P – Penstricken Funny Poetry Competition: “Laughter Lines”

‘Laughter Lines’ Funny Poetry Competition

We love poetry here at Penstricken, but it has a rather unfair reputation in some circles for being esoteric and grim.

So, we’ve decided it’s time to redress that misconception by challenging you, dear poet, to write the funniest poem you can and send it in to us for a chance to win a cash prize + publication in our next issue. You can write about any subject you like, and in any form you fancy, as long as you can make us laugh.

Prizes

• There will be a single cash prize of £25 (or equivalent) for the winner only. This may increase if we receive enough entries. Payment will be made to the winner via PayPal.
• The winning entry + two runners-up will be published in the Autumn 2025 issue of Penstricken magazine.

Competition rules

• We are open to entries from poets from anywhere in the world, and of any level of experience (or none!) provided you are 18 years of age or older.
• The entry fee is £1.50 per entry. Multiple entries are allowed, but you must pay a separate fee for each entry.
• You may submit only one poem per entry, max. 40 lines.
• The judges’ decision is final. We will not enter into any correspondence regarding the outcome.
• Entries must be original and previously unpublished in print or online.
• All submissions must be made in English.
• Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.
• Entries generated by AI will be disqualified.
• Deadline for entering is 09:30 AM on Sunday 13th July 2025 (UK time). Entries made after this time will not be counted.

By participating, entrants agree to abide by these rules. Any entry that does not adhere to the rules will be disqualified.

Judging Criteria

The winning poem will:

• Make us laugh! If it doesn’t at least raise a smirk from us, it won’t win!
• Tell a story.
• Make effective use of clear, succinct language and tangible imagery.

How to Enter

There are two ways you can enter. The best and easiest way is by filling in our entry form (note this a different form from our regular submissions form). You will be asked to click a link to pay a submission fee in this form, which opens in a separate window.

Please ensure that you finish submitting the entry form once this is done or your entry may not be counted.

If, for whatever reason, you cannot use our online form, you can also e-mail your entry to us by clicking this link and filling in your details. If you are using this method, you will need to attach the actual poem to the e-mail as a doc file, and also remember pay the submission fee by clicking here.

By submitting, you declare the work is your own intellectual property, and you have the right to grant us first publication rights. All rights revert to the author after publication.

If you have any queries, or wish to withdraw your submission, you can contact us by e-mailing admin@penstricken.com.

By entering, you agree to our privacy policy.

Entry fee: £1.50 per entry