The individuals who devote time and energy to judging are contest entries are a special brand of people. They do it for the love of poetry, and we owe them a round of appreciation. Thank you to our judges!
“The Write Way to the Future” Themed Contest – 34 entries
Judged by Scott Outlar
Scott Thomas Outlar lives and writes in the suburbs outside of Atlanta, GA. He is the author of seven books, and his work has been nominated multiple times for both the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net. More than 2,300 of his poems, essays, and short stories have been published in 400 different literary venues. Scott guest-edited the Hope Anthology of Poetry from CultureCult Press as well as the 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 Western Voices editions of Setu Mag. He has been a weekly contributor at Dissident Voice for the past eight years. Selections of his poetry have been translated into Afrikaans, Albanian, Azerbaijani, Bengali, Cherokee, Dutch, Fr ench, Hindi, Italian, Kurdish, Malayalam, Persian, Serbian, and Spanish. More about Outlar's work can be found at 17Numa.com.
1st place: The Future by Arlice W. Davenport, D5
2nd place: A Recipe for Ma-Tsu’s Trifle by Rita Powell, NM (Belmont, MA)
3rd Place: The Journey by Kelly Johnston, D5
Honorable Mention: The Words by Ruth Maus, D1
Honorable Mention: Old Books and Broken Dreams by Linda Ahrens Brower, D6
Whimsey Contest – 29 entires
Judged by Julie Valin
Julie Valin is a poet, editor, book designer, library worker, poet coach for Poetry Out Loud, and co-founder of the celebrated after-hours poetry press, Six Ft. Swells. Her poems have appeared in The Gasconade Review, Chiron Review, Red Fez, and more, plus several anthologies and collections, including the Punk Rock Chapbook series by Epic Rites Press. Her recent book of poetry is Songs for Ghosts (Meadowlark Press, 2022). She lives in Northern California in the Sierra Nevada Foothills with her husband and daughter. You can learn more about Julie and her literary services at selftoshelfpublishing.com.
1st place: Birthday Poem by Jerilynn Henrikson, D2
2nd place: Someone's Hairy Favorites by Ruth Maus, D1
3rd Place: Beatitudes by Ruth Maus, D1
Honorable Mention: And to Our Right We Have the John Brown Massacre Jam and Jelly Stand Where We Will Take a 10-minute Rest Stop by Ruth Maus, D1
Honorable Mention: Social Media by Kristine Polansky, D4
Classical Forms Contest – 13 entries
Judged by Nick Clohecy
Nick is a teacher, writer, and would-be philosopher. As a Kansas City native now living in southwest Kansas, Nick has found new meaning to the phrase, “Let’s get the hell out of Dodge.” By day, he teaches first-year composition classes (and the occasional intro to literature course) at Dodge City Community College. Otherwise, you’ll find him wasting the day away with a video game, a carefully curated Spotify playlist, or whatever book he is currently studying. As a writer and a reader, Nick’s taste brings together the sublime, the bleak, and the contemplative. Main literary inspirations for him include P. B. Shelley, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and H. P. Lovecraft; hence, it’s of little surprise to discover that some recurring themes in Nick’s own writing are cosmic horror, humanity’s relationship to nature, psychosis, and existential dread. Currently, Nick is working toward a Master of Arts in Philosophy with the intention of teaching intro-level philosophy courses in the future.
1st place: Timbered Choir by Duane Johnson, D1
2nd place: The Insomniac Poet’s Sestina by Julie A. Sellers, D1
3rd Place: Hiawatha Duality by Kristine Polansky, D4
Honorable Mention: The Memory by Ruth Maus, D1
Honorable Mention: Letter to the Administrators by Ruth Maus, D1
Free Verse Contest - 74 entries
Judged by Bart Edelman
Judge’s Bio:
Bart Edelman was born in Paterson, New Jersey, and spent his childhood in Teaneck. He earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Hofstra University. He has taught at Kingsborough Community College of the City University of New York, Santa Monica College, West Los Angeles College, Long Beach City College, UCLA, and Glendale College, where he edited Eclipse, a literary journal. Most recently, he was appointed to the Affiliate Faculty in the MFA Program at Antioch University, Los Angeles. Bart served as Poet-in-Residence at Monroe College of the State University of New York. Collections of his work include Crossing the Hackensack, Under Damaris’ Dress, The Alphabet of Love, The Gentle Man, The Last Mojito, The Geographer’s Wife, and Whistling to Trick the Wind. He lives in Pasadena, California.
