2026 Spring Fling Contest Winners

Our diverse group of poets shared a sampling of their talent as all winning poems including honorable mentions were read for the 39th annual Spring Fling on May 16, 2026.  Poets gathered in  person at Windwood and on Zoom to celebrate poetry and enjoy hearing poems in a variety of forms and categories. Poets entered: 17; Entries: 215; Prize money: $1,192.50; Silent Auction raised: $195.

Check out the winners' list below all the photos on this page.

Thanks to our president and vice president who served as emcees for our celebration of Spring Fling and   were also winners in various contests. 
Winners, winners, and more winners!!!
Those at Windwood enjoyed boxed lunches from Jason's Deli.

As ever, the tables were welcoming in their informal celebratory dress.

A special thanks goes out to Lynn Grice for her untiring commitment in coordinating the contests and Spring Fling. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Lynn. 
 
 
Poets Northwest
Spring Fling 2026
Winners List
 
  1. Bluebonnet Award  1st Joe G. Grace II, 2nd Karen Mastracchio, 3rd Eric Blanchard, HM Lynn Roberts Grice 
  2. The June Leap Memorial Award  1st Stephen Schwei, 2nd Eric Blanchard, 3rd Mary Creviere Turner, 1HM Terry Jude Miller, 2HM Daniel Hunter, 3HM Cheri Bell
  3. Interesting Times  1st Nick Sweet, 2nd Jenna Pashley Smith, 1HM Holly Jahangiri, 2HM Karen Mastracchio 
  4. This v. That  1st Stephen Schwei, 2nd Karen Mastracchio, 3rd Forrest Martino, HM Cheri Bell 
  5. Dactyls & Trochees  1st Holly Jahangiri, HM Cheri Bell 
  6. Make Mine Metrical  1st Karen Mastracchio, 2nd Maxine B. Kohanski, 3rd Sharon E. Young, 1HM Nick Sweet, 2HM Daniel Hunter, 3HM Mary Creviere Turner 
  7. Kohanski Award  1st Mary Creviere Turner, 2nd Donald Walter Samp, 3rd Cheri Bell, 1HM Forrest Martino, 2HM Terry Jude Miller 
  8. Cliché Challenge  1st Terry Jude Miller, 2nd Sharon E. Young, 3rd Forrest Martino
  9. The President’s Award  1st Forrest Martino, 2nd Terry Jude Miller, 3rd Joe G. Grace II, 1HM Stephen Schwei, 2HM Daniel Hunter, 3HM Cheri Bell 
  10. Prose Poem Award  1st Karen Mastracchio, 2nd Holly Jahangiri, 3rd Mary Creviere Turner, HM Lynn Roberts Grice
  11. The Repetitive Award  1st Karen Mastracchio, 2nd Mary Creviere Truner, 3rd Daniel Hunter, HM Holly Jahangiri
  12. Stone River Press Award  1st Cheri Bell, 2nd Daniel Hunter, 3rd Mary Creviere Turner, 1HM Donald Walter Samp, 2 HM Maxine B. Kohanski, 3HM Nick Sweet
  13. The Poets Northwest Award  1st Nick Sweet, 2nd Sharon E. Young, 1HM Mary Creviere Turner,    2HM Terry Jude Miller 
  14. The Anne Award  1st Eric Blanchard, 2nd Stephen Schwei, HM Mary Creviere Turner 
  15. The Remembering Award  1st Forrest Martino, HM Donald Walter Samp 
  16. The Miller Memorial Award  1st Stephen Schwei, HM Eric Blanchard
  17. The Owens Award  1st Eric Blanchard, 2nd Mary Creviere Turner, 1HM Lynn Roberts Grice,          2HM Karen Mastracchio 
  18. Squirrel in a Cactus Garden Prize  1st Eric Blanchard, 2nd Mary Creviere Turner, 3rd Holly Jahangiri, 1HM Karen Mastracchio, 2HM Maxine B. Kohanski, 3HM Stephen Schwei 
  19. Schwei Long Poem Award  1st Jenna Pashley Smith, 2nd Daniel Hunter,1HM Cheri Bell, 2HM Sharon E. Young 
  20. The Alamo Family Award  1st Stephen Schwei, 2nd Cheri Bell, 3rd Mary Creviere Turner, HM Joe G. Grace II 
  21. The Walter Joseph Award  1st Sharon E. Young, 2nd Lynn Roberts Grice, 3rd Stephen Schwei,       1HM Forrest Martino, 2HM Nick Sweet, 3HM Daniel Hunter 
  22. Spring Fling Award  1st Daniel Hunter, HM Mary Creviere