National Poetry Competition
Encyclopedia
The National Poetry Competition is an annual poetry prize established in 1978. It is run by the UK-based Poetry Society
and accepts entries from all over the world, with over 10,000 poems being submitted to the competition each year. Winning has been an important milestone in the careers of many well known poets.
Carol Ann Duffy
, the current UK Poet Laureate
, won in 1983 with 'Whoever She Was'. Looking back in 2007 she commented: "in those days, one was still called a 'poetess'- so it meant a lot, as a young woman poet, to begin to try to change that". Christopher James, the 2008 winner, commented "if there is an unspoken Grand Slam circuit for poetry prizes, then the National Poetry Competition is definitely Wimbledon – it's the one everyone dreams of winning". Other prestigious names to have won the competition include Ruth Padel
, Jo Shapcott
, Sinéad Morrissey
, Ian Duhig
, Colette Bryce
and the poet and novelist Helen Dunmore
.
The competition runs annually, opening in the spring and closing in the autumn. A new team of judges (made up of three respected poets) is announced each year. The first prize is £5,000 and the top three winners are published in Britain's leading poetry magazine, Poetry Review.
Poetry Society
The Poetry Society is a membership organisation, open to all, whose stated aim is "to promote the study, use and enjoyment of poetry".The Society was founded in London in February 1909 as the Poetry Recital Society, becoming the Poetry Society in 1912...
and accepts entries from all over the world, with over 10,000 poems being submitted to the competition each year. Winning has been an important milestone in the careers of many well known poets.
Carol Ann Duffy
Carol Ann Duffy
Carol Ann Duffy, CBE, FRSL is a Scottish poet and playwright. She is Professor of Contemporary Poetry at the Manchester Metropolitan University, and was appointed Britain's poet laureate in May 2009...
, the current UK Poet Laureate
Poet Laureate
A poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
, won in 1983 with 'Whoever She Was'. Looking back in 2007 she commented: "in those days, one was still called a 'poetess'- so it meant a lot, as a young woman poet, to begin to try to change that". Christopher James, the 2008 winner, commented "if there is an unspoken Grand Slam circuit for poetry prizes, then the National Poetry Competition is definitely Wimbledon – it's the one everyone dreams of winning". Other prestigious names to have won the competition include Ruth Padel
Ruth Padel
Ruth Sophia Padel is a British poet, Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and Zoological Society of London. She also writes non-fiction and more recently fiction, broadcasts on wildlife, poetry and literature for BBC Radio 3 and 4, and is Writer in Residence at The Environment Institute,...
, Jo Shapcott
Jo Shapcott
Jo Shapcott FRSL, is an English poet, editor and lecturer who has won the National Poetry Competition, the Commonwealth Poetry Prize, the Costa Book of the Year Award, a Forward Poetry Prize and the Cholmondeley Award.-Career:...
, Sinéad Morrissey
Sinead Morrissey
Sinéad Morrissey is a poet from Northern Ireland.-Life:Raised in Belfast, she was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, where she took BA and PhD degrees, and won the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award in 1990...
, Ian Duhig
Ian Duhig
-Life:He was the eighth of eleven children born to Irish parents. He graduated from Leeds University.He worked for 15 years with homeless people.He is a writer and teacher of creating writing at various institutions, including the Arvon Foundation....
, Colette Bryce
Colette Bryce
Colette Bryce is a critically acclaimed poet from Derry, Northern Ireland. Bryce lived in London until 2002 when she moved to Scotland, followed by a move to the North East of England in 2005...
and the poet and novelist Helen Dunmore
Helen Dunmore
Helen Dunmore is a British poet, novelist and children's writer. Educated at the University of York, she now lives in Bristol....
.
The competition runs annually, opening in the spring and closing in the autumn. A new team of judges (made up of three respected poets) is announced each year. The first prize is £5,000 and the top three winners are published in Britain's leading poetry magazine, Poetry Review.
