Claudia Ann Seaman Award
Poetry
on Demand
Commission a poem and support teen literary enrichment!
Our Poetry-on-Demand Team, comprised of teen poets from around the world, is eager to turn their creative talents into impact. The team writes street style poetry: spontaneous, short, minimally edited, and pleasing for the patron.
A bench of experienced poets serves as backup for times when demand exceeds team capacity.
We have two poem seasons: Summer (mid-June to mid-August) and November.
For poetry needs at other times, our Poet-in-Residence can help you out!
How Does It Work?
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Donate:
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Minimal price for digital poem: $50
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Minimal price for hard-copy poem typed on a vintage typewriter on archival paper: $75 plus shipping
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Proceeds support our mission of literary enrichment for teens worldwide.
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Give Us Details for Your Poem Commission:
During the donation process, you’ll be prompted to leave a message. This is where you can:
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Submit a prompt: a theme, a special person, a memory, an occasion.
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Add detail(s) that will make the poem feel personal. (see examples below)
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Receive Your Poem
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Digital poems will be emailed to you within 2 weeks as a .JPG file. This format can be easily printed or shared on social media.
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Hard copy poems will take up to two weeks plus shipping time, via first-class mail.
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Disclaimer
Our team of poets creates all poems using only their creativity—no AI involved.
Our poets begin writing on November 1st 2025, so if you commission a poem prior to this date, your poem will arrive within 2 weeks (plus shipping time, if hard copy) after November 1st 2025.
Deadline
Regular commissions are open until December 7th 2025. If you miss the deadline, check back around June 2026, or email info@polyphonylit.org to request a specialized commission.
Tax-Exempt
Polyphony Lit is a 501(c)(3) organization, so your donation is tax-deductible.
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Request a poem for your fur baby...
Please write a poem about our loving, old, lumpy, grouch, and occasionally bitey dog, Milo.
Need a Hard Copy?
If requested, our Poetry on Demand team will type a copy of your poem on a Vintage Brother Charger 11 Typewriter and mail it to you. Print poems make perfect greeting cards and souvenirs!
Below:
(1) "Dear Lounes" by Olivia Shin & Tessa Kats-Rodgers, (2) "he sees silence as invitation" by William Chen.
Need a Custom Commission?
Our standard Poetry on Demand poems are no more than 20 lines long. However, we know that sometimes you might want a longer poem for a special occasion, such as a wedding, a graduation, or a friend's birthday.
If you would like a longer custom commission or if you missed the deadline for our pop-up opportunity, then please send your request to info@polyphonylit.org with the subject line: "Poetry on Demand Custom Commission."
Left:
Reading of a custom commissioned birthday poem, "2.2 billion heartbeats (and counting)" by Julian Riccobon.
The prompt:
"My husband and I have a dear friend, Bill Lundberg, who is having a 60th birthday celebration on Saturday. He is a remarkable guy, on the team that found a cure for sickle cell anemia. I would love to commission a joyful and heartfelt poem acknowledging his long-lasting contribution to science and world health. He is a lovely, generous, hard-working guy."
Poetry On Demand Page Art by Suhjung (Carey) Kim and Julian Riccobon.