Don’t Turn Around

The Prompt

You sense it before you see it. This challenge builds on anticipation and the fear of what stays just out of view.

Stay with that feeling of being followed or watched. The presence may never fully appear, but it should shape the poem’s movement and tone.

Think about how the tension sticks even when nothing is proven. What’s left unseen can feel just as strong as anything you show.

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 June 24, 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• Your work must be original and unpublished.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 story 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 June 24, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.

The Don’t Turn Around 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.