Nimrod Literary Awards
The 46th Nimrod Literary Awards
Founded by Ruth G. Hardman
The Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction & The Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry
First Prize: $2,000 and publication
Second Prize: $1,000 and publication
The winners will also take part in a virtual Awards Ceremony and reading in the fall of the contest year. All finalists in fiction and poetry will be published and paid at our standard publication rate of $10/page. Semi-finalists in poetry will also be published and paid at our standard publication rate.
Contest Rules
Contest begins: January 1, 2024
Postmark Deadline: April 1, 2024
Poetry: 3-10 pages of poetry (one long poem or several short poems)
Fiction: 7,500 words maximum (one short story or a self-contained excerpt from a novel)
No previously published works or works accepted for publication elsewhere. Author’s name must not appear on the manuscript. Include a cover sheet containing titles, author’s name, full address, phone number, and email.
The Nimrod Literary Awards are open internationally.
Online Submissions: Work may be submitted online using our online submission manager system.
Postal Submissions: “Contest Entry” should be clearly indicated on both the outer envelope and the cover sheet. Manuscripts should be stapled, if possible; if not, please bind with a heavy clip. Manuscripts will not be returned. Include SASE for results only. If no SASE is sent, no contest results will be sent; however, the results will be posted on Nimrod’s website.
Mail to:
Nimrod International Journal
Literary Contest–Fiction or Poetry (indicate the appropriate category)
The University of Tulsa
800 S. Tucker Dr.
Tulsa, OK 74104
Entry Fee: Each entry must each be accompanied by a $20 fee. Make checks payable to Nimrod. $20 includes both entry fee & a one-year subscription (two issues). Writers may submit multiple entries, but each entry must include its own $20 fee. Online submissions also include a $3.00 processing fee.
No Entry Fee Waivers: Unfortunately, we are unable to offer any fee waivers for material submitted to the Nimrod Literary Awards. We do offer fee waivers for general and thematic submissions.
Statement on “AI” Writing Tools (such as ChatGPT): We will not consider any submissions written, developed, or assisted by these tools. Attempting to submit these works may result in being banned from submitting works in the future.
2023 Nimrod Literary Awards Results
The editors of Nimrod International Journal are delighted to announce the winners, honorable mentions, finalists, and semi-finalists of the 45th Nimrod Literary Awards.
The Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction
First Prize
Carol Dines, MN, “On Ice”
Second Prize
Dashka Slater, CA, “The Ruddy Fruits That Still Remain”
Honorable Mention
Miriam Ho, Canada, “Miss Ng Misadventures”
Finalists
Nahal Suzanne Jamir, FL, “There Is No Act Five Monologue”
Kyoko Uchida, NY, “Skin”
Benjamin Van Voorhis, WA, “Chernobyl Dogs”
Semi-Finalists
Doug Crandell, GA, “Glass at the Throat”
Angie Kang, CA, “Born Again”
The Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry
First Prize
Jeevan Anthony Narney, AZ, “An Adoptee Abecedarian” and other poems
Second Prize
Diana Cao, MA, “Sick Days: Sonnet Corona”
Honorable Mentions
Susan Nisenbaum Becker, MA, “Hard” and other poems
Liz Harms, IL, “Inquest on Carolina Petrovitis, Case No. 234-3-1916”
Mickie Kennedy, MD, “Painted Lady” and other poems
Finalists
John Blair, TX, “Aphorism 33: All Things Come to Those Who Wait” and other poems
Kristin W. Davis, DC, “Bitterroot” and other poems
Katherine Gaffney, MS, “Hunger Winter” and other poems
Andrew Payton, VA, “Lancehead & Opossum” and other poems
Amanda Maret Scharf, OH, “First Language” and other poems
Samyak Shertok, TX, “One Hundred and Eight Doors” and other poems
