Calling St. Louis Poets:

The Field House Museum is excited to announce our 3rd annual Poetry in the Garden competition, held in the museum’s garden in downtown St. Louis.

This competition aims to honor the legacy of 19th-century poet Eugene Field by inviting St. Louis and surrounding area poets to create works inspired by some of the themes he returned to again and again over the course of his career. This year, the themes will include patriotism, nature, holidays, and places.

Submission Details:

We invite poets of all ages and skill levels to submit their original, unpublished works to programs@fieldhousemuseum.org by the deadlines listed below.

• Submission Deadline – Friday, April 10, 2026, 11:59 pm.
• Poems can be of any style and length as long as they are original, unpublished works.
• Please include your name, contact information, a brief bio, and the theme your submission applies to in the body of the email.

Poets of all backgrounds, with priority given to poets from the St. Louis area, are welcome.

Prizes:

• Three winners per theme will be selected by a panel of judges.
• Each winner will receive $50 and will be invited to perform their winning poem at the Field House Museum on Saturday, May 9, 2026.

We look forward to reading your submissions. Winners will be notified at least three weeks prior to the event.

Submissions should be sent via email to programs@fieldhousemuseum.org with the title of the piece, a brief biography of the individual submitting their piece, and the poetry theme the piece applies to. 

Inspiration:

To ignite your creativity, we invite you to explore some of Eugene Field’s poems about: Holidays, Nature, Places, and Patriotism. Download the document to explore a curated selection of Eugene’s works: 2026 Poetry in the Garden Examples.