Poets of all ages are invited to enter this year's Waltham Forest Poetry Competition, and the theme is Music.
Forest Poets has run the competition every year since 2018, celebrating both established and aspiring writers. There are Adult and Young Poet categories, local prizes for people who live, work or study in Waltham Forest, and, new this year, an award for the funniest poem.
The deadline for entries is Monday 19 October. Full details and submission guidelines are at bit.ly/wfpoetrycomp.
A free night of poetry in December
Winners and commended poets will read their work at a free awards evening on Tuesday 8 December at 7.30pm at Ye Olde Rose and Crown Theatre Pub in Walthamstow, where judge Suzanna Fitzpatrick will also perform. Free tickets can be booked through Eventbrite.
Last year's winners
The 2025 competition, on the theme Weather/Whether, drew more than 1,000 anonymous entries from nearly 600 poets in 26 countries.
The adult prize went close to home, to Walthamstow's Tusshara Nalakumar Srilatha for her poem "Turn Back the Day", which the judge praised for its "sensuous language and surprising imagery". The young poet award went to 11-year-old Fatima Sara Dar for "The Great Stink", a poem inspired by her cat.
