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Welcome to the website of the Iowa Poetry Association! Through this website and other links, we invite members of IPA and the general public to keep in touch with other poets. The Iowa Poetry Association is a non-profit organization whose sole objective is to promote interest in and appreciation of poetry among Iowans through educational opportunities, poetry writing contests and the publication of our annual anthology of Iowa poetry, Lyrical Iowa.

The IPA newsletter is published quarterly with news on events and members of the association, as well as submission and contest resources for poets and resources for teachers.

Each year, IPA offers two workshops in the Des Moines area, where poems are critiqued by eminent teachers, editors or publishers. Submissions of poetry to be critiqued are accepted as indicated. Please check guidelines on our Events page.

IPA is now going LIVE! with monthly mini-workshops and readings via Zoom! More information on the IPA LIVE! page.

• 2023-24 Iowa Student Poet Ambassador selected for Outstanding Poetry: Davenport Central High School junior, Lola Nakashima-Brooke receives highest award given to a young writer in Iowa. Read more.


• RESCHEDULED: IPA's Poetry Slam - Qualifier 2 now on Thursday March 30, 2023, 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the Atrium in Building 6 at DMACC Ankeny Campus, Ankeny. More info here. Also on Facebook.
• Poetry Slam - Qualifier 3 on Thursday March 23, 2023, 7:00-9:00 p.m. at Public Space One Close House in Iowa City. More info here.


• NFSPS Manningham Trust Student Poetry Contest: We are very pleased to announce that from a total of 257 entries from 25 states, 188 in the senior division and 69 in the junior, we have two Iowa students who placed in the junior division: Olivia Parrie from Baxter Middle School in Baxter won 2nd Honorable Mention for her poem "The voice that says 'perfect'" and Delphi Lonsdale from Prairieview School in Waukee won 4th Honorable Mention for her poem "A fall change." Congratulations! They should be very proud of their hard work and accomplishment in this year's national contest!


• 2023 Lyrical Iowa Competition is now closed. Results will be sent to poets by early July and posted here. Meet our Judges!


• Poetry& of Greater Des Moines is hosting Poetry Palooza!--an epic celebration of poetry and poets April 6-8, 2023. Partners and sponsors include Poetry&, Humanities Iowa, IPA, Mainframe Studios, Dr. Richard Deming and others. All events are FREE to attend. Schedule and Registration here.


• NFSPS annual convention comes to Des Moines, Catch Poetry: Stage and Page, June 21-26, 2023! You can win your hotel and registration fees by entering their Convention Madness Contest (deadline Feb 28)! Or enter the Invocational Poems Contest to read your winning poem at the beginning of meals. Don't forget to enter their regular annual contests, including the Blackberry Peach Spoken Word contest. Deadline March 15. (Winning poems will be read at the convention). Watch for more info and how to register coming soon!


• Beginning Dec 1, 2022, a BONUS offer for your NEW patron membership!
• 2022 Lyrical Iowa Competition Winners Adult and Student Divisions. Read their winning poems.
• LYRICAL IOWA 2022 Order your copies now, while supply lasts. Order here.
• Check out the new line-up for the 2022 IPA LIVE! program!


• More NEWS here

Can you help us find some older back issues of Lyrical Iowa?
We are attempting to archive our complete collection of Lyrical Iowa, but are still missing the following issues: 1946, 1951, 1955, 1956 and 1964. Please let us know if you hear/see of estate sales, libraries, individuals disposing of old issues. Please contact Heather Clark