Melanie Tafejian, NC, “Blockade” and other poems
Kyoko Uchida, NY, “Concertina” and other poems
Semi-Finalists
Laura Apol, MI, “Honor”
Allison Field Bell, UT, “What Could Belong to Us” and other poems
Bailey Blumenstock, DC, “Migraine”
Rosa Castellano, VA, “Survival Is Plural” and other poems
Susan Cohen, CA, “Disguised as Air”
Fay Dillof, CA, “The Art of”
Dante Di Stefano, NY, “While I Was Talking to My Friends the Poets”
Elina Katrin, CA, “Base of Fire” and other poems
A.D. Lauren-Abunassar, PA, “Field Guide as Sonnet”
Rasaq Malik, NE, “Maiduguri” and other poems
David Moolten, PA, “Dam” and other poems
Mary B. Moore, WV, “The Wasp’s Song”
Quinton Okoro, NC, “two children pray while kneeling behind a lemon tree in their father’s
backyard. their fingers are still sticky”
Tamara Panici, DC, “Poem in Two Tongues” and other poems
Gordon Taylor, Canada, “Replicant”
Samuel Ugbechie, Canada, “Something Like Home”
Pamela Wax, MA, “Monsterwörter”
Beth Oast Williams, VA, “Sagittarius puts down his bow”
Rewa Zeinati, MI, “I should be writing instead of watching endless episodes of Arabic series on
Shahid”
Ellen Zhang, CA, “Tentative”
Nimrod extends deep appreciation to all who submitted. Selecting the poetry and fiction finalists was a task that dominated the lives of Nimrod’s editors all spring. They approached their mission with dedication and discretion, reading and rereading the final group, comparing notes, and speaking for favorites. The finalists’ manuscripts were sent to the judges for 2023. Shobha Rao served as fiction judge, and Tarfia Faizullah served as poetry judge. They chose the winners and honorable mentions from the finalist groups.
The 46th Nimrod Literary Awards competition begins January 1, 2024; the deadline is April 1st, 2024. We welcome your submissions, knowing that each year brings new discoveries, often from those who have submitted to the competition before.
All entrants not previously contacted by Nimrod about their work may consider their work released at this time.
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2022 Literary Awards Results
The editors of Nimrod International Journal are delighted to announce the winners, honorable mentions, finalists, and semi-finalists of the 44th Nimrod Literary Awards.
The Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction
First Prize: Treena Thibodeau, NY, “My Mother Says Our House Is Haunted”
Second Prize: Ellen Rhudy, OH, “You Women in the Mountains”Honorable Mention
James Janko, NM, “The Wire-Walker”Finalist
Marguerite Alley, NC, “Water Diviners”Semi-Finalists
Amber Blaeser-Wardzala, AZ, “Deer Women”
Amber Fenik, Canada, “Dollhouse”
Summer Hammond, NC, “The Dangers of Dishwater”
Daniel Reiss, TN, “What’s of the Soul Is Not Forgotten”
Megan Staffel, NY, “Last Days of the Matriarch”The Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry
First Prize: Lory Bedikian, CA, “Ode to Their Leaving” and other poems
Second Prize: Angela Kirby, NC, “Pareidolia 175: Requiem | Rest”Honorable Mentions
Janée J. Baugher, WA, “Andrew Wyeth’s Footnotes to Self-Portrait, 1938” and other poems
Teresa Scollon, MI, “Asthma Attack” and other poems
Kyoko Uchida. NY, ““Hiroshima, 7:21 AM” and other poemsFinalists
Laura Apol, MI, “Afterlife” and other poems
Joanna Currey, VA, “Coming Out Vigil” and other poems
Emily Kingery, IA, “Snapdragons” and other poems
A.D. Lauren-Abunassar, NY, “Supplies for a Quick Migration” and other poems
Julia McDaniel, MI, “A Charted Territory”
Greg Nicholl, MA, “Sage” and other poems
Catherine Stearns, MA, “Desiderium” and other poemsSemi-Finalists
M. Soledad Caballero, PA, “The Mirage”
Anne Casey, Australia, “Season of Samhain”
Lauren Coggins, SC, “Reminders”
Donte Collins, MN, “Ombrophobia”
Jonathan Fink, FL, “Leonardo’s Mistake”
Jana-Lee Germaine, MA, “Distance”
Mara Lee Grayson, CA, “May We All Emerge One Day as Butterflies in Poems.”
