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INK & RIBBON

POETRY. CRAFTED. COLLECTED

Ink & Ribbon Press is a nonprofit poetry press and publisher dedicated to advancing the craft of the written word and bookbinding through limited-edition works and our annual $3,000 LemonLight Prize.

Explore The Prize

Fine ART Editions

Open hardcover book with marbled endpapers and slightly yellowed pages, standing upright on a white background.
Close-up of the top edge of a black leather-bound book with gold embossing, showing the golden page edges and two gold-colored rivets at the corner.
Elegant black box with gold ornate design, open to reveal patterned paper lining in white with red swirls, on a white surface.
A black leather-bound book with gold detailing titled 'Story of Ida' standing upright on top of a closed blue book labeled 'Mosher 1899'.

Our Fine Art Editions series celebrates the enduring craft of bookbinding through a limited run of 3-5 volumes for each publication - these collectible works that merge art, literature, and permanence. Each edition will be bound in collaboration with McCall Co. Bindery, an award-winning artisan whose bindings unite traditional craftsmanship with modern design.

—Debut Publication · Summer 2026

Sesquipedalian
Rain Chant

By Brooks Lampe

Rooted in the Pacific Northwest, the poems treat rain not as backdrop but as practice — a recurring force that unsettles certainty and returns attention to love, faith, labor, and speech.

Pre-Order $18.95

250

Limited Copies

Format

Paperback

Price

$18.95

Launching Spring 2026

Green sign with white border and text that reads 'The Lemonlight Prize, Ink & Ribbon'. There is a typewriter icon at the top of the sign.

The 2026 Lemonlight Prize

OPEN MARCH 1 2026 - MAY 30 2026

Each year, The LemonLight Prize shines a light on exceptional voices in poetry—work that is intimate, luminous, and built to endure.

We invite poets at all stages to submit up to five poems (multiple submissions permitted)

Awards & Publication

  • Winner: $2,000 honorarium, contributor copies + potential future publication with Ink & Ribbon Press.

  • Shortlist (4 poets): $250 each + contributor copies.

  • Commended: Contributor copies.

  • All finalists will be published in the LemonLight Anthology, a limited-edition volume distributed internationally

Enter The Prize

Open Readings

Our Summer / Fall open reading (July 15 – September 14) invites poets to submit work for consideration toward our first full-length publication.

We welcome both complete manuscripts and selections of 15 – 25 poems, accompanied by a brief project overview and biography. The reading fee is $15, supporting our nonprofit printing and editorial fund.

Submission Guidelines

The Inkwell

Ink & Ribbon Press Announces Debut Book

Sesquipedalian Rain Chant by Brooks Lampe to publish in 2026

Inaugural Poetry Open Reading - Submissions Welcome!
We have opened our doors for poetry manuscripts

Founder’s Notes | Why Ink & Ribbon Exists

The measure of success isn't margin; it's memory.

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