There was a time I held a firm belief that poetry was a solitary art, reserved for moonlit journals and quiet coffee shops. But that belief has completely transformed. The world has evolved—poetry now pulses at the core of vibrant communities and is shaping lives in ways I never imagined.

To Autumn

by John Keats

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core…

That poem by John Keats has been on my mind for the month of October, the month of big changes. Take Mallory Mahen, for instance. Last month, she took a leap and submitted her poem to our publication contest—just as you’re thinking of doing now. And now? She’s embarked on a year-long journey to write a poetry book with our support. Her story began with that one submission. It’s wild how the ripple effect of sharing a few vulnerable lines can change the trajectory of one’s creative path.

I used to think that opportunities like these were for the “big names” in the poetry world. But this contest is about more than finding a single winner—it’s about sparking new beginnings and lighting up the creative worlds of poets like you. Poets who care about their work and the impact it can have.

Changing my mind on poetry’s reach has been freeing. The connections formed through a shared love for words, the unexpected collaborations—these have convinced me that poetry is best when it’s out in the open, being read, heard, and felt.

You’ve got that poem that speaks your truth. And maybe, like Mallory, it’s the poem that will take you to the next chapter of your writing career. Don’t let it stay tucked away. Submit it. Watch what happens.

Mallory Mahen made the leap. Will you?

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