The Poetry Society of Tennessee (PST) formally announced its members-only February 2025 contest results at their February 8 member meeting. Winners receive cash prizes. The first place poem will be published in an upcoming edition of PST’s anthology, Tennessee Voices.

Many thanks to sponsor PST-Knox (and Sally Boyington) and judge Claudia Stanek, who selected the following winners and honorable mentions:

• 1st: “Final Curtain Call” by Sarah Small
• 2nd: ” Crazy for Cliches” by Fred Tudiver
• 3rd: “Reinterpreting Robert Burns” by Connie Green
• 1HM: “Birdsong” by Lisa Higginbotham
• 2HM: “Lover’s Tale of Unrequited Love” by Amber Smith
• 3HM: “Bad Poetry” by Russell H. Strauss

Meeting attendees enjoyed the readings of these winning poems.

Enter Your Poem

March’s contest is open for submissions February 1-15. An ekphrastic poem in response to a specific picture. Many thanks to sponsor and judge Janet Qually.

No contest will be held in April, as our regular meeting will not be held. Our 68th Annual Poetry Festival will take place April 25-26, 2025, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and virtually. Details will be shared soon.

Get a head start on May’s two contests: one from sponsor Emory Jones about friends and another from sponsor Russell Strauss on a humorous subject. These contests open for submissions April 1-15.

Entrants may mail or email entries. Mailed entries must be postmarked within the open submission period. Get contest details.

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