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.
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Don’t Be Afraid of Rejection by Dana Yost
When I lived in Iowa, I was a member of a writing group that had some talented writers. Prose authors and poets. Some have published several books, others were just starting out, but talented nonetheless. The more experienced of us weren’t afraid to read our work to the group, nor to send out submissions of …
The Louine Schaufler Youth Poetry Contest: HS Winners
Congratulations to the winners of the HS portion of the Louine Schaufler Youth Poetry Contest! Thank you to everyone who submitted to the contest. Thank you to our judge John Nelson. Enjoy the poems 🙂 First Place “Remember Poem” By Mary Feliz Remember Even when the weight in your chest is all consuming When you …
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The Louine Schaufler Youth Contest: MS Winning Poems
Congratulations to the winners of the MS portion of the Louine Schaufler Youth Poetry Contest! Thank you to everyone who submitted to the contest. Thank you to our judge Holly Moseley. Enjoy the poems 🙂 First Place “Burning Feelings” By Samuel Caugherty Rising flame Billowing smoke Ancestral beauty collapses Alarms sound, people rush to save …
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The Sound of a Poem
By Dana Yost Sometimes, the way a poem sounds is amost as important, or at least as interesting, as what it has to say. In fact, sound is one of the things that defines poetry, separates it from other types of writing. End rhyme, slant rhyme, alliteration, the flow of the piece itself, and other …
Call for South Dakota Poet Laureate applications
The South Dakota State Poetry Society would like it to be known that it will soon be looking for the next Poet Laureate in South Dakota.              The term will be from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2027. The SD State Poetry Society  is tasked with finding a suitable South Dakota poet to recommend …
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2021 Annual Contest Portrait Category Winners
Congratulations to the winners of our annual poetry contest! Thank you to everyone who entered the contest. The following portrait poems were judged by Dana Yost. He was so impressed with the submissions. Enjoy the winning poems 🙂 FIRST PLACE Stopping in at La Leona Roadhouse, Patagonia, Argentina By Peter Colson On the way to …