The Ultra Short Poem Competition 2026
Open to Canadians and permanent residents of Canada only.
Judge: Rebecca Clifford
Subject Guidelines
All themes and styles welcome.
Poems submitted may be previously published but no previous contest winning poems please.
Awards
Plus: 40 Judge's Choice Awards. All prize-winning poems will be published in a chapbook anthology and receive one free copy.
Submission Rules
- Length: No longer than 8 lines (spaces between stanzas count as lines; poem title and space between title and body do not count).
- Width: No more than 8 words per line.
- Formatting: One poem per page, single-spaced in Arial 12 font, on white 8.5" x 11" paper.
- Status: Poems may be previously published but must not have won a previous contest.
Blind Judging Instructions
No author ID may appear anywhere on the same page as the poem (front or back). Include a cover page with your name, complete mailing address (incl. apt.# and postal code), tel. # and e-mail if possible, and a list of poem titles or first line if no poem title(s).
How to Enter
Entry Fees:
- $10 CAD - Up to 5 poems
- $2 CAD - Each additional poem
No limit to the number of submissions per poet.
Mail with payment to:
The Ontario Poetry Society#710 - 65 Spring Garden Ave.
Toronto, ON M2N 6H9
Postmarked on or before July 31, 2026.
Enclose a #10 S.A.S.E. for the winners list; you will also receive a $1 coupon for a future T.O.P.S. contest. Results posted at www.theontariopoetrysociety.ca.