Poetry Society of Tennessee’s Tennessee Collegiate Poetry Contest is open for submissions now through November 1, 2025. We seek poems that reflect the diversity of Tennessee. Whether you’re a transplant or a life-long resident—we want to see work that gives a glimpse into a perspective cultivated from living in our beautiful state. All themes, forms, and styles of poetry are welcome! The contest is FREE to enter, and the top three winners will receive monetary prizes and be published in Tennessee Voices Anthology, 2025-2026.

About the Contest

The contest will be judged blind. We will pick three poems that showcase the best our state has to offer. Winners will receive monetary prizes—$100 for 1st prize, $50 for 2nd, and $25 for third—and be published in Tennessee Voices Anthology, 2025-2026. Winners will be announced December 2025.

Who Can Enter?

We invite college students of all levels attending a Tennessee-based college or university to enter.

What to Enter

Send us one poem: your best original, unpublished work that captures Tennessee from your unique perspective. Simultaneous submissions are ok.

While all themes, forms, and styles are welcome, we cannot accept explicitly violent or sexual content for our contests. There are no line limits for entries; however, poems exceeding two pages in print are less likely to be selected for our anthology.

How to Enter

This contest is FREE to enter. Follow our submission guidelines and enter our free contest by Saturday, November 1, 2025. Get detailed rules and guidelines.