THE SUMMER 2026 CONTEST
IS NOW CLOSED

We'll see you next summer!

In the meantime, see all our winning poets
and their poems in the

CONTEST INFO

CONTEST: The 3rd Annual Lyrical Language Lab Summer Poetry Contest

THEME: IT’S A WONDERFUL WORLD: Poems about Unique People, Places, and Travel

WHAT TO SUBMIT: A kidlit poem suitable for elementary, middle grade, or young adult. May be free verse or rhyming.

LENGTH: Maximum 150 words (not including title)

WHEN TO ENTER: July 1 to July 23, 2026. Submissions close July 23 at 11:59pm PST.

ENTRY FEE PER POEM: $10

WINNERS ANNOUNCED: Longlist July 28; Shortlist July 30; Winners August 1

Please read the rules and guidelines carefully before entering the contest.

ABOUT THE THEME

IT’S A WONDERFUL WORLD: Poems about Unique People, Places, and Travel

is all about celebrating the people, places, and experiences that make our world an extraordinary place. We’re looking for kidlit poems that capture those moments that make us marvel, laugh, ponder, reflect, or see the world in a new way.

Perhaps you’ve been mesmerized by moonlight shimmering on a silent lake or awed by a magnificent mountain. Maybe you’ve shared a surprising conversation with the dry cleaner on the corner, the owner of a neighborhood café, or a shopkeeper halfway around the world. Or you’ve had a deeply affecting (or amusing or curious) experience while on a road trip, cruise, or afternoon exploration of your hometown.

Whether your inspiration comes from faraway places or your own backyard, we want your kids’ poem to take us there! Introduce us to remarkable people, show us your favorite places, paint us a picture of the moments that remind you how wonderful our world can be.

PRIZES

First Prize

$300

Second Prize

$200

Third Prize

$100

7 Honorable Mentions

$25 eGift Card from Bookshop.org or Amazon

All winners will have their poem, photo, and short bio included on the

Winners’ Gallery on this website.

CONTEST RULES

JUDGING PROCESS

Contest entries will be judged anonymously in three rounds of judging.
ROUND 1: Judges will narrow entries down to a longlist of approximately 15-20 titles (at the judges’ discretion). The longlist will be posted on this website (poem titles only in alphabetical order) on July 28, 2026.
ROUND 2: Judges will narrow down longlisted entries to a shortlist of 10 titles. The shortlist will be posted on this website (poem titles in alphabetical order) on July 30, 2026.
ROUND 3: Judges will choose the first, second, and third place winners from the shortlist. The remaining seven entries on the shortlist will receive honorable mention.
Winners will be posted on this website (names and poems) and emailed on August 1, 2026.

JUDGING CRITERIA
Here are just some of the things the judges will be looking for:

Adherence to the theme “It’s a Wonderful World: Poems about Unique People, Places, and Travel”
Distinctive, creative voice
Appealing to the chosen age group
Thoughtful use of poetic devices (metaphor, sound devices, imagery, etc.)
If free verse, thoughtful attention to line breaks and white space
If rhyming, excellent meter and rhyme
Surprising/lovely use of language
Evocation of a mood, time, or place
Logical progression/organization
Clarity of intention (not so abstract as to obscure any meaning)
Overall content and originality
Overall craft of writing

CONTEST RULES

GENERAL ELIGIBILITY

Entrants must be 18 years of age and over.
The contest is open to entrants worldwide. Void where prohibited.
Entries are permitted from both agented and unagented writers.
Multiple entries are permitted, but each entry must be submitted with a separate form and a separate fee.
Previously published work is not eligible.
Poems generated by AI are not eligible.

POEM GUIDELINES

Your poem must be written for and appeal to the children’s literature market (e.g., elementary, middle grade, young adult, ages 0-18).
Your poem must somehow relate to the theme “It’s a Wonderful World: Poems about Unique People, Places, and Travel.”
Your poem may be written in free verse or rhyming verse.
Your poem MUST have a title, which cannot be “Untitled.” The title is the identifying information used by the judges.
Your poem must be a maximum of 150 words (not including the title).
Your poem must be previously unpublished in any form (except for publishing on personal blogs) and must not be currently under contract.
Your poem must be written in English (though side-by-side translation in another language is acceptable).
As a general guideline, use single-spaced 12pt font. You are of course free to use white space, indenting, different font sizes, and/or other text treatments, if that is what your poem calls for.
Poems should be submitted as doc, docx, or PDF files.
Your uploaded document should include only three things: 1) PayPal Transaction ID, 2) poem title, and 3) poem. DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME or any other information on your uploaded document.
Once your poem is submitted, it cannot be changed, edited, or altered. You may, of course, withdraw your work, but there are no refunds given.
Please add lyricallanglab@gmail.com to your safe sender list in your email provider. Winners will be notified by email.

DECISION OF JUDGES

The decision of the judges is final. The judges will not be able to answer specific questions about your poems, poems of other entrants, or their decisions as judges, nor enter into any correspondence with entrants regarding the contest.
The judges cannot provide individual feedback on poems.
The contest organizers have the right to change the judge(s) at their discretion.

RESULTS, NOTIFICATION OF WINNERS, AND PRIZE DISTRIBUTION

Longlist results will be posted on this website on July 28, 2026 (poem titles only in alphabetical order).
Shortlist results will be posted on this website on July 30, 2026 (poem titles only in alphabetical order).
Winners will be posted on this website and notified by email on August 1, 2026 (names and poem titles).
Please add lyricallanglab@gmail.com to your safe sender list in your email provider. Winners will be notified by email.
Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place will be paid only via PayPal in US Dollars and not by check, cash, bank transfer, or any other means. Be sure you are able to accept such prize payment before you enter.
The Bookshop.org or Amazon eGift Cards for Honorable Mention winners are delivered via email directly from Bookshop.org or Amazon. There may be slight variations to this prize depending on which country the winner resides in. In certain cases, the contest administrators reserve the right to modify the type and delivery method of Honorable Mention prizes.
Unclaimed prizes will not be distributed. Prizes are non-transferable.

You retain full copyright of your poem. For winning poems (the shortlist), a copyright notice will be included anywhere your poem is published publicly.
For shortlisted entrants: By entering the Lyrical Language Lab 3RD ANNUAL SUMMER POETRY CONTEST, you give permission for us to print your name, poem, photo, and/or bio In the winners’ gallery of this website and on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

REFUNDS

No refunds can be issued for any reason. Before paying and uploading your poem, please be sure you have read and followed the rules and guidelines. The document you upload should include only three things: PayPal Transaction ID, poem title, and poem. Do not include your name or other identifying information on your document.

DISQUALIFICATIONS The following events will cause an entry to be disqualified:

The entry fee was not paid.
The poem is written for the adult market.
The poem has no title or is titled “Untitled.”
The uploaded poem document does not include the PayPal Transaction ID and/or the title of the poem.
The poem is not written in English.
The poem exceeds the 150-word limit.
The poem was previously published (other than on a personal blog).
The poem is not the author’s own work.
The poem was generated by AI.
Entrants will not be notified if their entry is disqualified.
The decision of the judges is final. The judges will not be able to answer specific questions about your poems, poems of other entrants, or their decisions as judges, nor enter into any correspondence with entrants regarding the contest.
The judges cannot provide individual feedback on poems.
The contest organizers have the right to change the judge(s) at their discretion.