Andrew Hemmert, CO, “Like the Points of Compass Needle” and other poems
Anna Claire Hodge, FL, “Sephora During the Cancer Scare”
Justin Hunt, NC, “At the Missouri Pacific Depot, where, in 1931, You Holed up for Three Days and Drank”
Leah Claire Kaminski, IL, “Red” and other poems
Susan Landgraf, WA, “Bindweed”
Rosa Lane, CA, “Dear Master (No. 7)”
Wen Lim, UK, “2006, the Year Mom Learnt to Bake Jim Lahey’s No-Knead Bread”
Jessica Pierce, OR, “I want to speak all of the springtime”
Ivy Raff, MI, “You Learned to Wait”
Susan Rich, WA, “The Blind Ones”
Anna Scotti, CA, “Kanawha Street”
Darius Simpson, CA, “Lessons Learned on a Slow Drive East”
Kelly Grace Thomas, CA, “Female Lobsters Grow More Fertile with Age”
Hannah Whiteman, FL, “The Law of Conservation of Energy Says Not a Bit of You Is Gone”
Amelia L. Williams, VA, “Beautiful Death” and other poems
Melody Wilson, OR, “Tightrope”Nimrod extends deep appreciation to all who submitted. Selecting the poetry and fiction finalists was a task that dominated the lives of Nimrod’s editors all spring. They approached their mission with dedication and discretion, reading and rereading the final group, comparing notes, and speaking for favorites. The finalists’ manuscripts were sent to the judges for 2022. Toni Jensen served as fiction judge, and Kaveh Bassiri served as poetry judge. They chose the winners and honorable mentions from the finalist groups.
The 45th Nimrod Literary Awards competition begins January 1, 2023; the deadline is April 1st, 2023. We welcome your submissions, knowing that each year brings new discoveries, often from those who have submitted to the competition before.
All entrants not previously contacted by Nimrod about their work may consider their work released at this time.
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2021 Literary Awards Result
The editors of Nimrod International Journal are delighted to announce the winners, honorable mentions, finalists, and semi-finalists of the 43rd Nimrod Literary Awards.
The Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction
First Prize: Celine Aenlle-Rocha, NY, “White Black People”
Second Prize: Paula Closson Buck, PA, “The Inventories”Honorable Mentions
Rachel Furey, CT, “A Dolphin in Pain”
Rachel Reeher, AZ, “God Is In Your Body”Finalists
Jennifer Blackman, NY, “Wife Of; or, What Does It Mean to Be Haunted?”
Teresa Milbrodt, VA, “The Southern Part of the State”
Edvin Subašić, ID, “Thug”Semi-Finalists
Alexa T. Dodd, TX, “Mother’s Milk”
Peter Kazon, DC, “Productive Aging”
Lisa Leyenda, OH, “The Healing Properties of Green Chile Tamales”The Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry
First Prize: Emily Rose Cole, OH, “Spell for Patience” and other poems
Second Prize: Julie Marie Wade, FL, “Now”Honorable Mentions
Laura Apol, MI, “Vanishing Point” and other poems
Francesca Bell, CA, “Like a Friend” and other poems
Angela Sucich, WA, “Everything I Love I Want to Consume” and other poemsFinalists
Dan Albergotti, SC, “Inscription in the Wake”
Harley Anastasia Chapman, IL, “The Shape of Animal” and other poems
Caroline Earleywine, AR, “When I Think of Parenthood” and other poems
Christina Hutchins, CA, “String Theory” and other poems
Anthony Thomas Lombardi, NY, “Ruinenlust”
John McCarthy, IL, “The Little Egypt Dive Bar Elegy”
Carolyn Oliver, MA, “Night Ocean” and other poems
Jessica Pierce, OR, “Some comfort” and other poems
Richard Robbins, MN, “The Oratory of All Souls”
Adrie Rose, MA, “Separation” and other poems
Mara Adamitz Scrupe, VA, “Jump” and other poems
Kyoko Uchida, NY, “And Love” and other poems
Connor Yeck, OH, “Hold For Release Till End of the World Confirmed” and other poemsSemi-Finalists
Danielle Badra, VA, “The Phillips Collection”
John Blair, TX, “Eclogue 18: The House That’s Not the End of the World” and other poems
Sunu P. Chandy, DC, “Practice raking leaves or sweeping to remind oneself of the feeling of engaging in work that knows no end.”
