one condom case with edgar allen poe graffiti wall background

About the Contest

In 2025 ONE® Condoms invited poetry lovers across the U.S. and Canada to “go Wilde” and “let their Longfellow loose” by submitting short, sexy poems for a new Vanish® wrapper collection. The search for the ultimate Poe of Prophylactics brought together clever wordplay, bold voices, and a shared love of safer sex. Submissions were reviewed by a panel of judges and later opened up to a public vote, resulting in one grand prize winner, a runner-up, and eight honorable mentions. Plus, ONE® staff chose twelve additional staff pick winners. Winners received cash prizes & custom-printed wrappers, and the campaign helped donate more than 13,000 condoms to health organizations nationwide.

Gold condom wrapper with poetry winner - Heat rising, Hearts beating, Blood pumping, Fingers entwined, Together as ONE®.

GRAND PRIZE WINNER

Tylon Kabolati

“Being able to have open and frank conversations about sex, sexuality, and gender identity is something that we as a society should not shy away from. Such talks can be scary to have; but something more fearful is a world where we never have them.”

Gold condom wrapper with poetry contest winner Lynne Schmidt: Each peak at Sunday River, A trampoline in the neighbor’s yard. The top of a picnic table Your work shortly before you quit, A pool table in a basement, Your childhood bedroom because your parents won’t like me anyway, The coat room at our friend’s wedding, The bathroom at a party, Anywhere you are

RUNNER UP WINNER

Lynne Schmidt: “Places (A Sex Bucket List)”

“As the creator of AbortionChat, I often talk about sex and sexual health. Being able to use poetry as a means to work with survivors of sexual trauma has been a huge part of my last few years, and so this award is a HUGE honor!”

Honorable Mentions

Gold condom wrapper featuring a short reflective poem about presence and intimacy in the moment.
Davin Larsen
“ADHD in the Bedroom” - Layton, UT
Gold condom wrapper with a poem about protection and mental freedom, celebrating safe intimacy and playful exploration.
Sean T.
“Mind Free” - Albuquerque, NM
Gold condom wrapper displaying a minimalist poem about sunlight, connection, and intimacy, printed in elegant typography.
Jacob P.
Denver, CO
Gold condom wrapper with poetry contest winning poem.
Allison Goldsmith
Gold condom wrapper with a poem comparing bodies to unexplored universes, emphasizing curiosity and intimacy.
H. John Schaefer
Greenfield, IN
Gold condom wrapper with a playful dessert-themed poem using humor and wordplay to celebrate shared pleasure.
H. John Schaefer
“Two Scoops for ONE®” - Greenfield, IN
Gold condom wrapper featuring a list-style poem about living, loving, and exploring carefully, printed in a bold, modern layout.
Ellen H.
“ONE® Way” - Brownington, VT
Gold condom wrapper with a humorous rhyming poem about protection, pleasure, and inclusive intimacy.
FHW
"“I love that ONE® Condoms brings art and humor into conversations about sexual health, because that’s what makes people actually want to talk about it. I entered the contest hoping my poem might make someone smile and feel a bit more comfortable with these conversations.”"

— Jacob P.

"“I entered this contest to help normalize open conversations about sexual health, because reducing stigma protects health and empowers people to make informed choices, something I’m proud to support through ONE Condoms.”"

— Ria Tabuan

"“I wanted to show that using protection can be an act of care, not just a precaution, a small love letter rooted in awareness and respect. ONE® turns a simple moment into a shared expression of intimacy and intention.”"

— J. Carlos G.

"“The inspiration for my poem is my short attention span and impulsiveness. I was waiting in a health department office to get a vaccine, and they had info about the contest on the wall. I got the poem together while I was waiting. I know your product from getting the sampler at Costco. They last a while, those big tubes. Lots of variety (again with the ADHD).”"

— Davin Larsen

""I thought the idea of a condom poetry contest was too amazing not to enter and now it's going to be one of my fun facts or two truths one lies until I die.""

— Sean T.

"“My inspiration for the poem was to keep it short and simple. I focused on the safety aspect and kept the reading time brief, because no one wants to delay the experience.”"

— Dustin

"“I hope everyone who chooses to have sex has the tools they need to keep themselves safe. With that peace of mind, it makes it easier to connect with each other and have fun.”"

— Allison Goldsmith

"“Everyone deserves to express love safely, and everyone deserves access to family planning.”"

— C. Chadee 

"“I'm always searching for new outlets for my poetry and the ONE Condoms contest seemed both fun and challenging. I saw it as a unique opportunity to write poems to 'lift' the spirit and promote safe sex practices at the same time.""

— H. John Shaefer

"“As I was on the bus on my way to work I saw a post where ONE was trying to find the “Poe of Prophylactics”. At that moment the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe entered my body and told me about his deepest regret: Not writing enough about safe sex. So he and I teamed up to write “The Raven, Your Wingman” so he could finally rest in peace.”"

— Indra G.O.

"“I am honored to play a small part in facilitating family planning and preventing STDs. I entered this contest to help provide condoms to distribute at the Blessing Box for our Unitarian Universalist Church for those that love, but carefully.”"

— Ellen H.

"“I got an email about the contest and thought that it looked like a fun challenge. The limited number of characters, fun format, subject matter, and the fact that it will actually be printed on a condom (as opposed to an anthology) all added to the fun!”"

— Michael B.

"“Honestly, I had a free hour or two and thought it'd be fun to try writing a poem for the first time in 10 years or so. The topic rendered it a somewhat unique experience, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.”"

