FSPA is delighted to announce our annual poetry contest. This year, we have 28 different categories, covering all sorts of subjects and forms to challenge you. The submission period is May 1 through July 15 (that’s the ‘must-be-postmarked-by’ date). Each year, hundreds of poets have entered thousands of poems, seeking to win cash prizes and publication. I can’t wait to see what you’ll send us this year. Good luck and happy writing!
— Marc Davidson, FSPA Contest Chairman.
- FSPA FREE VERSE AWARD
Subject: Any. Form: Free Verse. 1 page limit.
1st PL $100. 2nd PL $75. 3rd PL $50. 3 HMs
Entry fee $4 per poem for FSPA members, $5 for
non-members. Limit 2 poems. Sponsored by FSPA, Inc. - FSPA FORMAL VERSE AWARD
Subject: Any. Form: Formal Verse.
(Include form name at top of page.) 1 page limit.
1st PL $100. 2nd PL $75. 3rd PL $50. 3 HMs
Entry fee $4 per poem for FSPA members,
$5 for non-members. Limit 2 poems.
Sponsored by FSPA, Inc. - THE LIVE POETS SOCIETY AWARD
Subject: The Dark Side. Form: Any. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by The Live Poets Society of Daytona Beach - TOMOKA POETS AWARD
Subject: At the Beach. Form: Any. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Tomoka Poets - SPORTS AWARD
Subject: One sport, all sports, sportsmanship.
Form: Any. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $100. 2nd PL $50. 3rd PL $20. 3 HMs $10 each
Sponsored by Melody & Barry Dimick - JOCK G. & GEORGE K. TERRY AWARD
Subject: Any. Form: Any. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Mark Andrew James Terry - JUNE OWENS MEMORIAL AWARD
Subject: In lopsided light (interpret how you will).
Form: Any. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3HMs
Sponsored by New River Poets - NEW RIVER POETS AWARD
(In Honor of our Deceased Members)
Subject: Any. Form: Any. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by New River Poets - THE POET’S VISION AWARD
Subject: Faith, Spirituality. Form: Any. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Janet Watson - HENRIETTA & MARK KROAH FOUNDERS AWARD
(Free to FSPA Members)
Subject: Wedding. Form: Any. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by FSPA, Inc. - PAST PRESIDENTS AWARD
Subject: Any. Form: Any. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Past Presidents of FSPA - DR. CHARLES HAZELIP MEMORIAL AWARD
Subject: Any. Form: Any. 40 Line Limit
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Poetry for the Love of It (PLOI) - ANCIENT CITY POETS AWARD
Subject: The Fountain of Youth. Form: Any. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Ancient City Poets - ORLANDO AREA POETS AWARD
Subject: Animals. Form: Any. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Orlando Area Poets - LESLIE HALPERN MEMORIAL AWARD
Subject: Dreams/dreaming. Form: Any. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Orlando Area Poets - HUMOR AWARD
Subject: Humor. Form: Any Rhymed & Metered.40 Line Limit.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Sunshine Poets - CHILDHOOD AWARD
Subject: Children reading, writing or both. Form: Any. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Marc Davidson - WEINBAUM/GLIDDEN AWARD
Subject: Issues and concerns faced by LGBTQ Community
and those who love them. Form: Any. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Robyn Weinbaum - THE IRWIN & ESTELLE WEINBAUM AWARD
Subject: ‘Justice, justice, thou shalt pursue!’ A poem on justice, law, civil disobedience, legal issues, SCOTUS, revolution, contracts, taxes. Form: any formal: sonnet, villanelle, quatrains, abecedarian, etc. up to 40 lines.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Robyn Weinbaum - THE ENCHANTMENT AWARD
Subject: Paranormal, Fantasy, Sci-Fi. Form: any. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $30. 2nd PL $20. 3rd PL $15. 3 HMs
Sponsored by FSPA, Inc. - THE EKPHRASTIC POEM AWARD (Writing inspired by art)
Subject: An Ekphrastic Poem inspired by a painting, photograph, sculpture or other piece of visual art. Include name of piece, artist, and where seen if applicable. Form: Any. 50 line limit.
1st Prize: $25. 2nd Prize: $15. 3rd Prize: $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Elaine Person - THE NORTH FLORIDA POETRY HUB AWARD
Subject: Hope. Form: Any.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Hope at Hand/NFPH - THE LOOK DEEPER AWARD
Subject: Why you admire a poem (other than your own).
