Knockout recently established a new poetry contest, the 2009 International Reginald Shepherd Memorial Poetry Prize, to honor the life and work of highly acclaimed poet Reginald Shepherd, who left us on September 10, 2008. For more information on Reginald Shepherd’s work, visit his blog at reginaldshepherd.blogspot.com. One of Shepherd’s previously unpublished poems will appear in Knockout #2.

Here is the essential contest information, but DO NOT submit to the contest without reading the entire contest submission guidelines.

* The contest will be judged by Carl Phillips.
* The entry fee is $12 and all entrants will receive a copy of Knockout with their entrance fee.
* The first-place winner will receive (1) a $300 gift certificate to Powell’s Books, (2) publication in a forthcoming issue of Knockout, and (3) five copies of the issue in which their poem appears.
* The second-place winner will receive (1) a $50 gift certificate to Powell’s Books, (2) publication in a forthcoming issue of Knockout, and (3) two copies of the issue in which their poem appears.
* The third-place winner will receive (1) a $25 gift certificate to Powell’s Books, (2) publication in a forthcoming issue of Knockout, and (3) two copies of the issue in which their poem appears.
* Submit on or before Saturday, August 1, 2009.
* Winners will be announced on Knockout’s website (knockoutlit.org) by Wednesday, September 30, 2009.