Poetry Contests 2023: Celebrating the National Competition Winners and Beyond

Poetry contests serve as vital platforms, amplifying new voices and honoring established poets within the vibrant landscape of contemporary literature. Among the most esteemed is the National Poetry Competition, run by The Poetry Society. Each year, this competition attracts submissions from around the globe, seeking that single, unpublished poem that captures the judges’ imagination and resonates deeply with the human experience. For many poets, success in prestigious poetry contests 2023 offered significant recognition and momentum for their careers. Looking back at the past year and recent editions provides valuable insight into the trends and talents shaping English language poetry.

The National Poetry Competition: A Beacon for Poetic Talent

The National Poetry Competition holds a significant place in the poetry world, known for discovering and celebrating exceptional poems. Its history spans several decades, consistently highlighting works that demonstrate mastery of craft, originality of thought, and emotional power. While the competition looks forward to new submissions each year, reflecting on past results, particularly from major poetry contests like this in 2023, offers inspiration and a benchmark of poetic excellence.

Spotlight on Poetry Contests 2023: The National Competition Results

The National Poetry Competition for 2023 culminated in an announcement of winners on 25th March at Art Workers’ Guild in London. The results of this major event in the calendar of poetry contests 2023 provided significant recognition for the featured poets.

2023 Winners and Commended Poets

The top prizes recognized poems for their distinct voices and compelling themes:

• 1st Prize: Imogen Wade for ‘The Time I Was Mugged In New York City’
• 2nd Prize: Fawzia Muradali Kane for ‘Eric’
• 3rd Prize: Rency Jumaoas Raquid for ‘Like Her’

A selection of commended poets also received recognition for their strong entries:

• Anna Selby, ‘Liberty Caps’
• A.V. Bridgwood, ‘You have eaten the patriarchy’
• george graves, ‘crying at video’
• Harriet Jae, ‘God has M.E.’
• Katie O’Pray, ‘Sertraline Fever’
• Jack Nicholls, ‘To Do’
• Madeleine Wurzburger, ‘Oranges’

These poems showcase a range of styles and subjects, from personal narratives to explorations of contemporary life and emotion, reflecting the diverse work found in many significant poetry contests 2023.

The 2023 Longlist

The competition also honored a substantial longlist of poets whose work stood out from the thousands of entries. This list represents a broad spectrum of talent and offers a glimpse into the depth of contemporary poetry being written in the English language. The longlisted poets for the 2023 competition included:

Matt Abbott, Nicole Adabunu, Tomi Adegbayibi, Sanah Ahsan, Luke Allan, Audrey Ardern-Jones, Polly Atkin, Tiffany Atkinson, Becky Balfourth, Emily Barker, Sarah Barr, AJ Baumel, Ayomide Bayowa, Sharon Black, Adrian Blackledge, Paul Blake, Leo Boix, Claire Booker, Tim Bradford, Paula Brancato, Izzy Brittain, Michael Brown, Kizziah Burton, Michael Chang, Alexandra Chand, Kate Clanchy, Geraldine Clarkson, Michael Coley-Smith, Leyla Colpan, Courtney Conrad, Michael Connaughton, Alexandra Corrin-Tachibana, Ishan Costello, Jenny Danes, Caroline Davies, Chantale Davies, Annie Davison, Hélène Demetriades, Diepreye, Jack Dunlop, Ruby Eastwood, Shakeema Edwards, Geraint Ellis, Richard Evans, Marie-Louise Eyres, Pascal Fallas, Tamsyn Farr, Cleo Felstead, Mark Fiddes, Victoria Gatehouse, Sarah Gibbons, Kiara Gilbert, Hannah Godden, Rich Goodson, Katie Griffiths, Fee Griffin, Bethany Handley, Susannah Hart, Emily Harrison, Jack Haworth, Erica Hesketh, Sam Hickford, Susan E Holland, Sarah Hulme, Sharan Hunjan, Kirsten Irving, Helen Ivory, Molly Jackson, Harriet Jae, James Bradley, Emma Jeremy, Kirsty Jones, Lydia Kennaway, Safiya Kamaria Kinshasa, Logan Klutse, Kate Kuhlmann, Vanessa Lampert, Clara-Laeila Laudette, Emma Lee, Hershel Lidan, Marilyn Longstaff, lisa luxx, Kevin MacAlan, Ewan Mackinnon, David McCormack, Paul McMahon, Clive McWilliam, Maurane, David May, Alex Mepham, Hannah Morrison, JLM Morton, Elias Noren, Oluwaseun Olayiwola, Kathryn O’Borne, Rebecca O’Connor, Neil O’Hara, Ann Pilling, Felicity Plunkett, Sarah Powell, Wendy Pratt, Mallory Profeta, Rose Proudfoot, Victoria Pugh, Amanda Quaid, Helen Quah, GS Quinn, Alesha Racine, Tom Rees, Dave Robertson, Rosie Rockel, Sharon Rockman, Stevie Ronnie, Phoebe Rose, Terese Säljö, Jane Satterfield, Rami Schandall, Amy Schofield, Laura Scott, Tim Scott, Mara Adamitz Scrupe, Michael Naghten Shanks, Hannah Silva, Tracey Slaughter, Caroline Smith, Meier Smith, Brian Sneeden, Sue Spiers, Jean Stevens, Mark Stewart, Anne Stillings, Angus Strachan, Laura Strickland, Errol T, Christina Thatcher, Jane Talbot, Charlotte Salkind, Royston Tester, Lauren Thomas, Oenone Thomas, Marvin Thompson, Pam Thompson, Basil du Toit, Eliza O’Toole, Harriet Torr, Aileen La Tourette, Cat Turhan, Suzannah V Evans, Jack Walters, Christian Ward, Isabel Waters-Widmanski, Rishika Williams, Olivia Wilson, Carson Wolfe, Shaw Worth, William Wyld, Hebe Yu.

