The Magma 2022/23 Poetry Competition is now open for entries in both categories.
The Judge’s Prize – poems of 11 to 50 lines
The Editors’ Prize – poems of up to 10 lines
Read more here: Magma 2022/23 Poetry Competition
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older posts:
Magma 2021/22 Poetry Competition
We are delighted to announce the winners of our 2021/22 Poetry Competition
Read the poems here: Magma Poetry Competitions 2021/22 — Winning and Commended Poems
Winner of the JUDGE’S PRIZE judged by Marvin Thompson:
Gwen Sayers with Archbishop Tutu’s funeral seen from thousands of miles away
Second Prize:
Pen Kease with Talking coconuts in the staffroom
Third Prize:
Sophie Dumont with Notes addressed to the person who received my ex’s heart
Commended Poets:
Taymour Afdhal with Stumpgrinding
Helen Bowell with 闭口藏舌 / Close Your Mouth, Hide Your Tongue
Leah Larwood with House without Walls
Sophie Segura with Zodiac Is A Proprietary Eponym
James Sutherland Smith with A Walk in Winter
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Winner of the EDITORS’ PRIZE for poems of up to 10 lines, judged by Magma editors:
Tim Scott with Displacements (Armagh, 1972)
Second Prize:
Maria Ferguson with I didn’t get to say goodbye, I barely said hello
Third Prize:
Gavin Ritchie with Brilliant White
Commended Poets:
Jen Campbell with Fell
Jacqueline Hutchinson with Figure of Eight
Christopher M James with Minka
Oluwaseun Olayiwola with Uses of the Sky
Jim Patterson with Night Out
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Older posts:
Magma Poetry Competition 2020/21
Winning and Commended Poems
We are delighted to share the winning and commended poems from the Magma Poetry Competition 2020/21!
Click on the link below to read the poems:
Magma Poetry Competition 2020/21 Winning and Commended Poems
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Older posts
Magma Poetry Competition 2019/20
Winning and Commended Poems
We are delighted to share the winning and commended poems from the Magma Poetry Competition 2019/20!
Click on the link below to read the poems:
Magma Poetry Competition 2019/20 Winning and Commended Poems
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Magma Poetry Competition 2019/20 — Winners Announced
Magma Poetry is excited to announce the winners and commended poets for its 2019/20 Poetry Competition for both the Judge’s Prize and the Editors’ Prize.
Many thanks to everyone who entered our annual Competition. Our Judge Caroline Bird and Magma Editors’ have been busy reading thousands of entries and we have had some very tough choices to make, but we now have our list. Congratulations to all the winners and commendeds and huge thanks to everyone for your continuing support of Magma.
JUDGE’S PRIZE
FIRST PRIZE: Mark Russell from Arrochar, Scotland with Hospitality
SECOND PRIZE: Victoria Richards from London with The mothers scream into the void
THIRD PRIZE: Rachael Matthews from New York with Ventriloquism
COMMENDED POEMS in no particular order:
Cameron Brady-Turner from Hemel Hempsted with Animal Crossing
Katie O’Pray from Bedford with Four Kisses
Nicola Daly from Chester with All I know About: J
Sally Baker from Mytholmroyd, W. Yorks with Fear of Arsenical Green
Liam Bates from Wednesbury, W. Midlands with The Protagonist
EDITORS’ PRIZE
FIRST PRIZE: James Pollock from Madison, WI, USA with Goose Neck Lamp
SECOND PRIZE: Paul Nemser from Cambridge, MA, USA with Morning After
THIRD PRIZE: Lydia Harris from Orkney with Muldro
COMMENDED POEMS in no particular order:
Maria Isakova-Bennett from Liverpool with The Alt at Lunt Meadows
John Maguire from Northumberland with The artist responds to criticism
Ian Chamberlain from Teignmouth, Devon with Certificate PG
Dean Gessie from Ontario, Canada with existential deer
Kathy Pimlott from Covent Garden with After the Fall
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The three winning poems in each competition will be published in Magma 77, Act Your Age, and the Commended poems on the Magma website when the issue launches.
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We are delighted to announce the winners of Magma Poetry Competition 2018/19
Judge’s Prize
Judged by Andrew McMillan
First prize: Inua Ellams – ‘Fuck/Boys’
Second prize: Rowena Warwick – ‘Stillborn’
Third prize: Ben Strak – ‘Hangover’
Commended (in no particular order)
Milena Williamson – ‘On our night out’
Catherine Norris – ‘Break the fast with peaches’
Inessa Rajah – ‘Checklist’
Regina Weinert – ‘Sheffield Fox’
*The fifth commended poem for the Judge’s Prize has since been withdrawn by the poet
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Editors’ Prize
Judged by a panel of Magma Editors
First prize: Derek Hughes – ‘A Strange Boulder’
Second prize: Kathy Pimlott – ‘Entertaining Sammy Davis Jnr in St Ives, 1962‘
Third prize: Katie Hale – ‘Lanterns’
Commended (in no particular order)
Ian Patterson – ‘Violin’
Robyn Steely – ‘Still Life with Cigarette’
Ken Babstock – ‘Infinite Jump Glitch’
Claire Gallivan – ‘The Text’
Barbara Hickson – ‘At Logan Botanic Garden’
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We are delighted to be hosting our Prize Winners’ Reading in the beautiful and atmospheric setting of Exmouth Market Centre in Islington, North London. Book your tickets here
Supported by Arts Council England