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The following list of amateur poetry publishers includes publishers from the 1930s to present. Some, but not all, of the publishers are still active. All of the publishers are known to have run one or more contests in which winning poems were selected for publication in a print poetry anthology. The links below will jump you to the appropriate section of this page providing fuller descriptions and contact information for each publisher.
Years of Operation: 1998-present
Website: https://www.libraryofpoetry.com/
About: The America Library of Poetry (Houlton, Me.) runs a Student Poetry Contest open to students in grades 3-12 in the United States and Canada. The Library of Congress does not hold any anthologies published by the America Library of Poetry. Anthologies by this publisher listed in WorldCat External include Brilliance, Gifted, Eloquence, and Impressions of Youth. Other titles (e.g., The Gold Edition and Inspired) are listed on the publisher's "Winning Entries External" Web page. See its Better Business Bureau file External for further information.
Years of Operation: 1975
About: American Collegiate Publications (516 5th Avenue, New York) published the 1975 anthology Who's Who in Poetry in American Colleges and Universities. The anthology features 347 poets from 217 colleges and universities in 47 states. Each entry includes a brief biography of the poet along with a sample poem. Although the 1975 volume was supposed to be the first volume in an annual series, and the company advertised its 1976 contest External, no further volumes appear to have been published. Entries in the volume are arranged alphabetically by college/university name; there is no author or title index. The volume’s Project Director was Irene Anne Czys, its editor J. S. Furedi.
Years of Operation: 1982-1990
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About: The American Poetry Association (Santa Cruz, Calif.) published The American Poetry Anthology between 1982 and 1989. Three to five volumes were published each year. An August 27, 1984, article in The Milwaukee Journal notes that the name of the series editor, John Frost, was a pseudonym used for the company's entire editorial staff. Beginning with vol. 8, no. 3 (1988), the editor name John Frost was replaced with the name Robert Nelson. Contest entrants were required to buy at least one copy of the anthology to ensure their poem's publication. Volumes include an author index. The Library of Congress holds all volumes through vol. 9, no. 4 (1989).
The American Poetry Association also published a Best New Poets of ... anthology (the Library holds volumes for 1986-1989) and several other publications, some of which are held by the Library. Other publications are listed in WorldCat External.
Years of Operation: ca. 1990-2001
About: The Amherst Society published the American Poetry Annual from approximately 1990 to 2001. None of its anthologies are held by the Library of Congress. A list of Amherst Society titles held by libraries can be found through WorldCat External. Winners of Amherst Society contests would often be nominated for the Emily Dickinson Award, or would receive a Certificate of Poetic Achievement.
Years of Operation: 1989-present
Website: http://www.anthologyofpoetry.com/
About: Anthology of Poetry, Inc. (Asheboro, N.C.) has published an annual Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans since 1990. Its website indicates that "approximately 55%" of submissions are selected for publication. Purchasing a book is not a requirement for publication. K-12 students are eligible for publication. The Library of Congress does not hold any Anthology of Poetry, Inc., anthologies. Many volumes are listed in WorldCat External. View its Better Business Bureau file External for contact details.
Years of Operation: 1992-1995
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About: Arcadia Poetry Press (Oklahoma City, Okla.) ran the "Poetic Achievement Awards" poetry contest and published the Arcadia Poetry Anthology, a five-volume set, from 1992 to 1995. Volume five is titled American Poetry Anthology. The Library of Congress holds all five volumes.
Years of Operation: ca. 2004-2007
Former Website: http://www.circleofpoets.com
About: Circle of Poets (Montreal, QC, Canada) published poetry anthologies from approximately 2005 to 2007. The title of its 2005 anthology is Poetry Vibes. An archived page from its website describes its 2005 publications as follows: "These manuscripts all have a high quality with premium, bounded paper. The manuscripts contain professional illustrations and contain all selected 2005 entries from finalists. We clearly display your name and poem title as well as comments you may have on the making of your winning poem." The Library of Congress does not hold any Circle of Poets anthologies, nor are any listed in WorldCat. Circle of Poets operated a similar publication service photographers under the publisher name Circle of Photographers (former website: http://www.circleofphotographers.com/).
Also known As: Poetic Power
Years of Operation: 1997-present
Website: https://www.poeticpower.com/
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About: Creative Communication (Smithfield, Utah) runs semiannual poetry and essays contests for students. Anthologies of winning poems are published three times a year (fall, spring, summer) under the title A Celebration of Poets. Purchase is not required for publication. The Poetic Power website notes that "being invited to be published means that your entry was in the top 45% of the entries for your area." More details are available on its Frequently Asked Questions page External. View its Better Business Bureau file External for further information.
Creative Communication has also published, under the name PoetTree Press (former website: http://www.poettreepress.com), the anthology Broken Hearts...Healing: Young Poets Speak Out on Divorce, comprised of poems submitted to Creative Communication poetry contests.
