59pm CDT USA)
feeunknown
genresijo (traditional three-line Korean poetic form, written in English)
wordsone original sijo in English
simultaneousunknown
verified2026-08-31
sourceSource
flagThis is the International Sijo Competition, not the separate Sejong Writing Competition (Essay/Sijo) for USA and Canada residents. Official page does not state an entry fee. "Winners of previous Sejong International Competition are not eligible." Homepage also labels status open.

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Philip Levine Prize for Poetry 2026
Open
pay$2,000 cash award; publication by Black Lawrence Press; 25 author copies; featured reading at CSU Fresno with travel expenses paid
pay whenunknown
windowJuly 1, 2026 – September 30, 2026
feeAn entry fee of $25 (U.S.) must accompany each online submission.
genrefull-length poetry manuscript
words48 pages minimum and approximately 80 pages maximum
simultaneouspermitted ("Simultaneous submissions to other publishers or contests are permitted as long as you notify Levine Prize staff promptly if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere.")
verified2026-08-31
sourceSource
flagSubmittable: "We no longer have any fee waivers available." Fresno State contest page (cah.fresnostate.edu/.../levineprize/, redirected from fresnostate.edu/levineprize) still describes requesting a limited number of $25 fee waivers after July 1. Prize, deadline, and $25 fee match on both pages. Official pages disagree on fee-waiver availability — flagged, not silently picked.

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The X. J. Kennedy Poetry Prize
Open
payWinner Receives: $10,000 Advance + Residency Fellowship at Vermont Studio Center
pay whenunknown
windowSubmissions are open July 1 – September 30. (2026 Judge: Phillip B. Williams)
feeA fee of $28 must be paid at the time of submission.
genrefull-length poetry manuscript
wordsbetween 50 and 100 pages
simultaneousacceptable ("Simultaneous submissions are acceptable.")
verified2026-08-31
sourceSource
flagunknown

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Morton Marcus Memorial Poetry Prize 2026
Open
payThe winner of the prize will receive $1,000, publication on the Morton Marcus page here at hivepoetry.org, and an invitation to read their winning poem at the 17th Annual Morton Marcus Memorial Reading at UC Santa Cruz on November 19 2026.
pay whenunknown
windowThe Hive Poetry Collective is now accepting submissions; deadline Wednesday, September 30, 2026 at 11:59 pm.
feeThe fee is $18.
genrepoetry
wordsone poem only, up to two pages in length
simultaneousunknown
verified2026-08-31
sourceSource
flagOfficial 2026 page is Hive (steward as of 2024). mortonmarcus.com/poetry-prize still shows 2024 judge Brad Crenshaw and the 15th annual reading; not used as source.

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