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Frontier Poetry Misfit Poems Prize

A project of Frontier Poetry (see other related projects).

Permanently Closed: This project is permanently closed to submissions (May 2025). We provide the following information as an archive.

About

Hot take: Writing is hard.

There are all these rules—you use commas one way and everyone freaks out, but you use them another way and you just won the Pulitzer. It’s confusing. Sometimes you gotta wonder if they’re being confusing on purpose. If you feel strongly about something, why don’t you say so, instead of iambic pentameter, or whatever Kendrick Lamar did.

Poetry frees us from all of those constraints—and lets us throw out the rule book. Let’s face it, words are everywhere. They’re here to stay. Or: If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em—instead of resisting the rules, why not experiment with them, change them and mess with them in ways no one has before? For the Misfit Poems Prize, we want your rulebreakers.

Frontier wants your misfits, your experiments, your alphabet fridge poems and the scribbles on your kid’s brown bag lunch. We want to see the poems that, like us, didn’t fit in during high school. If you were hiding in the library and writing poetry, just like we were, all those times you were cutting gym class, now’s the time to show us what you’ve got, and we can’t wait to see!

Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for all submissions, except for a free submission window for poets from historically marginalized groups.
The fee range is USD $20 to $149 (average to above average for contests).

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States
Established in 2025

Publication Medium & Contest Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication
One-time contest

Poetry Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Poem: No line limits known; Up to 3 pieces.

Poetry Forms:

Open to all/most Forms.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Experimental, Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Winner's Prize:

Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem) Professional payment. Details: USD $2,000 for first prize.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Multiple entries: Multiple entries are allowed.
Media: Text.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

Frontier Poetry Misfit Poems Prize Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

This listing is inactive and does not have any submission reports for the past 12 months.

Your Submissions

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The Antioch-Frontier Fellowship Contest DNQ  Charges fees for all submissions
Breakthrough Chapbook Contest DNQ  Charges fees for all submissions
Family & Home Prize CLOSED  Charges fees for all submissions
Frontier Poetry
Frontier Poetry Award for New Poets CLOSED  Charges fees for all submissions
Frontier Poetry Debut Chapbook Prize  Charges fees for all submissions
Frontier Poetry Devotion & Divination Prize  NEW!  Charges fees for all submissions
Frontier Poetry Ekphrastic Poetry Prize CLOSED  Charges fees for all submissions
Frontier Poetry Epistolary Challenge CLOSED  Charges fees for all submissions
Frontier Poetry Industry Prize CLOSED  Charges fees for all submissions
Frontier Poetry Nature & Place Prize CLOSED  Charges fees for all submissions
Frontier Poetry Ode on a Grecian Vacation Challenge CLOSED  Charges fees for all submissions
Frontier Poetry Open  Charges fees for all submissions
Frontier Poetry Portrait Prize CLOSED  Charges fees for all submissions
Frontier Poetry Themed Contests DNQ  Charges fees for all submissions
Frontier Summer Poetry Award BELIEVED DEFUNCT  Charges fees for all submissions
Global Poetry Contest DNQ  Charges fees for all submissions
Hurt & Healing Prize  Charges fees for some submissions
Myths & Fables Prize  Charges fees for all submissions
Types of Burns Series CLOSED

Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

  • Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
  • Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
  • Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
  • Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 22 May 2026

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