The Library of Congress holds only two Creative Communication publications: A Celebration of Young Poets, New York, Spring 2003, and A Celebration of Young Poets. Minnesota and Wisconsin (1997). A number of other anthologies are listed in WorldCat External.
Years of Operation: 1920-present (1979-ca. 1987; 1992-1994 for its major poetry anthologies)
Website: http://www.dorrancepublishing.com/
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About: From 1992 to 1994, Dorrance Publishing Co. (Pittsburgh, Pa.) ran a "Contemporary Poets of America and Britain" contest. For the four contests held each year in 1993 and 1994, 100 winners were guaranteed publication in a Contemporary Poets of America and Britain anthology, although non-winners could purchase an anthology to guarantee their poems would be appear in it. Only one anthology appears to have been published each year: a Fall 1993 anthology and a Winter 1994 anthology. An ad for the only volume published in 1992 states "poets may purchase as many pages as they wish in the anthology. Each page features 30 lines." One of the anthology editor's was Deanna Marra. View WorldCat's record for the series External to identify local libraries that hold volumes from this series.
Dorrance Publishing also published an annual Contemporary Poets of America anthology from 1979 to approximately 1987. The anthology, as noted in a 1983 ad, "provide[d] readers with an opportunity to enjoy the works of both new and previously published poets." Libraries that hold volumes of this series can be identified through WorldCat External.
Years of Operation: 1994
About: Dover Beach Poetry Press (Newport Beach, California) published at least two amateur poetry anthologies in 1994: Golden Dreams: An Anthology of Modern Poetry External, which is held by the Library of Congress, and Shadows in Moonlight External, listed in WorldCat. Both volumes are edited by Alan Sawyer.
Also Known As: Poetry Nation
Years of Operation: 2008-present
Websites: http://www.eberandwein.com/ ; http://www.poetrynation.com/
About: Eber & Wein (Shrewsbury, Pa.) began sponsoring an "open amateur poetry contest," also referred to as a "National Amateur Poetry Contest," in 2008; its first anthology, Verses & Visions: A New Day, was published in 2009. The Library of Congress does not hold any Eber & Wein publications; several titles External are listed in WorldCat. According to an archived poetry contest page from 2012 External on Eber & Wein's website, book purchase is not necessary for a poem's publication, though the publisher reserves the right not to publish a poem for any reason. A current page External notes that "Sixty to seventy percent of all entries become semi-finalists and receive a certificate of participation suitable for framing.... Even poems disqualified from the contest may still be eligible for publication. There is no purchase required to be included in this anthology." View its Better Business Bureau file External for additional information.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of State External, the president of the company is Rachel Mueck, who may be related to Eric Mueck, a former employee of the International Library of Poetry.
Eber & Wein publications share the same ISBN prefix (978-1-60880) as World Poetry Movement publications. In addition, the subscription database Global Books in Print indicates that World Poetry Movement anthologies are published by Eber & Wein. Consequently, the two companies appear, at the least, to be affiliated.
Also Known As: Bards of Burbank, The Berkeley Bards, Celestial Arts, Famous Poetry Society, Famous Poets Press, The Florida Literary Guild, Free Poetry Contest, Hollywood's Famous Poets, International Library of Famous Poets, Living Poets Hall of Fame, New Jersey Rainbow Poets, New York Poetry Alliance, Reno Fine Arts Institute, Texas Poetry Alliance
Years of Operation: 1994-ca. 2017
Archived Websites: https://web.archive.org/web/20000301035722/http://www.famouspoets.com/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20020325011637/http://www.freecontest.com/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20040101030619/http://friendlypoets.com/
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About The Famous Poets Society (Talent, Oreg.) published poetry anthologies beginning in 1994. Participants often received awards such as the Poet of the Year Medallion and the Shakespeare Trophy of Excellence. Winners were invited to attend the publisher's annual convention, held in locales such as Reno, Nevada, and Orlando, Florida. The name of one of the primary editors of the company's anthologies was "Lavender Aurora." The Library of Congress does not hold any Famous Poets Society anthologies, though WorldCat lists records for several anthologies External held by other libraries. View its Better Business Bureau file External for contact details.
The President of the Famous Poets Society was Mark Schramm. Some individuals have linked the Famous Poets Society to John Campbell External, editor of the now defunct World of Poetry Press External.
Also Known As: Forward Press, Young Writers, Poetry Now, and Poetry Rivals, among other imprints and names
Years of Operation: 1989-present
Current Websites: https://www.youngwriters.co.uk/ ; https://bonacia.co.uk/
Archived Websites: https://web.archive.org/web/20130225030312/http://www.poetryrivals.com/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20160319185457/https://forwardpoetry.co.uk/
About: Forward Poetry (Peterborough, Cambridgeshire) is one of the UK's largest publishers of amateur poetry. It was originally founded under the name Forward Press by Ian Walton in 1989. Forward Press was liquidated in November 2010, but was shortly reformed as Forward Poetry. The "Forward Poetry" imprint appears to have been discontinued sometime in 2019 or 2020, though its parent company, Bonacia Ltd. External, continues to run a number of writing contests, including some under the imprint Poetry Rivals. Representative titles include Forward Press Poets, Young Writers Write & Shine, Poetry Rivals, and more. The Library of Congress does not hold any Forward Poetry titles in its collections. Many Forward Press anthologies can be WorldCat (list one External; list two External).
