Poetry has the power to move, transform, and connect us. This year’s VERVE Poetry Competition brought together voices that explored the art and essence of poetry itself. Centered on the theme of Poets and Poetry and judged by the brilliant Hannah Lowe, the competition drew a dazzling range of entries—each a unique testament to how poetry speaks to, and through, us. We’re thrilled to unveil the winners, commended poets, and long list from a pool of incredible talent! All poems listed here will be available in the VERVE ANTHOLOGY, available to purchase at all good bookshops but most importantly, via the festival in our pop up book shop!
The Judging Journey
Reflecting on her experience as a judge, Hannah Lowe shared:
"It was a pleasure and joy to read the poems entered for the Verve Festival Poetry Competition, on the theme of Poets and Poetry. There was a brilliant range of entries, from the short to the epic, from free verse to innovative use of forms – some known, some more experimental.
The poems I liked best about were those that came at the subject tangentially, so that I didn’t first know I was reading a poem about a poem or a poet. Some imagined meetings with writers – Sylvia Plath the most popular, closely followed by Anne Sexton. Others were about the process of poetry itself – how to find the poem, or how the poem finds the poet. Many expressed the importance of poetry to the human condition, to our psychology, our political world and our relationships with others.
A number of poems explored the business of poetry itself, from celebrations and laments about the poetry workshop, or publishing, or, sometimes painfully, rejection from publishers, magazines, and no doubt, competitions. This brings to mind something the poet Jo Bell said about never letting a rejected poem back into the house – the day of its rejection, send it out into the world again. That way, there’s always hope – which is one of the main feelings a took away from my reading of this vast selection – poems are lifelines."
2025 VERVE Poetry Competition Winners
1st Place:
"Footnotes to Untitled (Buffaloes) 1988-89" by Roberto Salvador Cenciarelli
This breathtaking poem reflects on the politics of AIDS and the life of artist David Wojnarowicz. Through the haunting image of buffaloes and a speaker’s introspective voice, it weaves a story of chaos, stigma, and resilience. A shining example of ekphrasis, it takes inspiration from art and transforms it into something uniquely powerful.
2nd Place:
"Mug Poem" by Julia Ireland: A striking balance of frankness and tenderness, this poem finds depth in simplicity, circling around a mug and its Moomin motif to tell a story of loss and secrecy.
3rd Place:
"i.m Tobias Hill" by Carole Bromley:
An elegant elegy that honors the late poet Tobias Hill with heart and humility, leaving us with a poignant reminder of his brilliance and legacy.
Highly Commended Poets
The following poets delivered works that stood out for their ingenuity, emotional resonance, or experimental flair:
Christopher Horton – Narrative Dissonance
Daniel Revach – With Fallen Things
Julie Runacres – Poem in which I…
Helen Bowell – You win a major poetry competition
Jonathan Chibuike Ukah – My Sister’s Dream
Nicolette Daskalakis – Death of a Mall
Oliver Fox – Oliver Fox talks to “Peter Philips’ Part Book Talks to Brueghel”, commended in the 2015 National Poetry Competition
Audrey Ardern-Jones – Monday 4am
Ben Verinder – Amber
Gail Webb – An Invitation to Sylvia Plath to Enjoy the Company of Women
Elizabeth Gibson – Candle People
Tommy Sissons – Closing Your Epistle
Kat Dixon – I dream about a woman her name is kat
Wes Lee – I like…
Ruth Higgins – I want to sleep with you, Jarvis Cocker
Julia Webb – I will alive the page by any means necessary
Tina Sederholm – Letter Found Pinned to a Red Sistema Lunchbox
Vanessa Lampert – Metapoetic
Estelle Price – Words
Paul Francis – Testament
Rona Luo – Quiet Room at the Marcus Garvey Library
11-17 Category Selected Poems
Here are the poets whose work left a lasting impression and made it to the longlist:
Charlie Jolley – Filler Poem
Scarlett Turner – When I write a poem
Isabella Peterson – Guts of a blackout poem from a stream of consciousness
Aurora b. e. Blue – MICHEÁL NA BLASCADDAÍ
Annie Tadiello – The ObaMitsu Poem
Jasmine Mir – Poetry, The Opera and Rich Dead Guys
Hemali Mittal – A Poet’s Trip to M&S
Kassidy Khuu – Lessons in the Curse of Poetry
Romana Nuru Wabwire – I am not a poet.
Antonín Procházka – Turns the red into gold
Final Thoughts
This year’s competition showcased poetry as a lifeline, a mirror, and a space for experimentation. We want to extend our deepest thanks to everyone who entered. Your work made the task of judging a joy—and a challenge.
To our winner, Roberto Salvador Cenciarelli, and all our commended poets: Congratulations! Your words will resonate far beyond this festival.
To everyone who submitted a poem: thank you for trusting us with your words. The competition has been a celebration of poetry in all its forms—its power to heal, challenge, and connect.
Keep writing, keep submitting, and as Jo Bell famously said, “Never let a rejected poem back into the house. Send it out into the world again.” You never know who might need it.
Comments