Contests & Awards
Find the results of previous Palette Poetry contests here.
The 2025 Queer Poetry Prize
Contest closed on April 6, 2025.
WINNER — Gordon Taylor, "The Poem Formerly Known as the Poem Formerly Known as Stupid"
1st Runner-up — Marina Avery Robinson, "A Short History of my Gag Reflex"
2nd Runner-up — Mark Spero, "The American Eel"
Finalists — Aether, Kit Dwyer, Ezra Fox, Lana Kouchnir, Iris Lee, Jerico Lenk, Poppy Rivers-Vincent, and Jennifer Tubbs
We encourage poets of all backgrounds to share any poems that meditate on the idea of “queerness.” These poems could explore sexuality, gender, or form. Send us your experiments in poetic form, meditations on relationships, and inquiries into yourself.
Winners selected by CAConrad.
The 2024-25 Previously Published Poem Prize
Contest closed on December 8, 2024.
WINNER — Ollie Schminkey, “My Father”
1st Runner-up — Eli Karren, “Portrait of a Small Town Where the Flower Shop has Committed Suicide”
2nd Runner-up — Garnet Juniper Bennet, “anticipating flame”
Finalists — Jonathan W. Carroll, Lynda V. E. Crawford, Michael J. Galko, Maurya Kerr, Nnamdi Ndiolo, Kate Welsh, and Dominika Wrozynski
The literary landscape is abundant with presses and magazines with the advent of digital publication—so many good poems have been circulated and celebrated, but others have been forgotten, overlooked, and deserve a renewed life. We want to spotlight the poems that you love and have previously published, but feel are no longer receiving the attention or recognition they merit.
Winners selected by the Editors.
The 2024 Blackout Poetry Challenge
Contest closed on October 17, 2024.
WINNER — Jessie Keary, “Lena”
Finalists — Leanna Petronella and Megan Spring
Palette Poetry invites you to erase, highlight, blackout, and reimagine existing texts in order to create new poems.
Winners selected by the Editors.
The 2024 Rising Poet Prize
Contest closed on September 22, 2024.
WINNER — Akhim Yuseff Cabey, “Olentangy River, 2019”
1st Runner-up — Tamar Ashdot, “Stevie Wonder boulevard”
2nd Runner-up — Marisa Lainson, “This Little Piggy Went to the Market”
Finalists — Chuck Collins, Aloma Davis, Monir Gholamzadeh Bazarbash, Phillip Haddix, Ramsey Tawfick, Connor Weirich, and Claire Zhou
For emerging poets, this contest only accepts submissions from poets who have not yet published a full-length collection at the time of submission. The winning poet is awarded $3000 and publication with Palette Poetry. Second and third place receive $300 & $200 respectively, as well as publication.
Winners selected by Morgan Parker.
The 2024 Sappho Prize
Contest closed on June 16, 2024.
WINNER — Rebecca Hawkes, “PHYLLODES REVERIES”
1st Runner-up — JC Andrews, “Gargoyle”
2nd Runner-up — Mirande Bissell, “Master of the Female Half-Lengths”
Finalists — Finola Cahill, Julia Hori, Anne Haven McDonnell, Kristen Mears, Monae Murillo, Bleah Patterson, and Allison Tervo
In celebration of the spirit of Sappho, we're seeking new work from cis and trans women poets. Palette Poetry is committed to creating an inclusive and uplifting journal that amplifies women’s voices and experiences.
Winners selected by Megan Fernandes.
The 2024 Love & Eros Prize
Contest closed on April 7, 2024.
