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.)

2026 Schedule

Spring - Submissions Closed (Opening around January 22nd)
Award Event: Spring Award March 28 at Riley Museum 10:30am

Summer - Closed  (Opening around April 21)
Award Event: Saturday, June 20, 2026

Fall - Closed   (Opening around July 23)
Award Event: October 30th and 31st at Turkey Run State Park, 2026

Winter - Closed  (Opening around October 22)

Student PSI Contests

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

Manningham Trust Student Poetry Contest

PSI 2026 Contest Sponsor Submissions: Open

Sponsor A Category

Deadline to submit for sponsorship of the Spring 2026 contest is 1/15/2026. 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 2026 Spring Contest Submission Form CLOSED**
Please direct any questions on the contest to [email protected]

Award event and workshop will be held March 28 at Riley Museum 10:30am

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 categories. Do not submit a document with more 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

Coming Soon

Results

Winter winners will be announced at the winter event. Award event and workshop will be held December 20th at Kokomo-Howard County Public Library MAIN 220 N Union St, Kokomo, IN 46901 The Hours of the event are 12pm-4pm.

Looking for previous seasonal contest winners? 2025 Results here

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.