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Poetry.com Contest Summary & Results

Congratulations to the winners of the Poetry.com May 2023 monthly contest. There were 150 poems submitted to the contest — thank you to everyone who entered and participated!

Winners By popular vote



Runners-up



Nominees By random order

  

Share your thoughts about the May 2023 Contest with the community:

19 Comments
  • kevinh.01772
    Congratulations to the winners, runners up, nominees and all participants. So blessed to see our literary spirit has not been quelled. Good Luck to you all.
    LikeReply 39 months ago
  • Jewoo525
    Congratulations to the winners! I'll keep it short and sweet, as was promised, here are some of my favorites from this month:

    "The Stranger" - Intriguing all the way to the end with a twist I did not see coming, a truly interesting and mysterious tone. I really enjoyed the concise and clever storytelling.

    "Little Ant" - I loved the imagery and genuine innocence imbued in the poem. The personification of the ant and the deification of a curious baby girl was a really lovely change of pace, felt like a Ghibli movie in verse.

    "The Golden Ships" - The ethereal atmosphere and cool dread added to an incredibly palpable poem. It reminded me of my favorite works of occult fiction and Lovecraftian storytelling. A type of curiosity and fear that pulls you into two pieces but inevitably drags you in the same direction.

    "Dead Stars" - "He sneered as he walked out of that shitty hell" has got to be my favorite line this entire contest. It felt like a highly relatable, almost intoxicated, half-ramblings of a person hitting the bottom of a bottle during last call. A soliloquy told to an audience of empty pill boxes, beer bottles, and an uncaring night sky.

    "Sobriety" - To be completely honest, I personally think poems regarding this topic come up too frequently during the contest; however, this poem truly captivated me with its excellent diction, punctuation, and precise construction of imagery. The first two stanzas especially are a perfect crash course on how each phrase can hold the impact of an entire paragraph if crafted with care.

    "At The Coffee Shop" - On a surface level this could be viewed as just a "cute" poem about another relatable human experience, but I think the poet guises a deeper meaning between the easy-to-read lines. The isolation, loneliness, and then the revelation of human self-centeredness/ego are all captured in one singular moment here. Elegant and excellent.

    "Tinkering" - An expression of nostalgia, a humble tone, mixed in with the descriptions of intimate spaces makes the three-stanza structure hit really hard. The poet doesn't have to proclaim nor describe a single thing about how they feel about their father leaving for you to know EXACTLY how it impacted them. Really compelling.

    "Haikuu Ah-Choo" - A breath of fresh air during the contest. Although it is risky to submit such a short-form poem to the contest, I think this was worth the gamble because the poet clearly understands that a Haikuu isn't just about trying to make a poem with a form that limits syllable count. A humble, yet very fun entry.

    "Paterson City Hall" - Amazing imagery that brought a completely foreign, and somewhat unassuming place, to life for me. The poem sucked me in and put me right at the front steps of the old City Hall. I could almost smell it and see the dust mites dancing in the sunbeams. And it felt like it was ar
     
    LikeReply 39 months ago
    • Jewoo525
      Ah! Apologies for the typo on "Haiku" Curse my "U" button! My auto-correct did not catch it...
      LikeReply9 months ago
    • FLi
      Thank you for making time in terms of sharing your well appreciated comments and insights about your favorite poems for this month's competition.