Years of Operation: 2009
Archived Website: http://web.archive.org/web/20090626111246/http://www.greenspringpublishing.com/
About: According to an archived version of its website, Greenspring Publishing (Greenspring, Md.; later Baltimore; Md.) published an anthology series titled Whisperings - A Collection of Short Poems. One of the anthologies it published, possibly from this series, is Whispers. The Library of Congress does not hold any anthologies published by Greenspring Publishing, nor are any of its titles listed in WorldCat. The publisher's Better Business Bureau file External includes its former address.
Greenspring Publishing may have been affiliated with another Maryland company, the League of American Poets: Greenspring Publishing has indicated External that two of its anthologies are Inspirations and Reflections - A Collection of Short Works, both of which are titles also published by the League of American Poets.
Also Known As: Cader Publishing; Iliad Literary Awards Program; National Authors Registry; PoetsOnly.Com; Stamford Research, LLC
Years of Operation: 1989-present
Archived Websites: http://web.archive.org/web/20040830082011/http://www.cader.com/ ; http://web.archive.org/web/20031205080743/http://poetsonly.com/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20010301180428/http://www.poetrycontestonline.com/
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About: Iliad Press (an imprint of Cader Publishing, Ltd., Troy/Sterling, Mich.) published poetry anthologies from approximately 1990 to 2004. It ran several poetry contests each year as part of its Iliad Literary Awards Program. Its anthologies usually provide background information about the activities of Iliad Press. For example, the 1995 anthology Musings notes:
Iliad Press sponsors four literary competitions per year. Each competition presents awards to 100 winners. Iliad Press offers a $1,000 grand prize and 99 other cash and/or merchandise prizes. Non-winning entries which are believed to be of particular note and merit are awarded an Honorable Mention. No purchase or entry fee is required for the first entry in the Competition. Contest rules are subject to change without notice. All winners are selected by an independent panel of judges. Contests run continuously, four per year.
The Library of Congress holds a number of Iliad Press anthologies External from 1990 to 1996; other libraries that hold anthologies can be identified through WorldCat (list one External; list two External). Some, but not all, Iliad Press anthologies include an author index.
Cader Publishing also ran a quarterly literary competition called the Laureates Program. Winning poetry, fiction, and nonfiction from the contest was published in its Verses magazine.
According to a 2003 version of the PoetsOnly.Com website External, the former owner of Cader Publishing, Al(bert) Case, also owned Stamford Research, LLC, and PoetsOnly.Com. In 2003, Stamford Research and Cader Publishing merged. See Cader Publishing's Better Business Bureau file External for additional company information.
Also Known As: International Poetry Hall of Fame; International Society of Poets; National Library of Poetry; Noble House Publishers (likely affiliate); Poetry.com; Watermark Media Group, Inc.; Watermark Press
Additional Names Not Affiliated with Poetry: Arts and Kids; International Library of Photography; International Society of Photography; Picture.com
Years of Operation: 1988-2009
Former Website: Poetry.com
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About: The International Library of Poetry (Owings Mills, Md.) was the best-known publisher of vanity poetry anthologies between 1988 and 2009. Contests run by the ILP were sometimes referred to as the "North American Open Poetry Contest" or the "International Open Poetry Contest." In addition to these contests, the ILP would hold annual or biannual poetry conferences for contest finalists at locales such as Las Vegas, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Often, these conferences were attended by celebrities, among them John Denver, Florence Henderson, the Smothers Brothers, and Tony Orlando.
If you submitted your poem to a poetry contest between 1988 and 2009 and it was selected for publication in a poetry anthology, there is a good chance that your poem was published by the ILP. The ILP was run by the company Watermark Media Group, Inc. During the 1980s and 1990s, the ILP operated primarily through surface mail; in 1997, it began running the website Poetry.com. In March 2009, the ILP went out of business, and the Poetry.com domain (not the business) was purchased by the self-publishing company Lulu External. On May 4, 2011, the Poetry.com website was closed by Lulu. Archived versions External of the Poetry.com website are available through the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine External.
In May 2011, the Poetry.com domain was acquired by a Delaware company, Newton Rhymes, LLC. In January 2012, Newton Rhymes relaunched the Poetry.com website to include a searchable database of poems submitted to Poetry.com before 2012. Users were able to search this database for poems by registering (for free) with Poetry.com. Searching the database was previously the best option for locating poems you submitted to the ILP/Poetry.com from the late 1990s through 2011.
On September 1, 2017, the Poetry.com site was redesigned and its terms of service indicated a new site owner, Hold Gold, LLC (Park City, Utah). The redesigned site no longer included an option to search previous poems submitted to Poetry.com, and thus it could no longer be used to check for poems you may have published through the ILP.
