National Poetry Competition 2006
"The Third Wife" comes first for Mike Barlow.
Judges John Burnside, Lee Harwood and Alice Oswald selected Mike's poem out of over 10,000 entries on 16 February 2007.
Despite being initially lost for words Mike had the following to say: "A number of friends have previously won major prizes and I remember how affirming I found that, great pleasure on their behalf and also a sense that these things happen to real people, my peers. So I hope the success of this poem of mine will give similar encouragement."
Mike received his award at Dr Johnson's House on Friday 23 March (see podcast on right). The event was attended by judges John Burnside, Lee Harwood, Alice Oswald, Poetry Society president and twice winner, Jo Shapcott as well as leading figures from the poetry and publishing world.
Hear Mike talking about his poem.
The Third Wife
My first wife knew no more than me, no telling
where her needs ended, mine began. One day though
I turned the hill to find the boat moored in the field,
the house out in the bay, adrift, door open wide.
I rowed out to a message on the mat: gone
to my cousin's place in Valparaiso.
My second wife blew ashore in a force ten
leading a shipload of apprentices astray
with her white dress, her turned-up Nordic nose,
her precious bible clutched in a manicure hand.
No matter how I pumped, the organ of her heart played flat,
her painted smile as wooden as a figurehead's.
My third wife won't say where she lives.
She comes to me when the tides are right,
stays longer if a wind's got up or fog's come down.
I stroke the warm loaves of her biceps, kiss
dimpled elbows, listen for the souch
our breathing makes when we're together.
She has cousins everywhere. They post her money
in denominations the local shop won't take
or drop by uninvited while we're having tea. They push me
into corners, whisper her address. I turn a deaf ear.
This is my third wife I explain, who's known
many husbands, some worse some better than me.
A bit more about Mike Barlow.
It is only in the last ten years that writing has become a compulsive activity for Barlow and already he has achieved success. He won First Prize in the Amnesty International Competition 2002 and First Prize in the Ledbury Competition 2005. His first collection, Living on the Difference, won the Poetry Business Competition in 2003 and was short-listed for the Jerwood Aldeburgh Prize. Mike has read at the Troubadour, London, Lancaster Literature Festival and Aldeburgh Festival, as well as smaller regional venues.As well as writing poetry Mike Barlow has always practised as a visual artist, making paintings, drawings and wall-hung constructions. He belonged to co-ooperatives studios in Lancaster for many years and currently works from a barn outside Lancaster, near the Forest of Bowland.
How to enter
If you would like to enter the National Poetry Competition 2008 send an SAE to Competition Organiser (web) 22 Betterton Street, London WC2H 9BX or enter online.
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