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 2025 Competition closes on February 28, 2025.

Click here for the 2025 Contest Rules

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 2024 LYRICAL IOWA WINNERS!

Congratulations to the following poets!

ADULT DIVISION

Read the adult division winning poems.

LUCILLE MORGAN WILSON AWARD: JUDGE: Christine Stewart-Nunez, Winnipeg, MB Canada (635 entries); generously sponsored by Jerrold Narland, IPA Past President
1st - Leah Waughtal-Magiera; Des Moines
2nd - Bill Graeser; Fairfield
3rd - Dawn Terpstra; Lynnville
1st HM - Janet Carl; Grinnell
2nd HM - Dennis Maulsby; Ames
3rd HM - Jerrold Narland; Winterset

SPECIAL AWARD FIRST-TIME ENTRANT: provided by Shelly Reed Thieman, in honor of all the poets gone before us, and in celebration of those with whom we still work.
Hilary Naab; Monticello

GRANT WOOD COUNTRY POETRY AWARD: JUDGE: Iowa Poet Laureate Vince Gotera, Waterloo, IA (47 entries); sponsored by the Grant Wood Country Forum, an online art-history-culture-creative-writing community
1st - Pat Underwood; Colfax
2nd - Jim Hackett; Cedar Rapids
3rd - Kathy Meyer; Winterset
1st HM - Kathy Geren Christy; Oskaloosa
2nd HM - Blythe Stanfel; Clive
3rd HM - Laura Sohl-Cryer; Cedar Falls

TRADITIONAL FORMS: JUDGE: John Sibley Williams, Milwaukie, OR (39 entries); sponsored by the generosity of the Society of Great River Poets
1st - Maryam Daftari; Fairfield
2nd - Joshua Borgmann; Creston
3rd - Pamela J Blomgren; Oskaloosa
1st HM - Corinne Stanley; Iowa City
2nd HM - Talbot Hook; Newton
3rd HM - Erik Trilk; Marion

HAIKU: JUDGE: Michael Dylan Welch, Sammamish, WA (167 entries); underwritten by Maggie Westvold, in memory of a dear friend and poet, Dorothy Fyfe
1st - Mary Ann Conley; Marion
2nd - Del Todey Turner; Waterloo
3rd - Angela McGlothlen; Cedar Rapids
1st HM - Julie Allyn Johnson; Norwalk
2nd HM - Shelly Reed Thieman; West Des Moines
3rd HM - Bryan Tabbert; Osage

FOR CHILDREN: JUDGE: Dorothia Rohner, Eyota, MN (57 entries); Sponsored through an investment gift of William Godfrey
1st - Joyce Allen, Ankeny
2nd - Joan Daily Rammelsberg; Marion
3rd - Nancy Hanaman; Rippey
1st HM - Linda Shivvers; Des Moines
2nd HM - David L Burrier; Runnells
3rd HM - Karen Schmitt; Solon

NATIONAL/WORLD EVENTS: JUDGE: Robbin Farr, Doylestown PA (37 entries); prizes given in his memory by the family of Carl Stiefel
1st - Lisa Morlock; Johnston
2nd - Mary Lautzenhiser Bellon; Knoxville
3rd - Anna Nicholas; Cedar Falls
1st HM - Rebecca Lyon; Ames
2nd HM - Steven D Palmquist; Waverly
3rd HM - Margaret Flint Suter; Hampton

HUMOROUS: JUDGE: Matt Mason, Omaha, NE (34 entries); sponsored by Kathy Geren Christy in honor of the poets who make us smile.
1st - Lori Shannon; Manning
2nd - Jan Blankenburg; Donnellson
3rd - Mary Jedlicka Humston; Iowa City
1st HM - Vicky Dovenspike; Salem
2nd HM - Milli Gilbaugh; Iowa City
3rd HM - Jan Logan; Van Horne

STUDENT DIVISION

Read the student division winning poems.

COLLEGE:
JUDGE: Michael Carrino, Plattsburg, NY (22 entries)
1st - Deborah N Vallejo, Kalona, IA, Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, IA
1st HM - Lucy Martin, Shenandoah, IA, University of Nebraska-Omaha, Omaha, NB
Also to be published, poems by:
Isabella Hoffmann, Blue Earth, MN, Buena Vista University, Storm Lake, IA;
Olivia Luhring, Iowa Falls, IA, Univ of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls;
Maria Streif, Maynard, IA, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Platteville, WI

