Poetry Contests For 2023 - A List of Poetry Contests

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Poetry Contests

Faith Poetry Contest

The theme for this poetry contest is "faith". We are looking for poems that in some way pertain to this theme. It doesn't matter if it's spiritual, political, intellectual or emotional as long as faith is clearly represented. Cash prize to this poetry contest winner.
Deadline: In 2 Days

Tanka Poetry Contest

For this contest you are challenged to write a Tanka poem. Tanka is a five line poem that follows a specific syllable count. See the announcement for an example. Cash prize for the winning entry.
Deadline: In 6 Days

3 Line Poetry Contest

Write a poem that has three lines and a syllable count of either 5-7-5 or 5-7-7. The poem must address a loved one. This poetry contest rewards a cash prize.
Deadline: In 11 Days

5 Line Poem

Write a five-lined poem that has a specific syllable count to enter this contest. Cash prize for the winning entry.
Deadline: In 16 Days

Temptation Poetry Contest

Write a poem of any style or length that deals with any aspect of the topic temptation. Cash prize to this poetry contest winner.
Deadline: In 21 Days

Children's Poetry Contest

Can you write a poem that brings a smile to a child? Cash prize to this poetry contest winner.
Deadline: In 26 Days

Love Poem Poetry Contest

Write a love poem. Your love poem can be fictional or non-fictional. It can be a humorous or a serious love poem. The choice is yours. This poetry contest rewards a cash prize.
Deadline: In 31 Days

ABC Poetry Contest

For this contest you are challenged to write a ABC poem. ABC poetry has five lines and often is used to express feelings. See the announcement for an example. Cash prize to this poetry contest winner.
Deadline: Oct 30th

Halloween Poetry

For our Halloween poetry contest we are looking for poems that somehow capture the fun, horror or excitement of this time of the year. This poetry contest rewards a cash prize.
Deadline: Oct 31st

6 Word Poetry

Write a poem with only 6 words. This poetry contest rewards a cash prize.
Deadline: Nov 6th

Cinquain Poetry

A cinquain poem is a five line poem that follows a specific format. Read the announcement for a sample poem. Cash prize for the winning entry.
Deadline: Nov 10th

Rhyming Poetry Contest

Write a poem of any type that has a rhyme. Cash prize for the winning entry.
Deadline: Nov 15th

No Rules Poetry Contest

No rules! Write any type of poem from rhyming to free form. You decide how to write your poem. Cash prize to this poetry contest winner.
Deadline: Nov 17th

One Line Poem

Write a monostich poem which is a poem that is only one line. Cash prize for the winning entry.
Deadline: Nov 25th

3 Line Poetry Contest

For this contest you are to write a short poem. It should only have three lines. But the structure is that of a Haiku. The first line has 5 syllables. The second line has 7 syllables. The third line has 5 syllables again. Write about anything. Cash prize for the winning entry.
Deadline: Nov 30th

Haiku

Can you write a poem with only three lines? This poetry contest rewards a cash prize.
Deadline: Dec 4th

Rhyming Poem

Write a poem of any type that has a rhyme. This poetry contest rewards a cash prize.
Deadline: Dec 9th

8 Words or Less Poem

Write a poem with eight words or less. Your poem must be concise and have impact. Can you do it? This poetry contest rewards a cash prize.
Deadline: Dec 13th

Haiku Poetry Contest

Write a 5-7-5 poem for this contest for new members to the site. A 5-7-5 poem is a three line poem. The first line has five syllables. The second line has seven. The third line has five again. This poetry contest rewards a cash prize.
Deadline: Dec 18th

Christmas Poetry

Share a Christmas poem. Cash prize for the winning entry.
Deadline: Dec 25th

Loop Poetry Contest

A fun poetry type that requires you to use the last word of each sentence as the starting word of the next sentence. This poetry contest rewards a cash prize.
Deadline: Dec 28th

Betrayal Poetry Contest

Write a poem in any form or style with betrayal as the central theme. Cash prize to this poetry contest winner.
Deadline: Jan 4th

What Is Love Poetry

Write a free verse poem about love. Cash prize to this poetry contest winner.
Deadline: Jan 8th

Free Verse Poem

Write a free verse poem. This is a method of writing poetry that does not follow any structure or style. See an example and details in the announcement. Cash prize for the winning entry.
Deadline: Jan 13th

My Faith Poetry

Share a poem that is about your faith or how faith has impacted your life. Cash prize for the winning entry.
Deadline: Jan 19th

Haiku Poetry Contest

For this contest you are challenged to write a Haiku poem. Haiku is a form of poetry that only uses three lines. Can you paint a mental image using only three lines? This poetry contest rewards a cash prize.
Deadline: Jan 25th

Take A Photo Poetry

Go out for a walk and take a camera, smartphone or tablet with you. Snap a picture of something interesting and write a poem about it when you get home. Post the photo along with the poem. Cash prize for the winning entry.
Deadline: Jan 30th

20 Syllable Poem

Write a poem that has exactly 20 syllables. Any format. Cash prize to this poetry contest winner.
Deadline: Feb 5th

