The Sonnet of Shadows

This Challenge is part of the Vocal+ Fall Poetry Series. Learn more

The Prompt

This challenge is about duality. Love that glows and flickers. Memories that warm and ache. Imagination that lifts you up and leaves you wondering. You’re working in opposites: light and dark, hope and doubt, joy and shadow, and finding the balance between them.

The sonnet is a classic poetic form, often built from 14 lines with a clear rhyme scheme and a turn in thought or emotion around the ninth line. Whether you follow a traditional structure or take a modern approach, let the form support the feeling. Use the rhythm to guide the contrast.

Write like you’re holding both candle and smoke. Both dream and echo.

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

• A Sonnet (14 Lines)
• Submitted to the Poets community. Your story will be disqualified if it is submitted to any other community.
• Submitted before October 3, 2025 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• Your work must be original and unpublished.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 a Sonnet (14 Lines) and adhere to our Community Guidelines.

Stories published on Vocal and entered into the Challenge up until October 3, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.

The The Sonnet of Shadows 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.