Thou shalt make the poem imaginative and beautiful. The poem must use beautiful and imaginative language! For example, we want the same kind of language that describes the moon as a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas, stars as silver sky-fish swimming in a sea of darkness, and grassy lawns as worlds of adventure to explore, if only you were the size of an acorn.
Thou shalt write the poem inspired by this prompt: coruscate. To coruscate means to shine with a living, joyful radiance, to reflect light brilliantly. Write your poem about something or something you love that coruscates, either literally or metaphorically. Note: it is not necessary or encouraged that you include the word "coruscate" in your poem. The important thing is to get the idea the word evokes across.
Submissions close: on May 15, 2026 or once we reach 24 submissions, whichever happens first.
We look forward to seeing what you send us! Godspeed! :)
3 runner-ups will be featured in a non-paywalled post sent to our 550+ subscribers.
What length should my poem be?
We recommend a minimum length of 10 lines and a maximum length of 30.
This isn't a hard and fast rule, though! If you're worried about the length of your poem, feel free to let us know about it here!
How many submissions are you accepting?
We want you to have a really good chance of winning or getting featured in our Substack, so we're limiting the number of submissions we're accepting to just 24.
Which means you have an almost 1 in 5 chance of winning or getting featured!
Can I submit multiple entries?
You may, but you'll have to submit them separately via this form, and will have to pay the entry fee each time you submit an entry.
Can I submit a poem I've already written?
If it could be seen as an interpretation of the prompt and hasn't been published online within the last 365 days, then yes.
How do I pay the $5 entry fee?
Submit this form, and you will be redirected to a page where you can.
Once paid, your submission process is completed! Please note that if you do not pay the entry fee, your submission will not be considered.