In early April 2018 the Poetry.com website stopped working. There was no way to tell when or whether the site would come back online, or if it did, whether it would be run by a new owner or include the archive of poems formerly available through it.
In July 2019 the Poetry.com home page once more became available. A message on the home page noted that "a new Poetry.com is launching soon." No further updates to the site occurred until December 2020 or early January 2021. At this time, Poetry.com relaunched with a new design, and apparently a new owner. The site's new owner is STANDS4 LLC, which runs the STANDS4 Network, a suite of ready reference, education, and creative arts websites. The company, active online since 2001, is based in Israel (10 HaRotem Street, Kfar Neter, Israel 40593).
On September 6, 2021, STANDS4 LLC distributed an email in which it "officially announce[d] that we’ve acquired the Poetry.com domain name."
The email further noted that some older poems submitted to Poetry.com could now be found through the site.
I know a number of you are wondering if it's possible to bring old poems back. Our team has made a tireless effort over the last few months to recover some of the old content from public internet archive records, and indeed managed to save thousands of poem and poet records.
You can use our search box to look for your old stuff, either by poet name or poem title, and also claim ownership for the findings by filling in your details. We do realize that unfortunately not all the material from the old days of Poetry.com will be available.
An FAQ later posted to Poetry.com External by STANDS4 LLC confirms:
As the new owners of Poetry.com, we acquired the domain name, but couldn't obtain the accounts, poetry or publications that were associated with the old Poetry.com website.
While a subsequent FAQ provides suggestions on how to locate older poems, it is unclear exactly how many older poems can be located through the current version of Poetry.com, and how many years back the archive extends. As a first step in locating a poem previously submitted to Poetry.com, however, you can try using the search box at the top of the Poetry.com home page to search by poet name or poem title. That said, Library of Congress staff have had little success using the search box to locate any poems submitted to Poetry.com prior to 2021.
The current version of Poetry.com also accept new poetry submissions from users, who may wish to review Poetry.com's Terms of Service External for information about content they submit to the website.
Locating Poems:
If your poem was published in an ILP anthology, unless you know the title or ISBN of the volume in which your poem was published it will prove difficult, if not impossible, to find your poem in print. This is partly because poems published by the ILP are not indexed in any source; the only way to locate a particular poem in an anthology is to review the author index at the back of the book. Compounding the problem, the ILP printed different poems in each copy of many anthologies that it published. Consequently, even if you know in which anthology your poem is published, your poem may not appear in every copy, or even in most copies.
The ILP would typically mail winning poets a proof of their poem, and assign the poem a "VIP" number (e.g. VIP#P0465919-027). This number cannot be used to locate a published poem, but is helpful in verifying that a particular poem was published by the ILP.
If you submitted your poem to Poetry.com prior to 2021 and know the URL at which it (or your author page) can be found, you may be able to find an archived version of it through the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine External. Enter the URL into the Wayback Machine to have it search for archived versions of the URL. If archived versions exist, one of them may lead you directly to your poem or author page.
For poems submitted to Poetry.com from 2021 to present, use the search box at the top of the Poetry.com home page to search by poet name or poem title, or browse poems by title to see if you can locate an entry for your poem.
ILP Anthology Series
The Library of Congress is regularly asked for help locating poems published in an ILP anthology series. Frequently, questioners mistake the title of the series (e.g., Under a Quicksilver Moon) for the title of the anthology in which their poem is supposed to appear. If your poem was published as part of an ILP series, knowing the ISBN or title of the specific anthology in the series in which your poem appears is usually essential for finding your poem.
A list of major ILP anthology series follows below. For each series, we list the titles of specific anthologies included in that series. Please note that the list of titles is unlikely to be comprehensive due to the publishing practices of the ILP.
Eternal Portraits Series
Immortal Verses Series
We have been unable to identify specific anthologies that were as part of this series. One anthology that may have been included in this series is Collected Whispers (2008).
Letters from the Soul
The Patterns of Life
The Silence Within
Under a Quicksilver Moon
Anthologies Published in the United Kingdom
The ILP ran a number of contests targeting UK citizens, and winning poems by UK poets were often published out of Sittingbourne, Kent, England. ILP anthologies published in Sittingbourne include:
Identifying Titles of ILP Anthologies
There are several resources you can use to find the titles of ILP anthologies. First, you can review an archived version of the Poetry.com website for a list of many ILP publications from 1996 to 2003 External. Second, the Library of Congress holds a number of ILP anthologies from 1988-1999 in its collections. You can find a list of these anthologies External (sort the list by publication date for easier browsing) through the Library's online catalog. Third, you can find an extensive list of ILP publications External through WorldCat.