      I do hope to read more of your works Jewoo. Fighting! :) 
      LikeReply 29 months ago
  • lovingempath
    Congratulations to the winners and everyone else who submitted poems this month! I am not surprised why there were so many comments about it being a tough month to judge, and quite frankly...if the bar gets any higher; I just may have to take pole-vaulting lessons, and that would not be a pretty sight; so forget I even said that. 'UN-Visualize' :). I am working my way through all of the entries and am totally blown away! Bravo! 
    LikeReply 39 months ago
  • FLi
    A big hooray to all the winners. :) I'm glad to see that the poem I voted for got a place in this competition.
    LikeReply 39 months ago
  • mattmflanders
    The selection of poems this month was very impressive. I look forward to seeing next month's submissions as well. A wide variety of styles and topics is always fun to read.
    LikeReply 29 months ago
  • Jewoo525
    Yo, this month was crazy. I've done four of these now, this month was the hardest. I don't want to influence any votes here, so when the voting is over I plan on commenting with my absolute favorites this month so that people know their work is being read- I know this format gets to you sometimes and it's disheartening when it feels like not everyone takes your work seriously. I read every entry, and the gems I encountered this month truly made it worth going through all 150. It's so sad we only get 1 vote! 
    LikeReply 59 months ago
  • victoriauliasz
    Hello everyone! I wanted to say that everyone submitted amazing poems this month and choosing just one to cast my vote for was an EXTREMELY difficult decision. It was a pleasure reading everyone’s poems.
    LikeReply 69 months ago
    • Vixility
      Totally agree! It was tough making a decision: narrowed it down to 18, then to 10, then to 3. There were some really worthy works out there.
      Good luck!
      LikeReply 59 months ago
  • FLi
    Wishing everyone the best of luck! :)
    Also, let's all make time to read all the entries before casting our votes please. Let's give every poem the reading they deserve. :)
    LikeReply 89 months ago
  • lwhitehurst1567
    Hello everyone, this website is filled with such amazing poetry! I can't wait to read everyone's work, and I'm very excited to be apart of this stellar contest. Good luck to everyone, and I'm so grateful for finding this poetic community. 
    LikeReply 59 months ago
  • Vixility
    Hey all, so many talented and exceedingly gifted writers have graced Poetry.com with wonderful poetry. I feel confident saying that I speak for others when I ask: What poets have influenced your works? Any schools or movements of poetry that draw you? Who or what are you currently reading? 
    LikeReply 19 months ago
    • Vixility
      For my part, I’ve been revisiting Edward Robeson Taylor and Emily Dickinson, love the Metaphysical and Pre-Raphaelite movements, and am currently reading “Missing Measures” by Timothy Steele. I’d personally love to hear yours … 
      LikeReply9 months ago
    • JokerGem
      I can get lost in Dickinson’s stuff myself, but l also gravitate to John McCrae, and believe it or not, Ambrose Bierce...l find Bierce brought an air of light-heartedness and humor in alot of his poems that appeals to me. Truthfully l enjoy eclectically pulling inspiration from here and there when things strike me a certain way (and alternative music artists’ lyrics are always on my radar too) and have been known to pull things out of my dreams to create something. I was reading some older short stories for a bit but right now I'm working my way through Branded by the Spirit by the late El Collie--which is a personal account on kundalini and spiritual awakening. 
      LikeReply 29 months ago
    • Vixility
      Yeah, John McCrae! I bumped into his works a while back when I was checking out the poetry of Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen
      —both World War I poets as well. If you haven't read Owen's poem “Dulce Et Decorum Est” I highly highly recommend it (the imagery he uses to describe a gas attack that he experienced in the War is incredible, and dreadfully dizzying).

      Not too familiar with Ambrose Bierce’s works, but he's on my list now! Any particular poem of his that you might direct me to?
       
      LikeReply9 months ago
    • JokerGem
      A personal favorite of mine is The Royal Jester but there are over 400 on this site to dig in to. I'll definitely check out Wilfred Owen -I am not privy to his stuff- thanks!
      LikeReply 19 months ago
    • Jewoo525
      Anne Sexton- "Transformations." Highly recommend. My current obsession.
      LikeReply 29 months ago
    • Vixility
      Thanks for the recommendation! I’ve read a handful of Sexton and Plath over the years—Plath’s “The Bell Jar” was okay, but her poetry is way better. Not as familiar with Sexton as I am with Plath, so I’m very excited to dive into your suggestion. 
      LikeReply9 months ago
  • lovingempath
    Good luck everyone! My heart is with you all, but I think my brain decided to go on vacation :). I'll be cheering from the sidelines, and can't wait to read your poems after the contest is over (and from reading these titles, I guess it's a good time to take a little break from the competition!). Cheers! See you next month! 
    LikeReply 59 months ago
    • FLi
      Oh my! Looks like next month's competition would be really tough. :)

      Everyone needs a little break from something sometimes and I sincerely hope you'll be able to enjoy yours pretty well.

      I'll be just here happily waiting for your comeback next month Robin. :) I look forward to read your amazing works.

      Wishing you best always, in all ways.
       