1st place: How to Measure Guilt by Janice Northerns, D7
2nd place: So Much Depends on a Brown Wicker Basket by Lisa Hase-Jackson, D3
3rd Place: The Citadel by Ruth Maus, D1
Honorable Mention: A Taste, a Touch, a Melody by Kristine Polansky, D4
Honorable Mention: Displacement (n.) by Janice Northerns, D7
Honorable Mention: Museum Piece–the San Antonio Version, with apologies to Richard Wilbur by Kristine Polansky, D4
Honorable Mention: Prestidigitation by Julie Ann Baker Brin, D5
Honorable Mention: You Are Not Diminished by Janice Northerns, D7
Narrative Poetry Contest - 41 entries
Judged by James H. Duncan
James H. Duncan is the editor of Hobo Camp Review and the author of Proper Etiquette in the Slaughterhouse Line, Vacancy, and We Are All Terminal But This Exit Is Mine, among other books of poetry and fiction. He currently resides in upstate New York and travels to write reviews of indie bookstores for his blog, The Bookshop Hunter. For more, visit www.jameshduncan.com.
1st place: In Search of Duende by Arlice W. Davenport, D5
2nd place: How Does Love Enter the Body? by Janice Northerns, D7
3rd Place: She Hooked Us and Booked Us by Kristine Polansky, D4
Honorable Mention: Charcoal Childhood by Anne L. Spry, D1
Honorable Mention: Lost in the Sangre de Cristos by Kelly Johnston, D5
New Poets Contest – 17 entries
Judged by Brett Seaton
Brett Seaton was born and raised in Manhattan, Kansas. He graduated from Olathe West High School and now attends The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Brett previously started a now-defunct literary magazine called Astra Magazine which published Kevin Rabas's work alongside Rudy Francisco, Ted Kooser, and Huascar Medina. Brett has published poetry in the American Library of Poetry, Kansas Voices, and Elementia. Brett recently published a travel poetry book called While Away with the wonderful Linzi Garcia and Kevin Rabas where he provided a dose of teenage angst necessary in any poetry collection. He is currently editing a second solo poetry manuscript.
1st place: I Know What I Have Lost by Nicole Sullivan
2nd place: It’s “A Parent” by Gerald Vaughn
3rd Place: Reflection Reflections, Age 36 by Amanda Little
Chapbook Contest – 10 entries
Judged by John Dorsey
John Dorsey lived for several years in Toledo, Ohio. He is the author of several collections of poetry, including Teaching the Dead to Sing: The Outlaw's Prayer (Rose of Sharon Press, 2006), Sodomy is a City in New Jersey (American Mettle Books, 2010), Tombstone Factory, (Epic Rites Press, 2013), Appalachian Frankenstein (GTK Press, 2015), Being the Fire (Tangerine Press, 2016), Shoot the Messenger (Red Flag Poetry, 2017), Your Daughter's Country (Blue Horse Press, 2019), Which Way to the River: Selected Poems 2016-2020 (OAC Books, 2020), Afterlife Karaoke (Crisis Chronicles Press, 2021), and Sundown at the Redneck Carnival (Spartan Press, 2022). His work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, and the Stanley Hanks Memorial Poetry Prize. He was the winner of the 2019 Terri Award given out at the Poetry Rendezvous.
1st place: Old Songs by Julie A. Sellers, D1
2nd place: Lakeside Lyrics by Duane R. Johnson, D1
3rd Place: Evolution's Progress by Duane R. Johnson, D1
Performance Poems Contest – 8 entries
Judged by Jase Buck
Jase Buck is a graduate of the Lovewell Institute and has been performing theatre and poetry for more than two decades. Most recently, he is the co-author of Live a Great Story, a collection of travel poems from his time studying abroad in England. He currently attends Washburn Law and anticipates pursuing water law and the judiciary post-graduation.
1st place: Muse’s Calling by Amanda Little, D4
2nd place: Jesus Spot by Ronda Miller, D2
3rd Place: Stacking Dolls by Ronda Miller, D2
Honorable Mention: The Music of You by Ronda Miller, D2
Honorable Mention: Life Lines by Julie A. Sellers, D1
Honorable Mention: Golden Age by Duane R. Johnson, D1
Honorable Mention: I’ll Meet You There by Duane R. Johnson, D1
Honorable Mention: Reason to Call by Duane R. Johnson, D1
Japanese Forms Contest – 27 entries
Judged by Nathanael Stolte
Nathanael Stolte hails from Buffalo, New York where he currently hangs his hat. He works part time at a local community college and part time as the tour manager for the NYC ska/reggae band, The Slackers. Nathanael’s poems and artwork have appeared in various print and digital publications. He is the author of several chapbooks, Shoot the Alligators Closest to the Boat (Stubborn Mule, 2019), and Beggar’s Songbook (Spartan Press, 2021). Nathanael is a sober alcoholic, flower punk, rustbelt artist.
1st place: Storm Swimming by Julie Ann Baker Brin, D5
2nd place: Mid-Morning Darkness by Janet Sue Stotts, D1
3rd Place: Snow Falls in the Night by Barbara Brady, D1
Honorable Mention: Haiku by Brian Daldorph, D2
Honorable Mention: Ink-Stained Fingers by Cynthia Ross, D5
Honorable Mention: Un Bloomed by I.D. Brannan, NM (Lawrence)
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