Call for Submissions
Honoring American Indian Poetry
Each year, Poetry Downtown pays tribute to a distinguished poet’s lifetime achievement (see 2021-2031 honorees). This year, we set out to celebrate the late John Trudell (Feb 15, 1946 – Dec 8, 2015) on the 10th anniversary of his passing. After weeks of calls and emails, Drive Music Publishing was unfortunately unable to grant permission for a dedicated tribute—read their decision here. In lieu of a single honoree, we’re shining our spotlight on the rich traditions, vibrant voices, and visionary perspectives that American Indian poets bring to our stages.
Theme Gaze Upon Us
What to Submit • Lyric, prose, formal (syllabic, metrical, etc.), hybrid or experimental poetry • Maximum 32 lines per poem • Works in English
Prizes • Up to 52 poets will be selected for the official anthology • Honorees will be invited to read at one of our Poetry Downtown stages (we don’t cover travel expenses)
Reading Schedule • Omaha: September 22, 8–10 pm • Denver: September 23, 8–10 pm • San Francisco: September 27, 8–10 pm • Santa Clara: September 28, 8–10 pm
Deadline All entries must be received by September 1.
Entry Fee To help cover festival costs, each submission requires a minimum contribution of $5 USD (≈ €4.70 EUR | 6.80 CAD). Please finish registration via the Paypal button at the end of our webform.
Join us in celebrating Indigenous verse—Gaze Upon Us!
