Poetry Society of Indiana
  • PSI Home
  • About
    • General Info
    • Officers
    • Donate
  • PSI Calendar & Events
    • Indiana Bicentennial Poetry Events
  • PSI Membership
    • Indiana Local Poetry Groups
    • National Federation of State Poetry Societies
  • PSI Contests
    • >PSI Young Voices Annual Poetry Contest >
      • Past PSI Young Voices Results
    • >Manningham Trust Student Poetry Contest
    • Seasonal Poetry Contests
  • Store
  • Publications
    • PSI Publications
    • Member Publications
  • 2022 NPM Featured PSI Poets
  • 2020 Spring Round Robin
  • PSI Premier Poet
  • PSI Newsletter: Indiana Poet

PSI Contests

PSI hosts several poetry contests throughout the year including members-only and public contests and contests for students. After each contest is an award event and poetry event/workshop.

Picture

Seasonal Poetry Contests

PSI will host four seasonal contests through the year. Contests come with prizes for the top three poems in each category and those poems are published in our yearly anthology.  (Past results here.)

2025 Schedule

Spring - Submissions Closed February 22
​
​Summer - Closed  May 25
June 21st award event at Westfield Washington Public Library, Westfield

Fall - (Submissions will open around end of July. Deadline for entry will be August 27)
September 27 award event at Cool Creek Park, Carmel
​
​Winter - (Submissions will open around end of October. Deadline for entry will be November 20)
December 20 award event at Kokomo Library

Student PSI Contests

​PSI Young Voices Annual Poetry Contest
Submissions Open May 1 to Sep 1

Manningham Trust Student Poetry Contest
​

PSI 2025 Fall Contest Sponsor Submissions: Open ​
Sponsor A Category
Deadline to submit for sponsorship of the Fall 2025 contest is July 27, 2025. Poems must be judged and winners sent to PSI by the deadline provided.

​Help pick our categories and poetry forms for our contest. Contests come with prize money for the top three poems in each category and publication in our yearly anthology. Your sponsorship supports these prizes.

​Sponsors will submit donations once PSI responds via email.



** PSI 2025 Fall Contest Submission Form Closed ** 
Please direct any questions on the contest to [email protected]
Submission Deadline: August 27, 2025

Event: September 27 award event at Cool Creek Park, Carmel 

Contest Entry Fee: 
  • Members: Free
  • Non-members: $5 (all poems are submitted at once for one fee of $5). Payable via Square: (Debit/Credit, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Cash App) or paypal
​
Submission Guidelines

Please read carefully.
  • Submissions are open internationally, to any poet writing in English 
  • Paper/printed copies are not accepted
  • Simultaneous and previously published (publicly available online or in print) poems are not eligible
  • Poets may submit one poem for each of the 6 categories. Do not submit a document with more than 6 poems
  • Non-members must send payment for the entry fee
  • All poems must have a title unless the form does not traditionally have a title. Examples: haiku, tanka, rictameter, cinquain. In these cases, enter the first line of the poem
  • Upload one word document with all of your poetry submissions
    • Single space all line breaks in the poem.
    • Double space between stanzas.
    • Start each poem on a new page using page break. 
    • Use Times New Roman 12pt font on all text.
    • Use Times New Roman 14pt font for the title.
    • Referencing the category number and topic helpful but not necessary.
  • Not following the guidelines may result in an automatic disqualification.
  • PSI board members are not eligible

​The top three poems in each category are published in our yearly anthology.

Please direct any questions on the contest to 
[email protected]
Watch the form walkthrough.

Categories and Awards for Fall 2025 (Coming Soon)

Results

Picture
Spring. The March 22 award event was held at Anderson Public Library
Categories and Winners for Spring 2025
​

Rebellious Women
Sponsored by Gal's Guide Library
1st Unforgivable – Laura Scheele
2nd All the Women Who Came Before Us – Alys Caviness-Gober
3rd The Witch Who Would Not Burn – Bhavana Rupakula

HM Love Thyself and Soar – L. C. Rose

Really??
Sponsored by Anonymous
1st Really?? – Janice Miller
2nd Yes, Such Things Happen – Really – Janice Canerdy
3rd Really, You Call That Driving? – Mary Couch

HM1 Really? – Laura Scheele

Brick by Lego Brick
Sponsored by Michael Strosahl
1st Brickyard in 4 Acts – Dennis White (Michael presented Dennis an assembled Lego kit of Robert Indiana’s Love sculpture.)
2nd Pantoum – Lora Butcher
3rd Legos of Imagination – Walter Biskupski
​

HM1 Brothers – Alys Caviness-Gober
HM2 Brick by Lego Brick – Mary Couch

​


​Love of Poetry
Sponsored by Poetry Society of Indiana
1st Observe – W. Scott Grant
2nd To Write – Walter Biskupski
3rd My Quill – Mary Couch

