• Any poet who meets one of the below criteria on the date of the application deadline, in any given year, is eligible:
    • U.S. Citizen; or,
    • resident of the United States for the ten-year period prior to the submission deadline; or,
    • Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Legal Permanent Status (LPS), or any subsequent categories designated by the U.S. authorities as conferring similar enhanced status upon non-citizens living in the United States.

Please note: By law the Academy of American Poets must report cash prizes awarded to individuals to the Internal Revenue Service. If individuals have a Social Security Number (SSN) or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), the individual will receive a 1099. If the individual does not have an SSN or ITIN, the individual will receive a 1042 and could be subject to a withholding of a percentage of the cash prize.

  • The 2025 contest is open to any book of original poetry, in English, published in the United States during 2024 in a standard edition (48 pages or more) by a living poet.
  • Books must be submitted in the year after their publication, which means that books published in 2025 may not be submitted for consideration until 2026.
  • Self-published books are not eligible.
  • Translations and new editions of previously published books are not eligible.
  • Publishers may submit as many titles as they wish.
  • To submit an entry, publishers must upload a PDF copy to Submittable. A $75 entry fee and completed entry form via Submittable signifying the publisher’s acceptance of these guidelines is required for each title submitted.
  • The Academy of American Poets agrees to purchase approximately two hundred copies of the winning book for distribution to its members. The Academy may purchase additional copies of the book for its own use, but not for resale. No royalties will be paid to the author on the copies purchased by the Academy. The publisher agrees to sell to the Academy of American Poets the number of copies requested at a standard paper, printing, and binding, or at-cost discount.
  • The publisher and poet agree to provide the Academy of American Poets permission to republish three (3) poems from the winning collection on Poets.org at no cost.
  • The decisions of the Academy of American Poets as to eligibility are final. Books will not be returned.
  • All correspondence concerning the contest should be addressed to the Academy of American Poets and sent to [email protected].

    Please also note: It’s the mission of the Academy of American Poets to support American poets at all stages of their careers and to foster the appreciation of contemporary poetry. In furtherance of our mission, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality and integrity in our publications and programs, and expect and require the same from the poets with whom we collaborate.

    All applicants and selected award recipients agree that, as part of their eligibility to receive the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize, they will maintain the highest standards of fairness, decency and personal integrity, in the Academy’s sole discretion, including with adherence to all applicable laws and community values. The decisions of the Academy of American Poets regarding eligibility, both initial and throughout the award period, are final.