Held annually in loving memory of HoCoPoLitSo’s co-founder, the 2026 Ellen Conroy Kennedy Poetry Prize is now open to all entrants! Whether you are a life-time poet or have never written a line before, we invite you to share with us whatever moves you to poetry.
The author of the poem selected for first place will be awarded a cash prize of $500, celebrated on HoCoPoLitSo’s social media, and in our annual report— and shall have their winning poem published in The Little Patuxent Review and right here on HoCoPoLitSo’s home page.
To enter, click here. A reading fee of $10 is required for adult entrants, to support the administrative costs of the contest and retain a panel of fair and balanced judges.
Past Winners
2025
- First Place – Chrissy Stegman, “Please Be Kind, Rewind”
- Second Place – Jo Tyler, “Ink”
- Honorable Mention – Zeina Azzam, “WCNSF: Wounded Child, No Surviving Family”
- Honorable Mention – Brenda Galloway Conway, “The Burnishers”
- Honorable Mention – Parker James, “Bellis Drive”
- Honorable Mention – Chante Lasco, “Bipolar”
- Honorable Mention – Nina Martucci, “Lena Mia”
2024
- Neha Misra and the poem, “Vanishing Gardens Return”
- Second Place – Jared Smith, and the poem “Reaching Into Rivers”
- Honorable Mention – Lauren Benoit, and the poem “A Poem for Robert Bly”
- Honorable Mention – Kari Martindale, and the poem “The Beaches of Normandie”
2023
- First Place – Steph Sundermann-Zinger “A Dream of Solitude”
- Second Place – Larraine Denakpo “Lullaby for Daughters”
- Honorable Mention – Eileen Wu “Storms”
- Honorable Mention – Joshua Ward “Thrushes”
- Honorable Mention – Eileen Wu “Storms”
2022
- First Place – Emily Portillo “The Cold”
- Second Place – Chrissy Stegman “Blue Irises”
- Honorable Mention – Dean Gessey “familicus zoologicus”
2021
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