HM1 the kiss – Laura E. Scheele
HM2 Love is – Paige Wyatt

Poverty
Sponsored by Oak & Amethyst
1st Conditions of Disability – Alys Caviness-Gober
2nd Waiting for Rain – Bhavana Rupakula
3rd Our Shared Mortl Sin – L. C. Rose
​

HM1 Swipe – Jonathan Fuller
HM2 Destitution – Dennis White
Picture
Summer. The June 21st award event was held at Westfield Washington Public Library
​Categories and Winners for Summer 2025
​

Cat Love
Sponsored by Mark Oehler
First Place: Hello to You, Too by Sarah E. Morin
Second Place: Sparrow by LC Rose
Third Place: My Barn Cat Makes Me Happy by Lora Butcher

Honorable mentions:
An Ode to Carrie by Walter Biskupski
Tangerine Queen by M.A. McDaniel


​Undefeated
Sponsored by Invicta Economic Consulting LLC
First Place: Beer League by W. Scott Grant
Second Place: When I Grow Up by Warren Sidwell
Third Place: Nevertheless, She Persisted by Beth Wolfe

​
Honorable mentions:
Long Walk of Life by Mary Mahlstadt
Pressing On by Dennis L. White


Patriot/patriotic/patriotism (Patriot Award) 
Sponsored by Anonymous
First Place: Patriots by Janice Miller
Second Place: Self-Evident by W. Scott Grant
Third Place: Patriot is more than a Name by Mary A. Couch

​Honorable mentions:
In Memoriam by Mary Mahlstadt
Freedom’s Chance:
A Kyrielle by Walter Biskupski​

​
Fruit of the Spirit

Sponsored by Poet Anon
First Place: Splash of Kindness by Mary A. Couch
Second Place: Regarding Galatians 5:22-23 by Dennis L. White
Third Place: Decay by Alys Caviness-Gober

Honorable mentions:
Patiently by Mark Oehler
Fruit of the Spirit by Janice Miller


Confluence
Sponsored by Michael Strosahl 
First Place: Big River by Alys Caviness-Gober
Second Place: Eagle Snow by Emory D. Jones
Third Place: The Meeting by Terry Jude Miller

​Honorable mentions:
The Confluence of Nature and Love by Walter Biskupski
Me and Her by Chris Hasara


Mushrooms
Sponsored by Chris L Ryan
First Place: Mushrooms In The Morning by Alys Caviness-Gober
Second Place: Grandpa's Mushrooms by Janice MillerThird Place: The Hoosier Mushroom Menu by W. Scott Grant

Honorable mentions:
The Mushroom by Mary Ann Bozenski
​The Quiet Ones by Kayla Helmer



 


Thank you to our sponsors!

In 2024, the following sponsors supported PSI by sponsoring categories in our annual contest.

Babbling Brook Award - Mary A. Couch
Cyan-Lee Award - Chris Ryan
Dr. Emory D. Jones
Eleanor Cranmer and Caroline Award - Caroline Dewey
Enjoying Nature - Mark and Nicole Oehler
Glenna Glee, the One and Only - Rex Williamson
Hoosier Heritage Award - Chuck Kellum
Invicta Economic Consulting, LLC
Kathy Jo Carter
Let There Be Light - Linda Eaton
​Poet Anon
Rachel Wright
The Viola Award - Peggy O’Donnell Heacox

In 2025, the following sponsors supported PSI.

​Spring

Gal's Guide Library​
Oak & Amethyst 
Michael Strosahl
Summer

Mark Oehler
Invicta Economic Consulting LLC
Michael Strosahl
Chris L Ryan

​
​



Picture
Young Voice Annual Contest Submission window open May 1 to September 1
Annual Deadline: submissions must be received by September 1
Any poetic form, any topic!

The contest is open state-wide to public, private, and homeschool students in grades 3-12. ​
Learn More

Manningham Trust Student Poetry Contest

Picture
PSI hosts a state-level Manningham Trust Student Poetry Contest. Winners at the state level move up to the national level. The contest is open to students in grades 6-12. Deadline is always early winter

Learn More

Previous PSI Contests (Prior to 2025)

PSI Annual Poetry Contest


Our annual state contest was open to the public and had numerous categories with results announced at our annual Fall Rendezvous in October.​ See above for details on this years fall poetry event.

PSI Members-Only Annual Spring Fling Poetry Contest

​Each year as part of our Spring Fling event, we offered our paid members the opportunity to compete in a member's only poetry contest. The winners are announced during our annual Spring Fling event. The contest is judged by PSI's Premier Poet.

Proudly powered by Weebly