Magma Open Poetry Pamphlet Competition 2026: Shortlist Announced

Thank you to everyone who entered this year’s pamphlet competition.

We are pleased to announce the 10 shortlisted pamphlets as chosen by our judge Marjorie Lotfi:

Ada’s Silent Word – Linda McDonald
Anglia File – Flora Beagley
Call Her the Locksmiths’ Daughter – Lydia Harris
Elder – Linda France
I wove my love an overcoat – Peter Julian Taylor
Songs of Other Names – Victoria Spires
The Architect’s Daughter – Alison Tan
The Bride’s Deceit and Other Mistranslations – Mary-Jane Holmes
Twice Islanded – Claire Cox
We are Daughters – Sheena Hussain

Our judge Marjorie Lotfi says:

‘The longlisted pamphlets were an absolute joy to read over the period of a month, surprising me with their use of language, depth of meaning, and breadth of perspective. With so many poems to admire, I knew choosing a shortlist would be difficult. In the end, the (twenty, then fifteen, and finally) ten pamphlets I selected were simply the ones I most wanted to keep re-reading.

‘What surprises me about the shortlisted pamphlets isn’t their similarities but their differences, both across the bodies of work and between individual poems. Some of these works are a collection of individual poems on a loose theme, while others follow a narrative arc or a more structured story, taking us across centuries and continents. Included are poems about the natural world, the refugee crisis, growing up abroad, re-tellings of myth and history, and so many compelling personal narratives. Ultimately, what these ten pamphlets have in common is that as a reader I returned to them again and again, and that each of the poems contained within them is beautifully judged, with language that left me curious and wanting more.’

We will be featuring a poem here from each of the shortlisted pamphlets in the next few days – keep your eyes peeled!