2026 Contest Judges Announced
Samuel Washington Allen Prize: Kirun Kapur Kirun Kapur grew up in Hawaii and now lives along the banks of the Merrimac River. She is the author of three books of poetry: Women in … Read more
David Miller
Revere Beach Stories, by Kevin Carey, Jennifer Martelli, and Stephenie Young
Jean Pedrick Chapbook Prize Finalist, selected by Matthew E. Henry Kevin Carey’s books include the poetry collections The One Fifteen to Penn Station, Jesus Was a Homeboy, Set in Stone, … Read more
“Marsiya” by Kirun Kapur
Samuel Washington Allen Prize, selected by Jennifer Garfield Kirun Kapur is the author of three books of poetry, Visiting Indira Gandhi’s Palmist (Elixir Press, 2015) which won the Arts & Letters Rumi Prize and the Antivenom … Read more
Hemicrania by Therese Gleason
Jean Pedrick Chapbook Prize, selected by Matthew E. Henry Therese Gleason (she/her) is author of three poetry chapbooks: Hemicrania (Chestnut Review Chapbooks, 2024); Matrilineal (Finishing Line, 2021), honorable mention, 2022 Jean Pedrick Chapbook Prize, New … Read more
The Unknown Daughter by Tricia Knoll
Jean Pedrick Chapbook Prize Finalist, selected by Matthew E. Henry Tricia Knoll is an aging Vermont poet who lives in the woods with two dogs. Nine of her collections are … Read more
“Hockey” by Roman Johnson
Samuel Washington Allen Prize Finalist, selected by Jennifer Garfield Roman Johnson, PhD is a writer and scientist from Memphis, TN. He is a second–year MFA student in poetry at Brown University … Read more
“Alzheimer’s Abecedarian and Erasure” by Wendy Drexler
Samuel Washington Allen Prize Finalist, selected by Jennifer Garfield Wendy Drexler is a recipient of a 2022 artist fellowship from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Her fourth collection, Harvest of What Remains, will … Read more
I’m not I’m not I’m not a baby by Dev Murphy
Jean Pedrick Chapbook Prize Finalist, selected by Matthew E. Henry Devan Murphy is the author of the chapbook I’m Not I’m Not I’m Not a Baby (Ethel 2024), a collection of prose … Read more
“Why I Chose Bernadette” by Mary Christine Delea
Samuel Washington Allen Prize Finalist, selected by Jennifer Garfield Mary Christine Delea is the author of The Skeleton Holding Up the Sky, three chapbooks, and numerous journal publications. She is … Read more
“I Dream the Dodgers Back to Brooklyn” by Matthew Johnson
E.E. Cummings Prize Finalist, selected by Chard deNiord Matthew Johnson, formerly of Stratford, CT, is author of Shadow Folks and Soul Songs (Kelsay Books), Far from New York State (NYQ Press), and Too Short to … Read more