WINNER — Kimberly Reyes, "claiming to know the tense in which love happens"
1st Runner-up — Desirée Alvarez, “Bedroom at the End of the World”
2nd Runner-up — Judith Sornberger, “After Making Love at 6AM, I Leave You in My Bed”
Finalists — Shrien Alshabasy, Valentina Gnup, Skye Jackson, Harriet Lamb, Carling McManus, K.R. Morrison, and Ren Wilding
Love engulfs us, desire rules us. We encourage love poems beyond the confines of what’s traditionally “romantic.” Rather, we’re seeking unflinching examinations of our sharpest human sensations—those of desire, longing, devotion, and intimacy. All iterations of love are welcome—send us your bitter and your sweet, your queer, platonic, reverent, and devotional.
Winners selected by John Lee Clark.
The 2024 Previously Published Poem Prize
Contest closed on January 15, 2024.
WINNER — Nicole Wan-Ting Lee, “Deluge: A Chinese Almanac”
1st Runner-up — Sa Whitley, “Prayer Circle”
2nd Runner-up — Weijia Pan, “The Peasantry”
Finalists — Rebecca Evans, Karina Guardiola-Lopez, Jane Herschlag, Milica Mijatovic, Ari Mokdad, Remi Recchia, and Robert Schultz
The literary landscape is abundant with presses and magazines with the advent of digital publication—so many good poems have been circulated and celebrated, but others have been forgotten, overlooked, and deserve a renewed life. We want to spotlight the poems that you love and have previously published, but feel are no longer receiving the attention or recognition they merit.
Winners selected by the Editors.
The 2023 Resistance & Resilience Prize
Contest closed on October 15, 2023.
WINNER — Bazeed, "kh like khummus"
1st Runner-up — Maurya Kerr, "Banjo Be"
2nd Runner-up — Christopher Watson, "Sharper Than"
Finalists — Tenny Liu, Amir Mclam, Sabrina Spence, Andrew Garvin, Fred Schmalz and Susy Bielak, and Kathryn Ugoretz
For this contest, we are especially interested in reading poems that reflect upon, live within, wrestle with, uplift, or subvert themes of resistance and resilience. We are looking for poetry of pushback and of survival, poetry that troubles power and poetry that nurtures its readers and writers alike.
Winners selected by Natasha Rao.
The 2023 Grisly & Grotesque Challenge
Contest closed on October 31, 2023.
WINNER — Stephanie Saywell, "Caravaggio Fever Dream"
Finalists — Laura Bandy, Ziyi Yan, Dustin King, Ja'net Danielo, Em Bober, Steven Wright, Emily Ellis, Quinn King, Syd Shaw, Anna Quercia-Thomas, Cassandra Myers, and Zachariah Claypole White
For the Grisly & Grotesque Challenge, we seek poems that recast the familiar in strange, moving, and uncanny ways.
Winners selected by the Editors.
The 2023 Chapbook Prize
Contest closed on August 20, 2023.
WINNER — Ava Chen, Habitual Prayer (coming late 2024)
Runner-up — Dujie Tahat, AM I NOT OF THE SAME CUT STONE
Finalists —
Post-Traumatic by Beatrice Lazarus
A MIRROR OF BURNING PANTHERS by Clif Mason
micro.climates by David Maduli
Grass Widow by Kathie Collins
Hindsight by Mack Rogers
Family Geography by Maggie Wolff
Tan’s Donuts by Maya Cheav
Aubade with Factory and Rain by Tatiana Gómez
Winners selected by Danez Smith.
The 2023 Sappho Prize
Contest closed on June 15, 2023.
1st — Para Vadhahong, "Learning English in the Margins of the Masters"
2nd — Lizabeth Yandel, "Confessional"
3rd — Starr Davis, "COUNTERPETITIONER'S SUPPORTING AFFIDAVIT"
For emerging poets, this contest only accepts submissions from poets who have not yet published a full-length collection at the time of submission.
Winners selected by Evie Shockley.
The 2023 Rising Poet Prize
Contest closed on April 16, 2023.
1st — Logan Klutse, "Sidewalk"
3rd — Mia Kang, "Tony Reflects on Form"
For emerging poets, this contest only accepts submissions from poets who have not yet published a full-length collection at the time of submission. The winning poet is awarded $3000 and publication with Palette Poetry. Second and third place receive $300 & $200 respectively, as well as publication.
