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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Portrait Category Contest Winners 2020
Thanks so much to everyone who submitted to our annual contest! We are excited to announce the winners of the portrait category: Judy Larson, Todd Williams, and John Nelson! Our contest judge was Holly Moseley. Here are the winning poems: FIRST PLACE Dust Bowl By Judy Larson The wind’s sighs say what we cannot. […]
Landscape Category Contest Winners 2020
Thanks so much to everyone who submitted to our annual contest! We are excited to announce the winners of the landscape category: Holly Moseley, John Nelson, and Donna Kelly! Our contest judge was Courtney Huse Wika. Here are the winning poems: FIRST PLACE Battle Creek, June 2014 By Holly Moseley Mother Earth is not […]
SDSPS Poet of Merit Award Nominations Open
SOUTH DAKOTA POET OF MERIT AWARDS The South Dakota Poetry Society announces the creation of a Poet of Merit Award, in two categories: Living and Posthumous. A South Dakota Poet of Merit Award may be granted in either or both of the two categories during each of the years in which a new South Dakota […]
Brookings Poetry Roundtable: You’re Invited!
Brookings, SD. Earlier this month a group of area poets gathered at the downtown Cottonwood Coffee shop for the first meeting of the Brookings Poetry Roundtable. Five poets brought poems to share, and we spent an hour taking turns reading our poem and gathering feedback from the group. It was an enjoyable time of coffee […]
Writing with Artists
On August 15-17, Northern Prairie Arts in Watertown hosted a plein air, “Paint the Northern Prairie.” I’ve enjoyed working with artists for a long time because their work inspires me. Not only do I get to see things from another artist’s point of view, but I deepen my understanding of their artistic processes. Last night […]
Writing Groups by Holly Moseley
Do you belong to a writing group? Recently, a judge for a regional poetry contest told me he was surprised at how few entrants belonged to one. “They are such a help,” he said, “and it’s obvious who doesn’t have the benefit of good critiques.” Ouch! Who knew? I flew solo for years. My first […]