Guernsey International Poetry Competition 2020

Judge: Simon Armitage

See the 2020 winners

Sponsored by

Guernsey Post

The Guernsey Literary Festival, together with the generous support of Guernsey Post, presents a competition that could deliver your work to thousands of readers.

Winning entries will be displayed

  • on Guernsey buses
  • a smaller selection will take part in a second, larger display at Guernsey Airport, then all over the islands

Poems on the Move

Your poem could be on show in 2020. The Guernsey Literary Festival, together with the Guernsey Arts Commission and the generous support of Guernsey Post, presents a competition that could deliver your work to thousands of readers.

Winning entries are selected in two phases: 21 poems will be chosen, and 9 of these will take part in a second, larger display, first at Guernsey Airport, then all over the island.

Entries must be no longer than 14 lines and must fit on a single A4 page.

Guernsey Literary Festival 2020

Guernsey’s natural beauty, and its picturesque harbour town of St Peter Port, make the island an exceptional location for a literary festival. The eighth Guernsey Literary Festival takes place from 29th April – 3rd May. We offer a varied and energetic celebration of literature with something for everyone – from aspiring writers to families looking for a fun day out.

For details of the usual heady mix of writers, talks, workshops and performance visit the Guernsey Literary Festival website.

We invite you to join us for the International Poetry Competition Winners’ Reading on 29th April 2020.

Categories

  • Open Poetry

    ages 18 and over*

    Entries £4 per poem or enter 3 poems for £10

  • Channel Islands’ Poetry

    ages 18 and over, born or resident* in the Channel Islands†

    Entries £4 per poem or enter 3 poems for £10

  • Young People’s Poetry

    aged 12-17*

    Entry free

*age and resident on 15th January 2020

†Poems submitted in the Channel Island category are also entered into the Open category

Our Judge for 2020
Simon Armitage

Photo of Simon Armitage

Simon Armitage is the UK Poet Laureate and was Oxford Professor of Poetry (2015-2019). His numerous accolades include an Ivor Novello Award for song-writing in the BAFTA-winning film Feltham Sings and the 2018 Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry. Armitage has published 28 collections of poetry, including his latest, Sandettie Light Vessel Automatic, and his acclaimed translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. He also writes extensively for television and radio, and is the author of two novels and the non-fiction bestsellers All Points North, Walking Home and Walking Away. His theatre works include The Last Days of Troy, performed at Shakespeare's Globe in 2014. He was appointed Professor of Poetry at Leeds University in 2017.

Filter judge Candy Neubert is a poetry reader for the Bridport Prize. Her last two poetry collections, Channel and Island, were partly inspired by Guernsey.

Photo: Peter James Millson

2020 Winners

  • Open Category

    1st Prize: ‘Angela Once Said That Parenting Is Immersive’ Jane Wilkinson, UK, £1000

    2nd Prize: ‘Cinematic’, Jane Wilkinson, UK, £500

    3rd Prize: ‘The Calling’, Paul Stephenson, UK, £250


  • Channel Islands’ Category

    1st Place: ‘Expat’, Simon Crowcroft, Jersey

    2nd Place: ‘A Good Pourer’, Juliette Hart, Jersey

    3rd Place: ‘Shower’, Cameron Parker, Guernsey

  • Young People’s Category

    1st Place: ‘A Different Hunger’, Sarah Nazir, Lancashire

    2nd Place: ‘A Little Change’, Maddy Pope, Guernsey

    3rd Place: ‘Sun’s A’ Blazin’’, Rebecca Gibson, Guernsey

Read the 2020 winners

Judge’s Report 2020

Poems on the Buses Winners

  • ‘Boy’, Christina Buckton, Cambridge

    ‘Maridi’, Matt Bryden, Somerset

    ‘Unforgiven At The Company Reunion’, Brian Clark, North Yorkshire

    ‘Yellow House’, Ion Corcos, Australia

  • ‘Couples Holiday’, Ian Mcewen, Bedford

    ‘The Apple Peeler’, Bruce Meyer, Canada

    ‘Jasmine Tea’, Bruce Meyer, Canada

    ‘Teacups’, Bruce Meyer, Canada

  • ‘Man And Boy’, David Smith, Derbyshire

    ‘Waking’, Phil Vernon, Kent

    ‘Pear’, Peter Wallis, Norfolk

    ‘Heron’, Patricia Helen Wooldridge, Hampshire

12 poems listed alphabetically by poet's surname.

All poems from the Poems on the Buses Exhibition.

Previous Competitions

2019 Winners
Judge: Maura Dooley Read Judge’s Report
2018 winners
Judge: Daljit Nagra View Judge’s Report
2017 winners
Judge: Gwyneth Lewis
2016 winners
Judge: Ian McMillan
2015 winners
Judge: Andrew Motion