After It’s Gone

The Prompt

Loss does not always arrive all at once. It settles in over time and changes shape as it’s remembered.

An elegy begins with what’s gone, but it also lives in what remains. Think about how the absence is felt, where it shows up, and what continues to echo after it. The subject might be clearly defined, or something harder to name, but its presence should still be felt through the poem.

Let the poem move at its own pace. Stay with the details that carry the loss, and allow the feeling to build without forcing resolution.

Thank you for the suggestion Seashell Harpspring, if you have an idea for a challenge prompt drop it in the comment section here.

In order for your submission to qualify, it must be:

• A poem (any style or structure is welcome)
• Between 100 and 600 words.
• Submitted to the Poets community. Your story will be disqualified if it is submitted to any other community.
• Submitted before May 8, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST.
• Your work must be original and unpublished.

The Prizes

• 5 Winners: $200 each
• 15 Runners-up: $15 each
• 10 Honorable Mentions: $5 each

For your poem to be eligible, it must be between 100 and 600 words and adhere to our Community Guidelines.

Stories published on Vocal and entered into the Challenge up until May 8, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.

The After It’s Gone Challenge is exclusive to Vocal+ members. To learn more and upgrade to Vocal+, visit https://vocal.media/vocal-plus.

To be eligible to win, you must be over the age of 13 and reside in a country where Stripe is available at the time of entry. A complete list of countries where Stripe is available can be found here—winners will need a Stripe account created and connected to receive prizes. Entrants located outside of these countries will not be eligible to win.