About the Sound of Poetry Audio Series
The Sound of Poetry was a series of CDs and audio cassettes published by the ILP. See, for example, the WorldCat record for a 2000 edition External of the series. Each Sound of Poetry recording featured recordings of poems submitted to the ILP and selected as "winners." Unfortunately, every cassette and CD the ILP produced featured different poems, and there is no way practical to locate a copy of a Sound of Poetry that includes a specific poem.
Poems included on a Sound of Poetry cassette/CD were typically also published in a print ILP anthology, but the anthology would have been given a different title than The Sound of Poetry. If you are trying to locate a poem include in the Sound of Poetry series, check for any documentation that might indicate the ISBN or possible title (beyond The Sound of Poetry) given to the anthology.
Years of Operation: ca.1988-2008
Archived Website: http://web.archive.org/web/20071130064404/http://www.jmwpublishing.com/
About: JMW Publishing (Blue Springs, Mo.) published several series and standalone volumes between approximately 1995 and 2008, including the series Passages in Time; Prominent Voices in Poetry; Reflections; Seasons of Change; Timepieces; and Visions. The Library of Congress does not hold any JMW publications; listings for some titles External for some titles are available through WorldCat. JMW's president was Jim Wyzard. JMW Publishing may have been affiliated with amateur poetry publisher American Press (Odessa, Mo.). One American Press title External can be found through WorldCat.
Also Known As: American Poets Society, Inc.; Gem Printing; PoetryAmerica.com; White Oak Press
Years of Operation: ca. 1999-2006
Archived Website: http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20080726141353/http://www.poetryamerica.com/
About: The League of American Poets (Baltimore, Md.) published several series, including Treasury of American Poetry; Inspirations: A Collection of Short Works Reflections: A Collection of Short Works; and Expressions: A Collection of Short Works. The Library of Congress does not hold any League of American Poets anthologies, nor do any appear to be listed in WorldCat. View its Better Business Bureau file External.
Years of Operation: ca. 1980s-2000
About: McGregor Hill Publishing (Tampa, Fla.) published an Annual High School Poetry Anthology. A record for the title External can be found through WorldCat. The Library of Congress holds only The 12th Annual High School Poetry Anthology (1996). This edition External, edited by Michael Cosby, notes that more than 6,000 poems were submitted to the contest for inclusion in the volume. The book does not include an author index, and is arranged primarily by state. Award-winning poems and honorable mentions are included in several sections at the front.
Years of Operation: ca. 1989-1990
About: The National Arts Society (Pass Christian, Mississippi) published the anthology series Poems of Great America, along with several standalone titles, including Windows of the Soul, Poems of the Great South, and Poems from the Last Frontier: Collection of Poems Inspired by the People of the Northwest. Newspaper advertisements from the company indicate that it sought Christian poems from writers in the United States and Canada. The owner of the company was Jim Stratz, who along with Jerry Medina edited the anthologies. The Library of Congress does not hold any anthologies published by the National Arts Society. Several titles External held by other libraries are listed through WorldCat.
As reported in a 1991 article in Deseret News External, the Mississippi Office of Consumer Protection recorded many complaints against the company filed by people who did not receive copies of books they had purchased through it.
Also Known As: American Poetry Press; American Poetry Society; National Art Association; National Essay Association, National Essay Press; National High School Poetry Association; National High School Poetry Press, National Poetry Association; National Poetry Press; Poetry Society of America
Years of Operation: 1937-ca. 1983
About: The best-known publisher of high school poetry anthologies during the mid-20th century was the National High School Poetry Association (West Los Angeles, Calif.), run by Dennis Hartman. The NHSPA's earliest anthology series, The Young West Sings: Anthology of California High School Poetry (1938-1942), features poetry published by California high school students only. In 1940, it began publishing The Young Northwest Sings, which includes poems from high schools in Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. Two national anthology series soon followed: Young America Sings (1942-ca. 1979) and Songs of Youth (1943-ca. 1962). Young America Sings was sometimes referred to as the Annual Anthology of High School Poetry, and was published in many regional editions each year (for example, in 1959 there were 25 regional editions of the anthology). Sample subtitles for regional editions of Young America Sings include:
…Anthology of Atlantic States High School Poetry
…Anthology of Great Lakes States Denominational High School Poetry
…Anthology of Illinois-Minnesota High School Poetry
…Anthology of Midwest States High School Poetry
…Anthology of Northeastern High School Poetry
…Anthology of Mountain and Northwestern States High School Poetry
…Anthology of New York High School Poetry
…Anthology of Southern High School Poetry
…Anthology of Texas High School Poetry
…Anthology of Western States Denominational High School Poetry
…Fall Anthology, Midwest States High School Poetry
…Spring Anthology, Ohio, Pa., Lakes High School Poetry
…Spring Anthology, Southeast High School Poetry
…Spring Semester Anthology of Ohio High School Poetry
The annual Songs of Youth anthology (published in different years under the imprints Poetry Society of America, American Poetry Press, and American Poetry Society), appears to have compiled selected poems from the regional Young America Sings anthologies. The 1943 volume of the anthology notes that "the selections herein were judged to be the finest of thousands of entries submitted to the National High School Poetry Association, from whom we received permission to reprint."
