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 closed

Click here for the 2021 Contest Rules or for the printable pdf version

Check back Oct. 1, 2021 for the 2022 Contest Rules.

Order your copies of Lyrical Iowa 2021 before Oct. 1, 2021 for FREE SHIPPING

ANNOUNCING the 2021 Lyrical Iowa Student Division Winners

Congratulations to the following young poets!

COLLEGE:
JUDGE: Michael Carrino, Plattsburg, NY (58 entries)
1st - Sierra Ann Earle, Cedar Rapids, IA, Mount Mercy University, Cedar Rapids
2nd - Yage Wang, Sioux Center, IA, Dordt University, Sioux City
3rd - Danikka Jackson,Oaxaca, Mexico, Dordt University, Sioux City
1st HM - Josie De Jong, Orange City, IA, Dordt University, Sioux City
2nd HM - Hannah Adams, Sheboygan, WI, Dordt University, Sioux City
3rd HM - Sam Landstra, Hudsonville, MI, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls

Also to be published, poems by: Mariel Barrientos Bravo, Sioux Center, IA, Dordt University, Sioux Center; Kyra Takes, Iowa City, IA, Univ of Iowa, Iowa City, IA; Zac VanderLey, Auburn, WA, Dordt University, Sioux Center, IA; Megan Bryan, Norwalk, IA, Northwest Missouri State Univ, Maryville, MO; Hannah Vanderhooft, Willmar, MN, Dordt University, Sioux Center, IA; Calvin Elliott DeWitte, Anamosa, IA, Macalester College, St Paul, MN.

HIGH SCHOOL:
JUDGE: Susan Wylie, Ottumwa, IA (240 entries)
1st - Molly Walker, Grade 12, West Marshall HS, State Center, Allison Bartholmey Teacher
2nd - Lily Nelson, Grade 10, Valley HS, West Des Moines, Karen Downing, Teacher
3rd - Vanessa Curl, Grade 10, West Marshall HS, State Center, Allison Bartholmey Teacher
1st HM - Alexis Aduddell, Grade 11, Chariton HS, Chariton, Joy Drake, Teacher
2nd HM - Athena XiMeng Wu, Grade 9, Iowa City, Iowa City West HS, Jonna Hall, Teacher
3rd HM - Mallory Ericksen, Grade 12, Atlantic HS, Atlantic, Emma Bireline, Teacher

Also to be published, poems by: Abbie Welbes, Gr 10, Valley HS,WDM; Taylor Kiewiet, Gr 10, Dike-New Hartford HS, Dike; Eleanor McCalla, Gr 10, Atlantic HS, Atlantic; Nevaeh Duranceau, Gr 9, Atlantic HS, Atlantic; Lily Barnes, Gr 9, Saint Albert Schools, Council Bluffs; Emilio Garcia, Gr 11, Chariton HS, Chariton; Bethany King, Gr 11, Saint Albert Schools, Council Bluffs; Dasha Gaydayenko, Gr 12, Valley HS, WDM; Payton Lombardi, Gr 12, Valley HS, WDM; Kate Breja, Gr 12, West Marshall HS, State Center; Taylor Engelmann, Gr 11, Valley HS, WDM; Sophia Stone, Gr 12, Dowling Catholic HS, WDM; Riley Quick, Gr 11, Valley HS, WDM; Abby Feldmann, Gr 12, Valley HS, WDM.

UPPER GRADES (5-8):
JUDGE: Budd Powell Mahan, Dallas TX (254 entries)
1st - Samuel Griffith, Grade 7, Bondurant-Farrar Middle School, Bondurant, Andrea Goes, Teacher
2nd - Danika Kraus, Grade 8, Highland Middle School, Riverside, Denise Roth, Teacher
3rd - Kyros Yuefan Wu, Grade 5, Van Allen Elementary, North Liberty, Curtis Butler, Teacher
1st HM - Bradley Kroeger, Grade 7, Bondurant-Farrar Middle School, Bondurant, Andrea Goes, Teacher
2nd HM - Ziva Hammerand, Grade 6, Eisenhower Elementary, Davenport, Bridgette Haltermann, Teacher
3rd HM - James Keefe, Grade 6, Alden Elementary, Alden, Wendy Cooper, Teacher

Also to be published, poems by: Jack Krotz, Gr 7, and Jared Diaz, Gr 8, Highland Middle School, Riverside; Isabel Ashby, Gr 6, Alden Elementary, Alden; Jonathan Van Roekel, Gr 6, Boone Middle School, Boone; Silas Parson, Gr 5, Homeschooled, Holstein; Vaiga Ramsankar, Lucia Rodriguez, Alessandro Venditti, Corwyn Evans - all in Gr 5, Edwards Elementary, Ames; Jenna Krantz and Caitlin Vonnahme, both in Gr 7 at North Polk Middle School, Alleman; Ava Eickholt and Jeremiah Sherrill, both in Gr 8 at Saint Albert Catholic Schools, Council Bluffs; Kiely Morrow, Gr 6, Sioux Central, Sioux Rapids.

LOWER GRADES (K-4):
JUDGE: Budd Powell Mahan, Dallas TX (188 entries)
1st - Jane Ebinger, Grade 3, Fairmeadows Elementary, West Des Moines, Kristin Beckman, Teacher
2nd - Cora Elsbernd, Grade 3, Lambert Elementary, Manchester, Dawn Schechtman and Carmen Cooke, Teachers
3rd - Eli May, Grade 2, Lambert Elementary, Manchester, Dawn Schechtman and Lisa Hoffer, Teachers
1st HM - Zoe Aharoni, Grade 4, Lemme Elementary, Iowa City, Mrs. Gordon, Teacher
2nd HM - Vivienne Farrington, Grade 1, Homeschooled, West Des Moines, Gabrielle Farrington, Teacher
3rd HM - Isaac Decker, Grade 1, Washington Elementary, Charles City, Jeremy Wilson, Teacher

Also to be published, poems by: Kinsley Lien, Gr 3; James DuBois, Gr 3; Stella Dunn, Gr 4; Elena Evanson, Gr 4; Ashma Aqila, Gr 4 - all at Sawyer Elementary, Ames; Carolyn Buloze, Madeline Rabe, Sophie Song - all in Gr 4 at Edwards Elementary, Ames; Olivia Parrie and Lincoln Russell, in Gr 4 at Baxter Elementary, Baxter; Austin Jewell, Gr 4, Lakewood Elementary, Norwalk; Charlotte Dietzel, Gr 3, Bryant Elementary, Dubuque; Deacon Parson, Gr 3, Homeschooled, Holstein; Felicity Osera, Gr 4, Central Iowa Christian School, Grinnell.

Enjoy reading the 2020 Adult Division Winning Poems until mid-summer
when the 2021 winners will be announced.

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

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