February Contest 2026: Concrete Shelters
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The apocalypse has begun. You must bunker down in a concrete shelter to survive. What do you bring with you? What is the one thing that cannot be left behind, no matter what? After choosing your desired object, use it to create a concrete poem that explains why you need it.
Think of what would fill you with hope. What would be an inspiring light to you in dark times? What emotions does it inspire? In honor of Inscape’s motto, choose something bizarre, something believing, and/or something beautiful.
A concrete poem, also known as a shape poem, is a poem that is not in the standard block format but instead is placed within the frame of a certain shape that connects to what the poem is about. For example, a concrete poem about a dog could be in the shape of a dog, or a bone, or a collar, etc. Here’s a link for a tutorial on how to create a concrete poem on Microsoft Word: https://floridawriters.blog/using-microsoft-word-to-write-concrete-poetry/
1st Place Prize: $50
2nd Place Prize: $25
Submissions should fit on one page, limited to a maximum of 400 words.
Literary submissions must be written in English and may not exceed the specified word limits. Only include one piece per submission.
Please submit works as a DOC, DOCX, or PDF file.
Do not include your name in any of the attachments.
Do not submit previously published work. Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please let us know if your piece has been accepted somewhere else.
Current Inscape staff members may not be considered for publication.
We do not accept pieces that invoke the name of Deity as an expletive. We also ask that you refrain from submitting anything depicting gratuitous sexual, violent, or otherwise morally objectionable content.
The use of artificial intelligence is prohibited.
Any submission that does not follow these guidelines will not be considered.