Under the imprints National Poetry Association and National Poetry Press, the publisher ran a similar poetry contest for college students from 1944 to 1983. Winning poems from 1944 to 1975 were published in the serial America Sings (according to WorldCat, alternative titles include: Biennial College Poetry Review, fall 1968-fall 1970; Young America Sings, spring 1971; and College Poetry Review, spring 1972-1975). From 1976 to 1983, winning poems were published in the serial College Poetry Review External (Agoura, Calif.). Selected poems published in these serials were, with the permission of the author, reprinted in the anthology series Pegasus External (ca. 1964 to 1983).
The National Poetry Association also published a National Poetry Anthology External from 1949 to approximately 1983 comprised of poems submitted by teachers and librarians. (Many editions of this title from 1958 (19th edition) to 1982/1983 (33ed edition) are held by Indiana State University Library External.) It also published several compilations of student poetry selected for publication in previous years' anthologies under the title Voice of Young America External.
The Library of Congress holds a number of anthologies by the NHSPA/National Poetry Association. These include:
The Library also holds several standalone works published by the National Poetry Association, including the reference books Rhyming Dictionary: A Dictionary of Rhymes (1949), Dictionary of Poetry Terms (1959), and Writing Poetry: A Beginner's Guide (1961), as well as the anthology Poetry for Holidays (1953), which according to the anthology's editor includes selections from "the close to 400 annual regional anthologies that we have published during the last sixteen years...that can be used for classroom work, on all the holidays that occur during the year."
To locate all NHSPA titles through through WorldCat External, conduct searches on all of the names and imprints under which it was published.
Also Known As: The New York Poetry Society; G.D.C. Associates
Years of Operation: ca. 1985-1989
About: The New York Poetry Foundation (125 East 87th St., Box 4C New York, NY 10128) published a series of anthologies titled The National Poetry Anthology. According to the Better Business Bureau External, the president of the company was Gene Conway, who also appeared "to be an officer of the New York Poetry Society" at the same location.
The Library of Congress does not hold any New York Poetry Foundation publications. WorldCat lists the following titles held by libraries:
In addition, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library may hold the 1988 edition External of The National Poetry Anthology.
Years of Operation: 1987-ca. 1991
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About: The Poetry Center (Orinda, California) published the anthology series Many Voices, Many Lands under the imprint of Shoestring Press. The Library of Congress holds vol.1, no. 1 (Summer 1987). The editor of the series is "Will Stratford" (perhaps a pun on William Shakespeare). WorldCat lists several libraries External that hold vol. 1, no. 2., and vol. 2, no. 1. Other titles published by the Poetry Center are also listed External through WorldCat.
Years of Operation: ca. 1995-1998
Archived Website: http://web.archive.org/web/19981212031939/http://www.poetry-guild.com/
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About: The Poetry Guild (Bath, Ohio) offered up to twenty poetry contests each year. Anthologies were edited by Jef Sturm or Terence Troon. You can view titles and publication information for many Poetry Guild anthologies through Goodreads at these links:
In 1999, the Poetry Guild merged External with the International Library of Poetry. The Library of Congress does not hold any anthologies published by the Poetry Guild.
Also known As: PIBI, Ltd. (1996)
Years of Operation: ca. 1996-2007
About: Poetry in Print (Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, UK) published amateur poetry anthologies between approximately 1997 and 2007. The publisher locations given for anthologies are Huntingdon and Paignton. A number of titles are listed through through Google Books External. The Library of Congress does not hold any Poetry in Print publications; several tiles held by other libraries are listed in WorldCat (list one External; list two External).
Years of Operation: ca. 1997-present
Archived Website: http://web.archive.org/web/20060812000219/http://www.poetry.co.za/
About: The Poetry Institute of Africa (Scottburgh, KZN, South Africa) has published poetry anthologies from approximately 1997 to present. The semiannual contests, which accept poems in English or Afrikaans, are open only to African citizens. The Library of Congress holds two Poetry Institute of South Africa anthologies: Different Horizons: An Anthology of African Verse and Under African Skies: An Anthology of African Verse. A list of other anthologies held by libraries—the most recent from 1997—can be found through WorldCat External. The current owner of the Poetry Institute of Africa is Joann Joubert.
Years of Operation: ca. 2003-2006
Archived Website http://web.archive.org/web/20051219095019/http://www.poetryinstitute.com/
About: The Poetry Institute of Australia (Cleveland, QLD, Australia) ran one or more poetry contests each year from 2003 to 2006. In 2004, it began running student poetry contests: a Junior School contest for children ages 12 and under, and a High School contest for students ages 13 to 18. According to the publisher, no fee was required to ensure inclusion of winning poems in an anthology.
Poetry Institute of Australia anthologies include Lost in Thought, Reflections: Anthology of Verse, and Opal Shores, as well as the student anthologies Symphony of Stars and Mud Puddle and Dandelions. The Library of Congress does not hold any of these titles; several listed in WorldCat External.
