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Home » Poetry » Free Poetry Contests

Poetry Contests

Below are free poetry contests for 2017 (some for money or cash) are managed by PoetrySoup poet Premium Members. Poetry contests are held every week. Any poet can enter and all competitions are free. Enter as many contests as you want. You keep copyrights on all of your poems. Some poetry contests even have prizes! Go to the contests you can enter...

How to Enter PoetrySoup Contests

  1. Submit your poems to PoetrySoup using the Submit Poems link at the top of any PoetrySoup page
  2. Return to the poetry contest page
  3. Select a contest to enter and then click the Enter Contest button associated with the poetry contest you want to enter.
  4. Select your poem to enter by clicking the Enter Contest button (You may need to scroll see more of your poems).
  • Entrant’s name, address, e-mail and phone number must not appear on the poems.
  • Do not identify yourself on your contest entries.
  • The poet’s name should not appear anywhere in the poem field.

How to Win a Poetry Contest

  • Study the past winners of a contest sponsored by that member
  • Prior to entering a contest, have your poem critiqued in the High Critique Forum
  • Objectively and critically review your poem
  • Enter a lot of contests. Hey, the more contests you enter, the better chance you have of winning one.

Other Contest Links

The contests are below...

Poetry Contests

Jump to a contest:

Is a Premiere Poetry Contest Premiere Contests

  • Stricter guidelines for contest sponsors as determined by PoetrySoup
  • One poem per place in contest
  • 1st place winners will have a trophy next to their poem on the website

Standard Contest

  • Rules determined by contest sponsor
  • Number of winners and how they place are determined by contest sponsor
Enter Contest

Poetry Contest Deadline: Tuesday, July 11, 2017
14 poems of the maximum 35 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: Kai Michael Neumann

Enter Contest

Poetry Contest Deadline: Wednesday, July 12, 2017
33 poems of the maximum 35 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: Joseph Soper

Enter Contest

Poetry Contest Deadline: Wednesday, July 19, 2017
10 poems of the maximum 60 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: Catie Lindsey

Enter Contest

Poetry Contest Deadline: Thursday, July 20, 2017
7 poems of the maximum 35 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: craig cornish

Enter Contest
Dramatic monologue poetry form only.

Poetry Contest Deadline: Thursday, July 20, 2017
23 poems of the maximum 35 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: Cecelia Hopkins-Drewer

Enter Contest
Couplet poetry form only.

Poetry Contest Deadline: Saturday, July 22, 2017
9 poems of the maximum 35 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: Brenda Chiri

Enter Contest
Haiku poetry form only.

Poetry Contest Deadline: Sunday, July 23, 2017
41 poems of the maximum 55 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: Chris D. Aechtner

Is a Premiere Poetry ContestContest: Exotic
Enter Contest
Free verse poetry form only.

Poetry Contest Deadline: Monday, July 24, 2017
7 poems of the maximum 35 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: Debbie Guzzi

Is a Premiere Poetry ContestContest: Happy Days
Enter Contest

Poetry Contest Deadline: Monday, July 24, 2017
19 poems of the maximum 35 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: Nayda Ivette Negron

Enter Contest
Light Poetry poetry form only.

Poetry Contest Deadline: Tuesday, July 25, 2017
12 poems of the maximum 35 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: Julia Ward

Enter Contest

Poetry Contest Deadline: Tuesday, July 25, 2017
12 poems of the maximum 35 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: Rick Parise

Enter Contest

Poetry Contest Deadline: Thursday, July 27, 2017
2 poems of the maximum 35 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: White Wolf

Enter Contest

Poetry Contest Deadline: Friday, July 28, 2017
13 poems of the maximum 40 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: John lawless

Enter Contest
Tanka poetry form only.

Poetry Contest Deadline: Friday, July 28, 2017
1 poems of the maximum 35 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: John Anderson

Is a Premiere Poetry ContestContest: Broken
Enter Contest

Poetry Contest Deadline: Friday, July 28, 2017
3 poems of the maximum 35 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: Lewis Raynes

Enter Contest

Poetry Contest Deadline: Tuesday, August 22, 2017
22 poems of the maximum 75 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: Cyndi MacMillan

Enter Contest

Poetry Contest Deadline: Saturday, July 1, 2017
33 poems of the maximum 35 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: Eve Roper

Contest: Ottava rima
Enter Contest
Ottava rima poetry form only.

Poetry Contest Deadline: Tuesday, July 4, 2017
26 poems of the maximum 35 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: Janis Thompson

Enter Contest
Lyric poetry form only.

Poetry Contest Deadline: Friday, July 14, 2017
12 poems of the maximum 35 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: John Hamilton

Enter Contest
Sonnet poetry form only.

Poetry Contest Deadline: Friday, July 21, 2017
13 poems of the maximum 35 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: Mystic Rose

Enter Contest
Acrostic poetry form only.

Poetry Contest Deadline: Tuesday, July 25, 2017
33 poems of the maximum 35 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: Sharon Gulley

Enter Contest

Poetry Contest Deadline: Thursday, July 27, 2017
31 poems of the maximum 35 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: Brian Strand

Contest: Form R
Enter Contest

Poetry Contest Deadline: Thursday, July 27, 2017
17 poems of the maximum 36 allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by: Broken Wings