National Poetry Competition is open for entries
The 2025 National Poetry Competition, run by the Poetry Society, is open for entries. This year’s judges are Denise Saul, Ian Duhig and Susannah Dickey. The first prize is £5,000. The entry fee is £8 for the first poem, and £6 for subsequent poems per submission. Poetry Society members are entitled to a free second poem. The deadline is 31 October. More details
ARTWORK: MYRIAM WARES
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21st June 2025
A view of the bridge: the 'love-nest' cottage of Monica Jones and Philip Larkin
To Haydon Bridge in Northumberland, to find the cottage where the poet Philip Larkin and his long-time lover, Monica Jones, met four or five times a year – a place that is rather archly described as a ‘love-nest’ on the plaque outside, at 1A Ratcliffe Road. Unimpressive at the front, but with a wond...
17th June 2025
Minding her language: Scots poet Len Pennie speaks out
In her mid-20s, Len Pennie is already a poetry phenomenon. She became renowned on social media such as TikTok during lockdown for posting a "Scots word of the day" and poetry videos. Her debut collect...
14th June 2025
An Alphabet of Storms: Henry Normal, Flapjack Press
For two decades or more, the name Henry Normal was most often associated with an illustrious string of hit television comedies such as The Mrs Merton Show, The Royle Family, The Mighty Boosh and Gavin...
13th June 2025
Set in stone: words from three makars on Scottish Parliament's Canongate Wall
Words from three of Scotland’s leading poets have been unveiled on the Scottish Parliament’s Canongate Wall, on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Earlier this year, over 5,000 public votes were cast to choose w...
12th June 2025
Footballer-cricketers and other curiosities: the entertaining poetry world of Matthew Paul
I am an unashamed fan of Matthew Paul’s poetry – so to describe his second collection as long-awaited is no exaggeration, as far as I am concerned. I gladly undertook the train journey from Northumber...
9th June 2025
Mike Jenkins to judge Welsh poetry competition
Mike Jenkins will be judging the £500 Welsh poetry competition. The deadline is 29 June. More details
6th June 2025
