Guidelines:
All poems submitted will be ekphrastic poems. That is, they are literary responses to the art presented in the contest guidelines below.
Additional Definitions
Technical proficiency: the poet employs devices of sound and language, form and image, in fresh and powerful ways.
Creativity: the poem reveals a unique, unexpected approach. The poem speaks to the power of the visual image and taps into the eternal perspective of a spiritual journey towards the Trinitarian God.
The search for Truth: the poet grapples with some aspect/s of the human condition within the story of Salvation history that connects us all.
Prizes
First place prize: $275
Second place: $250
Third place: $175
The three prize-winning poems will be published on the Catholic Literary Arts website. The three winning poets will be awarded a year’s membership to Catholic Literary Arts.
Specifics
All poems must be original, unpublished in print, on the web, or in limited edition books.
Simultaneous submissions are not allowed.
Submissions will be primarily in the English language.
International submissions are allowed if Paypal will process the payment.
Line maximum per poem: 36 lines (does not include title or stanza breaks)
Format: all poems must be in 12 pt. font in a typeface of Times New Roman, Arial, or other easy to read typeface. We regret that we're unable to accept handwritten pages.
Form: all forms and free verse are accepted.
Entry Fee: $30 for up to three poems. Poets are limited to a single entry of up to three poems.
Entry is open to poets aged 16 or older on the date of submission.
All submissions are handled through Submittable.
Judging:
All judging is blind judging. The name of the poet must not appear on the poem itself or in the file name when submitted. The Submittable system will direct each poet to completion of a form that stores the poet's identifying information and other pertinent information related to the entry.
Contest Overview
- Purpose: To inspire students in Archdiocesan-affiliated schools to write about spiritual topics, increase writing skills, and increase writing confidence
- Eligibility: Only open to students enrolled in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade in a school affiliated with the Catholic Schools Office in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Click here to view Catholic schools eligible for this contest.
- Deadline: Friday, February 20, 2026, at 11:59 pm CST.
2026 Prompt
- 2026 Poem Prompt: Write about Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Submission Guidelines
- Format: One Word document.
- Length: Maximum of 24 lines (title and stanza breaks do not count). All metrical forms and free-verse are accepted.
- Formatting: Typed in Times New Roman or Arial, font size 12. No handwritten submissions.
- Anonymity: Student names should not appear on the poem but must be included in the submission form.
- Required Details: Include the student’s school, grade, and a unique title for the poem in the top left corner of the page of the poem. Here is an example of a formatted individual poem's page.
- Requirements for Batch Submissions: Each batch submission will include poems by students in one grade level. In addition, each batch submission will include a Batch Submission Summary Form listing the following information for each poem: student name, grade, and title of poem. Here is an example of the required Batch Submission Summary Form and a formatted individual poem's page.
Anti-Plagiarism
- Disqualification: Plagiarism is a serious offense and will result in disqualification from the contest and other possible consequences.
- Originality: The poem must be original, not created by AI technology or copied from another source, unpublished in print, unpublished on the web or in limited edition books.
- Anti-Plagiarism Lesson Plan: To assist students in understanding the definition of plagiarism and its seriousness, we offer this downloadable lesson plan.
- Anti-Plagiarism Declaration: Each student submitting a poem must sign an affirmative declaration that his or her writing is unique, original work. Teachers will keep the statements in their files for one year.
Entry Fee
- Cost: $55 per participating school.
- Payment: Check with your school principal or instructional specialist to confirm if the fee has been paid.
Submission Process
- Open Dates: November 1, 2025 – February 20, 2026 (11:59 pm CST).
- Method: Submit individual poems via Submittable, or through a teacher’s batch submission via Submittable.
Finalists and Winners Selection and Announcement
- Finalists: The preliminary round judges will select the finalists, who will be announced on the Catholic Literary Arts website by March 17, 2026.
- Winners: From the pool of finalists, the final round judges will choose the winners, to be announced on the Catholic Literary Arts website by March 24, 2026.
- Eligibility for Poet Laureate: Only first-place winners from each grade are considered.
