Essex Poetry festival
 
   
Open Poetry Competition Winners

here are the winners of the Essex Poetry Festival's 11th Open Poetry Competition, chosen by adjudicator George Szirtes.

1st prize  In Another Country Robert Butler of Bexlyheath, Kent 
2nd prize We Had a Little Summer  Wes Lee of Wellington, New Zealand 
3rd prize Elevator Talk Ryan Whatley of Bexhill, East Sussex  

The 4 Highly Commended are
Solitaire Valerie Morton from Wheathampstead, Herts  
By the River Maureen Gallagher from Galway, Ireland  
Waiting for Rain Jenny Morris from Norwich, Norfolk
Above Jenny Morris from Norwich, Norfolk 

Click here for George Szirtes comments on the poems


 
 
 
 
Adjudicator
   

Kathryn Simmonds' collection Sunday at the Skin Laundrette, won the Forward prize for best first collection 2008, she has an MA in writing from the University of East Anglia, she received an Eric Gregory Award in 2002.
Kathryn lives in London and is a tutor at Morley College & The Poetry School