Winners selected by Maggie Smith.
The 2023 Ekphrastic Challenge
Contest closed on January 31, 2023.
1st — Kate Sweeney, "Lovers"
Finalist — Carling McManus, “Closed Circuit" (accepted elsewhere)
Finalist — Kiyoko Reidy, “My Brother As Anonymous Bather”
For our one-week-only Ekphrastic Challenge, we invited poetry submissions that are ekphrastic in some way, that engage dynamically with a work of art, music, film, etc... One winning poet received $500 and publication, and finalists were also considered for publication.
Winner selected by Palette editors.
The 2023 Previously Published Poem Prize
Contest closed on January 15, 2023.
1st — Tariq Thompson, "ON OUR BIRTHDAY, LORRAINE HANSBERRY & I DISCUSS SUNLIGHT"
2nd — Dāshaun Washington, “A Fairy Tale of Blackboyhood”
3rd — Tiana Clark, “Scorched Earth”
So many great poems have been circulated and celebrated, but others have been forgotten, overlooked, and deserve a new life. This prize is to shine a light upon the poems you've published elsewhere and love, but feel are no longer receiving the attention or recognition they merit.
Winners selected by Palette editors.
The 2022 Love & Eros Prize
Contest closed on October 16, 2022.
1st — AE Hines, "Security Deposit"
2nd — Shannan Mann, “Versions of the Undefinable Other”
3rd — Caroline New, “Elk Lake, MI”
Love engulfs us, desire rules us. For this contest, we encourage love poems beyond the confines of what’s traditionally “romantic.” Rather, we’re seeking unflinching examinations of our sharpest human sensations—those of desire, longing, devotion, and intimacy. All iterations of love are welcome—send us your bitter and your sweet, your queer, platonic, reverent, and devotional.
Winners selected by Carl Phillips.
The 2022 Chapbook Prize
Contest closed on August 25, 2022.
Winner: Joshua Aiken—to be in & of.
We’re delighted to launch the inaugural Palette Chapbook Prize— $2000 award, 50 physical copies, and digital publication! Poetry chapbook manuscripts of all styles are welcome—we have no theme or aesthetic preference.
Winner selected by Chen Chen.
The 2022 Sappho Prize
Contest closed on June 19, 2022.
1st — Mónica Gomery, "Occupational Hazards"
2nd — Jennifer Harrison, “The Oldest Forest”
3rd — Kendall Grady, “Untitled”
We're honored to be able to create space for women* poets to step forward. Thanks to the efforts of the VIDA project and others, we've made a lot of progress in the past few years, but much work is still to be done. This contest only accepts submissions from women* poets.
Winners selected by Jos Charles.
The 2022 Emerging Poet Prize
Contest closed on April 17, 2022.
1st — Grace MacNair, "Theodicy"
2nd — Liala Zaray, “CNN’s correspondent thinks afghani means Afghan”
3rd — Gabriel Cortez, “I just wanted to see what it would do when I say—”
Meant for emerging poets, this contest only accepts submissions from poets with no more than one full-length collection out at the time of submission.
Winners selected by Safia Elhillo.
The 2022 Previously Published Poem Prize
Contest closed on January 16, 2022.
1st — K. Iver, "Who Is This Grief For?"
2nd — Shakthi Shrima, “Self Portrait in Lust“
3rd — Sneha Subramanian Kanta, “Partition Homes”
Winners selected by Palette editors.
The 2021 Love & Eros Prize
Contest closed on October 18, 2021.
1st — Emily Lawson, "Sand Flats, UT"
2nd — Maria Nazos, "The Hollywood Glacier"
3rd — Rachel Abramowitz, "Restoration"
Winners selected by Kaveh Akbar.
The 2021 Palette Poetry Prize
Contest closed on August 16, 2021.
