OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION 2025 SUMMER/FALL POETRY CONTEST
Begins: June 12, 2025
Ends: July 28, 2025
Winners will be announced mid-September 2025 and invited to read at the Conference in early October.
CATEGORIES
Limit: one poem per category (no duplicates).
1) OREGON Poet’s Choice: one poem / two pages maximum, any subject, any form. Entrant must have current Oregon mailing address.
Judge: Ellen Waterston
The document file name should be: Category-Title, for example: Poets Choice-The Waste Land
2) Members Only: one poem / one page maximum, any subject, any form. Entrant must be a current OPA member.
Judge: Emily Ransdell
The document file name should be: Category-Title, for example: Members Only-This Is Just to Say
3) Extended Prompt: one poem / one page maximum, any form, following this prompt.
Judge: Richard Tillinghast
The document file name should be: Category-Title, for example: Extended Prompt-Last Train to Memphis
4) Theme—Waves of Peace: one poem / one page maximum, any form on the theme.
Judge: Charles Goodrich
The document file name should be: Category-Title, for example: Theme-Dover Beach
Read more about this year's judges.
AWARDS
OREGON Poets Choice: 1st place $150; 2nd place $100; 3rd place $70; up to 3 Honorable Mentions.
All other categories: 1st place $100; 2nd place $70; 3rd place $50; up to 3 Honorable Mentions.
All 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will be published on OPA’s website and in next year's Verseweavers, OPA’s annual print anthology, and may be included in an OPA newsletter or social media posting.
ENTRY FEE
OPA members: Flat rate of $9 for up to four poems (limit one poem per category).
Non-members: Flat rate of $17 for up to three poems (limit one poem per category).
DEADLINE
Entries must be submitted via Submittable by July 28, 2025, 11:59pm PST, at which time poems will be made available to the judges.
CONTEST GUIDELINES – PLEASE READ CAREFULLY, AS MANY HAVE CHANGED FROM PRIOR YEARS. (Entries not in compliance with these guidelines will be disqualified; entry fees non-refundable.)
1. Poems entered must be entrant’s original work, unpublished online or in print, and may not have been a prior winner in any contest. Self-published books/collections, blogs, social media, and personal website postings are considered published.
2. Poets may only submit one poem per category. Page limits are one page for all categories except Oregon Poet’s Choice which has a two-page limit.
3. If entering multiple categories, each poem must be submitted in a separate document. The document file name should be: Category-Title, for example: Poets Choice-The Waste Land; Members Only-This Is Just to Say; Extended Prompt-Last Train to Memphis; Theme-Song of Myself.
4. Submit poems in 12-point Times New Roman font, standard 1-inch margins. Format as .doc or .docx. No PDF files.
5. At the top of each poem, identify the category.
6. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but if a poem is accepted elsewhere, entrant must notify OPA immediately and withdraw the poem via a Submittable message.
7. Poet’s name/contact information should NOT appear anywhere on the poems entered or in file names. Poems are read blind.
8. Online submissions only at https://opa.submittable.com.
9. If you join OPA at the time you enter, you are eligible for the Member rate and the Members Only category.
10. Poems may not be edited and re-submitted. Submission is final.
11. Members may submit up to four poems (three, if a non-resident of Oregon), limited to one poem per category.
12. Non-members may submit up to three poems (two, if a non-resident), limited to one poem per category.
13. Non-residents of Oregon may submit up to three poems (two, if a non-member), limited to one poem per category.
14. OPA claims first North American Rights to winning poems. All rights revert to author upon print publication in Verseweavers. OPA reserves the right to use prizewinning poems on the OPA website, membership forms, etc. If a poem is subsequently reprinted, please acknowledge OPA and Verseweavers as the original publisher.
The Oregon Poetry Association is proud to announce our annual conference, in-person on October 3-4, 2025 at the Agate Beach Inn in Newport, Oregon.
Join us to experience Waves of Peace.
We’ll connect over workshops, listen to keynotes, and gather together in community. Online participation is also available.
Hotel
To reserve your hotel, please use this link: https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotel-rooms.38154.html?groupId=6J8BG1D4
When you check-in to your room, or if you call to make a reservation, state that you are with the OPA CONFERENCE.
Conference Schedule
Friday, October 3, 2025
Conference Check-in Opens at 4PM
Reception & President's Welcome: 5-6PM
Free Time: 6-7PM
Open Mic and Slam Winner/UO/Contest Winners: 7-10PM
Saturday, October 4, 2025
Breakfast: 7-8AM
Opening Keynote: 8:15AM - Christopher Diaz
Workshops 1A & 1B & 1C: 9-10:15AM
Workshops 2A & 2B & 2C: 10:30-11:45PM
Lunch & Annual General Meeting: 12-1:30PM
Workshops 3A & 3B & 3C: 1:45-3PM
Workshops 4A & 4B & 4C: 3:15-4:30PM
Closing Keynote - Ellen Waterston: 4:45PM
Closing Remarks: 5:30PM
We can't wait to see you at the coast!
Thank you for for supporting poetry in Oregon. Your generous contribution may go to the Youth Contest, Spanish Contest, Adult Contest, Conference, or Special Workshops & Poetry Event.
Memberships last for one year. Thank you for supporting the Oregon Poetry Association.
Memberships last for two years. Thank you for supporting the Oregon Poetry Association.
Memberships last for one year. Thank you for supporting Oregon Poetry Association.