Foyle Young Poets 2009

Foyle Young Poets

Run by the UK Poetry Society

Closing date 31 July 2009

No entry fee

Open to all young people aged 11-17 from all over the world, The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award will be judged by top poets Lemn Sissay and Selima Hill.

This is only poetry prize of its kind that seeks to unearth, promote and support young poetic talent from across the UK. To enter all you need is to be someone who questions, explores, delights in, or is just simply inspired by the world around you.

In a time of change and uncertainty, our young poets are powerfully voicing what many in power are struggling to articulate. Since the launch of the Foyle Young Poets Award 12 years ago, winners have addressed difficult issues such as terrorism, prejudice and violence. Their poems challenge the misperceptions that young voices have nothing to say.

Those young poets whose work is selected as the most promising will attend a week long residential course at a prestigious Arvon Centre, where they will be tutored by this year’s judges, Lemn Sissay and Selima Hill. Those winners under the age of 14 will receive a visit to their school from a professional poet.

Lemn Sissay has this message to spur on any would-be young poets out there:

‘Get writing! If you don’t do it now then when will you? I bet some of you write poetry secretly. Why secretly? You use your imagination everyday, even if you think you don’t…Write yourself a dream or a nightmare. Say what you never thought you could say. Write that secret. Write that lyrical poem. Write that funny poem. Write if you’ve never written a poem before.’

For more details and to download an entry form