— FHW

"“Protecting the people we love is serious business, but that doesn't mean we can't have some fun with it.”"

— Moe Shapiro

"“The title character in Asterios Polyp analogized condoms and tuxedos and that stuck with me. Longtime enthusiast of both ONE and poetry, glad to help them come together.”"

— Ben Beydler

"“This poem celebrates natural intimacy and why sex positive conversations help partners feel comfortable and empowered. Like you know say what you want to do in bed say how you want it.”"

— Lester C.

"“As a product of the 80s and 90s, we all believe safe sex is the way to go!”"

— Brian B.

"“Through intimacy with my wife, we feel deeply connected, almost as if we are one!”"

— Hunter Furr

Staff Picks

Gold condom wrapper featuring a short reflective poem about presence and intimacy in the moment.
Ria Tabuan
“ONE® Thing”
Gold condom wrapper displaying a minimalist poem exploring emotional and physical contrasts in intimacy.
Moe Shapiro
“Contradictions” - San Francisco, CA
Gold condom wrapper with a whimsical poem comparing clothing for professions to condoms as occasion-specific protection.
Ben Beydler
“Workwear” - Davenport, IA
Gold condom wrapper featuring a lyrical poem about the curve of the lower back, evoking calm and closeness.
Claude Clayton Smith
“The Pool”
Gold condom wrapper with a short poem about touch, closeness, and unspoken desire.
Hunter Furr
“Heat” - Hubert, NC
Gold condom wrapper featuring a poem framed as a love letter, highlighting care, awareness, and consent.
J. Carlos G.
“ONE® Love Letter”
Gold condom wrapper with an energetic poem about bodies moving together, connection, and mutual exploration.
C. Chadee
“Entwine” - Plant City, FL
Gold condom wrapper featuring a poem that emphasizes safety, care, and emotional protection through condom use.
Dustin
“Safe and Sound” - SD
Gold condom wrapper with a humorous poem inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, depicting a raven delivering a condom as a symbol of preparedness.
Indra G.O.
“The Raven, Your Wingman” - Cabo Rojo, PR
Gold condom wrapper featuring a poem about anticipation and confidence, emphasizing proper fit and connection.
Lester C.
“Trust the Fit”
Gold condom wrapper with a longer romantic poem describing intimacy, closeness, and emotional connection.
Brian B.
“Beneath the Sheets”
Gold condom wrapper featuring a rhythmic poem about movement, touch, and shared intimacy, celebrating closeness and safety.
Michael B.
“The Dance of Desire”
Download ONE® Poetry Contest Winners

The Judges

A huge thank you to our guest judges, who lent their discerning poetic eyes and love of wordplay to help choose the winners of the ONE® Poetry Contest.

man with black hair looking away with wood wall background

Jake Tringali

Jake's poetry appears in odd places, from Burning Man to Boston City Hall to punk clubs. His first poetry book is Poetry for the Neon Apocalypse.

See Their Website
blonde woman with red lipstick and blue backgroud

Isabella J. Mansfield

Isabella writes about anxiety, intimacy and body image both generally and as a woman with a disability. She is always looking for ways to bring a little humor into her deeply personal poems and is almost never sorry to make you cry.

See Their Website

Your Questions, Answered.

What is the Poe of Prophylactics poetry contest?

At ONE®, our mission has always been to make safer sex approachable, fun, and worth talking about — that’s why we use clever artwork and memorable wrapper designs to turn protection into self-expression. This poetry contest was an extension of that mission, blending creativity and community to celebrate words that feel as good as they sound!

Submissions were open from April through July 2025, bringing in over 1,100 poems. Because the winners were meant to be printed on our signature 2” round wrappers, entries were limited to 300 characters or less to keep things short and sweet! 

Through multiple rounds of judging, the field was narrowed from 400 poems to 100, then to 50 finalists. From August to October, our guest judges carefully reviewed the finalists, before passing the mic to the public. From October through December, voters chose their favorites from 30 standout poems, with 10 ultimately crowned as winners. ONE® staff then helped select an additional 12 poems. 

This collection will be featured on the wrappers of our Vanish® Hyperthin® condoms. The new Vanish designs featuring the poems will be available later in 2026!

Will we do it again? Who knows! What we do know is that we’ve got plenty more design contests and wrapper collections brewing, so stay tuned and stay protected!

Why does ONE® Condoms have different condom wrapper artwork?

ONE® wrappers are meant to be more than packaging — they’re tiny canvases that spark real conversations about safer sex. Our signature round wrappers feature bold, fun, and diverse artwork created by artists and the ONE® community because we believe protection should reflect individual style, self-expression, and inclusion. Artwork helps break the stigma around talking about sex and makes condoms something people want to share and talk about, not hide.

What are ONE® Vanish® condoms?

ONE® Vanish® Hyperthin® condoms are ultra-thin latex condoms designed to maximize sensation while still providing premium protection. They’re made with our advanced Sensatex® ultra-soft latex and premium lubricant so you can feel closer to your partner(s) without compromising comfort or reliability.

When will the Vanish® condoms with the poetry on them be available to buy?

The ONE® Vanish® condoms with the Poetry Contest winners will go into production around February, so they will be available in Fall of 2026. Make sure to sign up for ONE emails and text alerts so you’ll get notified.

What is the Art of ONE® program?

Our Art of ONE® program celebrates the creativity behind our wrapper designs. It’s a platform where artists — from friends of the brand to global creators — design unique condom artwork that turns everyday protection into art. Through curated collections, contests, and partnerships, Art of ONE® uses visual expression to make safer sex more approachable, meaningful, and fun.