Rattlecast Prompt Poems (online)

At the end of everyRattlecast episode, our creative editor, Katie Dozier, offers a poetry prompt. One of the poems written to these prompts is selected for curation as the Prompt Poem of the Month, published online, and shared with our 25,000 Daily Poem subscribers. The winner (chosen early into the next month) also receives a $100 payment. 

The deadline to be consider for Prompt Poem of the Month is the end of each month. 

A note on our two features: the Invited Prompt Lines and our Prompt Lines Community Readings:

For the Rattlecast episode on January 19, 2026, and onward, we changed the second half of our weekly live show to the Invited Prompt Lines. Series editor Katie Dozier will select around ten poets that submitted their prompt poems the previous week to read on this new, Invited Prompt Lines format during the second half of the Rattlecast. Katie will curate the poems with poem quality and diversity in mind.

If you would like to be considered to read on the Invited Prompt Lines, submit your prompt poem, based on the current week’s prompt, by Sunday night at midnight ET. If selected to share your poem on the show, Katie will send you a note on Submittable on Monday before the Rattlecast begins at 8pm ET. If you cannot share your poem just select “no” when you submit; checking “yes” or “no” will not influence which poem is selected at the end of the month as the winning prompt poem.

In order to help our mission of promoting the practice of poetry, we are also adding an exciting monthly community reading—The Prompt Lines Community Reading. After receiving feedback from both veterans and newbies, we feel the community wants a special space to stoke the fires of poetry in a way that strengthens ties and encourages newcomers. Dick Westheimer has volunteered to be our Community Host for the monthly Prompt Lines Community Readings.

Each month, Dick will also invite a special co-host. All are welcome to join the Community Reading on the last Sunday before the end of the month, at 7 PM ET. Because of the focus on community, these readings will not be recorded. 

We hope that these changes help us to promote the practice of poetry to even more poets. And please consider joining the fun in our Facebook group here. 

Sept. 6: Write an ode to an antiquated piece of technology.