The Maureen Seaton Poetry Prize 2026

       co-sponsored by Wild & Precious Life Series  & SoFloPoJo 

                      Final Judge: Denise Duhamel

• Denise Duhamel’s most recent books of poetry are Pink Lady (Pitt Poetry Series, 2025), Second Story (2021) and Scald (2017). Blowout (2013) was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Denise collaborated with Maureen on several projects, including a limited-edition letterpress-printed handmade artist's book from Extra Virgin Press. A distinguished university professor in the MFA program at Florida International University in Miami, she lives in Hollywood.
• As active as our judge is in the poetry community, it is possible that submitters may have interacted with them.  To be fair, please do not submit work that you have previously shown, discussed, workshopped, etc. with the contest judge. Former students of the judge should refrain from entering.

1. The Prize for this contest is five hundred dollars $500.00. There is no entry fee. The prize will be paid to one winner, or, in the case of collaborative work, split among the collaborators. There will be up to three (3) honorable mentions.
2. Eligibility: This year, we are inviting submissions from the LGBTQIA+ Community. There are no geographical restrictions. Please note: you must be at least 18 years old to submit.
3. Guidelines: You may submit one (1) document containing one (1) previously unpublished poem. The total document length should not exceed three (3) pages in a standard 12-point font. All entries will be read concealed. That means your name should not appear anywhere on the document. Please only one (1) entry per submitter. 
4. The Readers:  Our readers for 2026 are Dustin Brookshire, host of the Wild & Precious Life Series; Judy Ireland, SoFloPoJo Senior Poetry Editor; and Nicole Tallman, Miami-Dade County Poetry Ambassador and Poetry and Interviews Editor for The Blue Mountain Review and South Florida Poetry Journal.
5. Process: The readers will read & score the submissions received between Oct 1st and Dec 31st. The highest ranking submissions will be forwarded to the Final Judge, Denise Duhamel.
6. Publication: The prize winner and honorable mentions will be announced on or before April 1, 2026, and published in SoFloPoJo. 
7. Theme: there is no theme for this contest. Let the spirit and work of Maureen Seaton be your guide.

Please review the submission guidelines on our website: southfloridapoetryjournal.com/submission-guidelines.html
  Please upload up to three (3) poems as one (1) document.  Please DO NOT include your name in or on the document containing the poems. Please remember to submit early.

  We are proud to have published work from Samuel Ace, Yalda Al-Ani, Richard Blanco, Akhim Yuseff Cabey, Jim Daniels, Denise Duhamel, Cornelius Eady, Joseph Fasano, Joanna Fuhrman, Robin Gow, Kathleen Hellen, David Kirby, Koss, Allison Joseph, Maureen Seaton, Virgil Suarez, David Trinidad, & many more. We are pleased to have published poets from all over the world.

  By submitting to SoFloPoJo you attest that your submission is your original unpublished work and you have read and agreed to the submission guidelines on the South Florida Poetry Journal website. www.southfloridapoetryjournal.com

We are currently accepting essay submissions at SoFloPoJo - South Florida Poetry Journal.
We’re looking for essays, personal, lyric, & otherwise, related to life in the arts. (We interpret this very broadly!) Highly technical craft essays are not a good fit for us. If you have something you think we’d be interested in, send it our way. Or, if you have an in-progress idea on which you’d like a bit of feedback, we’d love to hear from you. We’re excited about working with new and published essayists alike.
We publish approximately two essays in each issue. Check our website to read what we’ve published:   soflopojo.com
Approximate word count of up to 1,500 words. Unfortunately, we are not able to pay contributors.
By submitting to SoFloPoJo you attest that your submission is your original unpublished work and you have read and agreed to the submission guidelines on the South Florida Poetry Journal website.
Deadline is subject to change.

Thank you for thinking of SoFloPoJo as an opportunity to showcase your work. We are looking for Flash Fiction submissions generally up to 750 words. (Contact the FLASH Editor for exceptions) One story,  one submission per reading period, one file per submission, simultaneous submissions allowed, please withdraw your piece if it is accepted elsewhere.
We like flash fiction that inspires, stimulates, evokes, emotes, shocks, and surprises. We want to be transported by your words to wondrous and strange places, and familiar places that you have made new. Please send us your best work. Seriously, your best.
By submitting to SoFloPoJo you attest that your submission is your original unpublished work and you have read and agreed to the submission guidelines on the South Florida Poetry Journal website.
Francine Witte, SoFloPoJo Flash Fiction Editor