Gail Entrekin, CA, “Wind” and other poems
Sally Lipton Derringer, NY, “Target”
Rachel Edelman, WA, “No matter, my treads are lined with Kevlar.”
Sandra Fees, PA, “On the Consolatory Pleasure of Jigsaws When the World Is in Bits”
Corrinne Clegg Hales, CA, “Silent Stroke”
Siew David Hii, AL, “help—my brother is a fascist”
Kathleen Holliday, “In a Monastery Garden”
Kate Kingston, CO, “Whiteout” and other poems
Zack Lesmeister, WI, “Birds of Prey” and other poems
Liz Marlow, TN, “Thunderstorm” and other poems
Amy Miller, OR, “Linda Vista” and other poems
William Snyder, MN, “Mas at Saintes Maries De La Mer”
Cynthia White, CA, “Tongue” and other poems
Nimrod extends deep appreciation to all who submitted. Selecting the poetry and fiction finalists was a task that dominated the lives of Nimrod’s editors all spring. They approached their mission with dedication and discretion, reading and rereading the final group, comparing notes, and speaking for favorites. The finalists’ manuscripts were sent to the judges for 2021. Rilla Askewserved as fiction judge, and Geffrey Davis served as poetry judge. They chose the winners and honorable mentions from the finalist groups. -
2020 Literary Awards Results
The editors of Nimrod International Journal are delighted to announce the winners, honorable mentions, finalists, and semi-finalists of the 42nd Nimrod Literary Awards.
Nimrod Literary Awards: The Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry
FIRST PRIZE: Rebecca Foust, CA, “Blackout” and other poems
SECOND PRIZE: Janine Certo, MI, “Home Altar in the Year of a Pandemic” and other poemsHONORABLE MENTIONS:
A.D. Lauren-Abunassar, PA, “Victim Impact Statement” and other poems
Richard Michelson, MA, “A Horse-Cure” and other poemsNimrod Literary Awards: The Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction
FIRST PRIZE: Mohit Manohar, DC, “This Has Not Been Enough”
SECOND PRIZE: Gage Saylor, OK, “Jailbird”HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Carol Dines, MN, “Grace’s Mask”
Hayley Lynch, KY, “The Tremendous Machine”
Grace Newman, NY, “Initial Consultations”Nimrod extends deep appreciation to all who submitted and would like to congratulate all winners, honorable mentions, finalists, and semi-finalists. Selecting the poetry and fiction finalists was a task that dominated the lives of Nimrod’s editors all spring. They approached their mission with dedication and discretion, reading and rereading the final group, comparing notes, and speaking for favorites. The finalists’ manuscripts, without cover letters or names, were sent to the judges for 2020. Kaveh Akbar served as poetry judge, and Joy Castro served as fiction judge. They chose the winners and honorable mentions from the finalist groups.
All entrants not previously contacted by Nimrod about their work may consider their work released at this time.
