Saturday 11 July 2015

The Ware Poets' Competition 2015

Last night I attended the reading and celebration of the Ware Poets' competition for 2015, which I judged. I like a number of aspects of this competition. In addition to the prizewinners, another fifteen or so poems can be highly commended, and all 23 poems, in this case, were published in a slim anthology. At the celebration, the first half is devoted to the reading of all 23 poems: where the poets themselves couldn't be present, different members of Ware Poets read the poems--and read them well, no one having responsibility for more than a single poem and apparently practiced. It meant all 23 were treated like winners--as is only right when they constitute the top 2% of the poems submitted! (In the second half, I read from Imagined Sons.)

There are also no sifters for the Ware Poets' competition: I saw every single poem. I think that allows for a greater range among the chosen poems. Anyway, congratulations to all 23 winners, with my thanks for your work!

3 comments:

  1. Still don't know who won. Is there a reason for Ware not posting results?

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    1. They don't have a website, but I'll post the winners here from my copy of the anthology:

      First place: Lisa Megraw
      Second: Shaun Gardiner
      Third (joint): Kathyrn Lund and Eleanor J. Vale

      Sonnet prize co-winners: Shaun Gardiner and Sarah Wilkinson

      Highly commended: Sharon Black (2 poems), Geraldine Clarkson (2), Claire Dyer (2), John Freeman, Katherine Gallagher, Katie Hale, Marilyn Hammick, Gaia Holmes, Jane Kite, Ilse Pedler, Meryl Pugh, Jacquelyn Saphra, Peter Wallis and arah Watkinson.

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  2. Sorry, that should be Sarah Watkinson under both sonnet prize co-winners and highly commended--I shouldn't post so late at night!

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