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.
Subscribe to recieve updates from SDSPS!
Thanks for subscribing! Please check your email for further instructions.
Stay Informed
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 […]
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 […]
2021 Annual Contest Landscape Category Winners
Congratulations to the winners of our annual poetry contest! Thank you to everyone who entered the contest. The following landscape poems were judged by Christine Stewart. She was so impressed with the submissions. Enjoy the winning poems 🙂 FIRST PLACE Ode to the Ground Cherry By Amanda Potter I first saw you, physalis, hiding next […]
Nebraska Poetry Society’s 2021 Open Poetry Contest
Submission Deadline: Jan 15th, 2022·     1st Place: $500     2nd Place: $250    3rd Place: $100     Honorable Mentions: Up to 20 poems will be selected as honorable mentions.·      All winners and honorable mentions will be published on the Nebraska Poetry Society’s online publication, The Poet Rabble. Guest Judge: Matt MasonMatt Mason is the Nebraska State Poet and Executive Director of the Nebraska Writers […]
Reflections on Teaching A Poetry Course to Seniors
By Linda Hallstrom A friend and I recently facilitated a four-session course designed to introduce people to poetry writing and help them decide whether poetry is a hobby they might enjoy. During the course, I shared my thoughts from the perspective of a person who likes to write poems. My co-presenter, Dr. Rosanne Kirts, brought […]