Also Known As: Canadian Poetry Institute; Young Writers of Canada
Years of Operation: 1993-present
Archived Websites: https://web.archive.org/web/20110720192147/http://www.poetryinstitute.shawbiz.ca/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20180604150803/http://youngwritersofcanada.ca/
Current Website: http://poetryinstituteofcanada.ca/
The Poetry Institute of Canada (Victoria, BC, Canada) offers poetry and short story contests for adults and children. Contests exclusively for children and young adults are offered through the Young Writers of Canada website. Titles of anthologies can be found through the online bookstores available through the Poetry Institute's main website. The site notes: "In our contests we do not publish all entries; up to 40 percent are not accepted." See its Better Business Bureau file External for further details.
The Library of Congress holds only one anthology published by the Poetry Institute of Canada, Island Journeys: An Anthology of Canadian Verse (1996). The poems included in this anthology, the third annual anthology published by the Poetry Institute of Canada, were submitted to the Fall 1996 Canadian National Poetry Contest. Its editor is Peter B. Jones. Other titles held by libraries are listed in WorldCat External.
Years of Operation: ca. 1990-1994
About: Poetry Unlimited (Mt. Pleasant, Tex.) published several poetry anthologies during the 1990s, none of which are held by the Library of Congress. Only one anthology, Ages & Stages External, is listed in WorldCat. Other possible titles include Skyline, Sweetheart, Ages & Stages, Dreams, Changing Times, Shadows, and Echoes of the Soul.
Also known As: Poetry Publications (until 1982)
Years of Operation: ca. 1981-2002
About: Quill Books published numerous amateur poetry anthologies from approximately 1981 to 2002. Its first anthology, released under the publisher name Poetry Publications, was Reflections from Tranquil Waters: A Collection of Verse By Minnesotans. In the early 1990s, Quill Books moved its offices from Minot, North Dakota, to Harlingen, Texas. Many of its titles consist of multiple volumes published over several years (e.g., Treasure the Moment includes at least eleven volumes published between 1996 and 1997). Volumes include an author index.
The Library of Congress holds two Quill Books titles, Down Peaceful Paths (v. 11, 1991) and Echoes of Silence (v. 13, 1996). Other titles held by libraries can be found in two lists from WorldCat (list one External; list two External).
Also known As: Prospect Publishers, Inc.
Years of Operation: 1987-2001
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Sparrowgrass Poetry Forum, Inc. (Sistersville, W.Va.), published two series of poetry anthologies during the 1980s and 1990s: Treasured Poems of America (ca. 1989-1996) and Poetic Voices of America (ca. 1988-1999). The Library of Congress holds near-complete runs of both series. A list of Sparrowgrass Poetry Forum titles External held by other libraries can be found through WorldCat. The final Sparrowgrass poetry anthology was published in 2000. Sparrowgrass noted in many of its contest advertisements that “anthology purchase may be required to ensure publication," so if you did not purchase an anthology at the time your poem won a contest, it may not have been published. Its anthologies include an author index that can be checked for confirmation. Winners of a Sparrowgrass contest would often receive a Distinguished Poet Award.
The parent company of Sparrowgrass was Prospect Publishers (Oklahoma City, Okla.). An archived version of its website External can be viewed through the Internet Archive. According to an October 2001 press release from West Virginia's Office of the Attorney General, the company was being forced to pay more than four thousand dollars in refunds External to consumers who ordered but never received its poetry anthologies. The press release further notes that "company President Jerome Welch says the publisher experienced an unanticipated decline in business and financial problems making it unable to fill orders placed early this year."
Also known As: Young Poets; The UK Poetry Library
Years of Operation: 1997-ca. 2016
Archived Websites: https://web.archive.org/web/20150209053029/http://unitedpress.co.uk/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20020301000000*/https://upltd.co.uk/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20160328110929/http://www.youngpoets.co.uk/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20141227164613/http://www.ukpoetrylibrary.co/
About: The UK publisher United Press (Burnley; London) was founded in 1997; its first book appears to have been published in 1999. One of its major editors was Peter Quinn. A list of many of its previous anthologies going back to at least 2008 can be found on an archived page External from its former website. Contests included a "National Poetry Anthology" contest, a "Young Poets" contest, and a "Local Poem" contest, among others. People were required to be a UK resident to submit a poem for consideration through the main United Press website; however, non-UK residents could submit poems through the website of the UK Poetry Library, an imprint of United Press Limited. The Library of Congress does not hold any anthologies published by United Press, though many of their anthologies, along with single-author collections, can be found through WorldCat (list one External; list two External).