Fiction Finalists
Jean Ferruzola, WA, “Burn Brightly and Rise”
Jessi Phillips, MI, “Anything You Ask Me To”Fiction Semi-Finalists
Kristyn Childres, IN, “The Northeast Kingdom”
Alice Hatcher, AZ, “Caesura”
Sasha Hom, CA, “Always, Peanut”
Alex Hughes, OK, “Crown”
Grace Spulak, NM, “More Than Bright”
Nicole VanderLinden, IA, “Fiddler”Poetry Finalists
Jubi Arriola-Headley, FL, “Peacocking” and other poems
John Blair, TX, “Seeking Dr. Einstein” and other poems
Chuck Carlise, MI, “Solana” and other poems
Jehanne Dubrow, TX, “Metamorphoses”
Benjamin Gucciardi, CA, “I Ask My Sister’s Ghost to Write Her Own Elegy” and other poems
Youssef Helmi, FL, “Scarf” and other poems
Caroline Mei-Len Mar, CA, “Dream of the Lake” and other poems
Jessica Pierce, OR, “We all have our work to do” and other poems
Sean Reynolds, IL, “The Year My Voice Began to Crack” and other poems
Frances Richey, NY, “Bloody Mingo County” and other poems
Darius Simpson, CA, “Yea I Did It” and other poems
Alice Templeton, CA, “Youth Sermon” and other poems
Theresa Q. Tran, OR, “Mercy” and other poems
Jeanne Wagner, CA, “Speaking in Tongues” and other poems
James Wyshynski, GA, “Counting Out the Cost” and other poemsPoetry Semi-Finalists
Yasmine Ameli, MA, “History Lesson” and other poems
Yvonne Amey, FL, “Bad Brains, a Woke Mosh Pit, and a D.C. Haiku” and other poems
Shannon Austin, MD, “Dollhood”
Diane Beck, CO, “History of Winter” and other poems
Imani Cezanne, CA, “No Crowns Allowed Through TSA” and other poems
Lauren Coggins, SC, “Eating Light” and other poems
Marsha Truman Cooper, CA, “The Rapture of Bees” and other poems
Marissa Davis, NY, “When the Blood Came” and other poems
Tyler Dunston, NY, “8 lines in the Grace Church garden” and other poems
Bernard Ferguson, FL, “juxtaposition with death” and other poems
Jana-Lee Germaine, MA, “Learning Curve” and other poems
W.J. Herbert, NY, “The Latin Lesson” and other poems
Anthony Immergluck, WI, “Madre Matryoshka” and other poems
Karen Kovacik, IN, “Farsickness” and other poems
Susan Landgraf, WA, “Out of the Roase Garden” and other poems
Kathleen Michael, VA, “Cowbird” and other poems
Amy Miller, OR, “The Church of the Hair Salon” and other poems
Oak Morse, TX, “Sashay” and other poems
Gail Newman, CA, “Two Men Talking” and other poems
Wendy Scott, PA, “Two Body Problem” and other poems
Emily Van Kley, WA, “Affidavit for Self-Care & Other Questionable Ephemera” and other poems
John Walser, WI, “Give yourself over to the trees, to the sun” and other poems
Amie Whittemore, TN, “First Self-Portrait with the Artist” and other poems -
2019 Literary Award Results
The editors of Nimrod International Journal are delighted to announce the winners, honorable mentions, finalists, and semi-finalists of the 41stNimrod Literary Awards.
