Contests

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.

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

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

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

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

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.