April, 2026
Event Details
The Rhina Espaillat Poetry Award honors the achievements of the great Dominican-American poet, translator, and public school teacher Rhina Polonia Espaillat. The prize will be awarded for an original poem
Event Details
The Rhina Espaillat Poetry Award honors the achievements of the great Dominican-American poet, translator, and public school teacher Rhina Polonia Espaillat. The prize will be awarded for an original poem of not more than fifty lines that reflects her lyricism, attention to form, empathy, and ability to find grace in everyday events of life without having to be explicitly religious.
In contrast to most other poetry competitions, Plough does not contract out judging of this award to a prominent poet. Instead, Plough’s poetry editor, Jane Clark Scharl, will select approximately twenty poems for further consideration, and then the editors will reach a consensus on the winner and the two finalists.
The winning poet will receive a two thousand dollar award and the winning poem will be published in Plough Quarterly. In addition, two finalists will receive two hundred and fifty dollars as well as publication in Plough.
The Rhina Espaillat Poetry Award is free to Plough Quarterly subscribers, and there is a $7.00 fee per poem for non-subscribers.
Is this competition legit?YES! – Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any event, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work.
FAQ
If you are curious how writing competitions work, or it’s your first time entering one, we recommend reading our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page first.
