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.

IPA 2019 Contest Rules are available online

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

Click here for the 2019 Contest Rules.

For 2019 NFSPS College/University Level Poetry Contest Rules, click here.

Check back for 2019 Adult Division Contest results in July.

2019 Student Division Winners

Congratulations to the following!

All students whose poem will be published in Lyrical Iowa 2019 are invited to read their work at our annual IPA Youth Poetry Celebration at the State Historical Museum on June 15th! More information here.

COLLEGE:
JUDGE: S Stephanie, Rollinsford, NH (50 entries)
1st - Albie Nicol, Cedar Falls, IA, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls
2nd - Anneke Wind, Johnstown, CO, Dordt College, Sioux City
3rd - Anneliese Donstad, Tomball, TX, Dordt College, Sioux City
1st HM - Katie Bousema, Escondido, CA, Dordt College, Sioux City
2nd HM - Hannah Adams, Sheboygan, WI, Dordt College, Sioux City
3rd HM - Erika Buiter, Ireton, IA, Dordt College, Sioux City

Also to be published, poems by: Danielle Schultz, Fountain, MN, Dordt College, Sioux City; Ashley Kochuyt, Atkins, IA, Clarke University, Dubuque; Kendra Nydam, Mitchell, SD, Dordt College, Sioux City; Anna Keil, West Linn, OR, University of Iowa, Iowa City.

HIGH SCHOOL:
JUDGE: Nynke Passi, Fairfield, IA (251 entries)
1st - Katelyn Donnelly, Grade 12, Shenandoah High School, Shenandoah, Kathryn Freed, Teacher
2nd - Kaua'i Cua, Grade 9, Valley Southwoods, West Des Moines, Christie Wicks, Teacher
3rd - Skyler Freeman, Grade 11, Boyer Valley High School, Dunlap, K Johnson, Teacher
1st HM - Richard Hu, Grade 11, St. Albert Catholic School, Council Bluffs, Ann Coombs, Teacher
2nd HM - Tabetha DeGroot, Grade12, Faith Christian Home School, Sioux Center, Twila DeGroot, Teacher
3rd HM - Ashleigh Manders, Grade 9, Prairie Point Middle School, Cedar Rapids, Denise Roth, Teacher

Also to be published, poems by: Bella Rivera, Grade 10, Ankeny Centennial HS, Ankeny; Quinten Julian, Grade 9, St. Albert, Council Bluffs; Emily Irmen, Grade 9, Prairie Point MS, Cedar Rapids; Clarissa Huisman, Grade 10, Osage HS, Osage; Joel Garcia, Grade 12, Valley HS, WDM; Autumn Schlichtmann, Grade 10, Gladbrook-Reinbeck HS, Reinbeck; Hailey Butterwegge, Grade 11, Valley HS, WDM; Megan Kaufmann, Grade 12, Hempstead HS, Dubuque; DeShawn Stepter, Grade 11, Oskaloosa HS, Oskaloosa; Ja’Lyrial Briggs, Grade 9, Prairie Point MS, Cedar Rapids,; Reagan Wilson, Grade 9, Prairie Point MS, Cedar Rapids; Allison Narmi, Grade 9, St. Albert, Council Bluffs; Molly Wright, Grade 11, Valley HS, WDM; Aiden Roemig, Grade 9, Prairie Point MS, Cedar Rapids.

UPPER GRADES (5-8):
JUDGE: Budd Powell Mahan, Dallas TX (257 entries)
1st - Kira Taylor, Grade 7, South Middle School, Waukee, Mrs. Patterson, Teacher
2nd - Hunter Shipley, Grade 8, Burlington Notre Dame, Burlington, Esther Waterman, Teacher
3rd - Lily Hofman, Grade 8, Sanborn Christian School, Sanborn, Sam De Groot, Teacher
1st HM - Miya Krueger, Grade 5, Sawyer Elementary, Ames, Mark Royer, Teacher
2nd HM - Ian Williamson, Grade 5, Sawyer Elementary, Ames, Mark Royer, Teacher
3rd HM - Sam Hostetter, Grade 5, Edwards Elementary, Ames, Mark Royer, Teacher

Also to be published, poems by: Talyn Strovers, Grade 7, North Polk Middle School, Alleman; Rianne Van Meeteren, Grade 8, Sanborn Christian School, Sanborn; Kelsey Robinson, Grade 5, Sawyer Elementary, Ames; Sarah Higgins, Grade 5, Edwards Elementary, Ames; Adeline Mund, Grade 5, Sawyer Elementary, Ames; Lola Austin, Grade 7, North Polk Middle School, Alleman; Abby French, Grade 8, Saint Albert Schools, Council Bluffs; Adelle Wolfswinkel, Grade 8, Sanborn Christian School, Sanborn; William Bielefeld, Grade 6, Osage Middle School, Osage; Nathan Edwards, Grade 8, Burlington Notre Dame, Burlington; Tianna Lovell, Grade 8, Burlington Notre Dame, Burlington; Alex Clover, Grade 7, East Marshall Middle School, Gilman; Athena XiMeng Wu, Grade 7, Northwest Junior High, Coralville; Kate Carlson, Grade 6, Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic School, WDM

