The Charles Simic Poetry Prize

In memory of Charles Simic, 1938 -2023; beloved poet, friend, mentor.

The Charles Simic Poetry Prize is awarded to a single poem of exceptional vision and quality. It is judged by a different poet of note each year.

The 2026 Charles Simic Poetry Prize opens 9/15/2026:

One winner receives $1000 and publication in the spring issue.
One Editor's Choice receives $200, a piece of memorabilia signed by Charles Simic, and publication in the spring issue.
Five finalists receive $20 payment and publication in the spring issue.

The Charles Simic Poetry Prize is open for submissions annually from September 15th to October 15th. For details, please read the full guidelines on our Submittable page.

2026 Judge: Lily Brown

Lily Brown is the author of Blade Work, winner of the 2026 Maine Book Award for Poetry and the New Measure Poetry Prize (Parlor Press, 2025); Rust or Go Missing (Cleveland State University Poetry Center); and several chapbooks, including The Haptic Cold (Ugly Duckling Presse). Brown's poems have been published in A Public Space, Bennington Review, Boston Review, Lana Turner, and Mississippi Review, among others, and she has been awarded residencies at Art Studio Ginestrelle, the Vermont Studio Center, and the UCross Foundation. She lives in Maine with her family and works as a writing teacher. Learn more about Blade Work at https://parlorpress.com/products/blade-work