PSOV Fall Poetry Contest

Posted by PSOV

First Call

Dear Poetry Society of Vermont Member,

The Fall Poetry Contest for 2026 will open on September 1st and entries will close on September 30th. PSOV members may submit one poem for this contest. Please take the time to look at the PSOV Submission Guidelines (concerning length, font, etc…)

In the past, I’ve noticed that many contributors enter their poems but neglect to vote on their top ten choices. Savoring other poets’ works is an integral part of membership choice. By taking the time to do so, deepens one’s understanding of how diverse and unique other voices bring to PSOV. To participate fully in the Memberships’ Choice Vote also represents the respect for others who represent the society. In addition, it gives you a full appreciation of what the Editorial staff faces while culling poems during open submission outside of the Spring and Fall Membership contests.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to write to me at ex***********@********************nt.org .

May your entry secure a slot in the next edition of The Mountain Troubadour.

Sincerely,

David Hartnett

PSOV Executive Secretary

Fall Poetry Contest Submission

Open: September 1st – September 30th
Follow the Guidelines linked below:
- PSOV Submission Guidelines
  - PSOV Members Only
Upload Poem in the form below:
- 2026 Fall Poem Contest Submission Form
- You must follow the submission guidelines for your poem to be considered.

Special Note: The Fall Workshop and Fall Poetry Contest are now separate events. Be sure to follow the instructions listed above and if you have any questions or need help with your submission contact David at ex***********@********************nt.org.

2026 Spring Poetry Contest Winners

Posted by PSOV

We are excited to announce the results of the 2026 Spring Poetry Contest Members’ Choice Voting! Congratulations to PSOV members who placed in the top ten and will be published in the 2027 Mountain Troubadour. Thank you to all the members who took the time to read the 50 submitted contest poems and vote for your top ten.

Poet	Poems	Rank Choice Place
Katrina Kunker	Boardwalk	1
George Longenecker	Birds Over Palestine	2
Robert Turcot	To Anne	3
Trish Dougherty	Yahrzeit	4
Martha Anderson Sanborn	The Staircase	5
Maggie Eaton	Sterling Mud Pie	6
David Hartnett (aka daithí)	Dear Franz	7
Mary Cheyne	Transition	8
Ann Cooper	I love the railroad	9
Katherine Leiner	AFTER MARY OLIVER	10

Members’ Choice Voting: Spring/Fall Poetry Contest winners are selected through members’ choice voting. A Google Form and a link to a document containing all submitted poems (names removed) is sent to members, where they have the opportunity to read all submitted poems then vote for their top ten. The top ten ranked choice poems will are included in next year’s publication of The Mountain Troubadour. The members’ choice vote uses the Borda Count Method to calculate the choice ranking.

Last Call: Spring Poetry Contest

Posted by PSOV

The 2026 Spring Poetry Contest closes at midnight on Friday, April 17th! Don’t miss this unique poetry contest where Poetry Society of Vermont members choose the top ten poems to be published in the 2027 The Mountain Troubadour.

PSOV Spring Poetry Contest

Open: March 16 – April 17
Follow the Guidelines linked below:
- PSOV Submission Guidelines
Upload Poem in the form below:
- Spring Poetry Contest Submission Form
- You must follow the submission guidelines for your poem to be considered.

Members’ Choice Voting: Spring & Fall Poetry Contest winners are selected through members’ choice voting. After contest closing, an online form is sent to all members where they have the opportunity to vote for their top ten poems. The top ten ranked choice poems will be included in next year’s publication of The Mountain Troubadour. The members’ choice vote uses the Borda Count Method to calculate the choice ranking.

Special Note:The Spring Workshop and Spring Poetry Contest are now separate events. Be sure to follow the instructions listed above and if you have any questions or need help with your submission contact David at ex***********@********************nt.org.

Spring Poetry Contest 2026

Posted by PSOV

PSOV Spring Poetry Contest

Open: March 16 – April 17
Follow the Guidelines linked below:
- PSOV Submission Guidelines
Upload Poem in the form below:
- Spring Poetry Contest Submission Form
- You must follow the submission guidelines for your poem to be considered.

