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Welcome to the website of the Iowa Poetry Association! Through this website and other links, we invite members of IPA and the general public to keep in touch with other poets. The Iowa Poetry Association is a non-profit organization whose sole objective is to promote interest in and appreciation of poetry among Iowans through educational opportunities, poetry writing contests and the publication of our annual anthology of Iowa poetry, Lyrical Iowa.

The IPA newsletter is published quarterly with news on events and members of the association, as well as submission and contest resources for poets and resources for teachers.

Each year, IPA offers two workshops in the Des Moines area, where poems are critiqued by eminent teachers, editors or publishers. Submissions of poetry to be critiqued are accepted as indicated. Please check guidelines on our Events page.

IPA is now going LIVE! with monthly mini-workshops and readings via Zoom! More information on the IPA LIVE! page.

Honorary Poet Laureate: Lucille Morgan Wilson (1925-2021)

We are honored and thrilled to share that Humanities Iowa is posthumously designating Lucille Morgan Wilson as Honorary Poet Laureate, a first-of-its-kind recognition. Go to Voices from the Prairie (Click Current Issue link, pg 11) to read the Humanities Iowa article and an excerpt of Lucille's poem, "In Any Language," recited each year at the World Food Prize Award.

At Iowa Poetry Association, we are ever grateful to Lucille for her tireless dedication in promoting poetry across Iowa. She served as IPA Treasurer 1975-76, IPA President 1976-1978, then 1988-2016 as IPA Editor-in-chief of our annual Lyrical Iowa anthology and quarterly newsletters. Lucille managed the annual IPA contests, writing thousands of encouraging notes and helpful suggestions to aspiring poets over the years. Lucille was also board member and Treasurer of the National Federation of State Poetry Societies, among many other service positions, earning her the Interfaith Service Award by the Des Moines Area Religious Council in 1996 and was the first recipient of the Robert D Ray Iowa SHARES Humanitarian Award recognizing her 30 years with the Des Moines Area Hunger Hike.

Thank you to Humanities Iowa for this distinguished acknowledgement of Lucille's contributions. And thank you to all who sent in testimonials in support of Lucille.

• April 1 Deadline for poem submission for the IPA Spring hybrid Workshop at Grand View University on April 27th! Register now!


• Poetry Takeover at the Des Moines Art Center! April 11, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. More info here.


• Poetry Palooza 2024! April 19-20!! This two-day event -- now an affiliated program of Iowa Poetry Association and supported by Humanities Iowa -- will be held at Grand View University and is FREE and open to the public. Including the IPA Slam Finals on April 19. For info, visit poetryamp.org/poetry-palooza.
  Listen to John Busbee interview Pat Boddy and Diane Glass about Poetry Palooza!
  "Inspired by the previous Des Moines Poetry Festival, Poetry Palooza is quickly becoming a nationally recognized celebration of poetry, anchored by top award-winning poets and state poet laureates. This experience is even more exceptional as it is a free and welcoming event for all." - The Culture Buzz

• Introducing the 2024-25 Iowa Student Poet Ambassador, Tanya Rastogi! Read more here!


• Welcome to Teresa Lawler who has accepted the position of IPA Teacher Liaison! More about Teresa here


• Registration for the 2024 BlackBerry Peach National Poetry Slam is open! The slam is hosted as part of the NFSPS National Convention June 4-10, 2024, in Roswell, Georgia. If you want a chance at having your BlackBerry Peach registration and travel sponsored by the Iowa Poetry Association, we invite you to compete in the IPA Poetry Slam series! Register to compete in the IPA Poetry Slam by emailing ipa@iowapoetry.com with "Slam Entry" and the name of your chosen qualifier in the subject line.
  If you would like, you are welcome to register for BlackBerry Peach on your own through the NFSPS website: nfsps.us/nfsps-2024-national-convention.


• TEACHERS! the BlackBerry Peach National Youth Mini-Festival is returning! Young poets from around the country are invited to expand their writing and performance skills as part of the NFSPS National Convention is June in Roswell, Georgia. More info at nfsps.us/bbp-youth-mini-festival.


• 2024 Lyrical Iowa Competition is NOW CLOSED. Meet our Judges for the 2024 Competition! Winners will be posted after division results are all in: students in May, adults in June.


• LYRICAL IOWA 2023: Order your copies now, while supply lasts. Order here.


• Some photo highlights of the NFSPS annual convention, Catch Poetry: Stage and Page, June 21-26, 2023


• More NEWS here

Can you help us find some older back issues of Lyrical Iowa?
We are attempting to archive our complete collection of Lyrical Iowa, but are still missing the following issues: 1946, 1951, 1955, 1956 and 1964. Please let us know if you hear/see of estate sales, libraries, individuals disposing of old issues. Please contact Heather Clark