Appalachia is teeming with “places.” To be sure, our primordial Appalachian Mountains are awe-inspiring with their exceptional panoramic views. Our cities and towns abound with unique histories and mountain hospitality. Our woodlands are known to have those hidden, mysterious places—dark, shadowed spaces or portals that evoke otherworldliness. One can feel the rich past of our Native brothers and sisters or the hardscrabble lives of our ancestors. We walk their footpaths. We view the same vast sky.
Appalachian locations are considered “valuable” for some: industries like coal or timber, and various other business “opportunities.” But, for those of us who were born here, for those of us who live here and love this land, it is more than precious. It holds our spirits, our hearts, our bones, our histories. It breathes with nature and wonder. And it often beckons us. I have experienced the beckoning myself: a deep feeling that grates inside with a profound longing to be back.
So, we find ourselves—me and you, our valued readers—connected inside another little place here in cyberspace: Appalachia Bare. And, given this region’s mystique, one could understand how much we revere Appalachian creativity. For this year, we are reaching out to our extraordinary wordsmiths by announcing a new challenge for poets out there:
Appalachia Bare’s Places and Spaces Poetry Contest 2026
Contest Rules:
- Submit no more than 3 poems about a place or space in Appalachia: town, city, mountain, woods, coal mine, home, etc.
- Each poem submitted should be unpublished anywhere else.
- Each poem should not exceed 100 lines.
- At this time, we accept submissions only by email.
- How to submit to the contest—write “poetry contest” in the subject line and submit via email to: submissions@appalachiabare.com
- Please include a cover letter with your name, contact information, and a brief bio.
- Deadline for contest submissions is September 2, 2026
- Appalachia Bare staff are not eligible for this contest.
- For a list of Appalachian states and counties, refer to the Appalachian Regional Commission’s page— https://www.arc.gov/appalachian-counties-served-by-arc/.
Awards:
First Prize
$100.00 ––This recipient will receive, via the United States Postal Service, a $100.00 pre-paid VISA card and a certificate award. The first-place poem will be featured as such in Appalachia Bare.
Second Prize
$50.00 –– This recipient will receive, via the United States Postal Service, a $50.00 pre-paid VISA card and a certificate award. The second-place poem will be featured as such in Appalachia Bare.
Third Prize
$25.00 –– This recipient will receive, via the United States Postal Service, a $25.00 pre-paid VISA card and a certificate award. The third-place poem will be featured as such in Appalachia Bare.
Honorable Mention
This recipient will receive, via the United States Postal Service, a certificate award. The Honorable Mention poem will be featured as such in Appalachia Bare.
Please remember to include a cover letter with your submission that contains name, address, phone number, email, and a short bio. If we don’t have your address, we can’t send your award. And that would make us sad.
Announcement Date:
Winners will be announced September 28, 2026.
Disclaimer:
By submitting, the writer admits this is his or her or their personal and original work. The writer admits the work is not influenced by or written by AI. Appalachia Bare claims first publishing rights that return to the writer after being published. We are not responsible for any lost submissions. Appalachia Bare reserves the right not to accept hate speech or violently explicit content. Appalachia Bare reserves the right to extend the deadline and/or change the announcement date.
**Featured image credit: Meelika Marzzarella from Unsplash