Submit Your Poetry

Poetry in Plain Sight Submission Guidelines

Submissions are open September 1–30, 2026.

We’ve had some questions. Please watch this video before submitting.

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Poetry in Plain Sight invites North Carolina poets to submit their work for consideration for the annual statewide poster program.

Each year, 48 poems are selected to appear in public spaces across North Carolina.

Who Can Submit?

Poetry in Plain Sight is open to current residents of North Carolina.

  • Adult poets must be current members of the North Carolina Poetry Society to submit for free.
  • Poets 18 and under may submit for free.
  • Non-member adult poets may submit for a $5 fee.
  • Submissions are open September 1–30, 2026.

How the PIPS Cycle Works

Poetry in Plain Sight follows an April–March program year in honor of National Poetry Month.

September: Submissions open for the following program year
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Fall/Winter: Poems are reviewed and selected
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Winter/Spring: The new selections are announced
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April: The new PIPS cycle launches during National Poetry Month
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April–March: Poems are displayed across North Carolina

For example: The 2027–28 program year will launch in April 2027 and run through March 2028. Poems for that cycle will be submitted during the 2026 submission period.

What We’re Looking For

PIPS poems are meant to be read in public and at a glance. We’re looking for poems that catch the eye and invite a wide range of readers to stop and read.

Poems with “breathing room”—plenty of white space—are especially well suited to the poster format.

There are no restrictions on theme, but poems must be appropriate for readers of all ages.

Previously published poems are welcome, provided appropriate accreditation is included with the submission.

Submission Requirements

Before submitting, please make sure your poems meet these requirements:

  • One submission per poet: You may submit 1–3 poems. Combine your poems into one .doc or .docx file
  • Length: Poems must be fewer than 20 lines, including line breaks.
  • Line length: Lines should be no longer than 40 characters (approximately 4.5 inches in 12-point type).
  • Content: Poems must be suitable for readers of all ages.
  • AI Policy: North Carolina Poetry Society does not accept AI-generated work
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Meet the 2027-2028 Judges

Each year, Poetry in Plain Sight invites two poets who are not NC residents to serve as judges for the annual selection process. Submissions are reviewed anonymously.

This Year’s Judges

Spencer Williams
Julie E. Bloemeke

Spencer Williams is the author of TRANZ (Four Way Books, 2024) and the forthcoming collection Dirt Talk (Four Way Books, 2027). Her work has been featured in Poem-a-Day, BOMB, and American Poets Magazine, among others literary journals.

Julie E. Bloemeke is the author of Slide to Unlock (Sibling Rivalry Press, 2020) and co-editor of Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology (Madville Publishing, 2023). A two-time recipient of Books All Georgians Should Read, she was a 2021 Georgia Author of the Year finalist and a Macondo finalist for 2025. Julie E. Bloemeke is also the founder and director of #5poets5parks, an annual initiative bringing poetry into Metroparks Toledo in celebration of National Poetry Month.

Questions?

For questions about submissions or the program contact Bridget Bell, Interim State Coordinator for PIPS at pipsncps@gmail.com