Lyrical Iowa Competition

Lyrical Iowa is an annual anthology of 300 or more poems chosen from those submitted to the competitions listed below. Contests are open to all persons with an Iowa address; you do not need to be a member of the Association. No entry fee.

The Lyrical Iowa 2021 Competition is NOW OPEN!

Submit your poems January 1st - February 28th

Click here for the 2021 Contest Rules.

For the printable pdf version of the contest brochure, click here.

It is essential that you follow the Contest Rules when submitting poems for consideration.
Please note: EMAIL SUBMISSION for Adults and College Students Only

Order your copies of Lyrical Iowa 2020 SOON!

ANNOUNCING the 2020 Lyrical Iowa Competition Winners

Please enjoy reading the poems of winners in the Adult Division. Adult and Student Division winners have been invited to post video or audio clips of themselves reading their poems on our "Lyrical Iowa Poetry" Facebook page.

Congratulations to the following Adult Division Winners!

ADULT GENERAL:
JUDGE: William Reyer, Tiffin, OH (714 entries)
1st - Heather Ann Clark, Winterset
2nd - Jayne Vondrak, Kingsley
3rd - Mary Shaw, Indianola
1st HM - Jean C Conover, Mapleton
2nd HM - Kathy Ann Kelly, Dubuque
3rd HM - Maxine Carlson, Iowa City

SPECIAL AWARD FIRST-TIME ENTRANT: Kelli Lage, Sheffield

SPECIAL 75TH ANNIVERSARY AWARD:
JUDGE: Julie Cummings, Conifer, CO (34 entries)
1st - Shelly Reed Thieman, West Des Moines
1st HM - Melinda Putman, Clinton
2nd HM - Rebecca Whitmore,Muscatine
3rd HM - Joe Millard, West Des Moines

SONNETS:
JUDGE: Ralph Speer, Colbert, WA (29 entries)
1st - Allison Berryhill, Atlantic
2nd - Erik Trilk, Marion
3rd - Ethel Barker, Iowa City
1st HM - Laura Sohl-Cryer,Cedar Falls
2nd HM - Gene M Rohr, Grinnell
3rd HM - Linda Wolfe, Greenfield

HAIKU:
JUDGE: Stan Malless, Murphy NC (124 entries)
1st - Roberta Beach Jacobson, Indianola
2nd - Patricia E Noeth, Iowa City
3rd - Richard Ramsey, Des Moines
1st HM - Tracy Edens, Iowa City
2nd HM - Olivia Luhring, Iowa Falls
3rd HM - Lori Culbertson Harris,Cedar Falls

NATIONAL/WORLD EVENTS:
JUDGE: Christine Boldt, Temple, TX (35 entries)
1st - Carol Tyx, Iowa City
2nd - Lynn Cavanagh, Grinnell
3rd - Sharon Witty, Marshalltown
1st HM - William Hudson, Davenport
2nd HM - Wally Moll,Urbandale
3rd HM - Anna Nicholas, Cedar Falls

POEMS FOR CHILDREN:
JUDGE: Lisa Toth Salinas, Spring, TX (56 entries)
1st - Jan Blankenburg, Donnellson
2nd - Janet Gilchrist, Douds
3rd - Milli Gilbaugh, Iowa City
1st HM - Michelle Turner,Maquoketa
2nd HM - Valrie Schuster, Shell Rock
3rd HM - Jeffrey Meyer, Mount Pleasant

HUMOROUS VERSE:
JUDGE: Peter Stein, Minneapolis, MN (25 entries)
1st - Madison Bolin, Ankeny
2nd - Bill Simmons, Carroll
3rd - Bill Woodhouse, Des Moines
1st HM - Jane Chamberlain Olsasky, Des Moines
2nd HM - Mary Jedlicka Humston, Iowa City
3rd HM - Lori Shannon, Manning

Congratulations to the following Student Division Winners!

COLLEGE:
JUDGE: Michael Carrino, Plattsburg, NY (28 entries)
1st - Hannah Adams, Sheboygan, WI, Dordt University, Sioux City
2nd - Sarai Cortes, Alden, IA, Ellsworth Community College, Iowa Falls
3rd - Rebecca Bishop, Nichols, IA, Muscatine Community College, Muscatine
1st HM - Alicia Bonestroo, George, IA, Dordt University, Sioux City
2nd HM - Anneliese Donstad, Tomball, TX, Dordt College, Sioux City
3rd HM - Kailey Schmidt, Cedar Falls, IA, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls

HIGH SCHOOL:
JUDGE: Linda Newman Woito, Middleton, WI (251 entries)
1st - Noah Taylor, Grade 9, Holmes Junior HS, Cedar Falls, Leesa Talbot, Teacher
2nd - Charlotte Harwood, Grade 11, Dubuque Senior HS, Dubuque, Nathan Jenkins, Teacher
3rd - Ainsley Wolford, Grade 11, St Albert Catholic School, Council Bluffs, Ann Coombs, Teacher
1st HM - Ida Bonkafo, Grade 10, Valley HS, West Des Moines, Blythe Stanfel, Teacher
2nd HM - Megan Szalay, Grade 12, Dowling Catholic High, Molly Pierce, Teacher
3rd HM - Ana Welge, Grade 11, Valley HS, West Des Moines, Blythe Stanfel, Teacher

UPPER GRADES (5-8):
JUDGE: Budd Powell Mahan, Dallas TX (281 entries)
1st - Maggie Vandyk, Grade 6, Gilbert Middle School, Gilbert, Katy Charlson, Teacher
2nd - Lauren Carney, Grade 8, Aplington Parkersburg Middle School, Aplington, Kasey Sents, Teacher
3rd - Alyse Beyer, Grade 6, Gilbert Middle School, Gilbert, Katy Charlson, Teacher
1st HM - Ada Switzer, Grade 7, Aplington Parkersburg Middle School, Aplington, Sara Janssen, Teacher
2nd HM - Bethany Van Dyke, Grade 7, Boone Middle School, Boone, Mrs. Macdougall, Teacher
3rd HM - Mya Randall, Grade 6, Gilbert Middle School, Gilbert, Katy Charlson, Teacher

LOWER GRADES (K-4):
JUDGE: Budd Powell Mahan, Dallas TX (139 entries)
1st - Sophia Tacke, Grade 4, Kinsey Elementary, Sioux Center, Doris Estes, Teacher
2nd - Eva Balmer, Grade 2, Helen Lemme Elementary, Iowa City, Katie Park, Teacher
3rd - Sage Williamson, Grade 4, Sawyer Elementary, Ames, Mark Royer, Teacher
1st HM - Anya Adcock, Grade 4, Fellows Elementary, Ames, Christy Franco, Teacher
2nd HM - Elizabeth Fletchall, Grade 4, North Polk Central Elementary, Alleman, Marcy Donelson, Teacher
3rd HM - Lucia Rodriguez, Grade 4, Edwards Elementary, Ames, Mark Royer, Teacher

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