2025 Fall Poetry Contest Results!

Posted by PSOV

PSOV Members have voted and the results are in! Below are the winning poems from the Poetry Society of Vermont’s 2025 Fall Poetry Contest. Thank you to all the members who took the time to read the 46 submitted contest poems and vote for your top ten poems which will be published in the 2026 Mountain Troubadour.

Top Ten Poems	Poets
Ant Trails	Christopher Record
Letter to a Brother in Ladakh	Amelia DiGiano
Bitten	Robin Dellabough
Mother’s Grape Jelly	Elizabeth R. McCarthy
The Radical Nature of Sneakers	Carol Milkuhn
Dandelions in the Suburbs	Philip Coleman
JESUS HAS YOUR ANSWERS*	George Longenecker
Resistance, with Eggs*	Carla Schwartz
Falling in Love Again At Fifty*	Michelle Fay Holder
Sunrise, Late Fall 1956**	Nichael Cramer
King’s Progress**	Gordon Korstange
* tied for 7th ** tied for 10th

Members’ Choice Voting: Spring/Fall Poetry Contest winners are selected through members’ choice voting. A Google Form and a link to a document containing all submitted poems (names removed) is sent to all members, where they have the opportunity to read all submitted poems then vote for their top ten. The top ten ranked choice poems will be included in next year’s publication of The Mountain Troubadour. The members’ choice vote uses the Borda Count Method to calculate the choice ranking.

Last Call for Poems

Posted by PSOV

2025 PSOV Fall Poetry Contest

Don’t be late! The deadline for entering the PSOV Fall Poetry Contest is midnight, October 1st! You must be a Poetry Society of Vermont Member to enter and follow the submission guidelines.

Fall Poetry Contest Submission Form

2025 Fall Poetry Contest

Posted by PSOV

2025 – First Call

OPEN for SUBMISSIONS: Monday, September 1, 2025
CLOSES: Midnight Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Submit your poem
- be sure to follow the guidelines below before submitting

click here 2025 Fall Poetry Contest Form

Submission Guidelines:

Use the poem title as the document file name.
Do not include your name in the poem document or file name.
Submit one poem, any style, any topic.
Format – poem must be in a Word or Google Document.
- Times New Roman 12pt font.
- Single space/ double-space between stanzas.
- Keep the poem length to one page (short poems preferred.)
No previously published poems.
- PSOV does not accept work that has been previously curated, in print or online—poems may be self-published on social media, blogs, or message boards, but cannot have been published in books, magazines, or similar collections open to the general public (online or in print.)
Simultaneous submissions are allowed
- Notify us asap if your poem is accepted elsewhere.
You must be a member of PSOV to enter this contest.

Members’ Choice Voting:

An online voting form will be sent to all PSOV members on or around October 3rd where members will vote for their top ten poems. The ranked choice results will be calculated and the top ten poems will be published in next year’s publication of The Mountain Troubadour.
Members’ Choice Voting closes on October 17th. (please vote!)

Alternative for Submitting your Poem:

Email your poem to: wo******@********************nt.org
Please put your name and “Fall Poem” in the subject line of your email.
Include your full name and email address in the body of the email.
Follow the guidelines above.
Attach a poem as a word document (do not type your poem in the body of the email itself.)

Thank you,

David Hartnett, PSOV Executive Secretary

Robyn Joy, PSOV President

Please note: you don’t have to attend the Fall Workshop to submit a poem for consideration in the contest, nor do you have to submit a poem to attend the workshop. Be sure to follow the guidelines above. If you have any question contact David at wo******@********************nt.org or Joy at pr*******@********************nt.org.

Download this post as a document, click here (go to file, download.)

2025 Spring Poetry Contest Results

Posted by PSOV

Congratulations to the top ten winners!

The results are in for the 2025 Spring Poetry Contest. Thank you to all the members who submitted poems to the Spring Poetry Contest and for those members who read all of the submitted poems and selected their top ten choices in the members’ choice voting form. The following poems will be published in the 2026 Mountain Troubadour.

Continue Reading 2025 Spring Poetry Contest Results