Every year, hundreds of imprisoned writers from around the country submit poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and dramatic works to PEN America’s Prison Writing Contest, one of the few outlets of free expression for the country’s incarcerated population. Manuscripts come to the Prison Writing Program in a variety of forms: Some are handwritten, some are typed, some are written in the margins of legal documents. Prizes of $250, $150, $100, $50, and $25 are awarded for first, second, third place, the Dawson Prize, and honorable mentions, respectively, in each of the following categories:

Poetry

First Place

Brian Batchelor, “Dear Voyage

Second Place

Sarah AllenMusic

Third Place

Charles Patrick NormanSedimentary

Dawson Prize

Lorraine K. Bennett-Kenitzki, Atmosphere Colors

 

Honorable Mentions

Brian Maddock“Widower”

Moneke Danyell Moody, Saints and Rebels

Juangelo L. Nelson, “Shakedown”

 

Fiction

First Place

Haley Teget, “Junk Menagerie”

Second Place

Dylan JeffreySymmetry Gates

Third Place

Kenneth R. BrydonConsensus of Death

Dawson Prize

Jason CockburnLabels Break Me

 

Honorable Mentions

Philip Dugger, “The Boat Rower”

Joshua Hill, “Black Jesus” (Posthumous)

Joan Marsh, “Woman Lost”

Denis Martinez, “Sofia’s Habit”

 

Essay

First Place

Burl N. CorbettThe Centaur’s Son

Second Place

Melvin L. Boone Jr.Dark Corners

Third Place

Randy GometzPrison Perspectives on Schopenhauer

Dawson Prize

La’Torie Woodberry, Tears of Blood

 

Honorable Mentions

Santonio D. Murff“Gotta Make’em Pay!”

Steven Thomas, “Tales from the Rock; Skunk and the Search Team”

Anna M. Vanderford, “America’s Most Unwanted

 

Memoir

First Place

Ezekiel CaligiuriBombs

Second Place

Tim BolandThe Colfax Crew

Third Place

Isiko RaymondThe Summer I Lost My Innocence

 

Honorable Mentions

Jason Cooper, “Purrfect Partner”

Sandra Sysyn, “Holding On”

Eddie Zayas, “Compliments to the Chef”

 

Drama

First Place

M.A. MendozaThe Legend of John Crow

Second Place

Derek Trumbo Sr., Inferno

Third Place

Sean J. WhiteThe Bride

Dawson Prize

Reese T. Basile, “Hamlet Uncut: Silencing the Lark

 

Honorable Mentions

Juan Falcon, “El Judio”

Tim Lee, “Where are you Christmas”