Lyrical Iowa Competition

Lyrical Iowa is an annual anthology of 300 or more poems chosen from those submitted to the competitions listed below. Contests are open to all persons with an Iowa address; you do not need to be a member of the Association. No entry fee.

IPA 2012 Contest Rules

It is essential that you follow the Contest Rules when submitting poems for consideration.
Please note: We require that all poems except haiku have titles. Also, the "Indigenous to Iowa" category has been eliminated.

Click here for the 2012 Contest Rules.

For 2012 NFSPS College/University Level Poetry Contest Rules, click here.

IPA 2011 Contest Winners

There are many copies of Lyrical Iowa 2011 still available for $10.00 postpaid.

ADULT GENERAL CATEGORY:
1140 entries, Judge: William R. Reyer, Tiffin, OH
1st - Jayne Vondrak, Kingsley
2nd - Douglas L. Miller, Solon
3rd - Lynn Rae Robbins, Norwalk
1st HM - John McBride, Bettendorf
2nd HM - Sara Golden, Corning
3rd HM - Jean M. Evans, Grundy Center

Norman Thomas Memorial Award
Ruth Hauptman, Ames
Special Award for First Time Entrant
Elizabeth Queathem, Grinnell
Special Award, Indigenous to Iowa
Janis Myers, Spencer

NATIONAL/WORLD EVENTS:
21 entries, Judge - Stanley Malless, Murphy, NC
1st - Duffy DeFrance, Muscatine
2nd - Ralph Montrone, Burlington
3rd - Denise Tiffany, Iowa City
1st HM - Catherine Wilson Opper, Dubuque
2nd HM - Eleanor Stenzel, Burt
3rd HM - Lynn Cavanagh, Grinnell

SONNETS:
39 entries, Judge - William Ford, Iowa City, IA
1st - Eleanor K. Larson, Oelwein
2nd - Maryann Mori, Des Moines
3rd - Norma T. Schroeder, Mason City
1st HM - Lori Shannon, Manning
2nd HM - Diane Benzing, Neola
3rd HM - Jim Hendrix, Burlington

POEMS FOR CHILDREN:
73 Entries, Judge: Marilyn E. Juhl, Mitchellville, IA
1st - Nancy Samcoe-Link, Des Moines
2nd - Ronald E. Roberts, Oelwein
3rd - Jan Blankenburg, Donnellson
1st HM - Dale Netherton, Farmington
2nd HM - Jean Tweed, North Liberty
3rd HM - Kira Huffman, Cedar Rapids

HAIKU:
130 entries, Judge: Stanley Malless, Murphy, NC
1st - Virginia Mortenson, Des Moines
2nd - Patricia E. Noeth, Iowa City
3rd - Del Todey Turner, Waterloo
1st HM - Jean C. Conover, Mapleton
2nd HM - J. Michael Entz, Waterloo
3rd HM - Rita Lewin, Manchester

HUMOROUS VERSE:
58 entries, Judge: Nancy Riggan, Orange City, IA
1st - David Mayer Gradwohl, Ames
2nd - George Moehlenhof, Davenport
3rd - Jay Immel, Otley
1st HM - Kathleen Unger Hart, Fort Madison
2nd HM - Carol McMullen, Webb
3rd HM - Lois Muehl, Iowa City

SCHOOL DIVISIONS

COLLEGE:
71 entries, Judge - Walter E. Butts, Manchester, NH
1st - Alexander Thomas, Newton (Dordt College)
2nd - Ryan Lapadula, Visalia, CA (Dordt College)
3rd - Danielle Richards, Geneva, NE (Dordt College)
1st HM - Kenyon Gradert, Ireton (Dordt College)
2nd HM - Lily Allen-Duenas, Spencer (Univ. of Iowa)
3rd HM - Meghan Aardsma, Oak Lawn, IL (Dordt College)

HIGH SCHOOL:
460 entries, Judge: Margaret Ross, Iowa City, IA
1st - Taran Kadaru, 11th grade, Valley H.S., West Des Moines
2nd - Catherine Babikian, 11th grade, Valley H.S., WDM
3rd - Cole Crawford, 12th grade, Wahlert H.S., Dubuque
1st HM - Fatima Husain, 10th grade, Valley H.S., WDM
2nd HM - Caroline Fulcher, 11th grade, Maharishi School, Fairfield
3rd HM - Dakota Moore, 10th grade, Okoboji H.S., Milford

UPPER GRADES (5-8):
522 Entries, Judge: Eleanor Andrews, Wells, ME
1st - Lauren Ernst, 5th grade, Weber School, Iowa City
2nd - Jada LaRee Trompeter, 8th grade, Anthon-Oto Maple Valley
3rd - Kacy Kamphoff, 5th grade, Sheldon Christian School
1st HM - Sydney Atwood, 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School, Stockport
2nd HM - Camryn Finch, 8th grade, Anthon-Oto Maple Valley
3rd HM - Madeleine T. Wiegers, 7th grade, Waukee North Middle School

LOWER GRADES (K-4):
255 Entries, Judge: Eleanor Andrews, Wells, ME
1st - Tanner DeVore, 3rd grade, Moravia
2nd - Naomi Maudsley, 2nd grade, Washington Elem., Mt. Vernon
3rd - Rachel Vorbeck, 4th grade, Briggs Elem., Mapleton
1st HM - Evelyn Bradley, 3rd grade, Brubaker Elem., Des Moines
2nd HM - Rafe Pisarik, 1st grade, Washington Elem., Mt. Vernon
3rd HM - Tyler Meyeres, 4th grade, Andrew Community School

OUR CONGRATULATIONS ALSO TO:
Alez Stenzel, Cumming, 2nd place, and Lila Cutter, Fairfield, 4th HM, in national competition in June. Some student poems entered in the 2011 IPA contest will be selected to be sent to next year's National Student Award.

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