Nimrod Literary Awards: The Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry
FIRST PRIZE: Robert Thomas, CA, “Negligee and Hatchet: A Sonnet Crown”
SECOND PRIZE: Matt Miller, NH, “The Adorned Fathomless Dark Creation” and other poems
HONORABLE MENTION: Pianta, CA, “Uchinanchu” and other poems
Nimrod Literary Awards: The Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction
FIRST PRIZE: Jonathan Wei, TX, “Capybara”
SECOND PRIZE: John Tait, TX, “This Might Hurt Some”
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Elinam Agbo, MI, “Schools of Longing”
C.C. Lewis, NC, “Tapeta Lucida”
Elsa Nekola, WI, “Meat Raffle”
Finalists Fiction 2019
Andrew Mangan, NY, “The Pioneer Spirit”
Kathleen McNamara, AZ, “Pyrosome”
Semi-Finalists Fiction 2019
JJ Byars, NY, “The Sifter”
Leslie Campbell, CA, “Overture”
Jennifer Chianese, PA, “The Crazy Ones”
Celine Fitzpatrick, IL, “Crossing the Swamp”
Linnie Greene, NJ, “What Was Left Was Ours”
Brenda Liebling-Goldberg, TX, “Edelweiss”
Grace Newman, NY, “Kontan, Always”
Maureen McGranaghan, PA, “The Heart Flashes”
Reena Shah, NY, “Bears”
Rachel Talbot, NY, “Lucuma”
Finalists Poetry 2019
Lauren Abunassar, PA, “Cryptid Poem” and other poems
Laura Apol, MI, “But Winter” and other poems
Pam Bernard, NH, “Turtle” and other poems
Hannah Dow, CA, “Realizations While Staying in Other People’s Apartments” and other poems
Christina Hutchins, CA, “Sleeping with the Melvini Sisters” and other poems
Ae Hee Lee, WI, “Inside a Mogyoktang in Chicago” and other poems
Joel Peckham, WV, “Locomotive of the Lord”
Osel Plante, FL, “When the Mississippi Speaks with its Wet, Pretty Mouth” and other poems
Faith Shearin, MA, “Mittens” and other poems
Semi-Finalists Poetry 2019
Roy Bentley, OH, “The Fighting Lady” and other poems
Eleanor Berry, OR, “Not Burning the Chrsitmas Greens” and other poems
Janine Certo, MI, “Diagram of the Four Chambers of the Heart”
Lauren Coggins, SC, “Precedent” and other poems
Lisa Compo, MD, “Elegy Prelude”
Catherine Freeling, “The Glove”
Matthew Gellman, NY, “Not Music” and other poems
Amanda Gomez, VA, “Autopsy of My Mother”
Kathryn Haemmerle, CA, “Aubade Ending With a View of a River” and other poems
Karen Harryman, CA, “Southern Funeral with Hairbrush”
W.J. Herbert, NY, “Northern Cardinal” and other poems
Catherine Hodges, CA, “Late Afternoon Meditation on an Open Egg Carton”
George Looney, PA, “A Falling Piano is a Classic”
Anne McDonnell, NJ, “Ash and Metal”
Gail Newman, CA, “Blood Memory”
Adam Penna, NY, “The Love Poems That Are Now”
Peter H. Michaels, MD, “Our First Love”
Jo Pitkin, NY, “Village: Bag of Babkas”
Michele Randall, FL, “Tea Hot Tea Iced” and other poems
C.C. Reid, DC, “Indelible”
Mary Rummel, MN, “Illuminator Dreams”
Tori Sharpe, AR, “The Move” and other poems
Jeremy Voigt, WA, “Lunar Eclipse”
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2018 Literary Awards Results
The editors of Nimrod International Journal are delighted to announce the winners, honorable mentions, finalists, and semi-finalists of the 40th Nimrod Literary Awards.
Nimrod Literary Awards: The Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry
FIRST PRIZE: Emma DePanise, MD, “Dry Season” and other poems
SECOND PRIZE: Megan Merchant, AZ, “Marrow” and other poems
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Anna Scotti, CA, “When I could still be seen” and other poems
Jeanne Wagner, CA, “Dogs That Look Like Wolves” and other poems
Josephine Yu, FL, “Women Grieving” and other poems
Nimrod Literary Awards: The Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction
FIRST PRIZE: Sharon Solwitz, IL, “Tremblement”
SECOND PRIZE: Ellen Rhudy, PA, “Would You Know Me”
HONORABLE MENTION:
Liz Ziemska, CA, “Hunt Relic”
Nimrod extends deep appreciation to all who submitted. Selecting the poetry and
fiction finalists was a task that dominated the lives of Nimrod’s editors all spring.
