For our 2024-2025 members-only contest season, PST again offers a slate of 11 members-only contests featuring a variety of forms and topics. Enter more contests for more chances to not only try your hand at a poetry form or theme, but also to win and be published in Tennessee Voices Anthology, 2024-2025.

We are still collecting information on a couple of contests and will provide updates as we fill out the details. The season officially begins on July 1, when the first two contests open for entries! You must be a PST member in good standing (dues paid) to participate in members-only contests. (Join or renew here.) Read on for more details!

2024-2025 Contest List

The year will begin and end with duo contests in August and May. Coming up for August: a haiku about animals in the wild, sponsored by Anna’s Pet Sitting, and an American cinquain about flowers, sponsored by William Hill Art and Poetry. Submissions for August contests open July 1 and close July 15. The year’s opportunities follow:

August.   **TWO CONTESTS**
Please note clearly on your entry which contest(s) you are entering.

1. Subject: Animals in the Wild / Form: Haiku  / Line Limit: per form
Prizes (1/2/3): $25/$15/$10 / Sponsor: Anna's Pet Sitting / Judge: William Hill
Open for entries: Jul 1-15
 
2. Subject: Flowers / Form: American cinquain / 
Prizes (1/2/3): $25/$15/$10 / Sponsor: William Hill Art & Poetry / Judge: William Hill
Open for entries: Jul 1-15

September 
Subject: Aurora, Eclipse, Sunspots /  Form: Cento  
Prizes (1/2/3): $25/$15/$10 / Sponsor: PST-Knox Group / Judge: Ann Long
Open for entries: Aug 1-15

October
Subject: any / Form: heroic couplet (iambic tetrameter or pentameter) /
Line Limit: 40  
Prizes (1/2/3) $25/$15/$10 / Sponsor and judge: Howard Carman
Open for entries Sep 1-15

November
Subject: America the Beautiful (landscapes or landmarks of America) / Form: free verse
Prizes (1/2/3): $25/$15/$10 / Sponsor and judge: Rose Klix
Open for entries: Oct 1-15

December: 
Subject: From the Old Family Album Memories, Christmases Past / Form: any Line Limit: 40
Prizes (1/2/3): $25/$15/$10 . Sponsor: JoAn Howerton / Judges: JoAn Howerton and Jesse Robbins
Open for entries: Nov 1-15

January
Subject: the baton  Form: any  Line limit: 40
Prizes (1/2/3): $30/$20/$10 / Sponsor and judge: Dr. Diane Clark 
Open for entries: Dec 1 - 15

February *CRAZY FOR CLICHES*
Subject: any / Form: any
Special instructions: Use those trite ideas we've all been warned to avoid. Focus on a poetic cliche. 
Prizes (1/2/3): $25/$15/$10 Sponsor: Sally Boyington / Judge: Claudia Stanek 
Open for entries: Jan 1-15

March: TBA

May  **TWO CONTESTS**
Please note clearly on your entry which contest(s) you are entering.

1. Subject: Friends /  Form: any / Line Limit: 40  
Prizes (1/2/3): $15/$10/$5  / Sponsor and judge: Emory Jones
Open for entries: April 1-15

2. Subject: Any humorous subject  / Form: rhymed and metered / Line Limit: 5-20 lines 
Prizes (1/2/3): $25/$15/$10 / Sponsor and Judge Russell H. Strauss
Open for entries: April 1-15

NOTE: (If not specified, line limit is the shorter of 40 lines or the form required.)

Get details on forthcoming contests as they develop at our website contest page.

Contest Guidelines

Be sure to follow PST contest guidelines, as failure to follow them may result in your disqualification. Get details. (A special reminder from our contest chair: remember to single-space your entries. Need help with that? Contact us at poetrytennessee@gmail.com.)