International Poetry Competition

Poems written in English, from poets anywhere in the world, on any subject. There are no restrictions on poem length or style; a short poem has just as much chance of selection as a longer one.

Prizes

Judge: James Bain

James Bain is a spoken-word and visual artist originally from Glasgow, now based in North West England. He was poet in residence at Formby Shore in 2018; his poems from that period appeared in The New Bridge (2022).

Entry fees

One poem £3.50; three poems £8; five poems £10; eight poems £15. All fees are in pounds sterling.

How to enter

1. Pay the appropriate fee using the PayPal form below and keep the transaction reference.
2. Email your poems to comps@poetrykit.org. Put “International Poetry Competition entry” in the subject line.
3. In the email body, include your name, postal address, email address, poem titles and payment transaction reference.
4. Attach all poems together in one Word or plain-text file. Do not include your name or identifying details in the poems or attachment. PDF attachments are not accepted.

Competition rules

• Poems must be original, unpublished work by the entrant, written in English.
• Entries are judged anonymously. The poet's name and other identifying details must not appear in the submitted poems.
• Entrants must provide their actual name, even if they wish to publish under a pen name.
• Entries must be sent by email, not by post, and must arrive before the published deadline.
• Once submitted, poems cannot be altered or withdrawn from judging.
• Copyright remains with the poet. Poetry Kit reserves the right to publish shortlisted poems on its website.
• The judge's decision is final; correspondence about judging decisions cannot be entered into.
• In exceptional circumstances Poetry Kit reserves the right to vary the prizes.

For questions about entries, email comps@poetrykit.org.