2028 Wisconsin Poets’ Calendar
Submission Period: November 1, 2026-February 7, 2027
Editor: Isaiah Janisch
Theme: Wisconsin History Through the Eyes of Its Poets
Wisconsin history is more than just the straight facts, like the exact date it became a state or the name of the first governoWisconsin history is the mammoth that roamed where Milwaukee is now. It's the round barn built by your great grandparents. It's the Ho-Chunk bison hunts on the southwestern prairies. It's the Brewers game at Milwaukee County Stadium you went to with your dad. It's the summer you spent as a lifeguard in the Dells. It's your first night in the dorms at UW Madison. It's the Lake Michigan storms that tear through Door County. It’s supper clubs and bon fires, going “up north” for camp or camping. It’s the lake house and fishing as well as Milwaukee’s fine dining and lake shore at Christmas. It’s a Madison protest and new friends in 4H. It's the weird stories from your hometown. And it's all the other little (or big) things we witness, participate in, and create in our great state.
For 2028, we want poems about Wisconsin history through your eyes and in your poetic style. This could include significant events, personal and family stories, natural history, something you witnessed with your own eyes, or something that happened 10,000 years ago.
It is a requirement that you base your poem on something that happened in Wisconsin. When submitting, please include a date and location for the event your poem is based on in to the best of your ability.
The Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets will begin accepting poems for the 2028 Wisconsin Poets’ Calendar beginning November 1, 2026. Poets must be at least 18, a resident of Wisconsin or have a close connection to Wisconsin. Submissions received prior to November 1 will not be considered. Deadline for submissions is February 7, 2027.
Submit Your Poems
Please adhere to the guidelines below:
Submit up to two poems, single-spaced, not centered. Shorter poems preferred. Poems longer than 34 lines, counting stanza breaks, will not be accepted. Prepare your poems in a single Word document using the file name “[last name] [first name]”. If your poem is “Untitled,” please specifically point that out.
If you are working in another word processing program like Pages or Google Docs and are unsure how to download as a Word Doc, please feel free to reach out to Rosie for instructions WFOP.Calendar.Mgrs@gmail.com.
We will accept up to two poems per poet.
Previously published work is accepted. Include the name of the publication where it first appeared and confirm that no copyright exists to limit dissemination of the poem in the Calendar.
In your Word or PDF document, please include your name, poem title (or indicate “Untitled,” if untitled), and the date and location of the Wisconsin historical event each poem is based on to the best of your ability.
Submissions must be made online. We will not accept any handwritten, emailed, or snailmailed submissions.
Bios longer than the 30-word maximum will disqualify the entries from being considered.
If you are struggling with the online entry, need ADA support, or have any other questions or difficulties, please reach out to Isaiah at wfopcalendar@gmail.com
You will receive an email within a week of your submission confirming receipt. If you do not receive that email, please reach out to Isaiah at wfopcalendar@gmail.com
The selection process takes time, so please allow a minimum of 30 days after the close of the contest before expecting any acceptance or decline.
Deadline for submissions: 11:59 p.m. on February 7, 2026. Poems arriving after that time will not be considered.
About the Editor
Isaiah Janisch is a poet, artist, professional writer, and editor whose experience includes work with the Rock River Review and Landward Podcast. He has also taught poetry to middle and high school students and has been published in the WFOP Poets’ Calendar and other journals.
2029 Wisconsin Poets’ Calendar
Scott McConnaha of Plymouth, Wisconsin, has been selected as editor of the 2029 WFOP Poets’ Calendar. Specific information about the 2029 call for poems will be shared on the website as soon as it’s available.
About the Editor
McConnaha is a poet, Army veteran, former educator, journal editor, and healthcare administrator. He is the author of the poetry chapbook Without a Prayer, and his work has appeared in numerous literary publications. He is a member of WFOP's East Region and the Wisconsin Writers Association and serves on the board of directors of the Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra.
Buy 2027 Wisconsin Poets’ Calendar
The 2027 Wisconsin Poets’ Calendar is now available. We are deeply grateful to the poets who shared their work and to our editors, Kim Parsons and Sheryl Slocum, for the time, thoughtfulness, and hard work.