3-6-9 Poem

This poem has three stanzas. Each stanza has three lines that follows the 3-6-9 syllable count. The first line has 3 syllables, the second line has 6 syllables and the last line 9 syllables. The subject can be anything. Cash prize for the winning entry.
Deadline: Feb 10th

5-7-5 Poetry Contest

For this contest you are to write a short poem. It should only have three lines. But the structure is that of a Haiku. The first line has 5 syllables. The second line has 7 syllables. The third line has 5 syllables again. Write about anything. Cash prize for the winning entry.
Deadline: Feb 17th

Nonet Poetry Contest

Write a nine line poem for this poetry contest. But you must count syllables. The first line of your poem will have nine syllables. The second line has eight syllables and the third line has seven. This continues until your final line which has one syllable. Cash prize to this poetry contest winner.
Deadline: Feb 21st

Share A Story In A Poem

In this contest you are challenged to write a poem that tells a story and also rhymes. We've included examples of this type of poetry storytelling in the announcement. This poetry contest rewards a cash prize.
Deadline: Feb 27th

2-4-2 Poetry

Write a 2-4-2 syllable poem. It has three lines. The first line has 2 syllables, the second line has 4 syllables and the last line 2 syllables. The subject can be anything. Cash prize for the winning entry.
Deadline: Mar 6th

Free Form Poetry Contest

Write a free verse poem. This is a method of writing poetry that does not follow any structure or style. See an example and details in the announcement. Cash prize to this poetry contest winner.
Deadline: Mar 13th

5-7-5 Poetry Contest

For this contest you are to write a short poem. It should have only three lines. But the structure is that of a Haiku. The first line has 5 syllables. The second line has 7 syllables. The third line has 5 syllables again. Write about anything. This poetry contest rewards a cash prize.
Deadline: Mar 19th

Acrostic Poetry Contest

Write an acrostic poem. An acrostic poem is a poem where the first letter of each line spells out a word. View an example in the announcement. This poetry contest rewards a cash prize.
Deadline: Mar 25th

Sonnet Poetry Contest

Just like Shakespeare did, discover the rhythm and rhyme scheme of the Shakespearean sonnet. Cash prize to this poetry contest winner.
Deadline: Mar 31st

Lune Poetry Contest

A Lune poem is a short and fun poetry form with only three lines. View the contest announcement for an example. This poetry contest rewards a cash prize.
Deadline: Apr 7th

Minute Poetry Contest

Write a Minute poem for this contest. A fun poem to write. It follows the "8,4,4,4" syllable count structure. This poetry contest rewards a cash prize.
Deadline: Apr 13th

5-7-5 Poem

For this contest you are to write a short poem. It should only have three lines. But the structure is that of a Haiku. The first line has 5 syllables. The second line has 7 syllables. The third line has 5 syllables again. Write about anything. This poetry contest rewards a cash prize.
Deadline: Apr 19th

Two Line Poem

Write an essence poem. This is a poem of two lines with six syllables per line, each containing an internal rhyme and an ending rhyme. See the announcement for an example. Cash prize to this poetry contest winner.
Deadline: Apr 25th

Free Verse Poetry Contest

Write a free verse poem. This is a method of writing poetry that does not follow any structure or style. See an example and details in the announcement. Cash prize to this poetry contest winner.
Deadline: Apr 30th

Emotions Poetry Contest

Pick an emotion and write a poem of any type. Cash prize for the winning entry.
Deadline: May 5th

5-7-5 Poetry Contest

For this contest you are to write a short poem. It should only have three lines. But the structure is that of a Haiku. The first line has 5 syllables. The second line has 7 syllables. The third line has 5 syllables again. Write about anything. Cash prize to this poetry contest winner.
Deadline: May 10th

Four Line Poem

Write a four line poem that has a specific syllable count. The first line has 1 syllable, the second line has 5 syllables, the third line has 5 syllables, and the last line 9 syllables. The subject can be anything. Cash prize for the winning entry.
Deadline: May 16th

15 Syllable Poem

For this contest you are to write a short poem. The poem should have exactly 15 syllables. You can structure it anyway you choose. But the total syllable count for the completed poem must have exactly 15 syllables total. Cash prize to this poetry contest winner.
Deadline: May 23rd



How It Works

Share your poems, get feedback for your poetry, and enter poetry contests. All contests listed above are available to enter. Get feedback for every poem that you write including your poetry contest entries.

Get started here. You'll get feedback for everything you write including your poetry contests entries. Enter these free poetry contests with cash prizes. All contests are free to enter with upgraded membership. You'll get feedback for every contest submission and for anything you write. You will be ranked. Write and see how the feedback you receive impacts your rank. Since the year 2000 we have been helping writers improve their poetry writing skills.

To enter a poetry contest simply click on the name of the contest. Enter all the details including the title of your poem, the description and the body of your poem. We recommend reading the contest rules first. Some contests have a specific topic or require that your poem follow a specified syllable count. You will get feedback for your poem after it is entered. This is something that may be pointed out in that feedback. You can also edit your poem at anytime prior to the contest deadline so we generally recommend that you enter the poetry contest prior to the deadline. Give your poem time to get feedback and you can make improvements prior to the judging of the contest.

We do update this listing daily. And every day we have a writing prompt which often including a new poetry contest. Looking for something else? You can see our full listing of contests on our writing contests page.