The 2025 Muriel Craft Bailey Poetry Contest
Opens April 1st 2025. Deadline: July 15th 2025 (Submittable or postmark)
Judge: Carolyne Wright
Our Guidelines have changed as of January 1, 2024. Read the updated guidelines carefully!
First Prize: $1,000 (The Muriel Craft Bailey Memorial Award)
Second Prize: $250 Third Prize: $100
Honorable Mentions receive a one-year subscription.
Updated GUIDELINES AND ENTRY FEES – Read Carefully!
1) *NEW* 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) *NEW* 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) *REVISED* 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4) *REVISED* Poems must be original, unpublished in ANY medium, print or electronic. No AI-generated poems. Editors have the right to disqualify all poems submitted by a poet if there is previous publication.
5) *REVISED* 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.
6) *NEW* 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.
SUBMIT ONLINE: https://comstockreview.submittable.com Submit up to 5 poems online for $25 plus Submittable fees. You may submit more than once set of poems during the contest.
OR SUBMIT BY MAIL – Send your poems with a check or money order for $5 per poem to: The Comstock Review Poetry Contest, 4956 St. John Drive, Syracuse, NY 13215. You may send SASE for results only. No poems will be returned.
