The Prairie Seed Poetry Prize is awarded to a collection of poetry that examines how we can best live in and better understand the Midwest Region of the USA. This can involve any connection you may have with the region: family history, an old farm, memories, relatives, a small town, a big town, weather, sky, rivers, … your unique poetry is what we are looking for. The Ice Cube Press has used the literary arts since 1993 to better understand the Midwest.
Information for the 2015 contest: Poetry collections are to be between 48 – 70 pages of poetry. The 2015 winner will come with an Introduction from selecting judge Debra Marquart. Debra Marquart is a professor of English at Iowa State University. She teaches in the MFA Program in Creative Writing & Environment at Iowa State University and the Stonecoast Low-Residency MFA Program at University of Southern Maine. The 2016 winner will be judged and introduced by Jennifer L. Knox. Jennifer currently teaches at Iowa State University and is the proprietor of a little company called Saltlickers.The winner will have their book published, sold, and nationally distributed by the Ice Cube Press, LLC. The 2015 & 2016 winning collections will be included at the Great Lakes Independent Bookseller Association and Midwest Independent Booksellers Association Fall Forum trade shows. The winner will receive 20 free copies of his/her book as well one-on-one marketing and promotion with the publisher.
Our Inaugural Prairie Seed Poetry Prize winner was Diamond Grove Slave Tree by Xavier Cavazos. Diamond Grove Slave Tree is being released at AWP15 in Minneapolis and includes an off-site reading. Several additional readings are being planned. Xavier was the 2013 Poetry Society of America National Chapbook Fellow. He will assist with the screening of this year’s prize.
Notes:
1) Winner will be announced during the fall of 2015.
2)We will post any improvements and changes to the contest here and on our website as soon as possible.
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