Years of Operation: 1975-1992
Names of Selected Contests: Great American Poetry Contest, New American Poetry Contest, Free Poetry Contest
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About: World of Poetry Press began as a newsletter on August 1, 1975. Its two staff members at the time were Eddie-Lou Cole, Poetry Editor, and John T. Campbell, Editor & Publisher. World of Poetry Press sponsored as many as one dozen contests each year, typically awarding a grand prize of $1,000, with up to a hundred prizes totaling $10,000 or more. Winners were often told they won the "Golden Poetry Award" or the "Silver Poet Award." Its anthologies include an author index. The World of Poetry Press anthology Great Poems of Our Time External was apparently published by the National Library of Poetry in 1993 as one of the final titles by the bankrupted publisher.
World of Poetry's assets were auctioned off in 1993. As reported in a November 24, 2002, article in the Los Angeles Times, its mailing list—1.5 million names strong—was sold for $180,000 to the National Library of Poetry.
John Campbell appears to have played a role in establishing the Famous Poets Society in 1994.
The Library of Congress holds five anthologies published by World of Poetry Press: The World's Great Contemporary Poems (1981); Our Twentieth Century's Greatest Poems (1982), Today's Greatest Poems (1983), Our World's Most Beloved Poems (1984), and Selected Works of Our World's Best Poets (1992). A list of other World of Poetry Press titles External held by libraries can be found through WorldCat.
Years of Operation: 2010-ca. 2014
Archived Websites: https://web.archive.org/web/20130207081752/http://www.worldpoetrymovement.com/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20120603075509/http://poetrymillions.com/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20130209005546/http://importantpoets.com/
About: The World Poetry Movement (Park City, Utah) ran an "International Open Amateur Poetry Contest." According to its contest rules (archived by the Internet Archive External), entrants "may . . . be eligible for the one-time publication of his or her poem by the World Poetry Movement in a hardbound volume and on the Internet." Advertisements for World Poetry Movement contests sometimes appeared on Facebook.
Two World Poetry Movement series, published in multiple volumes, are Stars in Our Hearts and Great Poets Across America: A Celebration of National Poetry Month. Other titles include Best Poets and Poems Of 2012 and Best Poets and Poems Of 2012.
In 2012, the World Poetry Movement's most popular anthology may have been International Who's Who in Poetry 2012. The Library of Congress has fielded numerous requests about this anthology series. Many users who submitted poems to the World Poetry Movement's main website appear to have been selected for publication in this anthology. In addition, the ImportantPoets.com website, which seems to have been affiliated with the World Poetry Movement, allowed users to submit poems for publication in a volume of this series. Finally, it appears that some people who previously submitted their poems to amateur poetry contests sponsored by other companies, such as the International Library of Poetry, received direct emails inviting them to submit a poem for inclusion in this series. The name of the chief editor of the series is Judy Lynn. According to the subscription database Global Books in Print, at least one volume of International Who's Who in Poetry 2012 was compiled by "Poetry Productions." The address provided to users solicited for contribution to this series was frequently:
International Who's Who in Poetry
4470 W. Sunset Blvd. Suite 451
Los Angeles, CA 90027
In emails to users about purchasing a World Poetry Movement (WPM) anthology, WPM staff may have provided publication information for an anthology that notes the title's ISBN with the introductory phrase "Library of Congress ISBN." While this may appear to indicate that the Library of Congress is affiliated with the book, or issued it an ISBN, this is not the case. The Library of Congress does not assign ISBNs to books; any U.S. publisher may purchase an ISBN through U.S. ISBN Agency External. The Library of Congress, in fact, does not hold any World Poetry Movement anthologies. In addition, none are listed in WorldCat. For further information, view the WPM's Better Business Bureau file External. The file (as checked on December 11, 2012) indicates that "On August 7, 2012 this company's accreditation in BBB was revoked by BBB's Board of Directors due to failure to maintain minimum BBB Rating."
Through the PoetryMillions.com website, which is no longer active, the World Poetry Movement offered a number of poetry contests centered on a specific topic or person, especially celebrities (e.g., Lady Gaga, Natalie Portman, and Justin Bieber).
World Poetry Movement publications share the same ISBN prefix (978-1-60880) as Eber & Wein publications. In addition, Global Books in Print indicates that World Poetry Movement anthologies are published by Eber & Wein. Consequently, the two companies appear, at the least, to be affiliated.
The most recent World Poetry Movement anthology, according to Global Books in Print, was published in June 2013.
Also Known As: YWA Books
Years of Operation: 2010-ca. 2017
Archived Website: https://web.archive.org/web/20161104124021/https://www.youngwriterscontest.com/
About: Young Writers of America (Surprise, Arizona), which began activity in 1995, began publishing the poetry series Award-Winning Young Writers of America in 2010. Its poetry contest was open to students in grades three through eight, who competed in different divisions:
Multiple titles in the series were published each year, and were often limited to poems in a specific division. Poems were typically required to be written based on a particular theme, such as "The World as I See It," "What My Family Means to Me," and "My Wish for the World." Approximately 20% of poems submitted were accepted for publication. The most recent anthology in the series was published in 2017.
The Library of Congress does not hold any books published by Young Writers of America. nor are any listed in WorldCat.
