Rowayat’s Poetry Contest | How to Submit
Submit your best work to Rowayat’s Poetry Contest this August
Rowayat, the magazine dedicated to amplifying voices of resistance and cross-cultural dialogue, has announced its inaugural Poetry Contest, open for submissions from August 1 to August 31, 2025.
Since its launch in 2012, Rowayat has championed work that challenges global injustice, corporatocracy, militarization, and repression. This year’s contest invites poets from around the world to contribute to that mission through powerful, boundary-pushing poetry.
Rowayat’s Poetry Contest Details
- Prize: $500 cash
- Additional Reward: One-on-one mentorship session with award-winning poet and contest judge Sara Elkamel
- Publication: Winning poems will appear in Rowayat’s Fall 2025 Issue (Issue 13)
- Entry Fee: $10 USD (waived for Palestinians)
- Eligibility: Open to poets who have not published a book-length poetry collection
- Submission Limit: 1 to 3 poems, maximum of 5 pages in total
- Languages: English, French, or Arabic (in translation). Poetry in translation must include both the original text and translation.
About the Judge
Sara Elkamel is a Cairo-based poet, journalist, and translator whose work has earned multiple awards, including the Pushcart Prize, The Southeast Review’s Gearhart Poetry Prize, and Michigan Quarterly Review’s Goldstein Poetry Prize. Her style gravitates toward fragmented, narrative-rich lyric poetry, surreal imagery, and eclectic forms that surprise.
Submission Guidelines for Rowayat’s Poetry Contest.
- Submit a single PDF or Word document containing your poems.
- Work must be previously unpublished.
- Simultaneous submissions are welcome, but you must notify Rowayat if your work is accepted elsewhere.
Why This Contest Matters
Rowayat’s commitment to centering diverse voices aligns with the experiences of poets across Africa, the Middle East, and the diaspora. If you’re looking for inspiration from contemporary Nigerian poets who’ve navigated the challenges of editing, rejection, and publishing, check out this feature on 6 Nigerian Poets.
Submission Window: August 1 – August 31, 2025
More Info: Visit Rowayat’s official contest page via Submittable.