Winners
- 2010 - Paul Adrian: 'Robin In Flight'
- 2009 - Helen DunmoreHelen DunmoreHelen Dunmore is a British poet, novelist and children's writer. Educated at the University of York, she now lives in Bristol....
: 'The Malarkey' - 2008 - Christopher JamesChristopher JamesChristopher James may refer to:* Christopher James, 5th Baron Northbourne , British farmer and businessman* Chris James, American baseball player* Chris James , New Zealand soccer player* Christopher James , British poet...
: 'Farewell to the Earth' - 2007 - Sinéad MorrisseySinead MorrisseySinéad Morrissey is a poet from Northern Ireland.-Life:Raised in Belfast, she was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, where she took BA and PhD degrees, and won the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award in 1990...
: 'Through the Square Window' - 2006 - Mike Barlow: 'The Third Wife'
- 2005 - Melanie Drane: 'The Year the Rice-Crop Failed'
- 2004 - Jon Sait: 'Homeland'
- 2003 - Colette BryceColette BryceColette Bryce is a critically acclaimed poet from Derry, Northern Ireland. Bryce lived in London until 2002 when she moved to Scotland, followed by a move to the North East of England in 2005...
: 'The Full Indian Rope Trick' - 2002 - Julia CopusJulia CopusJulia Copus is a British poet and radio dramatist.-Career:Copus' books of poetry include The Shuttered Eye , which won her an Eric Gregory Award and was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best First Collection, and In Defence of Adultery...
: 'Breaking the Rule' - 2001 - Beatrice Garland: 'undressing'
- 2000 - Ian DuhigIan Duhig-Life:He was the eighth of eleven children born to Irish parents. He graduated from Leeds University.He worked for 15 years with homeless people.He is a writer and teacher of creating writing at various institutions, including the Arvon Foundation....
: 'The Lammas Hireling' - 1999 - Simon RaeSimon RaeSimon Rae is a British poet, broadcaster, biographer and playwright who runs the Top Edge Productions theatre company. He won the Poetry Society's National Poetry Competition in 1999 and has also been awarded an Eric Gregory Award and a Southern Arts Literature Bursary and held Royal Literary Fund...
: 'Believed' - 1998 - Caroline CarverCaroline CarverCaroline Carver, author. Her debut novel, Blood Junction , won the Crime Writers' Association Debut Dagger Award.Caroline Carver's critically acclaimed novels have been translated into over sixteen languages, and published in the United States as well as the United Kingdom.-Current work:Her latest...
: 'horse underwater' - 1997 - Neil RollinsonNeil Rollinson-Life:He studied at Newcastle University, but then moved to London.He was writer in residence at Wordworth’s Dove Cottage.He was 2007 writer-in-residence at Manchester's Centre For New Writing.He tutors at the Arvon Centre.-Awards:...
: 'Constellations' - 1996 - Ruth PadelRuth PadelRuth Sophia Padel is a British poet, Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and Zoological Society of London. She also writes non-fiction and more recently fiction, broadcasts on wildlife, poetry and literature for BBC Radio 3 and 4, and is Writer in Residence at The Environment Institute,...
: 'Icicles Round a Tree in Dumfriesshire' - 1995 - James Harpur: 'The Frame of Furnace Light'
- 1994 - David HartDavid HartDavid Hart may refer to:* David Berry Hart , Scottish surgeon and professor* David Hart , American actor* David Hart , Australian rules footballer...
: 'The Silkies' - 1993 - Sam GardinerSam GardinerAlderman Samuel Gardiner MBE JP MLA is a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland for the Ulster Unionist Party who is an MLA for Upper Bann...
: 'Protestant Windows' - 1992 - Stephen KnightStephen Knight (poet)Stephen Knight is a Welsh poet and writer. He received an Eric Gregory Award in 1987 and won the National Poetry Competition in 1992. He won the 2003 TLS/ Blackwells Poetry Competition for ‘The Long Way Home’. His writing deals with disappointment and decay, albeit with a lightness of...