      LikeReply 29 months ago
    • Jewoo525
      NOOOOO I was looking forward to both reading your poem and seeing if I could sus-out your submission this month, but perhaps next month instead. Enjoy your break!
      LikeReply 19 months ago
    • lovingempath
      YIKES! This sounds like both a compliment and a challenge. I love both. See you next month :)
      LikeReply 19 months ago
  • Jewoo525
    Good luck everyone! I love seeing returning poets; seeing new stuff, or just seeing familiar styles improve every month is very fulfilling.
    LikeReply 49 months ago
  • dougb.19255
    Good comments all on this issue of contest anonymity. I concede to the sincere and courteous responses. I just hope that voters actually do in good conscience read through the entire monthly collection of 150 entries…Wayne Blair. 
    LikeReply 410 months ago
  • dougb.19255
    Acronimous, you have not answered sufficiently. Initials are useless. So what if a voter knows some of the other poems and personal facts of a writer. In a standup poetry presentation the identity, features and demeanour of the poet would be crystal clear with no negative connotations, no manipulation or collusion. SHOW FULL NAMES PLEASE. Take it up with leadership. There cannot be any foul play in this change. 
    LikeReply10 months ago
    • lovingempath
      I have to disagree with you Doug...for myriad reasons. And in case you aren't aware of it; acronimous 'is' the leadership.
      LikeReply10 months ago
    • FLi
      Hi Doug, good day! I'm not fond of taking sides but in my own opinion, the system of how things work in this competition is already great at it is. During voting period, we don't even see the initials. Why? Because the poems are the ones we must focus on that the poets.

      Also, when it comes to stand up poetry competition, there are other factors like way of delivery, change of voice, audience impact, and the list goes on that needs to be taken inconsideration which definitely aren't present here. This one is a combination of writing and performance so knowing the names of the participants wouldn't play much of a vital role as a deciding factor for the winner.

      But in this competition, we're just more on the reading side. We read all the entries and we pick that one poem that we loved the most for what ever reasons we have.

      There are poets here that the voters already admire. And whether we like it or not, trust me, reading a poem and knowing it was written by the poet you like could somehow affect your decision to vote.
       
      LikeReply 510 months ago
    • FLi
      Oh my, excuse my typos please. I noticed them just now. :)

      *as it is
      *not the poets
      LikeReply10 months ago
    • acronimous
      I truly value the feedback from each and every one of you, with a special shout-out to you, Robin! ;-) It's important to acknowledge that our community is the driving force behind Poetry.com's success, and we are committed to enhancing it to meet the expectations of our esteemed members. The matter at hand is undoubtedly subject to debate, and we will continue to brainstorm collectively on ways to make notable improvements as we move forward. 
      LikeReply 410 months ago
    • lovingempath
      Well said Francelle!
      LikeReply 110 months ago
  • dougb.19255
    Names of poets should be shown throughout the process of each contest. Not just after the selection of the winners and honourable mentions…Wayne Blair…I have tried withe three monthly contests. The idea of grass roots “democratic” voting has merit. But posting writers’ full names would NOT lead to unfair advantage or collusion. The process would be more intelligent, more honestly participatory. Over and out. 
    LikeReply10 months ago
    • acronimous
      I have no straightforward response to this feedback to be honest. On one hand, displaying the poet names before the contest can enhance transparency, but on the other hand, concealing them can avoid voters from being influenced by external factors like reputation or previous work. As a middle-ground solution, we have opted to display the poet initials, which we hope is a suitable compromise. 
      LikeReply 510 months ago
  • ljsanders
    Well done to everyone who entered the April contest.You all did very well
    LikeReply 110 months ago
  • ljsanders
    Hi my poem "Cowboy tales" has the initials "CT ", underneath, instead of "LS".How can I change this please?
    LikeReply10 months ago
    • rinat
      It looks like you accidentally entered the title of your poem in the poet name field, which caused a mismatch. No need to worry, we have fixed it for you. Best of luck in the contest!
      LikeReply10 months ago
    • ljsanders
      Oh thank you very much.l am truly grateful.I think Idid it in a hurry and that's why it came out like it did!
      LikeReply10 months ago

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Our monthly contest

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Opens: 1st of every calendar month.
Closes: End of every calendar month.
Results: Within 7 days of closing.
Entry fee: 25 USD.
Max. participants: 150 entries.
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