Awards Ceremony
- Winners (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, and honorable mentions) will be invited to read their entries at the Awards Ceremony in-person with their families, friends, school principals, and submitting teachers. The Awards Ceremony will take place in April 2026 and details will be shared at a later date.
Contest Overview
- Purpose: To inspire students in Archdiocesan-affiliated schools to write about spiritual topics, increase writing skills, and increase writing confidence
- Eligibility: Only open to students enrolled in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade in a school affiliated with the Catholic Schools Office in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Click here to view Catholic schools eligible for this contest.
- Deadline: Friday, February 20, 2026, at 11:59 pm CST.
2026 Prompt
- 2026 Poem Prompt: Write about Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Submission Guidelines
- Format: One Word document.
- Length: Maximum of 24 lines (title and stanza breaks do not count). All metrical forms and free-verse are accepted.
- Formatting: Typed in Times New Roman or Arial, font size 12. No handwritten submissions.
- Anonymity: Student names should not appear on the poem but must be included in the submission form.
- Required Details: Include the student’s school, grade, and a unique title for the poem in the top left corner of the page of the poem. Here is an example of a formatted individual poem's page.
- Requirements for Batch Submissions: Each batch submission will include poems by students in one grade level. In addition, each batch submission will include a Batch Submission Summary Form listing the following information for each poem: student name, grade, and title of poem. Here is an example of the required Batch Submission Summary Form and a formatted individual poem's page.
Anti-Plagiarism
- Disqualification: Plagiarism is a serious offense and will result in disqualification from the contest and other possible consequences.
- Originality: The poem must be original, not created by AI technology or copied from another source, unpublished in print, unpublished on the web or in limited edition books.
- Anti-Plagiarism Lesson Plan: To assist students in understanding the definition of plagiarism and its seriousness, we offer this downloadable lesson plan.
- Anti-Plagiarism Declaration: Each student submitting a poem must sign an affirmative declaration that his or her writing is unique, original work. Teachers will keep the statements in their files for one year.
Entry Fee
- Cost: $55 per participating school.
- Payment: Check with your school principal or instructional specialist to confirm if the fee has been paid.
Submission Process
- Open Dates: November 1, 2025 – February 20, 2026 (11:59 pm CST).
- Method: Submit individual poems via Submittable, or through a teacher’s batch submission via Submittable.
Finalists and Winners Selection and Announcement
- Finalists: The preliminary round judges will select the finalists, who will be announced on the Catholic Literary Arts website by March 17, 2026.
- Winners: From the pool of finalists, the final round judges will choose the winners, to be announced on the Catholic Literary Arts website by March 24, 2026.
- Eligibility for Poet Laureate: Only first-place winners from each grade are considered.
Awards Ceremony
- Winners (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, and honorable mentions) will be invited to read their entries at the Awards Ceremony in-person with their families, friends, school principals, and submitting teachers. The Awards Ceremony will take place in April 2026 and details will be shared at a later date.
Contest Overview
- Purpose: To inspire students in Archdiocesan-affiliated schools to write about spiritual topics, increase writing skills, and increase writing confidence
- Eligibility: Only open to students enrolled in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade in a school affiliated with the Catholic Schools Office in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Click here to view Catholic schools eligible for this contest.
- Deadline: Friday, February 20, 2026, at 11:59 pm CST.
2026 Prompt
- 2026 Poem Prompt: Write about Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Submission Guidelines
- Format: One Word document.
- Length: Maximum of 24 lines (title and stanza breaks do not count). All metrical forms and free-verse are accepted.
- Formatting: Typed in Times New Roman or Arial, font size 12. No handwritten submissions.
- Anonymity: Student names should not appear on the poem but must be included in the submission form.
- Required Details: Include the student’s school, grade, and a unique title for the poem in the top left corner of the page of the poem. Here is an example of a formatted individual poem's page.
- Requirements for Batch Submissions: Each batch submission will include poems by students in one grade level. In addition, each batch submission will include a Batch Submission Summary Form listing the following information for each poem: student name, grade, and title of poem. Here is an example of the required Batch Submission Summary Form and a formatted individual poem's page.
Anti-Plagiarism
- Disqualification: Plagiarism is a serious offense and will result in disqualification from the contest and other possible consequences.
