Contest Winner

“Even our orchid chokes on / the affection—overwatered, coffee grounds for soil. / The flies connive among the fruit.”

Daphne, 1958

“at her waist, of silk more than wood. / the rush whisper”

“Superimpose over all of this a photo of our younger selves— / tight smiles and a greedy earnestness that nearly // undid us—”

Please join us in congratulating these remarkable poets. Winners were selected by Sun Yung Shin.

“■² opens me up to dine w/ wolves, ■³ is a phlebotomist ■⁴ a carnivorous flower / any further ■’s are ≥ gods”

“our names pierced through the pond’s surface tension / now fortified by the backs of algae.”

“the angel spends / his afternoons, ears pressed to the dirt, cataloging their theologies.”

Please join us in congratulating these incredible poets. Winners were selected by Palette’s editors.

“dormant injury flares fluorescence through insomnia / am I nothing but cat reclined in day’s fading sunbeam?”