Stanza Poetry Competition

 Neil RollinsonNeil Rollinson, 2013 judge

The 2013 Stanza Poetry Competition is now open!

We are delighted to announce that the 2013 judge is Neil Rollinson. Neil has published three collections of poetry: A Spillage of Mercury (1996), Spanish Fly (2001) and Demolition (2007), all published by Jonathan Cape, and P.B.S. recommendations. In 1997 he won the National Poetry Competition. www.neilrollinson.com

Closing date for entries is Friday 6 September and the winners will be announced on National Poetry Day, Thursday 3 October. The 2013 theme is 'DROUGHT'. Entry is FREE but entrants must be Poetry Society members (if you're not a member join here) who are also members of a Poetry Society Stanza. Find out more about this year's competition, including HOW TO ENTER.

The annual Stanza Competition began in 2007 and is open exclusively to Stanza members who are also Poetry Society members. Free entry. Prizes: The winning poet is given the choice of a free Poetry Prescription or a year’s Poetry Society membership - or the equivalent. There are two joint runners-up and ten commended poets. The theme for the competition is the antithesis or balance to that year's National Poetry Day theme.

Previous winners:

2012: Angela Stoner (Penzance), judged by John Siddique
2011: Julia Webb (Norwich), judged by Carrie Etter
2010: Michael Swan (Oxfordshire) judged by Sheenagh Pugh
2009: Julie Lumsden (Nottingham) judged by Philip Gross
2008: Richard Goodson (Nottingham) judged by Eleanor Cooke
2007: Emma Danes (Cambridge) judged by Roddy Lumsden