A Poetry Prize Without Borders
New Directions, Fitzcarraldo Editions, and Giramondo partner for a new translated poetry prize, connecting literary communities across the globe.
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Genre: Poetry
Small Press Points: 42 Miles
Founded in 2010 at Indiana University in South Bend, 42 Miles Press publishes “stirring, daring” poetry and encourages authors to submit work they “might be afraid to send elsewhere.”
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Julia Alvarez: A Life Reimagined
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In this trailer for PBS’s American Masters documentary Julia Alvarez: A Life Reimagined, the life and work of the acclaimed Dominican American poet and novelist is explored through interviews, photographs, and archives. A profile of Alvarez about her new poetry collection, Visitations (Knopf, 2026), appears in the May/June 2026 issue of Poets & Writers Magazine.
Just the Right Distance
In an essay recently published in the Evergreen Review, Eric Dean Wilson writes about discovering the playful use of metaphors in Robert Glück’s 1985 debut novel, Jack the Modernist. While considering what makes one work, Wilson recalls another writer teaching him about metaphor with a metaphor. “A metaphor, the writer said, is like a spark plug,” he says. “At just the right distance, the electrodes cause a spark to arc across the open air, igniting an explosion. The distance between the electrodes matters.” This week compose a poem that cycles through the process of creating an effective metaphor. You might start with the words, “A metaphor is like….” Allow yourself the freedom to play with language that might feel too convoluted as you gradually move toward the right combination to ignite a spark.
Ten Questions for Soham Patel
“In truth, I am still writing The Daughter Industry and likely won’t stop.” —Soham Patel, author of The Daughter Industry
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Annie Wenstrup and Lena Khalaf Tuffaha
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In this event at the University of Arizona Poetry Center, Annie Wenstrup reads from her debut collection, The Museum of Unnatural Histories (Wesleyan University Press, 2025), and Lena Khalaf Tuffaha reads from her latest collection, Something About Living (University of Akron Press, 2024).
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A Celebration of Arab American Heritage and National Poetry Month
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In this New York Public Library event celebrating Arab American Heritage Month and National Poetry Month hosted in partnership with the Radius of Arab American Writers, poets Maha Hashwi, Ghinwa Jawhari, Lawrence Joseph, and Kamelya Omayma Youssef read from their work and discuss their writing in a conversation with senior librarian Reuben Gelley Newman.
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Grants for Artist Projects
Artist Trust
Entry Fee:
$0
Deadline:
June 22, 2026
Grants of $2,500 each are given annually to poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers who are residents of Washington State. Students enrolled in a degree-granting program are ineligible. Using only the online submission system, submit a writing sample of up to 10 pages of poetry, prose, or hybrid-genre work with a project description, a statement about how funding will support the progress of the work, and a brief bio by June 22. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.
Transformation Awards
Leeway Foundation
Entry Fee:
$0
Deadline:
May 15, 2026
Awards of $15,000 each are given annually to women, transgender, and/or gender-nonconforming poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers in the Philadelphia area who have been creating art for social change for at least five years. Writers who have lived in Bucks, Camden, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia counties for at least two years and who are not full-time students in a degree-granting arts program are eligible. Submit a completed application form, which includes a list of relevant experience and a statement demonstrating the applicant’s commitment to “art for social change work” by May 15. A panel of community-based artists will review applications and invite selected poets and prose writers to submit work for the second stage of the application process. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for the required application form and complete guidelines.
Literary Prizes
Washington Writers’ Publishing House
Entry Fee:
$28
Deadline:
June 30, 2026
Two prizes of $1,500 each, publication by Washington Writers’ Publishing House, and 25 author copies are given annually for a poetry collection and a short story collection or novel. Additionally, a prize of $1,500, publication by Washington Writers’ Publishing House, and 25 author copies is given in alternating years for a poetry collection in translation or a book of creative nonfiction. This year the prize will be awarded in creative nonfiction. Winners are also invited to participate in readings at Politics & Prose in Washington, D.C. and the Writer’s Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Writers who live in Washington, D.C., Maryland, or Virginia are eligible. Using only the online submission system, submit a poetry manuscript of 70 to 100 pages, a novel or story collection of 150 to 250 pages, or a work of creative nonfiction between 150 and 250 pages with a $28 entry fee by June 30. Visit the website for complete guidelines.
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