CAN WE GET 1230? 1230 GOING ONCE....

Confession: I’m not much for poetry contests, but I suspect I’m in the minority there. I’m not much for the lottery either, but I’ve played that a time or two over the years. The PSH contest cash prizes almost tempted me, but I’m becoming more and more of a realist in my old age.

That said, I’ve thrown in with a host of others to offer a prize made available to all who enter the 2022 Poetry Super Highway contest. Initially, this post was merely going to offer a sneak peak at a few of the prizes that were at least slightly different from the common “x number of copies” of the prize offerors’ publications.

But then, Rick Lupert informed me that there were 1,229 poems submitted for the 2021 contest. My mind immediately jumped to, “1229 poems?! For three judges to read?!” Major kudos to Taylor Byas of Cincinnati, Ohio; Kathleen Holliday of Salish Sea, Washington; and Jonathan Yungkans of Los Angeles, California for taking on such a “Herculean” (Rick’s word) task!

I don’t care if they had a full two months (which they didn’t really) to read and decide the fates of those poems staring up at them longingly. The mere thought of reading at least portions of more than 400 poems in two months has my eyes doing cartoon twirlies! I wonder if KelliSimpson, Layla Lenhardt, and Mary Beth Hines—this year’s judges—know what they’re in for?

Note: The number is based on quick math and an assumption of an evenly divided workload. I don’t really know how the work/joy was divided. Still!

Anyway, you can click here for the list of prizes being offered to all who enter, but below are those slightly different prizes I mentioned above.

Sample of Contest Prizes:

David C. Kopaska-Merkel
https://dreamsandnightmaresmagazine.blogspot.com/
5 two-year (six-issue) subscriptions to the PDF edition of Dreams and Nightmares, one of the oldest extant magazines of speculative poetry (first published in 1986).

Linda N. Masi
https://lindanmasi.com
$50 added to the prize pot given to the first place winner
$25 added to the prize pot given to the second place winner
$25 added to the prize pot given to the for third place winner

Magdalena Ball
http://www.compulsivereader.com
1 one-month ad at Compulsive Reader including image, link and newsletter ad

Rolland Vasin
$300 Added to the Cash Prize Divided Between the Winning Poets

Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association
sfpoetry.com
2 digital (PDF publications) memberships with the SFPA for the period of one year.

Susan Tutors
1 90 Minute Poetry Workshop in person (in San Diego) or online Led by Poet Susan Taylor

Suzanne Ondrus
http://suzanneondrus.com/
Editorial feedback via email with Trackchanges on 3 poems for 1 person

T. A. Niles
https://tapoetexpress.blogspot.com/
1 Five-Poem Recording and Video Package produced by T. A. Niles

Tara A. Elliott
www.taraaelliott.com
2 written line-by-line critiques from Tara A. Elliott with editorial advice of one (1) poem of the awardee’s choice, not to exceed one standard (8 1/2″ x 11″) page in length.