napomo with ihlr

​

​

It's been 18 years since we started publishing an annual issue dedicated to National Poetry Month! This is one of our most popular issues, and we always combine new voices with some established champions. Each fall, when we begin hunting the poems we will include, we're excited to see what poets have been working on over the summer.

​

Today, our NaPoMo issue is published electronically, via ISSUU, and anyone can read it--for free! So our contributors' works reach a wider audience. We're also more selective with this issue: instead of 25 poems, we select only the very best 10: one winner and nine finalists--much like our annual PhotoFinish issue. The issue is released in full color, each manuscript has its own artwork. 

​

The entrance fee is $18, which includes a year's subscription for our print issues. Plus, the winner receives $1,000, two runners-up will receive $150 and $100, and the remaining finalists will receive $50.

​

guidelines

​

• Poets can submit up to five poems for consideration.

• Manuscripts must be typed and in a 12-point font.

• The author’s name and  contact  information  must  appear  on  the  Submittable  form, but it must NOT appear anywhere else on the manuscript--no headers or footers with identifying information; no bio note inside the manuscript. Manuscripts with biographical information will be disqualified.

• The $18 entry fee includes a year's subscription to IHLR's print issues.

• We only accept electronic manuscripts, submitted as ONE pdf file, with all of the poems in that single file. 

• Submissions will be accepted between August 15 and October 15.

• Geffrey Davis will judge.

​

​

free submit day

​

We will accept 25 free submissions on October 1. On that day, at 8 a.m., we will open a special gate, revealed only on our social media pages and here on our website. We will accept only one free submission per person (automatically disqualifying subsequent free submission attempts by the same poet), and we will only accept 25 total. Once we hit 25 submissions, we will close the free gate. Free submissions will not receive a subscription or feedback. We offer this opportunity in the hopes of targeting writers who cannot afford to enter otherwise. If you can afford to enter, please do not take one of the 25 available free slots.

​

​

submission gates

​

August 15 to October 15, NaPoMo General Submissions: Submissions now closed for 2025.

October 1 for free, NaPoMo Free Submissions: Submissions now closed for 2025.

​

 

results

​

We'll announce semi-finalists, finalists, and the winner here in December. The winner and finalists will be published in a full-color, electronic issue in the spring!