Free Poetry Contests
Enter free online poetry contests which are managed by PoetrySoup Premium Members. Poetry. Poetry contests are held every day and anyone can enter. All competitions are free and you can enter as many contests as you want. You keep copyrights on all of your poems. Some poetry contests even have prizes! See Contest Submission Guidelines and more.
List of Current Contests
Enter Contest
Quintain (Sicilian) poetry form only.
Deadline:
Friday, October 1, 2021
12 poems of the maximum
45
allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by:
Emile Pinet
Enter Contest
Deadline:
Wednesday, October 13, 2021
16 poems of the maximum
35
allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by:
Chantelle Anne Cooke
Enter Contest
Free verse poetry form only.
Deadline:
Friday, October 15, 2021
12 poems of the maximum
35
allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by:
Regina McIntosh
Enter Contest
Sapphic stanza poetry form only.
Deadline:
Tuesday, September 21, 2021
20 poems of the maximum
35
allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by:
William Kekaula
Enter Contest
Sonnet poetry form only.
Deadline:
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
25 poems of the maximum
35
allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by:
Shreya LN
Enter Contest
Light Verse poetry form only.
Deadline:
Thursday, September 23, 2021
39 poems of the maximum
50
allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by:
L MILTON HANKINS
Enter Contest
Deadline:
Sunday, September 26, 2021
31 poems of the maximum
35
allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by:
Julia Ward
Enter Contest
Clerihew poetry form only.
Deadline:
Monday, September 27, 2021
28 poems of the maximum
35
allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by:
Joseph May
Enter Contest
Deadline:
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
36 poems of the maximum
40
allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by:
Joe Maverick
Enter Contest
Rhyme poetry form only.
Deadline:
Thursday, September 30, 2021
19 poems of the maximum
35
allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by:
Unseeking Seeker
Enter Contest
Rhyme poetry form only.
Deadline:
Friday, October 1, 2021
30 poems of the maximum
40
allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by:
Natasha L Scragg
Enter Contest
Verse poetry form only.
Deadline:
Sunday, October 3, 2021
28 poems of the maximum
35
allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by:
Malabika Ray Choudhury
Enter Contest
Deadline:
Friday, October 8, 2021
11 poems of the maximum
35
allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by:
Edward Ibeh
Enter Contest
Deadline:
Monday, October 11, 2021
34 poems of the maximum
35
allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by:
Mystic Rose Rose
Enter Contest
Deadline:
Tuesday, October 12, 2021
8 poems of the maximum
35
allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by:
craig cornish
Enter Contest
Deadline:
Friday, October 15, 2021
24 poems of the maximum
35
allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by:
Line Gauthier
Enter Contest
Deadline:
Sunday, October 17, 2021
11 poems of the maximum
35
allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by:
Silent One
Enter Contest
Deadline:
Monday, October 18, 2021
4 poems of the maximum
35
allowed have been entered.
Sponsored by:
Anthony Biaanco
Contest Submission Guidelines
- Submit your poems to PoetrySoup using the Submit Poems link at the top of any PoetrySoup page
- Return to the poetry contest page
- Select a contest to enter and then click the Enter Contest button associated with the poetry contest you want to enter.
- 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 in the poems.
- Do not identify yourself in your contest entries.
- The poet’s name should not appear anywhere in the poem field.
How to Win
- Enter the contest early. A contest closes when either the number of allowed entries is reached or the contest deadline passes.
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.
More Contest Links
Types of Contests Available
Cash or Prize Contests
Premiere Contests
- Stricter guidelines for contest sponsors as determined by PoetrySoup
- One poem per place in a contest
- 1st place winners will have a trophy next to their poem on the website
Standard Contest
- Rules determined by the contest sponsor
- The number of winners and how they place are determined by the contest sponsor