Form: Sacred Seven—Starting at the left margin, take 7 lines from a poem you admire (not your own) and use the first letter in each line, in order, to begin each line in your poem about why you admire the other poem. Give credit to the other author. 7 Line Limit.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Suzanne Austin-Hill - THE JOSEPHINE DAVIDSON MEMORIAL AWARD
Subject: Any. Form: Pantoum— A Pantoum comprises a series of four or more quatrains, with the second and fourth lines of each quatrain repeated as the first and third lines of the next. The second and fourth lines of the final stanza repeat the first and third lines of the first stanza. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Live Poets Society of Daytona Beach - DR. DAVID B. AXELROD MEMORIAL AWARD
Subject: A humorous poem about relationships. Form: Any. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by FSPA, Inc. - HOMEPLACE AWARD
Subject: Homeplace. Form: Any. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $50. 2nd PL $30. 3rd PL $20. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Mark Andrew James Terry - THE SUNCOAST WRITERS GUILD POETRY POD AWARD
Subject: Old Florida. Form: Any. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $25. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $10. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Suncoast Writers Guild - THE NORTHWEST FLORIDA POETS AWARD
Subject: It’s Elemental. NOTE: Poetry that translates the raw power of nature into refined art. Form: Any. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $40. 2nd PL $30. 3rd PL $20. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Northwest Florida Poets - THE JIM KLEINKLAUS MEMORIAL AWARD
Subject: Any. Form: Abstract/Experimental. 40 Line Limit.
1st PL $30. 2nd PL $15. 3rd PL $5. 3 HMs
Sponsored by Fred Briggs
2026 FSPA Contests Submissions: May 1- July 15, 2026
CONTEST RULES:
Please read carefully and follow all directions.
Any violations will disqualify submission.
ALL POEMS MUST:
- be the original work of the poet
- be unpublished in any form
- not have won more than $10 in any contest
- be written in English
- be titled unless a sijo or haiku
- have a 40 lines limit unless stated otherwise.
Count only the actual lines, not the title
or any blank lines between stanzas. - not be simultaneously entered in any other contest
CATEGORY SPECIFICS: - The same poem must not be entered in more than
one category. - Categories 1 & 2 are limited to 2 entries per
category per poet. - All other categories are limited to one entry per
category per poet.
FORMAT: - Typed, single-spaced on one side of 8.5” x 11”
white paper. - Use 12-point Times New Roman font.
- Unless the poet has a specific design in
mind, all poems should be flush left. - NO illustrations.
- Submit 2 copies – both with category name and
number on upper left. - Poet’s name, address, phone, and email on
duplicate copy only on upper right. - Mail all entries together in one envelope with
check or money order payable to FSPA, Inc. using
regular first class mail. - Alternatively, this year we encourage you to submit
your poems by email. Remember to include both
copies of your entry in the email.
FEES:
- Categories 1 & 2 are $4 per poem for FSPA
members, $5 for non-members (2 poem limit per
category). - Category 10 is free to FSPA members only – non-
members pay $3.00. - Remaining categories are $3 each per contest for
FSPA members and $4 each per contest for non-
members. Please do not send cash. Make checks
or money orders payable to FSPA, Inc. - Payment may also be made by PayPal to
FSPATreasurer@aol.com. If you use PayPal, please
email me a copy of the receipt
PUBLISHING RIGHTS: - Poets give FSPA, Inc. exclusive first printing rights
to all 1st place winning poems awarded in the
FSPA, Inc. Annual Contest. - 1st Place winning poems will be printed in
the FSPA anthology “Cadence”. - The Editor reserves the right to alter line breaks
having more than 50 characters per line,
including spaces. - Printing rights revert to the poet after the
anthology is published (October 2026) - Winners’ names will be posted October 2026 on
the FSPA website.
SUBMISSION PERIOD: - May 1 to July 15, 2026. July 15th is the
“Postmarked By” deadline. It makes our job easier
if you can submit your poems by email (flueln@
hotmail.com). Assemble all your poems (both
copies) into one large file, clearly put FSPA
Contest Entries in the subject line. Don’t forget
that two copies of each poem are required,
one with your contact information, the other
anonymous.
Mail Entries to:
Marc Davidson,
PO Box 730838,
Ormond Beach, FL 32173
or by email to: flueln@hotmail.com