The Sac Poetry Week contests are BACK!!!
Sacramento Poetry Week invites poets of all ages and experience levels to share original work celebrating the full range of voices, experiences, and imaginations that make Sacramento a poetry city.
Separate contests will be held for students and adults.
One entry per person.
Winning poems will be published by Abridged on PBS KVIE.
Eligibility and Submission
Participants must live within the City of Sacramento limits.
Student entries are open to poets currently enrolled in grades K–12.
Each participant may only submit one poem.
Poems may be no longer than one page
Entries must be submitted through Google form by October 26th at midnight.
Sacramento Poetry Week may request proof of residency from finalists.
Contest organizers, judges, and their immediate family members are not eligible.
Originality
Every poem must be the original work of the person submitting it.
Plagiarized, collaboratively written, or AI-generated poems are not eligible.
Poems substantially written or rewritten using generative AI will be disqualified.
Judging and Awards
Student and adult entries will be judged separately.
Poems will be evaluated based on originality, craft, voice, and impact.
Entries will be reviewed anonymously whenever possible.
Winners will be notified by 10/28 using the contact information provided with their submission.
Prizes: Winning poems will be published by Abridged by PBS KVIE
Sacramento Poetry Week reserves the right to disqualify entries that violate these guidelines or provide false eligibility information.
Publication and Rights
Poets retain full copyright and ownership of their work. Selected winners will be asked to grant Sacramento Poetry Week and Abridged on PBS KVIE permission to publish and promote their winning poems. Poems will not be materially edited without the poet’s approval. A parent or guardian must provide publication permission for winners under 18. By entering, participants confirm that their submission is original, that they meet all eligibility requirements, and that they agree to these contest guidelines.