LOWER GRADES (K-4):
JUDGE: Budd Powell Mahan, Dallas TX (97 entries)
1st - Kyros Yuefan Wu, Grade 3, Van Allen Elementary, North Liberty, Tammy Bell, Teacher
2nd - Conor McMahon, Grade 4, Jordan Creek Elementary, West Des Moines, Mrs. Flagg, Teacher
3rd - Zaylin Harden-Barrow, Grade 3, Edwards Elementary, Ames, Mark Royer, Teacher
1st HM - Brendan Stanley, Grade 3, Edwards Elementary, Ames, Mark Royer, Teacher
2nd HM -Corwyn Evans, Grade 3, Edwards Elementary, Ames, Mark Royer, Teacher
3rd HM - Allison Roman Reseniz, Grade 2, Rolling Green Elementary, Urbandale, Ms. J Bowie, Teacher

Also to be published, poems by: Parker Dewey, Grade 2, Rolling Green Elementary, Urbandale; Logan McMahon, Kindergarten, Jordan Creek Elementary, WDM; CeCe Appleton, Grade 3, Sawyer Elementary, Ames; Paxton Chacellor, Grade 2, Rolling Green Elementary, Urbandale; Cora Laird, Grade 2, Rolling Green Elementary, Urbandale; Jin Schroeder, Grade 2, Rolling Green Elementary, Urbandale; Alex Mudryk, Grade 3, Edwards Elementary, Ames; Gracelyn Cottingham, Grade 3, Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Community School District, Marcus; Renee Cook, Grade 4, Briggs Elementary, Maquoketa; Lauren Feldmann, Grade 4, North Polk Central Elementary, Alleman; Colton Mears, Grade 2, Rolling Green Elementary; Brian Rivera-Perez, Grade 2, Rolling Green Elementary, Urbandale

2019 Adult Division Winners will be announced in July

2018 Adult Division Winners

Click on the links below to read some of the winning poems of our 2018 competition.

ADULT GENERAL:
877 entries, Judge - William R. Reyer, Tiffin, OH
1st - AO Spencer, Kalona
2nd - Robin Sprafka, Winterset
3rd - Richard K Wallarab, Coralville
1st HM - Maribeth Boelts, Cedar Falls
2nd HM - Ramona Morse, Osage
3rd HM - Joe Millard, Waukee

SONNETS:
46 entries, Judge - Madelyn Eastlund, Beverly Hills, FL
1st - Lucille Morgan Wilson, Des Moines
2nd - Debbie Johnson, Nevada
3rd - Sandra Conner Ladegaard, Arnolds Park
1st HM - Lori Shannon; Manning
2nd HM - Wally Moll, Indianola
3rd HM - Michelle Hunt, Peosta

NATIONAL/WORLD EVENTS:
50 entries, Judge - Ann Gasser, West Reading, PA
1st - Catherine Wilson Opper, Dubuque
2nd - Katherine Ochsner, Cedar Falls
3rd - Jan Blankenburg, Donnellson
1st HM - Howard Johnson, Ames
2nd HM - Pauline Borton, State Center
3rd HM - Karen Kladivo, Mount Vernon

HAIKU:
132 entries, Judge - Stanley Malless, Murphy, NC
1st - Shelly Thieman, West Des Moines
2nd - Jean M Evans, Grundy Center
3rd - Del Todey Turner, Waterloo
1st HM - Maggie Westvold, Ames
2nd HM - Patricia E Noeth, Iowa City
3rd HM - Bill Simmons, Carroll

POEMS FOR CHILDREN:
52 Entries, Judge - Lisa Toth Salinas, Spring, TX
1st - Nancy Samcoe-Link, Des Moines
2nd - Carolyn Rohrbaugh, Sutherland
3rd - Milli Gilbaugh, Iowa City
1st HM - Lynn Cavanagh, Grinnell
2nd HM - Lloyd Brockmeyer, Cedar Rapids
3rd HM - Dale Netherton, Farmington

HUMOROUS VERSE:
32 entries, Judge - Ann Gasser, West Reading, PA
1st - Shelley Jones Clark, Johnston
2nd - Gretchen Fosket, Des Moines
3rd - Lynn D Wielenga, Hull
1st HM - Helen Thoen, Manly
2nd HM - Mary Jedlicka Humston, Iowa City
3rd HM - Steven Thompson; Osage

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