2021 Eugene V. Shea National Poetry Contest Now Open
Eugene V. Shea (1925-2016)
This contest is named in honor of the late Eugene V. Shea, a longtime member of WyoPoets. Eugene was a prolific writer who was beloved by many in WyoPoets. He ran the organization's national contest for many years, and his dedication to the written word, to encouraging other writers, and to WyoPoets will forever be appreciated.
The annual WyoPoets Eugene V. Shea National Poetry Contest opens for submissions on October 1! Submit your finest unpublished poems for a chance at recognition and even a monetary prize. The contest is quite popular, and there are a lot of splendid entries from a diverse field of splendid poets. Hence, submissions that don’t adhere to the guidelines will be rejected.
See the guidelines below, or download them (PDF).
The annual WyoPoets Eugene V. Shea National Poetry Contest opens for submissions on October 1! Submit your finest unpublished poems for a chance at recognition and even a monetary prize. The contest is quite popular, and there are a lot of splendid entries from a diverse field of splendid poets. Hence, submissions that don’t adhere to the guidelines will be rejected.
See the guidelines below, or download them (PDF).
Guidelines
▪ TIMELINE: BEGINS: October 1, 2020. ENDS: Postmark deadline-December 31, 2020.
▪ PRIZES: 1st PLACE: $100.00. 2nd PLACE: $50.00. 3rd PLACE: $30.00. Up to five Honorable Mentions, at the judge’s discretion, will be awarded.
▪ FEES: ENTRY FEE: $2.00 per poem submitted to contest (Example: 5 poems for $10.00). Limit 20 poems total per person (this includes multiple submissions). Checks and money orders for physical submissions must be made out to WyoPoets.
▪ SUBMISSION:
▪ Poems must be original and unpublished, written in English, and may be about any subject.
▪ Photocopies accepted if clear and legible.
▪ Poems must be titled.
▪ Each poem must fit on one side of a single page.
▪ Poems must be single-spaced, use black 12 pt. Times New Roman font, on 8.5x11-inch white paper with one-inch margins. No pornographic or discriminatory language. Simultaneous submissions permissible.
▪ Submit two copies of each poem: one copy for the judge with no identification on it; one with name, mailing address, email address, and phone number in the upper right corner of each page.
▪ Do not include author bios.
▪ MAILING: Send physical submissions with entry fee to Eugene V. Shea Contest, Attn: Nicholas Trandahl, PO Box 74, Upton, Wyoming 82730. Do not send entries that require a signature upon receiving.
▪ INFORMATION: Contact Nicholas Trandahl at nrtrandahl@gmail.com, visit http://wyopoets.org/contests.html or https://www.facebook.com/WyoPoets/
▪ JUDGING: Judging will be done by a qualified poet not affiliated with WyoPoets. Judge’s decisions are final. Winners and Honorable Mentions will be invited to read their winning poems at the 2021 WyoPoets Spring Workshop. No entrant can win more than one monetary prize but can win additional Honorable Mentions. Contest entrants will be notified by email, at the email address included on the upper right corner of their submission.
▪ RIGHTS: All rights remain with the poet. No entries will be returned.
▪ DISQUALIFICATIONS: Not following the above guidelines will result in disqualification.
▪ PRIZES: 1st PLACE: $100.00. 2nd PLACE: $50.00. 3rd PLACE: $30.00. Up to five Honorable Mentions, at the judge’s discretion, will be awarded.
▪ FEES: ENTRY FEE: $2.00 per poem submitted to contest (Example: 5 poems for $10.00). Limit 20 poems total per person (this includes multiple submissions). Checks and money orders for physical submissions must be made out to WyoPoets.
▪ SUBMISSION:
▪ Poems must be original and unpublished, written in English, and may be about any subject.
▪ Photocopies accepted if clear and legible.
▪ Poems must be titled.
▪ Each poem must fit on one side of a single page.
▪ Poems must be single-spaced, use black 12 pt. Times New Roman font, on 8.5x11-inch white paper with one-inch margins. No pornographic or discriminatory language. Simultaneous submissions permissible.
▪ Submit two copies of each poem: one copy for the judge with no identification on it; one with name, mailing address, email address, and phone number in the upper right corner of each page.
▪ Do not include author bios.
▪ MAILING: Send physical submissions with entry fee to Eugene V. Shea Contest, Attn: Nicholas Trandahl, PO Box 74, Upton, Wyoming 82730. Do not send entries that require a signature upon receiving.