1st — Katie Hale, "The Gallery of America"
2nd — Claire Wahmanholm, "A"
3rd — Len Lawson, "Hypotenuse"
Winners selected by Jericho Brown.
The 2021 Sappho Prize
Contest closed on June 20, 2021.
1st — Emily Zogbi, "Lost Things"
2nd —Sophia Anfinn Tonnessen, "Layaway"
3rd — Yi Wei, "Look"
Winners selected by Maggie Smith.
The 2021 Emerging Poet Prize
Contest closed on April 19, 2021.
1st — Crystal Valentine, "Black Madonna"
2nd — Christine Poreba, "Slipped Stitches"
3rd — Serrina Zou, "The Present of Poetry"
Winners selected by Kelli Russell Agodon.
The 2021 Previously Published Poem Prize
Contest closed on January 17, 2021.
1st — Diane Kerr, "The Distinguished Thing: A Colloquy"
3rd — Catherine-Esther Cowie, “Aftermath”
Winners selected by Palette editors.
The 2020 Palette Poetry Prize
Contest closed on August 16, 2020.
1st — Teresa Dzieglewicz, "There are no police in this poem"
2nd —Matthew Minicucci, "(grapes)"
3rd — Kathleen Winter, "The Sheep and the Lambs"
Winners selected by guest judge, Forrest Gander.
The 2020 Sappho Prize
Contest closed on June 14, 2020.
1st — Faylita Hicks, "I Tried Dating Again–Like the Doctor Said–But I Don’t Think I’m Ready #2020"
2nd — Withdrawn by winner
3rd — Natasha Rao, "Abecedarian on Shame"
Winners selected by guest judge, Victoria Chang.
The 2020 Emerging Poet Prize
Contest closed on April 19, 2020.
1st — A.D. Lauren-Abunassar, “The Immigration Pastoral”
2nd — Mikko Harvey, “Let the World Have You”
3rd — Akosua Zimba Afiriyie-Hwedie, “Provenance”
The winners were selected by our guest judge, Ilya Kaminsky.
The 2019 Previously Published Poem Prize
Contest closed on October 15, 2019.
1st — Nicole Rollender, "The Luster of Everything I’m Already Forgetting” (originally published in Gigantic Sequins)
2nd — Leila Chatti, “What Will Happen” (originally published in Indiana Review)
3rd — Isabella DeSendi, “America’s First Female Muslim Judge Found Floating in a River” (originally published in Narrative)
The 2019 Emerging Poet Prize
Contest closed on August 15, 2019.
1st — Cassandra Bruner, “After Frida Kahlo’s Sin Esperanza & the Crohn’s Diagnosis”
2nd — Randy James, “Sauce on the Side”
3rd — Jesús I. Valles, “Mexican Standard About a Desert”
The winners were selected by our guest judge, Kim Addonizio.
The 2019 Palette Poetry Prize
1st — Shelley Stenhouse, "The Great Cosmic Hum"
2nd — Alycia Pirmohamed, "House of Prayer"
3rd — Madhur Anand, BRAIN HEMORRHAGE, EARLY FALL
The winners were selected by our guest judge, Edward Hirsch.
The 2019 Spotlight Award
1st — Gbenga Adesina, “Surrender”
2nd — Antonio Lopez, “Aullo”
3rd — Miranda Beeson, “There’s a Rattle, Sometimes”
Honorable Mention — Francisco Marquez, “I’m not one of those who left my land”
The 2018 Emerging Poet Prize
2nd — Benjamin Garcia, “Huitlacoche”
3rd — Nicole Homer, “Feral and Conjoined”
The 2018 Palette Poetry Prize
1st — torrin a. greathouse, “Hapnophobia or the Fear of Being Touched”
2nd — madison eli johnson, “west harlem, july 2017”
3rd — Brittany Leitner, “Liberosis”
The winner was selected by our guest judge, Shane McCrae.
