SDSPS was organized in 1927 and incorporated as a South Dakota non-profit on August 8, 1970.
Our Mission
To encourage and foster the writing and publication of poetry by South Dakota writers and to promote excellence therein; to arouse in students of high school and college age, interest in the creative writing of poetry; to foster or publish Pasque Petals, a magazine, on a regular basis, thereby continuing the publication which was begun before the Society was organized, which publication is devoted chiefly to poetry, to stimulate by such proper means as the sponsoring of contests, awarding of prizes, and by other means of encouragement, the writing of poetry; and by these means to aid in the cultural growth of South Dakota.
SDSPS acknowledges that we share the traditional lands of the Oceti Sakowin, or Seven Council Fires nations, the proper name for the tribes of the Santee-Dakota, Yankton-Nakota, and Teton-Lakota people, referred to collectively as the Sioux.
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Letter from the President
Hello, Poetry Friends! I want to introduce myself and tell you about current activities and plans at SDSPS, which your memberships help support. I was elected President of SDSPS to a three-year term at the 2023 annual meeting. I’m recently retired from a 25+-year teaching career at the University of South Dakota, where I taught …
Poetry & Sourdough Bread (Yes, I made THAT connection!)
By Marcella Remund People often make assumptions about poetry. Many people think poetry is a private thing that only certain people do tucked away in dimly-lit attics, usually late at night. Or, they think poetry is written by “eggheads” purposefully trying to confuse the rest of us. Or, they think poetry is a thing of …
Poetry & Sourdough Bread (Yes, I made THAT connection!) Read More »
Chapbook Contest Winner 2023: Pen Pearson!
Congratulations to Pen Pearson! Judge Ryan Clark has selected One Wing Should Float by Pen Pearson as the winner of this year’s SDSPS chapbook contest. Of Pen’s manuscript, he wrote,”’ “One Wing Should Float” just has the sharpest language, the most consistent quality, and–importantly–the most moving impact on me as a reader.” About winning the contest, Pen wrote: …
Why I Belong to SDSPS
By: Holly Moseley I first joined SDSPS when I moved to South Dakota in 1987. This history amazes me somewhat, because I’m not sure I thought of myself as a poet way back then, even though I’d had a piece accepted for my high school collection. Perhaps someone at the writers’ group in Sioux Falls …
Winning Portrait Poems FA22
Thank you so much to everyone who entered our annual poetry contest. This year Dana Yost judged the landscape category, and Lee Ann Roripaugh judged the portrait category. Please enjoy this year’s winning poems 🙂 First Place FORBEARANCE By Cameron Brooks Wind—unlike the likely droughts and stubbled summer lawn, or the cicadas’ tymbal cry; unlike …