Gasher is looking for work that surprises us with its language, voice, and authenticity. We are excited by work that is deeply engaged in the nuances of craft, uniquely original in voice, and pushes creative boundaries. We are less interested in what’s currently “fashionable” and/or fits within the predictable mold of what makes poems “publishable.” While we welcome poetry that works in traditional forms, we believe in poetry that makes sense of and achieves its form (or lack thereof) as opposed to the poems’ forms existing for artifice’s sake. Similarly, we appreciate approaches to projects that are driven by a curiosity that leads language into unexpected corridors of thought, opposed to the project working as a shell for language to play within. We are unamused by cleverness, vulgarity, hate, and/or violence. 

The Final Judge for 2026 is Sandra Simonds. 

Sandra Simonds, an award-winning writer and professor, is the author of ten books. She is the author of nine collections of poetry, including Burning Oracle, forthcoming from Wesleyan University Press in 2026. She is also the author of Triptychs (Wave Books, November 2022), which was a 2022 New York Times selection. Her first novel, Assia (Noemi Press, 2023), based on the life of Assia Wevill, won the 2023 Vermont Book Award in Fiction and was shortlisted for the Dzanc Fiction Prize. 

To ensure ethical reading practices, we request that all identifying material be removed from the manuscript such as the author’s name, email/physical address, etc. An acknowledgments section, located at the end of the manuscript, detailing where poems have been previously published is okay but not required. We ask that you submit a book synopsis and statement of craft interest in lieu of an author’s bio. This update to our submissions screening guidelines aims to protect writers from the pressures to flatten real, lived experiences into a series of codification and/or unconscious biases that may arise on the part of screeners.

• We currently seek work strictly from those residing in the United States. 
• We do not accept works composed, in part of entirely, with the use of Artificial Intelligence.
• We do not accept manuscripts that have been previously published in its entirety, though individual poems or smaller works are acceptable. We consider self-published collections as published. 
• We accept poetry (hybrid works are welcome) books between 48-90pgs, excluding front and back matter.
• Do not include an author bio anywhere in your submission, including in the sections reserved for the book synopsis and craft statement.
• Manuscripts must include a table of contents.
• Submissions must be anonymous. Please remove any inclusions of the author's name, acknwoledgements, addresses/email, bios, or other identifiying material from your submissions. Submissions that do not comply will be disqalified. 
• Please do not include any preambles in the manuscript.
• Simultaneous submissions are okay. Please withdraw your work immediately if it is accepted elsewhere.
• Please do not submit updates, either of the manuscript, individual poems, or acknowledgements once you have submitted your work. 

*We respect the final judge’s right to not select a winner for the prize. 

The Bennett Nieberg Transpoetic Broadside Prize awards a single poem written by a trans poet who has yet to publish their first full-length book. The prize consists of $500, 5 limited edition letterpress broadsides of the winning poem.

Gasher is looking for work that surprises us with its language, voice, and authenticity. We are excited by work that is deeply engaged in the nuances of craft, uniquely original in voice, and pushes creative boundaries. We are less interested in what’s currently “fashionable” and/or fits within the predictable mold of what makes poems “publishable.” While we welcome poetry that works in traditional forms, we believe in poetry that makes sense of and achieves its form (or lack thereof) as opposed to the poems’ forms existing for artifice’s sake. Similarly, we appreciate approaches to projects that are driven by a curiosity that leads language into unexpected corridors of thought, as opposed to the project working as a shell for language to play within. We are unamused by cleverness, vulgarity, hate, and/or violence. 

Eligibility:

• This prize is reserved for writers who identify as a trans writer. This may include those who identify as non-binary, genderqueer, agender, trans-masc, trans-femme, bigender, two spirit, gender fluid, or intersex people.
• This prize is open to all writers, regardless of publication history.

Requirements:

• Submit ONLY 1 unpublished poem on any subject/theme.
• Poems must be formatted to fit on a single page in 12pt readable font. 
• Include a brief statement of craft in the provided field on Submittable.
• Do not include any identifying information on the document of the poem.
• Limit one submission per writer. You may not edit your piece after its submission. 
• Simultaneous submissions are okay, but please withdraw your submission if it is accepted elsewhere.
• Friends and former/current students of the judge are not eligible to apply. 

Additional  info:

• 25 submission fee waivers are available for this year's prize. For a waiver, please email at press@gasherpress.com
• A list of semi-finalists, selected by members of Gasher's staff, will be forwarded to the final judge for the selection of a winner and finalists.
• The winner and finalists will be announced in September 2026.

This submission form is for current Gasher Press authors ONLY. If you are not currently an author or forthcoming author of Gasher Press, please visit our other submission forms. Non-Gasher Press authors that submit to this form will not be considered.