First Prize Winner: ‘myther’ by Tracey Hope.

Matrifocal. Vatic. Mournful. Myther explores loss of connection with identity and environment. Form often symbolises a breakdown. Humanity disrespects the Earth and fails to connect with the voice of the sea. Grendel’s mother, an ancient matriarch, is mistranslated Succeeding poems are personal, lamenting a loss of identity as a mother and a woman.

Runner Up: ‘Leafing’ by Christina Hennemann

Against the backdrop of climate catastrophe, the speaker of these poems goes on a journey of self-discovery in a time of multiple crises. Peeling away layer by layer, the speaker reveals their self and creates room to grow and branch out, but always in close connection with nature and the environment.

Runner Up: ‘Naming the storm’ by Mark G. Pennington

A confessional work which follows a life through varying stages, from a stay in hospital to living rough to working as a cleaner in a car dealership. There are also poems on nature and travel, with a view of the world that is both wondrous and wrought with terror.

All 3 Titles will be published in 2024.

Announcing the Top 10 Finalists:

David Belcher – Unravelling the knot
Cat Dixon – The Letters Between Us
Christina Hennemann – Leafing
Tracey Hope – myther
Wendy Klein – Having her Cake
Marie Papier – After Picasso there’s only God
Mary Mulholland – me&/-   
Peter Kenny – 24/7
Danne Jobin – SCAR TISSUE
Mark G. Pennington – Naming the storm

The Winners will be announced in the coming week.

In no particular order, here are the 22 entries that made the Longlist:

Cat Dixon: The Letters Between Us
Daphne Harries: Latent Images
Linda Burnett: Cloud Shutters
Martin Rieser: On Broken Knees
Peter J. King: Pocket Poems
Peter Keeble: Towards Boogie Heaven
Peter Kenny: 24/7
Wendy Klein: Having her Cake
Emilia Cooke: A Skinful of Love & Blood-filled Bodies
Christina Hennemann: Leafing
Crystal Anderson: The Coagulate
Peter Allmond: Winged This Side of Heaven
Marie Papier: After Picasso there’s only God
Beth Brooke: It Will Be A Long Way Down
Richard Doyle: The Slough Psalter 
Christopher M James: The Great Belonging
Danne Jobin: SCAR TISSUE
Tracey Hope: myther
David Belcher: Unravelling the knot
Mary Mulholland: me&/-   
Mark G. Pennington: Naming the storm
Ansuya Patel: I Had Asked For You 

This will be pared down to a Shortlist of no more than 10 by next week.