Poetry Contest
The Enoch Pratt Free Library Poetry Contest is an annual event open to Maryland poets age 18 and older.
Maryland poets, this contest is for you! The winning poem, to be announced in mid-April, will be published in Little Patuxent Review and celebrated at a public reading hosted by the Pratt Library and Little Patuxent Review. It may also be displayed at the Central Library or turned into a collectible broadside.
Contest Rules
- Entrants must be Maryland residents, 18 or older.
- Paid or volunteer staff of the Enoch Pratt Free Library and Little Patuxent Review and their immediate families are not eligible, nor are previous Pratt Library Poetry Contest first-place winners.
- Please send only one original poem, on any theme and in any form, for consideration.
- Your entry must be unpublished, either in print or online, including personal blogs, Facebook, or X (formerly Twitter). It cannot be currently under review for possible publication.
- Your entry must not exceed 100 lines.
- Submit your typed entry as a Microsoft Word attachment by email to contest@prattlibrary.org or by mail to:
Poetry Contest, Fiction & Humanities Department
Pratt Library, 400 Cathedral St.
Baltimore, MD 21201-4484
- All entries must be received by Saturday, March 1, 2025.
- Please submit your name, address, phone number, and a brief biography on a separate page. Please do not put your name, address, phone number, or biography on the entry itself. Our judges will see only the poem.
- Confirmation of receipt and comments on your entry will not be provided, nor will your entry be returned to you.
Learn More
Questions? Email contest@prattlibrary.org or call (410) 396-5484.
Interested in past winners? Check out the poems that won in previous years (PDF).
Help us spread the word! Print and share a Poetry Contest flyer (PDF).
Check out our upcoming poetry events for adults:
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Are you considering applying to the 2026 Writer in Residence Program but still have questions? Join us online to learn more…April 1, 6 PM -
Celebrate National Poetry month! Explore and enjoy a curated selection of 18th, 19th, and early 20th century rare poetry…April 3, 11 AM -
New York Times bestselling author and poet Maggie Smith distills creativity and the craft of writing with a practical guide…April 3, 7 PM -
Join us online for a discussion of the poetry of Theodore Roethke. We hope to discuss some of the following poems…April 5, 11 AM
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