THE PRIZE WINNERS IN OUR 2021 OPEN COMPETITION HAVE NOW BEEN POSTED HERE
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED.
OUR JUDGE RISHI DASTIDAR ENJOYED READING YOUR WORK, BUT HAD TO SELECT ONLY SEVEN PRIZE WINNERS FROM ALMOST 2500 ENTRIES.
We look forward to welcoming your poems in our 2022 competition, which will open in October. Watch this space!
kentandsussexpoetry 
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Sorry here’s my poem. It’s about my life growing up on the Isle of Sheppey with my brother Nick.
From the age of three, he had to wear crude iron callipers due to Perthes disease, a painful condition that affects the hips.
For the next five years I pushed him around the island in a succession of second-hand prams pushchairs and home-made barrows.
Here’s my poem:
Here’s my poem. It’s about my life growing up on the Isle of Sheppey with my brother Nick.
From the age of three, he had to wear crude iron callipers due to Perthes disease, a painful condition that affects the hips.
For the next five years I pushed him around the island in a succession of second-hand prams pushchairs and home-made barrows.
Here’s my poem: Here’s my poem. It’s about my life growing up on the Isle of Sheppey with my brother Nick.
From the age of three, he had to wear crude iron callipers due to Perthes disease, a painful condition that affects the hips.
For the next five years I pushed him around the island in a succession of second-hand prams pushchairs and home-made barrows.
Here’s my poem:
The smell of the meadow, the warmth of the sun,
The sheep in the distance, another day won
The scent of the sea, wafting in on the breeze,
The beautiful blossom, adorning the trees
The beauty of summer, long halcyon days
The shimmering sun in the heat and the haze
The strains of a skylark, so high in the sky
So daintily flirting, to challenge the eye.
The trickling of water, alone in the brook
The young baby rabbit, just taking a look
The cry of the lapwing, far out on the isle
The muffling of voices, so soft and beguile
The mushroom emerging, still covered in dew
The glories of Kent, are so many, not few
Garrison Point, a place of great joy
The passing of tugboats, thrills many a small boy
The customs, the pilots, the huge tankers too
Such things were exciting, to name but a few
Steamships, small coasters, bucolic Thames barges
The tugs just like shepherds, safeguarding their charges
The Kestrel, the Kennet the Kent and the Kite
These four Knight’s tugs were the top of the flight
The alleys, the pig bins, the fields and the beach
More glamorous pastimes, were far out of reach
The prams and the pushchairs, so battered and bruised
Many a reader, will now be confused
But Nick was in irons, for several a year
He faced it with courage, and never with fear
He walked with great pride, with a smile on his face
I pushed him and bruised him, all over the place
Whatever befell him, young Nick was not fazed
Open-mouthed people, stood silent and gazed
I often would wonder, what’s inside his head
It was onwards and upwards, keep pushing ahead
The smell of the meadow, the warmth of the sun
Simple sweet pleasures, that cannot be won
The wail of the foghorn, so sad and forlorn
The joys and the pleasures, of Sheppey at dawn
The fifties are gone, and I’m starting to bawl
We had very little, but we sure had it all
brilliant my friend really enjoyable read
Here’s my poem. It’s about my life growing up on the Isle of Sheppey with my brother Nick.
From the age of three, he had to wear crude iron callipers due to Perthes disease, a painful condition that affects the hips.
For the next five years I pushed him around the island in a succession of second-hand prams pushchairs and home-made barrows.
Here’s my poem:
The smell of the meadow, the warmth of the sun,
The sheep in the distance, another day won
The scent of the sea, wafting in on the breeze,
The beautiful blossom, adorning the trees
The beauty of summer, long halcyon days
The shimmering sun in the heat and the haze
The strains of a skylark, so high in the sky
So daintily flirting, to challenge the eye.
