Poetry is one of the most ancient and revered forms of creative expression, stretching back to the dawn of literature.

Poets have utilized their talents in innumerable ways: to express the personal and political, to chip away at the ineffable, to conjure the sublime, and to delve into the most intimate and puzzling elements of the human experience.

Poetry regularly undergoes thrilling evolutions and permutations, often mirroring emerging social movements, as poets seek to reimagine the form afresh for their age. Society frequently turns to poetry to understand itself.

Excitingly, poets are now more popular than ever, in part due to the explosion of poetry in the digital sphere. The shorter form, consumable in a single sitting, being ideal for the fast paced demands of contemporary audiences.

Poetry competitions represent a wonderful opportunity for emerging writers to demonstrate their ability and secure publication. They also offer established writers an exciting arena in which to showcase new work.

We believe in poetry, in literature, and in the importance and magic of new writing.

The top three winning entries are published by Letter Review, each with its own attractive original commissioned artwork. 

The total Prize pool is $800 USD: First Place receives $400, Second Place $250, and Third Place $150. 

To recognize the extraordinary talent of the writers who do not place in the top three, twenty poems will be longlisted, and ten shortlisted. 

All entries are considered for publication. With your permission winners are considered for submission to the Pushcart Prize, other prestigious anthologies such as Best of the Net, and our end of year anthology.

The Letter Review Prize is judged blind to ensure all writers have an equal chance of success. 

Letter Review is a proud member of the international Community of Literary Magazines and Presses, and we adhere to the CLMP Contest Code of Ethics.

Read our wonderful previous winning entries by clicking here.

Read inspiring comments from our community about the life changing impact the Prize has had on their lives by clicking here. 

How To Enter

• We are seeking poems up to 70 lines.
• The Prize is open to anyone, from anywhere in the world.
• There are no style or subject restrictions: all poems welcome.
• It costs $15 USD to enter one poem, $27 to enter two (save $3), and $35 to enter three (save $10).
• Please include a short biography (suitable for publication) of less than 200 words in the Cover Letter section.
• Ensure the file name of your document is only the title of your entry. Do not include your name inside your entry document or in the file name as the Prize is judged blind. 
• You may enter as many times as you wish. 
• The judges will be Ol James and Kita Das.
• Format: If submitting multiple poems, please submit all poems together as a single document. Original works only: i.e. no translations. Submissions must be primarily written in English. Any non English phrases should be accompanied by a translation. The author must own the copyright to every part of the poem. Very light quotation from another work is acceptable at the submission stage.
• Your entry must be unpublished, and free from any claims by other parties.
• No AI generated content please.
• Entrants will receive automatic confirmation via email after entry.
• You must be the sole author of the work. 
• Simultaneous submissions are allowed. If selected for the Longlist you will have 72 hours in which to confirm your entry remains unpublished (we will contact you).
• You may submit work that has been awarded elsewhere, as long as no part of it has been published. 
• If you decide to publish your entry elsewhere, please withdraw from our Prize. 
• Terms and Conditions. 
• Enter via Submittable using the form below. No entries via post please. Click here for a guide to using Submittable.