Columbine Poets of Colorado, Inc.

COLUMBINE POETS OF COLORADO MEMBERS POETRY CONTEST 2025

DEADLINE: Entries must be postmarked by June 30, 2025. Entries must be mailed. 

ENTRY FEE: $3.00 per poem 

CATEGORIES:    (Members may enter 1 poem in each category.)

1) Free Verse

2) Specific Form (e.g., villanelle, sestina, sonnet, blank verse, metered, rhyming verse, etc.) 

3) Prose Poem

PRIZES (Awarded in each category):

First Place  $40      Second Place  $35      Third Place  $30     

Winners will be announced in September at the annual Columbine Poets Fest.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Poems must be the original and unpublished work of a current or new member of Columbine Poets. New memberships are accepted upon entering this contest, contact President@columbinepoetsofcolorado.com for the amount, because membership is due December 31 of every year, and this is prior to the membership drive. 

GUIDELINES:

1. Poem must be typed and limited to one page, in one column only, in 12 pt. Times Roman or Arial font, and single-spaced. 
2.  Please provide a title, so we can identify the winning poems.
3. You may enter all categories, but only 1 poem per category.  If you send more than 1 in the same category, both will be disqualified.  See the three categories, above.
4. Your name must not appear anywhere on the page.
5. In the top right corner, type either Free Verse, Prose Poem or Specific Form (plus the name of the specific form you’re using, e.g., sonnet, villanelle, haibun, etc.).
6. Originals or copies are acceptable, but nothing hand-written.
7. On a separate cover sheet, type your name, address, phone number, e-mail address and the title of each poem submitted and its category. No poems will be returned. 
8. Submit only unpublished poems or poems that are not under consideration for other contests. 

NOTE: If you have sent poems to the 2025 NFSPS Contest, you will not know if they won 1st, 2nd or 3rd prize before submitting them to this Members Contest.  The NFSPS Convention is in late July. You may not submit the same poems in both contests. If a poem has not won a cash prize or been printed in any other contest or publication, it is eligible to be entered in this contest. 

Mail poems and check made out to Columbine Poets Inc. to: 

Columbine Poets Members Contest

P.O. Box 6245

Broomfield, CO  80021

 *This is a Contest for Members Only.  Direct inquiries about membership to Lorrie Wolfe at lorrie.e.wolfe@gmail.com so she can direct you on how to become a member.

As a member of Columbine Poets, one automatically becomes a member of the National Federation of State Poetry Societies, since your national dues for 2024 are included in your state membership. Visit nfsps.net for more information about NFSPS.