To celebrate National Poetry Month and Oklahoma, the Rural Oklahoma Museum of Poetry conducts an annual Oklahoma Poem Contest, with cash prizes and medals for the winners. Prizes are given out each year at Wonder City Wordfest in Locust Grove. Winners do not need to be present.
DEADLINE for ENTRIES: APRIL 4, 2022
To enter, write your own creative poem that honors or celebrates Oklahoma in some way.
Contest Guidelines: CASH PRIZES totaling $800
- Only Oklahoma residents are eligible to enter.
- Poems will be judged in 4 categories: K-4th, 5th-8th, 9th-12th, and Adult
- Cash awards will be given in each category. Medals will be given for runners-up.
- The maximum length for poems is 30 lines.
- Poems can be rhymed or unrhymed.
- One poem per person.
- Previous winning poems cannot be submitted again.
- A signed Entry Form or online form must be filled out and turned in with the poem.
Contest Evaluation Criteria:
Poems will be judged based on these criteria: imagery, creativity, language, and theme
To Submit: DEADLINE: April 4, 2022
Mail your poem with the attached entry form
OR
Submit your poem through the online form below:
Oklahoma Poem Contest Submission Form:
Oklahoma Poem Contest Winners 2021
K-5th Grade
- Easton King, Lawton, Epic Charter School
- Panashe Mushonga, Oklahoma City, Home-Schooled
- Evan Foresman, Yukon, Independence Intermediate
6th-8th Grade
- Hayden Barrowman, Norman, Whittier Middle School
- Mykayla Shearer, Chickasha, Friend School
- TIE: Kyler Nida, Harrah, Belle Isle Enterprise Middle School
and Hannah Joo, Norman, Terra Verde Discovery School
9th-12th Grade
- Emma Cinocca, Tulsa, Jenks High School
- Lucas Buzzelli, Claremore, Claremore High School
- TIE: Kayley Ray, Lenapah, Oklahoma Union
and Kaitlyn Pierce, Nowata, Oklahoma Union
Adult
- Jen Handsel, Tulsa
- Kathy Snyman, Locust Grove
- Emily Geest, Stillwater
Honorable Mention: Kathryn Lawler, Norman
The winning poems for 2021 can be read in THIS DOCUMENT. Prizes will be mailed to the winners! The winning poems will also be on display in the museum.
The Oklahoma Poem Contest takes place every year with a deadline in early April.
Rural Oklahoma Museum of Poetry
2020 Oklahoma Poem Contest Winning Poets
Adult
1st, Aunika Anderson, Spiro
2nd, Jacquelyn Magrady, Tulsa
3rd, Zachary Wilhite, Claremore
9th-12th Grade
1st, Kaylee Bowman, Grove
2nd, Justin Herlan, Bluejacket
3rd, Harley Lee, Bluejacket
5th-8th Grade
1st, Aurora Parks, Pryor
2nd, Ashlie Nguyen, Yukon
3rd, Zack Strong, Yukon
K-4th Grade
1st, Jediah Harrison, Grove
2nd, MeKenzie Smith, Yukon
3rd, Silas Jackson, Grove
Oklahoma Poem Contest 2020: Winning Poems
2019 Oklahoma Poem Contest Winners
Adult
1st, Hannah Ewton, Claremore
2nd, Darron Dunbar, Oklahoma City
3rd, Mary McCloskey, Oklahoma City
9th-12th
1st, Palmer Strubhar, Piedmont
5th-8th
1st, Lahna Erwin
2nd, Ivy Snyder
3rd, Ashley Smith
K-4th
1st, Zack Strong, Yukon
2nd Alexander Spruill, El Reno & Kaylee Porter, Yukon
3rd, Leslie Bernal, Tulsa
CLICK HERE to see photos by Zack Strong’s grandfather Lonnie Rickey at Wonder City Wordfest
2019 OK Winning Poems
2018 Oklahoma Poem Contest Winners
Photographs of the winners who were at the ceremony can be found HERE.
Category: K-5th Grade
1st
Aurora Parks, Roosevelt Elementary, Pryor
2nd
Amelia Hanlan, Independence Elementary, Yukon
3rd (tie)
Madison Mennecke, LGUE, Locust Grove
Parker Hensley, Independence Elementary, Yukon
Category: 6th-8th Grade
1st
Erin Bendabout, LGMS, Locust Grove
2nd
Jerah Bighorse, LGMS, Locust Grove
3rd (tie)
Miranda Blossom, LGMS, Locust Grove
Mya Phillips, LGMS, Locust Grove
Category: 9th-12th Grade
1st
Jasmine Alverado, Emerson South, Oklahoma City
2nd
Sierra Murphy, LGHS, Locust Grove
3rd
Audra Cunningham, LGHS, Locust Grove
Category: Adult
1st
Casey Mclerran, Sapulpa
2nd
Debra Martin, Edmond
3rd
Hannah Eaton, Claremore
You can read all of the winning poems in a pdf by clicking HERE.
***********************************************************************************