- Originality: The poem must be original, not created by AI technology or copied from another source, unpublished in print, unpublished on the web or in limited edition books.
- Anti-Plagiarism Lesson Plan: To assist students in understanding the definition of plagiarism and its seriousness, we offer this downloadable lesson plan.
- Anti-Plagiarism Declaration: Each student submitting a poem must sign an affirmative declaration that his or her writing is unique, original work. Teachers will keep the statements in their files for one year.
Entry Fee
- Cost: $55 per participating school.
- Payment: Check with your school principal or instructional specialist to confirm if the fee has been paid.
Submission Process
- Open Dates: November 1, 2025 – February 20, 2026 (11:59 pm CST).
- Method: Submit individual poems via Submittable, or through a teacher’s batch submission via Submittable.
Finalists and Winners Selection and Announcement
- Finalists: The preliminary round judges will select the finalists, who will be announced on the Catholic Literary Arts website by March 17, 2026.
- Winners: From the pool of finalists, the final round judges will choose the winners, to be announced on the Catholic Literary Arts website by March 24, 2026.
- Eligibility for Poet Laureate: Only first-place winners from each grade are considered.
Awards Ceremony
- Winners (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, and honorable mentions) will be invited to read their entries at the Awards Ceremony in-person with their families, friends, school principals, and submitting teachers. The Awards Ceremony will take place in April 2026 and details will be shared at a later date.
Contest Overview
- Purpose: To inspire students in homeschool programs and independent Catholic schools to write about spiritual topics, increase writing skills, and increase writing confidence
- Eligibility: Only open to students enrolled in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade in a homeschool program school or independent Catholic school in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Click here to view independent Catholic schools eligible for this contest.
- Deadline: Friday, February 20, 2026, at 11:59 pm CST.
2026 Prompt
- 2026 Poem Prompt: Write about Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Submission Guidelines
- Format: One Word document.
- Length: Maximum of 24 lines (title and stanza breaks do not count). All metrical forms and free-verse are accepted.
- Formatting: Typed in Times New Roman or Arial, font size 12. No handwritten submissions.
- Anonymity: Student names should not appear on the poem but must be included in the submission form.
- Required Details: Include the student’s school, grade, and a unique title for the poem in the top left corner of the page of the poem. Here is an example of a formatted individual poem's page.
- Requirements for Batch Submissions: Each batch submission will include poems by students in one grade level. In addition, each batch submission will include a Batch Submission Summary Form listing the following information for each poem: student name, grade, and title of poem. Here is an example of the required Batch Submission Summary Form and a formatted individual poem's page.
Anti-Plagiarism
- Disqualification: Plagiarism is a serious offense and will result in disqualification from the contest and other possible consequences.
- Originality: The poem must be original, not created by AI technology or copied from another source, unpublished in print, unpublished on the web or in limited edition books.
- Anti-Plagiarism Lesson Plan: To assist students in understanding the definition of plagiarism and its seriousness, we offer this downloadable lesson plan.
- Anti-Plagiarism Declaration: Each student submitting a poem must sign an affirmative declaration that his or her writing is unique, original work. Teachers will keep the statements in their files for one year.
Entry Fee
- Cost: $55 per participating school.
- Payment: Check with your school principal or instructional specialist to confirm if the fee has been paid.
Submission Process
- Open Dates: November 1, 2025 – February 20, 2026 (11:59 pm CST).
- Method: Submit individual poems via Submittable, or through a teacher’s batch submission via Submittable.
Finalists and Winners Selection and Announcement
- Finalists: The preliminary round judges will select the finalists, who will be announced on the Catholic Literary Arts website by March 17, 2026.
- Winners: From the pool of finalists, the final round judges will choose the winners, to be announced on the Catholic Literary Arts website by March 24, 2026.
- Eligibility for Poet Laureate: Only first-place winners from each grade are considered.
Awards Ceremony
- Winners (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, and honorable mentions) will be invited to read their entries at the Awards Ceremony in-person with their families, friends, school principals, and submitting teachers. The Awards Ceremony will take place in April 2026 and details will be shared at a later date.