Guernsey International Poetry Competition 2025
Judged by Imtiaz Dharkar
Competition deadline
Competition deadline 15 Jan 2025
Our Judge for 2025: Imtiaz Dharkar
Imtiaz Dharker is a poet, artist and video film maker, and the Chancellor of Newcastle University since 2022. She was awarded the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 2014. Her seven collections, all published by Bloodaxe Books, include Over the Moon and the latest, Shadow Reader. Her poems have featured on BBC Radio, television, the London Underground, Glasgow billboards and Mumbai buses. She has had eleven solo exhibitions of drawings and scripts and directs video films, many of them for non-government organisations working in shelter, education and health for women and children in India.
Filter judge Candy Neubert was born in Guernsey. Her poetry collections Channel and Island are inspired by Guernsey.
Poetry winners’ reading at the Guernsey Literary Festival
Guernsey is an exceptional and inspiring location for a literary festival with an abundance of natural beauty and a thriving Arts scene. The 2025 Guernsey Literary Festival takes place from 25th April – 4th May 2025
The festival offers a varied and energetic celebration of literature with something for everyone – from aspiring writers to families looking for a fun day out. For more information on events in 2025 visit guernseyliteraryfestival.com.
We invite you to join us for the International Poetry Competition Winners’ Reading on Friday 2nd May 2025.
Categories & prizes
Three finalists in each category, and a further 12 poems for the bus exhibition will be selected by the judge. The judge’s decision is final.
Poems on the Move Exhibition 2025
Nine finalists, three from each category.
Poems on the Buses Exhibition 2025
All nine finalists, and a further 12 poems from all categories.
Open Poetry
Entries £4 per poem
or enter 3 poems for £10
1st prize £1000
2nd place £500
3rd place £250
Channel Islands’ Poetry†
Ages 18 and over, born
or resident* in the
Channel Islands
Entries £4 per poem
or enter 3 poems for £10
1st prize £250
2nd place £50
3rd place £30
Young People’s Poetry†
Aged 11-17*
Free Entry
1st prize £250
2nd place £50
3rd place £30
2024 Winners
Judged by Paul Muldoon
Open Poetry
Channel Islands’ Poetry
Young People’s Poetry
Poems on the Buses Exhibition
-
Bus
Basho at Dawn - Tom Bryan
Read poem -
Bus
Carboniferous Limestone - Michael Powell
Read poem -
Bus
Gaslight - John Atkinson
Read poem -
Bus
Hat - Andy Jackson
Read poem -
Bus
I tried to write a break-up poem
Read poem
but I wrote this instead - Tom Bailey -
Bus
Low tide - Lynda Plater
Read poem -
Bus
Sir Lowry’s Pass - Sarah Frost
Read poem -
Bus
The Electrician - Vanessa Lampert
Read poem -
Bus
The Geese Return - Alison Stark
Read poem -
Bus
The Optimism Principle - Ken Evans
Read poem -
Bus
The sparrowhawk - Margaret Wilmot
Read poem -
Bus
THE SWIM - Sally Festing
Read poem -
Bus
Things i can finally afford - AV Bridgwood
Read poem -
Bus
When the Knacker Man Visits the Barn - Christina Thatcher
Read poem