▪ INFORMATION: Contact Nicholas Trandahl at nrtrandahl@gmail.com, visit http://wyopoets.org/contests.html or https://www.facebook.com/WyoPoets/
▪ JUDGING: Judging will be done by a qualified poet not affiliated with WyoPoets. Judge’s decisions are final. Winners and Honorable Mentions will be invited to read their winning poems at the 2021 WyoPoets Spring Workshop. No entrant can win more than one monetary prize but can win additional Honorable Mentions. Contest entrants will be notified by email, at the email address included on the upper right corner of their submission.
▪ RIGHTS: All rights remain with the poet. No entries will be returned.
▪ DISQUALIFICATIONS: Not following the above guidelines will result in disqualification.
2020 Eugene V. Shea National Poetry Contest Winners
The 2020 Eugene V. Shea National Poetry Contest is in the books, folks. The winners have been notified and checks have been sent out. The contest went wonderfully. There were 338 entries received, and $362.00 collected from entry fees and donations.
Winners and Honorable Mentions were:
• 1st/ “Uncommon” by Jerry Hardesty (Brierfield, AL)
• 2nd/ “Letter to my Father About a Dream” by Janet Kamnikar (Fort Collins, CO)
• 3rd/ “Breathe” by Marie Marchand (Cheyenne, WY)
• Honorable Mention/ “Handwashing” by Marie Marchand (Cheyenne, WY)
• Honorable Mention/ “Sainthood: By Christina, Age 7” by Christina Kamnikar (Cheyenne, WY)
• Honorable Mention/ “Japanese Rock Garden” by Dr. Emory D. Jones (Iuka, MS)
• Honorable Mention/ “The Last Time” by Donald Oakley (Gillette, WY)
• Honorable Mention “Short-timer” by Steven Leitch (West Jordan, UT)
Entries were received from every corner of the United States, with poems coming in from Alabama, California, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The fabulous poetry entered ranged in various styles from free-verse, prose poems, haiku, sestina, kyrrielle, cento, etc.
Matthew A. Hamilton is a former Congressional Legislative Assistant, US Peace Corps Volunteer, and Benedictine Monk. He holds an MFA from Fairfield University and a MSLIS from St. John’s University. He is a 6-time Pushcart Prize nominee. His stories and poems have appeared in a variety of national and international journals, including Atticus Review, Coe Magazine, Noctua Review, Burnt Bridge, Boston Literary Magazine, Cha: An Asian Literary Journal, Muddy River Poetry Review, and Tuck Magazine. His chapbook, The Land of the Four Rivers, published by Cervena Barva Press, won the 2013 Best Poetry Book from Peace Corps Writers. His second poetry collection, Lips Open and Divine, was published in 2016 by Winter Goose Publishing. The Wishing Tree, a novel about the 1915 Armenian Genocide, is forthcoming from Winter Goose Publishing. He and his wife make their home in Richmond, VA. Contact him at matthew-a-hamilton.com.
Winners and Honorable Mentions were:
• 1st/ “Uncommon” by Jerry Hardesty (Brierfield, AL)
• 2nd/ “Letter to my Father About a Dream” by Janet Kamnikar (Fort Collins, CO)
• 3rd/ “Breathe” by Marie Marchand (Cheyenne, WY)
• Honorable Mention/ “Handwashing” by Marie Marchand (Cheyenne, WY)
• Honorable Mention/ “Sainthood: By Christina, Age 7” by Christina Kamnikar (Cheyenne, WY)
• Honorable Mention/ “Japanese Rock Garden” by Dr. Emory D. Jones (Iuka, MS)
• Honorable Mention/ “The Last Time” by Donald Oakley (Gillette, WY)
• Honorable Mention “Short-timer” by Steven Leitch (West Jordan, UT)
Entries were received from every corner of the United States, with poems coming in from Alabama, California, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The fabulous poetry entered ranged in various styles from free-verse, prose poems, haiku, sestina, kyrrielle, cento, etc.
Matthew A. Hamilton is a former Congressional Legislative Assistant, US Peace Corps Volunteer, and Benedictine Monk. He holds an MFA from Fairfield University and a MSLIS from St. John’s University. He is a 6-time Pushcart Prize nominee. His stories and poems have appeared in a variety of national and international journals, including Atticus Review, Coe Magazine, Noctua Review, Burnt Bridge, Boston Literary Magazine, Cha: An Asian Literary Journal, Muddy River Poetry Review, and Tuck Magazine. His chapbook, The Land of the Four Rivers, published by Cervena Barva Press, won the 2013 Best Poetry Book from Peace Corps Writers. His second poetry collection, Lips Open and Divine, was published in 2016 by Winter Goose Publishing. The Wishing Tree, a novel about the 1915 Armenian Genocide, is forthcoming from Winter Goose Publishing. He and his wife make their home in Richmond, VA. Contact him at matthew-a-hamilton.com.