: 'The Mermaid Tank' - 1991 - Jo ShapcottJo ShapcottJo Shapcott FRSL, is an English poet, editor and lecturer who has won the National Poetry Competition, the Commonwealth Poetry Prize, the Costa Book of the Year Award, a Forward Poetry Prize and the Cholmondeley Award.-Career:...
: 'Phrase Book' and John LevettJohn LevettJohn Levett of Wychnor Park, Staffordshire, was an English landowner and investor, and a Tory politician.-Biography:John Levett was the son of Theophilus Levett , Lichfield attorney and town clerk, and his wife Mary Babington, daughter of Zachary Babington. The Levett family had common roots in...
: 'A Shrunken Head' - 1990 - Nicky Rice: 'Room Service'
- 1989 - William ScammellWilliam Scammell-Life:He was born into a working-class family, but failed the 11-plus exam. His brother is Michael Scammell. He took a succession of menial jobs before becoming a ship's photographer on the RMS Queen Elizabeth and RMS Queen Mary....
: 'A World Elsewhere' - 1988 - Martin Reed: 'The Widow's Dream'
- 1987 - Ian DuhigIan Duhig-Life:He was the eighth of eleven children born to Irish parents. He graduated from Leeds University.He worked for 15 years with homeless people.He is a writer and teacher of creating writing at various institutions, including the Arvon Foundation....
: 'Nineteen Hundred and Nineteen' - 1986 - Carole SatyamurtiCarole SatyamurtiCarole Satyamurti is a British poet, sociologist, and translator.-Life:She grew up in Kent, and lived in North America, Singapore and Uganda....
: 'Between the Lines' - 1985 - Jo ShapcottJo ShapcottJo Shapcott FRSL, is an English poet, editor and lecturer who has won the National Poetry Competition, the Commonwealth Poetry Prize, the Costa Book of the Year Award, a Forward Poetry Prize and the Cholmondeley Award.-Career:...
: 'The Surrealists' Summer Convention Came to Our City' - 1984 - Tony CurtisTony CurtisTony Curtis was an American film actor whose career spanned six decades, but had his greatest popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in over 100 films in roles covering a wide range of genres, from light comedy to serious drama...
: 'The Death of Richard Beattie-Seaman in Belgian Grand Prix, 1939' - 1983 - Carol Ann DuffyCarol Ann DuffyCarol Ann Duffy, CBE, FRSL is a Scottish poet and playwright. She is Professor of Contemporary Poetry at the Manchester Metropolitan University, and was appointed Britain's poet laureate in May 2009...
: 'Whoever She Was' - 1982 - Philip GrossPhilip GrossPhilip Gross is a poet, novelist and playwright. He was born in Delabole, Cornwall and grew up in Plymouth. He lives in Penarth, South Wales, and was appointed Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Glamorgan in 2004, a position he still holds. He previously taught creative writing at...
: 'The Ice Factory' - 1981 - James BerryJames BerryJames Berry may refer to:*James Berry , English executioner, 1884–1891*James Berry, Puritan leader of Seat Pleasant, Maryland*James Henderson Berry , Governor and U.S...
: 'Fantasy of an African Boy' - 1980 - Tony HarrisonTony HarrisonTony Harrison is an English poet and playwright. He is noted for controversial works such as the poem V and Fram, as well as his versions of ancient Greek tragedies, including the Oresteia and Hecuba...
: 'Timer' - 1979 - Medbh McGuckianMedbh McGuckianMedbh McGuckian is a poet from Northern Ireland.-Biography:She was born the third of six children as Maeve McCaughan to Hugh and Margaret McCaughan in North Belfast. Her father was a school headmaster and her mother an influential art and music enthusiast...
: 'The Flitting' - 1978 - Michael HulseMichael HulseMichael Hulse is an English translator, critic, and poet.-Life and Works:Hulse has translated over sixty books from the German, among them works by Goethe, Rilke, and Jakob Wassermann. He is nowadays most familiar as the translator of three of W. G. Sebald's books: The Emigrants, The Rings of...
: 'Dole Queue'