Meet the 2023 Judges

The task of selecting the winning poems fell to a distinguished panel of judges: Jane Draycott, Will Harris, and Clare Pollard. Their expertise spans various aspects of poetry and publishing, bringing diverse perspectives to the challenging process of evaluating submissions for one of the premier poetry contests 2023 had to offer.

Judges Jane Draycott, Will Harris, and Clare Pollard for the 2023 National Poetry Competition

Beyond 2023: Recent National Poetry Competition Results

To understand the trajectory and impact of the National Poetry Competition, it’s helpful to look at results from years adjacent to the 2023 poetry contests. This reveals the consistency of the competition’s quality and the ongoing evolution of contemporary poetic voices.

2024 Results

Most recently, the 2024 National Poetry Competition winners were announced.

• 1st prize: Fiona Larkin, ‘Absence has a grammar’
• 2nd prize: Matt Barnard, ‘Two boys at midnight’
• 3rd prize: Sorrel Briggs, ‘Heaven Down’

Commended poets for 2024 included Andrew Dennison, Kit Buchan, Chris Beckett, Yong-Yu Huang, Lesley Sharpe, Lee Knapper, and Hannah Perrin King.

The 2024 longlist featured an extensive list of poets from various backgrounds, including names like Vasiliki Albedo Liapi, Bruce Alexander, Sarah Al-Hajj, Jeremy Audet, and many others, highlighting the continuous stream of talent entering the field. The judges for 2024 were Romalyn Ante, John McAuliffe, and Stephen Sexton.

2022 Results

Announced on 29 March 2023, the 2022 competition saw over 17,800 poems submitted from 8,112 poets worldwide. This scale underscores the competition’s global reach and influence, characteristic of major poetry contests.

• 1st prize winner: Lee Stockdale, ‘My Dead Father’s General Store in the Middle of a Desert’
• 2nd prize winner: Tife Kusoro, ‘the only other dark-skinned girl’
• 3rd prize winner: Freya Bantiff, ‘God the Whale’

Commended poets for 2022 included Mike Barlow, Elena Croitoru, Caroline Druitt, Susannah Hart, Rosie Jackson, Jennifer Nadel, and Jeri Onitskansky. The judges were Greta Stoddart, Jason Allen-Paisant, and Michael Symmons Roberts. The 2022 longlist, like other years, was a testament to the vibrant international community writing poetry.

2021 Results

The 2021 competition results were announced on 31 March 2022. The judges—Fiona Benson, David Constantine, and Rachel Long—selected ten poems from 16,729 entries by 7,012 poets across 100 countries.

• 1st prize winner: Eric Yip for ‘Fricatives’
• 2nd prize winner: Jed Myers for ‘I Picture Him Driving’
• 3rd prize winner: Emma Purshouse for ‘Catherine Eddowes’ tin box as a key witness’

Commended poets included Jo Haslam, Lindsey Holland, Martin Reed, J.C. Todd, Kizziah Burton, HLR, and M.R. Peacocke. The comprehensive longlist for 2021 also celebrated a wide array of poetic voices. For those interested in tracing the emergence of important voices in contemporary verse, reviewing the winners and longlists from significant poetry contests 2023, 2022, and 2021 provides a compelling overview. Looking back at the works honored by these famouse poems competitions can offer valuable insights.

The Impact of Poetry Contests

Poetry contests, including major events like the National Poetry Competition, play a crucial role in the literary ecosystem. They provide tangible goals for poets, offering not only monetary prizes but also invaluable exposure and validation. For readers and enthusiasts, the results of poetry contests 2023 and other years serve as curated lists of compelling new work to explore. They highlight emerging talent and reinforce the enduring power of poetry to capture and communicate complex human emotions and experiences. Whether exploring themes reminiscent of fourth of july poetry in their celebratory scale or delving into the profound introspections found in classic works, the poems recognized in these contests represent some of the finest writing being produced today.

In conclusion, the National Poetry Competition stands as a significant event among poetry contests. The results from 2023, alongside those from 2024, 2022, and 2021, offer a rich source of information about contemporary poets and the themes and styles that are currently resonating with readers and critics. Exploring the winners and longlists from these prestigious competitions is a rewarding endeavor for anyone who appreciates the art of poetry.