Prize for POetry
It is curious that flower-soft verse
Is sometimes harder than granite,
tougher than a steel cable, more alive than life.
- Robinson Jeffers
Robinson Jeffers Tor House prize for Poetry
The annual Tor House Prize for Poetry is a living memorial to American poet Robinson Jeffers (1887–1962)
How to enter
Print each poem on 8.5”×11” paper, no longer than three pages. Multiple and simultaneous submissions are welcome.
On a cover sheet, include name, address, phone number, email, and titles of poems. Bio optional.
Include a check or money order payable to the Tor House Foundation. There is a reading fee of $10 for the first three poems, $15 for up to six poems, and $2.50 for each additional poem.
Mail submissions to:
Coordinator, 2026 Poetry Prize
Tor House Foundation
Box 223240, Carmel, CA 93922
Poems will not be returned.
2026 entries closed
The Robinson Jeffers Tor House 2026 Prize for Poetry entries are being judged. Entries are closed for the year. Thank you to all who participated! Winners will be posted here May 15th.
Final Judge: Andrew Schelling
1st Prize: $1,000
Honorable Mention Awards: $200