How are the submissions judged?
Judges evaluate the poems without knowing the names or personal details of the authors. In the early stages, judges select a subset of entries that are potentially worthy of prizes. As the selection process approaches completion the panel of judges read every poem being considered. Some of these will be awarded honorable mention, and others will be identified as likely candidates for prizes. At that stage, the judges normally contact the entrants to learn more about them and their work. Ultimately, the list of prize winners is determined, the entries are ranked, and the prize winners at each monetary level are selected. It is only at this stage that we will know exactly how many prizes of each type will be awarded. If an entry comprises more than one poem, the judges generally evaluate the body of work as a whole, rather than selecting one superior poem from the group. It is often best to submit only a single poem unless two or three poems are of equal caliber and complement one anothe
