October

The Prompt

Imagine October isn't a month. It's somewhere you can go.

What does it look like when you get there? Maybe the streets are covered in wet leaves and porch lights glow before dinner. Maybe there's a bonfire somewhere in the distance, a house you shouldn't knock on, or a path through the woods that wasn't there in September. Your October might be cozy, eerie, nostalgic, lonely, strange, or something else entirely.

Write a poem that turns October into a place and invites the reader inside. Give it weather. Give it sounds. Give it somewhere to wander. Then see where October takes you.

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

• A poem (any style or structure is welcome)
• Between 50 and 600 words.
• Submitted to the Poets community. Your story will be disqualified if it is submitted to any other community.
• Submitted before October 16, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST.
• Your work must be original and unpublished.

The Prizes

• Grand Prize: $1000
• 4 Winners: $200 each
• 10 Honorable Mentions: $15 each

For your story to be eligible, it must be between 50 and 600 words and adhere to our Community Guidelines.

Stories published on Vocal and entered into the Challenge up until October 16, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.

The October 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.