I found myself in conversation with another editor recently and realised that despite being a published poet herself, she didn’t send work out to magazines. I asked why. ‘Well, apart from the one I edit, none of them are any good.’ We both laughed at this and I managed to not indignantly exclaim Hold on, what about PBLJ?! It was …
In Search of Spring: Can Poetry Change the World? by Vanessa Kisuule
I’m often asked about the Purpose of Poetry. Usually, I’m armed with a scattering of stock answers, duty bound to extoll its virtues. I have a vested interest, of course; an irrational desire to account for my professional choices. But in times like these, its a question I’m taking more seriously. A pandemic. A war. A volatile government. Bills that …
Winners announced for the 2022 Women Poets’ Prize
Poets Prerana Kumar, Dillon Jaxx and Jennifer Lee Tsai have been announced as the winners of the 2022 Women Poets’ Prize at the inaugural one-day Women Poets’ Festival at the National Centre for Writing, Norwich. The biennial prize, founded by the Rebecca Swift Foundation and supported by FMcM, is awarded to three women writers who each receive a holistic package …
Women Poets’ Prize 2022 shortlist revealed
Judges Penelope Shuttle, Abi Palmer, and Nikita Gill have selected the “vital, varied and exciting” poets shortlisted for the third iteration of our biennial Prize.
Women Poets’ Prize 2022 – our longlisted poets, in their own words…
We’re delighted to announce the thirty poets who make up our 2022 longlist for the Women Poets’ Prize
On entering poetry competitions: Tips from a sifter reader by Julia Webb
As a freelancer and believer in the power of the written word I have many hats – some I wear for money and some I wear for the simple love of the hat. Two of these hats involve poetry competitions – one I sift for (for money), the other I print all the poems for and send them to the …
Women Poets’ Prize 2022 launches with a new festival in partnership with the National Centre for Writing
Writers and artists including Helen Mort, Victoria Adukwei Bulley and Sophie Herxheimer lead programme of workshops and performances, with the 2022 winners announced live at Dragon Hall in Norwich New festival looks to prioritise accessibility and hybridity, ensuring remote attendees equally catered for Submissions now open for the third prize year, judged by Penelope Shuttle, Nikita Gill and Abi Palmer …
A dream cut out of the air by Joelle Taylor
There is no way to succeed in poetry. There is no way to fail. There is only poetry. Everything else is noise off-stage. The prize is the piece of writing you just found hidden in the air. The prize is indistinct. The prize is each other. The prize is the conversation, is being included, is having your thoughts carefully weighed. …
Be where the people are by Jemilea Wisdom-Baako
I step into boardrooms unsure of myself, the lanyard around my neck has a cute photo I took at the reception desk with my name; and title – Founder of Writerz and Scribez CIC. What does it mean to create something, to take it out of your mind and imagination and turn it into a living, breathing thing? My arts …
On reading writers I don’t know and whose names I can’t pronounce by Shazea Quraishi
As I write this, my view is of our tiny back garden where through the open window I can hear a child crying, someone playing the drums, Mehboob’s mother calling him. If I stand at my front door, I can see that the corner-shop-which-used-to-be-a-pub is now open, the Kurdish family who run it, having come from miles away. This is …