The trickling of water, alone in the brook
The young baby rabbit, just taking a look
The cry of the lapwing, far out on the isle
The muffling of voices, so soft and beguile
The mushroom emerging, still covered in dew
The glories of Kent, are so many, not few
Garrison Point, a place of great joy
The passing of tugboats, thrills many a small boy
The customs, the pilots, the huge tankers too
Such things were exciting, to name but a few
Steamships, small coasters, bucolic Thames barges
The tugs just like shepherds, safeguarding their charges
The Kestrel, the Kennet the Kent and the Kite
These four Knight’s tugs were the top of the flight
The alleys, the pig bins, the fields and the beach
More glamorous pastimes, were far out of reach
The prams and the pushchairs, so battered and bruised
Many a reader, will now be confused
But Nick was in irons, for several a year
He faced it with courage, and never with fear
The pushchairs were thrashed, and their axles were bent
A replacement from Walker’s, a common event
But fear not dear reader, for prams wide and narrow
I took off their bodies, and fashioned a barrow
So Nick was okay, and his transport secure
We sped off together, on many a tour
One day for a treat, I pushed Nick to the Swale
My body was aching, through rain, shine and gale
Passing through Queenborough, and several more miles, the trip to the bridge was more grimace than smiles
But everything’s worth it, no matter the toll
We saw Swedish steamers, a wonderful goal
With cargoes of wood pulp, and logs straight and bent
Their journey was over at Ridham in Kent
Great paper it made, at the end of the day
The mills down at Kemsley, were making the hay
So much excitement, for two little boys
These were our playthings, we didn’t need toys
The Richard Montgomery, sunk off of Sheerness
Will she blow up, there’s some that say yes
Lain there for decades, in menacing slumber
If she goes up, we’ll be part of the Humber
But back in the fifties, the ship was a draw
There were Trips Round the Wreck, but not for the poor
Last trip of the day, the skipper would shout
The white Silver Star, would slip gently out
With children and parents and sunshine galore
The Wreck would be eerie, a mile from the shore
The Carnival, Zulus, Big George and the bands
Candyfloss, flags and balloons in our hands
The Regatta, the rowing, the long Greasy Pole
The Miller, the Sweep, the tasty cheese role
The summers were long, the sky always blue
The seaside was close, and the Glasshouse was too
The marshes sublime, and dotted with flowers
The Glen was a picture, and this was all ours
The jetty, canal, and old Bluetown pier
Were playgrounds for us, for many a year
The rust on the railings, the gaps in the boards
The fishing, the cockling, we were not lords
The moat and the barracks, a garrison town
The hotels and pubs, there were hundreds around
The soldiers, the sailors, the airmen and more
Would pub-crawl through Bluetown, a great run ashore
The Flood and the rescue, for us so exciting
The North Sea for parents so cruel and so biting
The mud and the slime, and the rot that it left
Saw many a victim, cold wet and bereft
The trappings of war, this that and the other
Such wonderful places, for me and my brother
Pillboxes, fortresses, magazines too
So much adventure, and so much to do
The Covered Way, rifle and gunnery range
The tow plane approaching, the noise would soon change
The target for practice a bright orange flare
The ack-ack exploding, loud bangs in the air
Anderson shelters, outside in the yard
Sandbags of hessian, to thwart the bombard
Khaki canteens brimming over with water
Billy cans bully beef, spam we could slaughter
A boom in the Thames to foil enemy ships
The coal pier, the dockyard, the barracks for trips
Tank traps and moats, to hinder the foe
The fallout from war was all over the show
Cartridges, bomb-sites, mooring buoys many
These were our playthings, for us two a penny
Sweets were on ration, but we didn’t care
Our simple pleasures, were free in Kent air
A a trip with the barrow, to Halfway and back
Was better than many, a sweet little snack
Westminster gasworks, its fire and its heat
A sneak through the gate, we would often repeat
The fire and the furnace, the searing hot smoke
The dust and the roar, as it turned into coke
The clanking of wagons, on industrial scale
A magical place, fond memories prevail
The flames and the fumes, and the thunderous noise
So much excitement, for two little boys
Back on the barrow, with joy overflowing
It was off to the dairy, and fast we were going
The bottles a clinking, would draw us from far
Our rapture was bursting, the door was ajar
The machinery whirring, the sound of the gears
The churns full of cow’s milk, had seen better years
The long rows of gold-top, like soldiers a march
Two boys stood there spellbound, as stiff as of starch
The foreman’s a coming, we must scarper quick
But that was not easy, for my brother Nick
His irons were heavy, and cumbersome too
A rapid escape, he just couldn’t do
But the foreman was kindly, he knew who we were
He let us go slowly, not making a stir
So it’s back on the barrow, for my brother Nick
And I am his chauffeur, I’d better be quick
His leg as a bowsprit, a real Cutty Sark
We were sailing back home, from that innocent lark
For five painful years, Nick battled his ills
He never complained, and he never took pills
Nick baffled the medics, he didn’t use sticks
At such a young age, with those crippling sore hips
He walked with great pride, with a smile on his face
I pushed him and bruised him, all over the place
Whatever befell him, young Nick was not fazed
Open-mouthed people, stood silent and gazed
I often would wonder, what’s inside his head
It was onwards and upwards, keep pushing ahead
The smell of the meadow, the warmth of the sun
Simple sweet pleasures, that cannot be won
The wail of the foghorn, so sad and forlorn
The joys and the pleasures, of Sheppey at dawn
The fifties are gone, and I’m starting to bawl
We had very little, but we sure had it all
Wow! Thanks for sharing. You had it all, indeed.