HIGH SCHOOL:
JUDGE: Tisha Scott, Drakesville, IA (366 entries)
1st - Kate Laura Kotta, Grade 10, Mason City HS, Mason City, Mrs D Guritz,Teacher
2nd - Belle Glover, Grade 9, Glenwood Community HS, Glenwood, Teresa Lawler, Teacher
3rd - Destin Miller, Grade 11, Valley HS, West Des Moines, Haley Moehlis, Teacher
1st HM - Genevieve McCalla, Grade 12, Atlantic HS, Atlantic, Allison Berryhill, Teacher
2nd HM - Kate Carlson, Grade 11, Valley HS, West Des Moines, Haley Moehlis, Teacher
3rd HM - Emma Keller, Grade 11, Valley HS, West Des Moines, Haley Moehlis, Teacher
Also to be published, poems by:
Brittlyn Arthur, Gr 10, Mason City HS, Mason City; Sarah Bean, Gr 11, Valley HS, West Des Moines; Nevaeh Duranceau, Gr 12, Atlantic HS, Atlantic; Penelope Fennell, Gr 9, Grinnell HS, Grinnell; Marissa Fetters Gr 11, Chariton HS, Chariton; Ivan Galligan, Gr 11, Valley HS, West Des Moines; Cole Hobbs, Gr 11, St Albert Schools, Council Bluffs; Piper Lenning, Gr 10, Mason City HS, Mason City; Engjellusha Mollopolci, Gr 11, Valley HS, West Des Moines; Kaleb Offenburger, Gr 11, Chariton HS, Chariton; Saanvi Ram, Gr 11, Hempstead HS, Dubuque; Rain Sanchez, Mason City HS, Mason City; Cassie Schebel, Gr 11, Valley HS, West Des Moines; Damion Shampang, Gr 11, Atlantic HS, Atlantic.

UPPER GRADES (5-8):
JUDGE: Robert Schinzel, Argyle, TX (366 entries)
1st - Zailey Bohley, Grade 6, Bettendorf MS, Bettendorf, Mrs. K Turner, Teacher
2nd - Nicholas Larson, Grade 8, Franklin MS, Cedar Rapids, Abby Ashcroft, Teacher
3rd - Aila Plein, Grade 5, Aldo Leopold Intermediate, Burlington, Kahri Plein, Teacher
1st HM - Liv Schnathorst, Grade 6, Baxter Elementary, Allison Bartholmey, Teacher
2nd HM - Grace Sheyko, Grade 8, Franklin MS, Cedar Rapids, Abby Ashcroft, Teacher
3rd HM - Avery Jennings, Grade 8, Franklin MS, Cedar Rapids, Abby Ashcroft, Teacher
Also to be published, poems by:
Maddie Alexander, Gr 7, North Polk MS, Alleman; McKenna Cronbaugh, Gr 5, Immaculate Conception, Gilbertville; Ashe Dennis, Gr 8, Franklin MS, Cedar Rapids; Olivia Parrie, Gr 7, Baxter Community Schools, Baxter; Violet Poci, Gr 8, Saint Mary and Mathias Catholic School, Muscatine; Piper Redman, Gr 8, Baxter Elementary, Baxter; Cooper Riggins, Gr 6, Bondurant-Farrar Intermediate, Bondurant; Lily Stinger, Gr 7, Grinnell MS, Grinnell; Sayge Waddell, Gr 8, Saint Albert Schools, Council Bluffs; Grace Williams, Gr 6, Homeschooled, Dyersville; Elise Wilson, Gr 8, Saint Albert Schools, Council Bluffs; Grace Winter, Gr 7, North Polk MS, Alleman; Reece Wipperman, Gr 6, Bondurant-Farrar Intermediate, Bondurant; Mercedes Youngs, Gr 8, Franklin MS, Cedar Rapids

LOWER GRADES (K-4):
JUDGE: Robert Schinzel, Argyle, TX (142 entries)
1st - Brady Weir, Grade 4, Anderson Elementary, Bondurant, Sarah Teeselink, Teacher
2nd - Vivienne Farrington, Grade 4, Valerius Elementary, Urbandale, Morgan Bruggeman, Teacher
3rd - Jackson Furleigh, Grade 4, Anderson Elementary, Bondurant, Sarah Teeselink, Teacher
1st HM - Kinley Kuhlman, Grade 2, Cardinal Elementary, Maquoketa, Megan Bahlmann, Teacher
2nd HM -Jeremiah Warden, Grade 4, Baxter Elementary, Baxter, Allison Bartholmey and Amy Christiansen, Teachers
3rd HM - Jayden Stonehocker, Grade 2, Cardinal Elementary, Maquoketa, Megan Bahlmann, Teacher
Also to be published, poems by:
Harper Boike, Gr 3, Baxter Elementary, Baxter; Brynn Brandhorst, Gr 4, Anderson Elementary, Bondurant; Lucas Collins, Gr 2, Cardinal Elementary, Maquoketa; Sonia Geiss, Gr 4, Lambert Elementary, Manchester; Isabella Gram, Gr 4, Black Hawk Elementary, Burlington; Jude Grissom, Gr 2, Cardinal Elementary, Maquoketa; Jon Karns, Gr 4, Baxter Elementary, Baxter; Nolan Moffit, Gr 4, Baxter Elementary, Baxter; Avery Polito, Gr 2, Lambert Elementary, Manchester; Pierce Robb, Gr 3, Anderson Elementary, Bondurant; Ellie Simpson, Gr 3, Anderson Elementary, Bondurant; Creighton Stricklett, Gr 4, Anderson Elementary, Bondurant; William Tillo, Gr 3, Sawyer Elementary, Ames; Brynn Wippermann, Gr 3, Anderson Elementary, Bondurant

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.

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