The Lyrical Iowa Annual Poetry 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 2023 Competition is now closed.

Click here for the 2023 Contest Rules or for the printable pdf version

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

Meet Our JUDGES!

ANNOUNCING the 2023 STUDENT DIVISION LYRICAL IOWA WINNERS

Adult Division Winners will be posted after all the judging is complete, around late-June.

Congratulations to the following young poets!

Poems will be posted after the anthology is released around Oct.1, 2023.

COLLEGE:
JUDGE: Michael Carrino, Plattsburg, NY (77 entries)
1st - Elise Wennberg, Rochester, MN, Dordt University, Sioux Center, IA
2nd - Olivia Dahl, Hugo, MN, Dordt University, Sioux Center, IA
3rd - Lael Bervig, Park Rapids, MN, Dordt University, Sioux Center, IA
1st HM - Deborah N Vallejo, Kalona, IA, Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, IA
2nd HM - Aleasha Hintz, Onalaska, WI, Dordt University, Sioux Center, IA
3rd HM - Jessalyn Elder, Iowa City, IA, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Also to be published, poems by:
Lee Beauchamp, Bellevue, IA, Univ of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls; Emma Bennett, Houston, TX, Dordt Univ, Sioux Center; Sam Drake-Flam, Hancock, MI, Grinnell College, Grinnell; Wenwen Fan, Sioux Center, IA, Dordt Univ, Sioux Center; Olivia Luhring, Iowa Falls, IA, Univ of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls; Will Morlock, Ames, IA, Iowa State Univ, Ames; Kayla Prell, Eden Prairie, MN, Dordt Univ, Sioux Center; Hallie Rusk, Sioux Rapids, IA, Dordt Univ, Sioux Center; Natasha Sampson, Orange City, IA, Dordt Univ, Sioux Center; Joya Schreurs, Sioux Center, IA, Dordt Univ, Sioux Center; Elise Stiemsma, Sioux Center, IA, Dordt Univ, Sioux Center; Lizzie Van Es, Iowa City, IA, Univ of Iowa, Iowa City; Mylia Wagenaar, Alton, IA, Dordt Univ, Sioux Center

HIGH SCHOOL:
JUDGE: Elizabeth Ridge, Ottumwa, IA (340 entries)
1st - Athena Wu, Grade 11, West HS, Iowa City, Kerri Barnhouse, Teacher
2nd - Josie Handlos, Grade 10, Atlantic HS, Atlantic, Allison Berryhill, Teacher
3rd - Sophie Boehmler, Grade 11, Homeschooled, Sumner, Rebecca Boehmler, Teacher
1st HM - Damion Shampang, Grade 10, Atlantic HS, Atlantic, Allison Berryhill, Teacher
2nd HM - Ava Cleveland, Grade 12, Dike-New Hartford HS, Dike, Emily Beukelman, Teacher
3rd HM - Mariah Ogonsola, Grade 11, Valley HS, West Des Moines, Blythe Stanfel, Teacher
Also to be published, poems by:
Genevieve McCalla, Gr 11, Atlantic HS, Atlantic; Briley Atwell, Gr 11, Chariton HS, Chariton; Elizabeth Colloton, Teagan Kavan, Emily Ponxs, Jack Power, and Dani Stacy, all in Gr 12, Dowling Catholic HS, West Des Moines; Maggie VanDyk, Gr 9, Gilbert HS, Gilbert; Xavier Eugene Hibbert, Gr 9, Perry HS, Perry; Plum Brugenhemke and Natalie Crisp, both Gr 11, St Albert Schools, Council Bluffs; Nate Buelow, Gr 10, Sayra Contreras, Gr 12, Preston Kinipsu, Gr 11, all at Valley HS, West Des Moines.

UPPER GRADES (5-8):
JUDGE: Robert Schinzel, Argyle, TX (332 entries)
1st - Penelope Fennell, Grade 8, Grinnell MS, Grinnell, Matt Griffen, Teacher
2nd - Piper Redman, Grade 7, Baxter Community Schools, Baxter, Mrs. Kibby, Teacher
3rd - Olivia Parrie, Grade 6, Baxter Community Schools, Baxter, Mrs. Kibby, Teacher
1st HM - Brooke Dean, Grade 5, Eason Elementary, Waukee, Sarah Lacey, Teacher
2nd HM - Claire Hemann, Grade 8, Edgewood-Colesburg Jr/Sr High, Edgewood, Lizzie Edens, Teacher
3rd HM - Aven Eddleman, Grade 5, Bondurant-Farrar Intermediate, Bondurant, Sarah Teeselink, Teacher
Also to be published, poems by:
Elizabeth Jones, Gr 7, Olivia Moritz, Gr 7, and Tyler Weber, Gr 7, at Bondurant-Farrar Jr HS, Bondurant; Paxten Hainline, Gr 5 at Bondurant-Farrar Intermediate, Bondurant; Bronwyn Squires, Gr 8, DC-G, Grimes; Avery Brown and Brady Brown, Gr 7, both at Edgewood-Colesburg Jr/Sr High, Edgewood; Rachel Cody and Thora Schimmel, Gr 7, both at Grinnell MS, Grinnell; Kinnick DeMaris and Madison Jones, Gr 6, both at Osage MS, Osage; Elise Wilson, Gr 7, Saint Albert Schools, Council Bluffs; Natalie Mills, Gr 8, and Charlee Read, Gr 7, both at Washington MS, Washington

LOWER GRADES (K-4):
JUDGE: Robert Schinzel, Argyle, TX (158 entries)
1st - Lucy Munson, Grade 2, Cardinal Elementary, Maquoketa, Jenna Spain, Teacher
2nd - Tia Keller, Grade 4, North Hill Elementary, Burlington, Julie Russell and Beth Junker, Teachers
3rd - Avery Irish, Grade 4, Black Hawk Elementary, Burlington, Julie Russell and Teri Jo Lane, Teachers
1st HM - Peter Shroyer, Grade 4, Homeschool, Mt. Pleasant, Heidi Shroyer, Teacher
2nd HM -Aila Plein, Grade 4, Sunnyside, Burlington, Mr. Glasgow, Teacher
3rd HM - Maya Chandrea, K, Homeschool, Marion, Courtney Chandrea, Teacher
Also to be published, poems by:
Gavin Pittman, Gr 3, Baxter Elementary, Baxter; Wyatt Davison, Gr 1, Liliana Gilbert, Gr 2, and Anna Hess, Gr 1, all at Cardinal Elementary, Maquoketa; Maeley Graves, Gr 4, and Elayna Weber, Gr 4, at Easton Valley Elementary, Miles; Karen Chen, Gr 3, and Atticus Franksain, Gr 3, at Edwards Elementary, Ames; Leah Hayes, Gr 4, and Claire Tieszen, Gr 4, at Grundy Center Elementary, Grundy Center; Vivienne Farrington, Gr 3, Homeschool, Urbandale; Chase Clemens, Gr 4, Sonia Geiss, Gr 3, and Charlie May, Gr 1, Lambert Elementary, West Delaware, Manchester.

ALL STUDENT AWARDS SPONSORED BY: the Albert Lyell & Jauvanta M. Walker Endowment Fund, by memorial gifts from family and friends of Virginia Blanck Moore and by a bequest of Marie Jacobsen.

Adult and Student Division winners are invited to post video or audio clips of themselves reading their poems on our "Lyrical Iowa Poetry" Facebook page.

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