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The Best Poems of 2023: Winners of the 12th Annual SCP International Poetry Competition
Judges
Joseph S. Salemi, James Sale, Evan Mantyk, Sally Cook, James A. Tweedie,
Susan Jarvis Bryant, Adam Sedia, C.B. Anderson, Reid McGrath
Based on the poems, all written in 2023, excluding poems by judges, submitted by poets employing the finest, classical traditions of English poetry, below are the best poems of the past year and their ranking:
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First Place ($2,000)
Brian Yapko, Florida
“Farinelli”
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Second Place
Shaun C. Duncan, Australia
“Nero Redivivus”
Andrew Benson Brown, Missouri
“The Death of Joseph Warren”
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Third Place
Adam Wasem, Utah
“Letter from a DC Prison”
Mark F. Stone, Ohio
“A Pro Who Can Con”
Michael Pietrack, Colorado
“Ballerina”
Joshua C. Frank, America
“If You Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter”
Steven Binns, Maryland
“Evening, Washington Metro”
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Fourth Place
Cynthia Erlandson, Michigan
“The moon hung low in the sky like a yellow skull.”
Martin Rizley, Spain
“Village Home”
Peter Austin, Canada
“Zelda”
Daniel Howard, Massachusetts
“Ode to the Strings of My Guitar”
Morrison Handley-Schachler, Scotland
“The Five Ages”
Patricia Rogers Crozier, Florida
“The Thief”
Gigi Ryan, Tennessee
“Summer of ’73”
Daniel Moreschi, United Kingdom
“A Wind-stroked Spectacle”
Mary Jane Myers, Illinois
“A Petless State”
Mark F. Stone, Ohio
“I’ll Keep My Truck”
Brian Yapko, Florida
“Hero, Leander, and Marlowe”
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Honorable Mentions
“Stage Fright” by David Whippman
“A Leftist Rebukes Hamas” by Joshua C. Frank
“Reversing Babel” by Cynthia Erlandson
“Blessings” by Adrian Fillion
“Venus Sighed” by Suzanne Ramljak
“Tampering with Permanence (A Seattle Pantoum)” by Alison Jennings
“Smash, Careening Thrash” by Maura H. Harrison
“Yet Another Year” by Satyananda Sarangi
“What Do You Do When You No Longer Drink” by Geoffrey Smagacz
“A Travelogue of Wonders” by Cheryl Corey
“Forgotten” by Angel L. Villanueva
“Decay” by Janice Canerdy
“Bend in the River” by Leland James
“After the Stroke” by Mary Gardner
“Alfie’s Answer” by Peter Duff
“To a Sand Gazelle” by Rohini Sunderam
“Icarus Sings” by Paris Michael
“What Time Is it?” by Vicki Roberts
“Pirate Costume” by Benjamin Cannicott Shavitz
“Foothold” by Maggie Palmer
“The Pillar of Salt” by Brian Yapko
“Ambition” by Siân Marlow
“The School Bell” by Satyananda Sarangi
“To Find a Waterfall” by Monika Cooper
“The Blue Absorbent Towel” by Charles Southerland
“Learning to Laugh” by William Harder
“The Old Native Chieftain from Forest Among” by Corey Elizabeth Jackson
“I Know Them Well” by Mike Ruskovich
“Sinfonietta” by Mary Jane Myers
“Job’s Rant” by Cynthia Erlandson
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Congratulations, Brian, for your well-deserved win. And congratulations to all the other talented poets who had placements in this contest. Some fine poetry has been created to be enjoyed for years to come.