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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The Louine Schaufler Youth Poetry Contest – MIDDLE SCHOOL
The Louine Schaufler Youth Poetry Contest was established by the South Dakota State Poetry Society in order to encourage poem-making by South Dakota students. The contest is open to students in South Dakota middle and high schools. The 2023 Contest had 65 middle school entries and 13 high school entries. Contest judges for 2023 were […]
The Louine Schaufler Youth Poetry Contest – HIGH SCHOOL
The Louine Schaufler Youth Poetry Contest was established by the South Dakota State Poetry Society in order to encourage poem-making by South Dakota students. The contest is open to students in South Dakota middle and high schools. The 2023 Contest had 65 middle school entries and 13 high school entries. Contest judges for 2023 were Holly Moseley, Camp Crook poet and SDSPS Board Member, and Ruth Harper, Brookings poet and SDSU Emerita Professor. At SDSPS, we appreciate the […]
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 […]
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: […]