2020 POETRY DAY CONTESTS

Open to Arkansas Residents Only

  1. Sybil Nash Abrams Award: $1,000/$400/$250. Poet is eligible for first prize once every five years. Poem must be historically accurate, original and unpublished. Enclose bibliography (not included in line count) on a separate page. First place winner ineligible to enter contest for four years thereafter. Subject: Arkansas towns. Form: Any. Line limit: 60 – 100. Chair: Committee of winners from the past four years.

Open to PRA Members Only

  1. Rosa Zagnoni Marinoni Award: $50/$30/$20, HM $10/$10/$10. Subject: Pottery. Form: Any. Line limit: 20.  Chair: Larry Witherspoon.
  2. “3 Little Lines”: $30/$25/$15, HM $10/$10/$10. Subject: Human nature. Form: Senryu – 17 syllables or less; does not have to be 5/7/5; unrhymed; present tense; references some aspect of human nature or emotions. Line limit:  3.  Chair:  Fay Guinn.
  3. Illustrated Poetry Award: $35/$20/$15, $10/$10/$10.  Subject: Any.  Form:  Any.  Line limit:  Poem and art must fit on one side of 8 ½ x 11 white or colored copy paper or construction paper.  Original, unpublished poem. No pasted pieces or computer-generated art.  Watercolor, pastels, crayons, ink, pencil, chalk.  Must use color. (Duplicate copy may be a photo-copy.) Chair:  Pat Laster.
  4. Rhymed Inspirational: $25/$15/$10, HM $5/$5/$5.  Subject:  Any.  Form:  Any rhymed.  Line limit:  36.  Chair:  Roundtable Poets of Hot Springs.
  5. Barbara Dail Memorial Award: $25/$15/$10.  Subject:  Any.  Form:  Any.   Line limit:  40.  Chair:  Debra and Elizabeth Dail.
  6. Rhymed Poetry Award: $25/$15/$10, HM Books. Subject: Any. Form: Sonnet (Identify kind). Line limit:  14. Chair:  Barbara Longstreth Mulkey.

Open to All Poets

  1. Opal Jane & Harry O’Neal Memorial Award: $50/$35/$25, HM $5/$5/$5. Subject: Sports. Form: Free verse. Line limit: 32. Chair: Ben H. O’Neal III.
  2. Opal Jane & Harry O’Neal Humor Award: $50/$35/$25, HM $5/$5/$5. Subject: Surprise. Form: Rhymed. Line limit: 32. Chair: Ben H. O’Neal III.
  3. Sharp Award: $50/$30/$20, HM $5/$5/$5. Subject: Any. Form: Free verse. Line limit: 38. Chair: Cathy Moran.
  4. River Market Poets: $50/$30/$20. Subject: Farmers’ Market. Form: Free verse. Line limit: 20. Chair: River Market Poets. 
  5. L.C. & Pat Bridges Award: $50/$20/$10. Subject: Christian poetry. Form: Free verse. Line limit: 24. Chair: L.C. and Pat Bridges.
  6. Dr. Seuss Memorial Award: $50/$30/$20. Subject: Anything for kids; playful, visual, positive for kids. Form: Any rhymed. Line limit: 24. Chair: Donna Smith. 
  7. “It’s in the Genes”: $50/$30/$20, HM $15/$10/$5. Subject: Genetic Influence (humorous or serious). Form: Free verse. Line limit: 30. Chair: Rita Goodgame.
  8. Humor Award: $50/$30/$20, HM $5/$5/$5.  Subject:  Any.  Form:  Any.  Line limit:  28.  Chair:  Dennis Patton.
  9. Baker Nichols Award: $30/$20/$10.  Subject: America.  Form:  Any.  Line limit:  36.  Chair: Freeda Baker Nichols.
  10. Let’s Humor Dennis Award: $30/$15/$10.  Subject:  Any – make it funny.  Form:  Any.  Line limit:  35.  Chair: Barbara Blanks.
  11. Two Rivers’ Poets of Fort Smith: $25/$15/$10, HM $5/$5.  Subject:  Nature’s beauty.  Form:  Any.  Line limit:  40.  Chair:  Mary and Kitty Sangster.
  12. Poets of the Pines Award: $25/$15/$10, HM $5/$5/$5.  Subject:  Any.  Form:  Hexaduad.  Syllables 2-2-6-6-8-8-4-4-6-6-4-4.  Line limit:  12.  Chair:  SAPOP.
  13. That’s Life Award: $25/$15/$10.  Subject:  A public figure who died in 2019.  Form:  Free verse.  Line limit:  32.  Chair:  Laura Bridges.
  14. Mike Pafundi Memorial Award: $25/$15/$10, HM $5/$5/$5. Subject: Any. Form: Rhymed quatrain. Line limit: 20. Chair: Saline County Poets.
  15. Florence Gibbs Memorial Award: $25/$15/$10.  Subject:  Any.  Form:  Any.  Line limit:  36.   Chair: Anna Noack.
  16. Betty Heidelberger Memorial Award: $25/$15/$10.  Subject:  Any.  Form:  Any.  Line limit:  36.  Chair:  Anna Noack.
  17. Miriam S. Strauss Memorial Award: $25/$10/$5.  Subject:  Any.  Form:  Narrative.  Line limit:  10 – 40.  Chair:  Russell H. Strauss.
  18. Frank Moran Memorial Award: $25/$15/$10, HM $5/$5/$5.  Subject:  Brothers.  Form:  Free verse.  Line limit:  36.  Chair:  Catherine Parker
  19. Sonnet Award: $25/$15/$10.  Subject:  Any.  Form:  Any sonnet form (modern or traditional).  Line limit:  As required by sonnet form.  Chair:  Sandra Soli.

CONTEST RULES

  1. Mail all entries and fees in one envelope postmarked by August 15, 2020 to Marie Allison, 165 St. Andrews, Hot Springs AR 71913.
  2. Non-members may enter all contests for which they are eligible for $15; members may enter for $10. Make check or money order payable to “PRA.”
  3. Submit one typed or Times New Roman (12) original, and one copy for each contest entered with no illustrations or embellishments on entries (except for requirements of Contest #4). Type number and name of award in upper left corner of both copies. On duplicate only, place name and address in upper right corner (labels accepted).
  4. All poems must be original, unpublished work of the poet, and not under consideration for publication. PRA defines publication as having an ISBN #.
  5. Submit only one poem in each contest. No poem may be entered in more than one contest.
  6. No entries will be returned. All manuscripts will be destroyed.
  7. Contest chairs are not necessarily judges.
  8. Three honorable mentions will be awarded without prizes unless otherwise specified. Entries not following rules will be disqualified.