2025 Kentucky State Poetry Society Chaffin/Kash Poetry Contest

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Guidelines:

  • The KSPS Chaffin/Kash Contest is open only to members of the Kentucky State Poetry Society (see KSPS website for membership information)
  • Poems may be any topic, any form 
  • Each poem must be 30 lines or fewer, including titles, spaces, and stanza breaks
  • 1-3 poems per submission. Poems must be in one document; only one poem per page
  • $10 submission fee for each entry (1-3 poems)
  • KSPS members may submit to both contests (separate entry fees)
  • Poems must be the original, unpublished work of the entrant; no AI submissions
  • Poems must be titled or numbered
  • Do not include your name or any identifying information on the poem(s)
  • Please withdraw poems via Submittable if they are published elsewhere before the contest deadline. Use the "Withdraw" function or the "Message" function to withdraw single poems from a submission packet.
  • Deadline is July 31, 2025, 11:59 pm ET
  • Winners are announced in September and are invited to read at the KSPS annual conference October, 2025. (virtual)
  • Winners are published in the KSPS literary journal Pegasus

Prizes:

  • 1st Prize: $100
  • 2nd Prize: $50
  • 3rd Prize: $25

Judge: Elaine Fowler Palencia

About: The Kentucky State Poetry Society seeks to inspire, encourage, and develop Kentucky’s poets through a wide variety of workshops, lectures, and publishing opportunities. The Kentucky State Poetry Society publishes the biannual literary journal Pegasus, offers a student and adult poetry contest, and hosts an annual conference. 

We use Submittable to accept and review our submissions.