They approached their mission with dedication and discretion, reading and
rereading the final group, comparing notes, and speaking for favorites. The
finalists’ manuscripts, without cover letters or names, were sent to the judges for
2018. Patricia Smith served as poetry judge, and Rilla Askew served as
fiction judge. They chose the winners and honorable mentions from the finalist
groups.
Finalists Fiction 2018
Ellen Furman, CA, “Things”
Mimi Lok, CA, “Last of Her Name”
Reena Shah, NY, “The Jains’ Annual Beach House Picnic”
Amy Shearn, NY, “Some Fun”
Semi-Finalists Fiction 2018
April Alvarez, TN, “Tatau”
Judith Dancoff, CA, “Roman Glass”
Richard Hermes, TN, “Here, Where We Can Be Honest”
Alex Hughes, OK, “Dutzow”
Sandra Hunter, CA, “Meanwhile The Forests Continue To Die”
Aaron Landsman, NY, “Love Story”
Kristie Letter, CO, “Göttingen Seven”
Karin Lin-Greenberg, NY, “A Small Enemy”
Elizabeth Moller, NY, “Alice’s Tea Cup”
Barbara Morrison, VT, “Nebula”
S. Gale Pace, WA, “Jenny – My Life As Subject Matter”
Darryl Pebbles, IN, “Apotheosis”
Ann Russell, MA, “Conversational French”
Jessica Tumio, CT, “Don’t Look Up”
Namrata Verghese, TX, “God’s Intern”
Kirk Wilson, TX, “The Meteor”
Finalists Poetry 2018
Caroline Berblinger, OK, “Interviewing My Grandfather” and other poems
Ayokunle Falomo, TX, “The World’s Loudest Sound”
Matty Layne Glasgow, TX, “Plumage” and other poems
Darrel Alejandro Holnes, NY, “The land is made a stepmother” and other poems
J. Bailey Hutchinson, AR, “Became My Body, Too”
Chrissy Kolaya, MN, “The House Sitters”
Matthew MacFarland, VA, “Singing Saw” and other poems
Susan Nguyen, AZ, “Beast Angel” and other poems
Liz Rees, MD, “Elegy for Good Health” and other poems
Semi-Finalists Poetry 2018
Cynthia Amoah, NY, “Handrails”
Roger Camp, CA, “Ascension”
Don Colburn, OR, “Ginkgo on 19th” and other poems
Caroline Earleywine, AR, “Lipstick” and other poems
Mel Elberger, NJ, “Recipe”
Melanie Figg, MD, “Psyche’s History of Houses”
Rebecca Foust, CA, “Spring Is”
Katherine Gaffney, IL, “With Ghost”
Benjamin Garcia, NY, “Gay Epithalamium”
Emily Harman, WA, “Cairn”
W.J. Herbert, NY, “The Smell of Almost Rain”
Don Hogle, NY, “Mother”
Luke J. Johnson, CA, “Song of the Stillborn”
Susan Landgraf, WA, “What’s Left”
Freesia McKee, FL, “Peeling an Orange”
Ryan Meyer, NY, “Estuary” and other poems
Kelly Michels, NC, “What I mean when I say he went peacefully”
Adela Najarro, CA, “Chantico Swings”
Lee Sharkey, ME, “To Look Out Is to See; to Look In, to Turn Wholly White”
Mark Smith-Soto, NC, “Let It Spill”
Christie Towers, MA, “Sugar Water in Winter”
Cornelia Veenendaal, NH, “Rehearsal”
Namrata Verghese, TX, “Kathakali”
John Walser, WI, “Heaven” and other poems
Michael Warr, CA, “What Not To Do . . .( an unfinished poem after Michael Harriot at The Root)”
Arne Weingart, IL, “The Painting of the Barn without the Barn”