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: $20
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Minimal price for hard-copy poem typed on a vintage typewriter on archival paper: $60
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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.
Hard copy poems are shipped within the U.S. and the $60 price already covers shipping. If you are located outside the U.S. please email info@polyphonylit.org to inquire about shipping rates based on your location. Mailing internationally may result in different pricing for a hard copy poem.
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.