Foetry: American Poetry Watchdog

Exposing the fraudulent "contests."

Tracking the sycophants.

Naming names.

University of Iowa's Iowa Poetry Prize

Before you send any money to this competition, be sure to read this thread in the Foetry Forum.

• currently charges $20 to enter.
• according to records obtained by Steven Ford Brown, Mark Levine has judged in recent years
  
• has chosen graduates and instructors of the Iowa Writers' Workshop repeatedly.
• Download and send a void check to this contest.
• Why not print a second check and mail it to David J. Skorton, President of the University of Iowa? His address is President's Office 101 Jessup Hall Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1316

The latest winners have been announced: Susan Wheeler, former instructor at the Iowa Writers' Workshop, and Megan Johnson, graduate of the Workshop. If you entered your manuscript and didn't win, feel free to email Deidre Woods or call her at 319-335-2008 and ask for a refund of your entry fee. If your complaint is not satisfied, contact the State of Iowa's Attorney General. There is an easy form to complete online.

Winners are:
1. Alexander, Pamela Inland (Iowa Writers' Workshop graduate)
2. Andrews, Tom The Hemophiliac's Motorcycle (judge was Charles Wright, about whom Andrews edited a volume of 27 critical essays)
3. Burns, Ralph Swamp Candles
4. Galvin, Brendan Hotel Malabar
5. Gildner, Gary The Bunker in the Parsley Fields
6. Glaser, Elton Tropical Depressions (edits the Akron Series in Poetry for the University of Akron Press)
7. Glazer, Michele Aggregate of Disturbances (Iowa Writers' Workshop graduate)
8. Goodman, Joanna Trace of One(Iowa Writers' Workshop graduate)
9. Hazners, Dainis Some Of the Adventures of Carlyle: My Imaginary Friend
10. Heffernan, Michael Love's Answer (twice a winner of University of Georgia Press Contemporary Poetry Series)
11. Leader, Mary The Penultimate Suitor
12. Lewis, Lesle Small Boat
13. McKean, James Tree of Heaven
14. Peirce, Kathleen The Oval Hour (Iowa Writers' Workshop graduate)
15. Pettit, Michael Cardinal Points
16. Ramke, Bin Massacre of the Innocents (editor of University of Georgia Press Contemporary Poetry Series and teaches at University of Denver)
17. Ramke, Bin Wake (University of Georgia Press Contemporary Poetry Series)
18. Roberson, Ed Voices Cast Out to Talk Us In
19. Seaton, Maureen Furious Cooking
20. Shippy, Peter Jay Thieves' Latin (yet another Iowa Writers' Workshop graduate)
21. Svoboda, Terese Laughing Africa (published twice in the University of Georgia Press Contemporary Poetry Series series)
22. Swensen, Cole Try (taught at University of Denver with Ramke, Bin and is currently at Iowa)
23. Szporluk, Larissa Isolato
24. Ullman, Leslie Slow Work through Sand
25. Volkman, Karen Spar
26. Waldner, Liz A Point Is That Which Has No Part (University of Georgia Press Contemporary Poetry Series winner who attended Iowa)
    
27. Wood, John In Primary Light
28. Wood, John The Gates of the Elect Kingdom

If you have concerns about the integrity of this competition, please let the Press Director and/or the University President know.

Cronyism's Kuhlest

Iowa also publishes poetry in the Kuhl House Poets series edited by Jorie Graham and Mark Levine. Look through the list and see if there are some familiar names:

1. Greenberg, David Micah Planned Solstice Currently a doctoral candidate in urban policy at MIT, he works with a community development trade association in Massachusetts.
2. Isles, John Ark attended the Iowa Writers' Workshop
3. Schiff, Robyn Worth Iowa grad
   
4. Wilson, Emily The Keep Iowa grad
   
5. Robinson, Michelle The Life of a Hunter Harvard graduate
   
6. Ramke, Bin Airs, Waters, Places (see Ramke's history with Graham)
   
7. Ramke, Bin Matter. 
8. Swensen, Cole Such Rich Hour (Swenson replaced Graham at Iowa)
   
9. Swensen, Cole The Book of a Hundred Hands