Hello. I shan’t bother you after this, but I forgot to say I had no problem with a deadline with two other contests I entered in England that also have January 31, 2021 deadlines.
Thank you for your time.
Christina
I am confused. I logged on at 3:10 on January 31st to send my poems, and the contest was closed. I checked yesterday, and I did not find a time on the guidelines and assumed it was by local time, wherever that was or by the Pacific time zone. Please advise.
Thank you!
Christina
Hi Christina, sorry about this. The website did specify midnight GMT however.
Thank you for the reply. I missed the time part somehow. Next year I’ll be not so last-minute.
Thanks and best to you,
Christina
Same to you!
Thank you 🙏
Hi,
Does the 40 lines rule include the empty lines between when you finish and start a new verse, or is it just max 40 lines of actual written word? Thanks!
The 40 lines only include actual lines of verse
Do we get a confirmation email concerning our entries as I have just submitted mine but have not yet recieved an automated response.
Yes, we do send a confirmation.
from Nigeria payment not processing
FROM NIGERIA TRIED, BUT UNABLE TO PAY
Really sorry to hear that. We have had a similar message from people in one or two other countries. One solution others have used, is to ask friends outside their country to make the payment on their behalf.
Happy that you managed to sort this out. Good luck!
Hi
I have a poem of 40 lines, original and unpublished. I plan to include a quotation not mine at the end of the poem. Is it acceptable?
Yes, that’s fine
It’s fine if it’s clearly shown as a quote, and separate from the body of the poem, that is.
Hello
I have submitted my entry and details but I haven’t received an email confirmation as of yet. I wasn’t sure how soon after submitting receipt would be confirmed?
Many thanks,
S
Hi. We normally send a confirmation email when we print the poems, that’s sometimes a day or two after submission. If you haven’t received one by Sunday, please send a follow up email.
Hi, Can the entry be sent as a PDF? I don’t have Word but have Google Docs
yes, we prefer Word but we can also accept pdf
Hi! Was just wondering if particular styles are favoured? I prefer writing in a traditional style (like iambic pentameter and stuff) but didn’t know if it should be modern as lots of places seem to prefer that now?
It’s entirely up to the poet to decide!
Good evening, I wanted to ask when will winners be announced-before 20th April?
Thanks. Best wishes!
Hi, we don’t have a fixed date for this, but we’ll aim to inform the seven prize winners in time for them to read their poems at the Zoom meeting on 20th April. The winners’ names will then be published on the website on or shortly after 20th April.
Hey, I have submitted my write-up to the provided mail followed by the transaction ID. However, I have not received any automatic mail. So, how do I know whether my submission is sent to the right receiver?
kentandsussexpoetry@gmail.com… i send to this mail.
Hi Jainisha, we’ve sent you an email acknowledgement – as do for all entries. Good luck!
ok received and thanks.
Broken
Beyond my site,
Where have sight,
Broken where fight,
My bodies heart.
Unwise I look like,
When it’s time of broken,
All my devote was strike,
No ways is what broken always said.
From me is like fast,
My eyes strangely turn
My body had cast,
Broken I in, is not fun.
Perturb my way,
Broken in the day,
Enjoy what I laid,
In the place where had said.
Beside my bodies it’s rest,
Broken time will come for text,
Never indefegigable and rest,
You may soon in, with richest vest.
Thanks, Abdulraheem!
I’ve tried paying twice this morning through Paypal but the secure browser doesn’t seem to be working.
I’ve checked my account and the payment doesn’t seem to have been made. I thought it might be my laptop but see someone else has said they’re having trouble making payment today too so will hold off trying again until I hear it’s working and secure.
Thanks,
Ciara
HI Ciara – Sorry about this. I am not sure what the problem might be. I just tested it and my payment went through as normal. Several other payments have also come through in the past few moments. Maybe try again?
… and I can also confirm that your payment did not go through, so no need to fear making a double payment.
Hi I not able to make the payment
Pls help
Sorry to hear that – I have just tested it and it is working fine. Perhaps try again. (It may be that some countries don’t allow Paypal?)
