2026 Judge: Donald Revell
Submission Period April 1st – July 15th
First Prize: $1,000 (The Muriel Craft Bailey Memorial Award)
Second Prize: $250 Third Prize: $100
Honorable Mentions receive a one-year subscription.
The Comstock Review is proud of its long-established reputation of publishing the finest known and unknown poets anywhere. We choose our poems solely on the basis of what we consider their artistic merits. We are not swayed by long publishing histories. We are not afraid of the avant garde but shy from the overly obscure, the patently religious, and needlessly graphic language.
Our editors appreciate: well-crafted verse, traditional or nontraditional, consistency of metaphor, refreshing distinctive imagery and diction, effective use of poetic devices and sonic qualities, a theme or approach that casts new light on the world and the human condition, and a poem that tickles your brain long after the page has turned.
Important: The Guidelines for Submission are updated annually. Be sure to read them carefully before submitting!
FOR ONLINE SUBMISSIONS: $25.00 Contest fee (plus $2.50 to cover Submittable fees) https://comstockreview.submittable.com/submit/
FOR USPS MAIL SUBMISSIONS:
Send poems and a check for $5/poem to: The Comstock Review Summer Contest, 4956 St. John Drive, Syracuse, NY 13215.
Updated GUIDELINES AND ENTRY FEES – Read Carefully!
1) Submit poems as Word documents (as 1 whole file or several files at 1 poem per document). Editors’ eyes prefer classic fonts and size.
2) Each poem may be up to 60 lines, beginning with the first line of text below the title. Count all stanza breaks, spaces, punctuation. The maximum line length is 70, characters, punctuation and spaces.
3) Do not include identifying information in the poem submission so screening editors and the final judge can be impartial. Names, addresses, acknowledgements and bio in the cover letter only. (When submitting poems by mail, DO put your name on the BACK of each sheet of paper)
4) Poems must be original, unpublished in ANY medium, print or electronic, and the submitter’s own work. No AI-generated poems. Editors have the right to disqualify all poems submitted by a poet if there is previous publication or if the poem is submitted by someone other than the author.
5) Top ranked finalists become Special Merit poems. They are accepted work, to be published in the upcoming Fall/Winter issue. These poems go to the Judge, who chooses the First, Second and Third prizes. The editors may then choose Honorable Mentions. ALL Special Merit poems are accepted for publication,
6) If you use simultaneous submission, tell us in your cover letter. Notify us immediately if you wish to withdraw the poem. This applies only before it is selected as a finalist. The Comstock Review reserves the right of first refusal for all accepted submissions.
7) Poets whose contest entries are published in the award (Fall/Winter) issue receive a free contributor’s copy of the issue. They may purchase additional copies at a discounted rate.
8. We nominate for the Pushcart Prize from among poems published in the current year.
