Sweet is pleased to announce the winning poem of the 2021 Poetry Contest, along with two runners up and eight finalist poems.

Judge Laura Donnelly selected the poem “Before school there are icicles” by Meghan Sterling from a field of eleven finalist poems chosen by Sweet Lit poetry editors. Donnelly also singled out “Prey Drive” by Anna Chotlos and “Just the Daily Turn” by Cathlin Noonan as runners up. You may read the judge’s comments on these three poems in the special poetry contest issue of Sweet Lit, which will go up some time this summer. All finalists will be offered publication in the special poetry contest issue of Sweet Lit.

FINALISTS:

“With Any Luck” by Angela Just

“If The Wound Is How the Light Enters You, How Do You Heal?” by Anna Chotlos

“Post-Menopausal Love Poem That Begins with Guilt and Ends with Air Plants” by Jen Karetnick

“The Customs of Grief” by Karen Craigo

“I Wanted My Mother to Say to Me as She Lay Dying” by Natalie Marino

“Bound to Repeat It” by Connie Post

“That’s Right It Starts with an Earthquake” by Michele Parker Randall

“A Walk After Being Let Go” by Meghan Sterling