Accepting Nature Haiku Submissions NOW through January 31, 2026!
Announcing an open call for submissions of short 1–3-line nature poems (haiku or haiku-like) from New Mexico poets for the annual Poets’ Picnic at the Open Space Visitor Center on the west side of Albuquerque, Saturday, May 2, 2026. This is a free event, open to the public. The day will include poetry readings, workshops, music, food, books, and more in a beautiful location. Dale Harris and Scott Wiggerman are again making selections of poetry for this unique celebration.
When
Jan 02, 2026 12:00 AM - Jan 31, 2026 12:00 AMWhere
Description
Mark your calendars: POETS’ PICNIC, Saturday, May 2, 2026.
GUIDELINES:
The theme of your poems should be related to nature: the seasons, Rio Grande Valley, open spaces, plants, animals, cranes, ecology, the Bosque, the environment. An ideal length is approximately 10 words (poems need to be able to fit on a Weathergram to hang from trees around the Open Space – see image). Editors are less concerned with syllable counts and form than with line breaks, subject, and substance.
Send up to three (3) of your best short, nature poems (haiku or haiku-like) which can be one, two, or three lines. These should be original and unpublished in print or online. Include your poems in the body of an email (no attachments) and send to Scott Wiggerman: [email protected] (Do NOT send to the Open Space Visitor Center!) Use “2026 Poets’ Picnic Haiku” as the subject of your email. Sign with your name, byline (if different from your name), email address, physical address including town/city, and phone number. Failure to include required information can result in rejection.
There will be a limited-edition poetry chapbook of the selected poems for sale at the Poets’ Picnic, May 2, as a fundraiser for the Open Space Alliance, a volunteer group that supports Open Space activities. A discounted price will be available to poets chosen for the chapbook. Remember, send only original poems that have not been previously published!
Deadline for submissions: January 31, 2026
Price
