Kay Saunders Emerging Poet Prize

Open for Submission September 1, 2026-February 1, 2027

PRIZES

1st place: $100
2nd place: $50
3rd place: $30

GUIDELINES

• The Kay Saunders Emerging Poets Prize is open to Wisconsin residents age 18+ (member or non-member) who meet 2 out of 3 criteria.

  • Have not won a poetry contest, monetary or otherwise.

  • Have minimal publications: no full-length poetry collection and no more than a few poems in journals.

  • No MFA or PhD in Poetry or Creative Writing 

•  Submissions must be received by February 1, 2027. Late submissions will not be considered.

• There is no entry fee. 

• Enter only one original, unpublished poem (75 line maximum). Previous publication includes any version of the poem made available to the public online or in print—blogs, journals, anthologies, broadsides, small-press chapbooks, etc.

• Unless another font is integral to the content of the poem, please use 12-point, Times New Roman font.

• No simultaneous submissions.

TO SUBMIT

• Submit via email to: wfopkaysaundersprize@gmail.com.

• The subject line should read: "Kay Saunders Emerging Poets Prize - Last name, First name.” 

• Attach your poem as a doc, docx, or pdf file or paste it in the body of your email.

• The body of your single email should include the following information. Attachments will not be opened unless all of this information is provided in the email.

  • Your Name

  • Street

  • City, State, Zip

  • Email Address

  • Phone

  • Title of poem and first line

  • Statement of originality and eligibility and membership status as follows:

    “I am/am not a current WFOP member. The poetry submitted is my original, unpublished work not under consideration elsewhere. I meet the criteria for this award.”

• If you do not have access to email, please mail submissions with a cover letter containing the above information to:  

  Kay Saunders Emerging Poet Contest 
  c/o Cathryn Cofell 
  2333 E Baldeagle Dr.
  Appleton, WI 54913

FOLLOW UP

• Winners will be notified in the spring.

• With permission, the names and poems of winners will be posted on the WFOP website and included in the WFOP Museletter.

• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize winners will have the opportunity to read their poems at an online reading in spring and during the annual WFOP conference in September 2027.

ABOUT THE 2027 JUDGE

Danielle Jones is a poet, artist, and educator with over 15 years of experience in arts administration. Her work has appeared in Beloit Poetry Journal, Best New Poets, Incessant Pipe, Memorious, The Museum of Americana, Rattle, Southern Poetry Review, and elsewhere. Her first collection, Hunger, was released by Bordighera Press in 2025. Recipient of a Rona Jaffe Writer’s Award, Danielle has also received fellowships from the Brother Thomas Foundation, Mass Cultural Council, and St. Botolph’s Club Foundation. She works at the University of New Hampshire, where she teaches writing, directs the Nossrat Yassini Poetry Festival, and manages YAS Press.