The winners of our first annual Fall for the Book Poetry Contest, co-sponsored by Fall for the Book and the Writer’s Center, have been decided. Thanks so much to everyone who entered! It was a joy to read the poems and extremely difficult to decide winners among the many, many entries we received.

Stay tuned to the site to read the winning poems–and, of course, for more prompts!

- Lucy & Ellie

FIRST PLACE: “MOTEL,” by Missy Purcell: We love the surprises in this poem, like the description “smells like people” and the sounds of the alphabet sung in the next room.  The way it incorporates the quotations from its chosen Fall for the Book author works with the poem’s progression to create a mysterious setting.

SECOND PLACE: “Yes, Gale,” by Alyse Knorr: This poem’s sardonic tone creates a believable persona that pulls us into it again and again.

THIRD PLACE: “Sounds of Unforgiveness,” by Maggie Beetz: This is a beautifully constructed poem that uses its Fall for the Book author quotation in a way that allows insight into its story without giving us exposition.  We love the rhythms and tone created here!

Honorable Mentions [in no particular order]

[Untitled], by Cori Stash

“The Navigator, by Stephanie Myrick

“Some Might Say It’s Hot,” by Eleanor Graves

“Or as you say, ‘bread and butter,’ by Liz Gerber

“The Message,” by Clarinda Harris

Thanks again to everyone who entered! Congratulations to the winners for your awesome poems. Rock on, poets.