Hello there,
I have paid the entry fee for the upcoming competition via PayPal, however I have not received a confirmation/reference for this in order to submit?
I tried contacting the above email, however there is an automated reply stating that the email is down for maintenance. Will this affect people’s ability to submit?
Hi. I’m not sure what has gone wrong here. Please submit your poems in a Word attachment to kentandsussexpoetry@gmail.com – which is working normally.
Glad that’s sorted!
Hi, I have a question, some of my poems have been used in short films but have not been published as pieces of poetry, would those still be eligible?
Kind regards,
WIK
By short films, I mean for my own university projects.
If they haven’t been publicly accessible, that’s fine.
Hello,
I read your guidelines but cannot see anything mentioned about the copyright of submitted poems to the open poetry contest.
I’ve got a few poems that I intend to publish by the year-end so it really matters for me whether I retain the copyright over the poems I submit.
I understand that the Kent and Sussex Poetry Society could publish my poems in their folios and that is alright with me.
Please advise,
Hopeful
Thanks for asking. All copyright remains with the poets.
Is the title included in the 40 lines or does the line count begin on the first line of the poem?
Neither title, nor blanks lines (between stanzas) are included in the 40 lines max. length
Hi – are there rules on the use of profanities in a submitted poem?
No rules.
Hi
I would like to enter this competition but had a query on the entry guidelines. I have a poem which i have online in my blog and also on a poetry website. Is it ok to enter these poems please?
Sorry, in common with most other competitions and magazines, we regard self-publishing as publishing. So they would not be eligible.
Hi,
I’m 17, is it okay for me to enter my poem?
Minimum age is 16. So you can certainly enter Christian.
My poems are on nature
The sun stirred like the empty cloaked dorm A silent eagle held in my hands the bird was clapping in celebration of a new world.
Mornings sun rouse like old life. Opening in front of me bleeding raw sore towering like a hot volcano erupting like a spot pussy with molten hot liquid mornings sun rouse through the dark red lens of life pouring blood through new raw veins pulling the old away through the sun’s womb.
Hi,
If the poem has been published in an online journal, will it be eligible to enter the contest?
Sorry, we regard that as already published.
Hello,
Are there any guidelines regarding self publishing after submission to the competition? I am hoping to self publish my book of poems in mid March, but would love to submit one of them for this competition. Would this be an issue?
Hi, the competition winners are announced on 20th April so we’d prefer that entries remain unpublished until then please, out of fairness to all entrants.
Hi I have one question what is the age limit I’m 11
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I wrote a poem the other night about Dover where I lived until I was taken into care. Im not very good as I left school at 11 and had to teach myself how to read and write but poetry has helped me learn over the years and I only entered to get some feed back as Iv never shown anyone any of my poems before and I have written loads.
Its probably atrocious compared to the standard that other people are writing poetry at, but its worth entering to learn and have fun.
All poetry is worth writing, and all poets should feel free to enter the competition. Our judge has no preconception of what the winning poems should look like, or say…. Good luck!
Hi Fay, the first positive step is that you are prepared to have a go at writing poetry. Some of the finest poets and artists in history had backgrounds that were dreadful but inside they had the belief and determination to overcome any obstacles in their way to produce some great works. The more poetry you write the better you become. I have written only one poem myself but I have re-written the same poem about thirty times. I have been trying to refine my poem so that it will at least be competitive in a poetry competition.
Kind regards
George
Hi, if it was posted to a personal Instagram page to share with friends, does this count as “published”?
OK if it was just shared with friends and not accessible publicly to others.
When it says unpublished does this include social media posts?
Hi Jacky. Yes, we use the normal interpretation: unpublished on social media, blogs, websites, as well as by formal publishers. Cheers.
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When will the results be announced?
Hi. We announce them formally on 20th April, but will inform the winners during the week or two prior to that.
Hi there,
I was wondering if the poetry text can have coloured highlights?
Yes that’s fine.
Hi team, I’m also wondering if it’s open to non residents please? I live in Melbourne, Australia.
Many thanks 😊
absolutely. last year’s winner lives in Brisbane
Is this competition open to people living in London?
It’s open to people everywhere
Hi Team, I live in Australia … is this competition open to non-UK residents please?
yes, absolutely,. The winner last year is in Brisbane
We don’t have the capacity to publish books. Sorry
how can I submit a book to you
We don’t have the capacity to publish books. Sorry