THE POETRY KIT 12th INTERNATIONAL POETRY COMPETITION 2025

Our competition this year is open to poems from around the world written in English and which can be on any subject or theme.  There are no style or length restrictions, but it should be stressed that a short poem is just as likely to be selected as a longer one.

1st prize is valued at £220  2nd prize is valued at £60

ENTER ONLINE  www.poetrykit.org/2-intcomp.htm

After the End Project Poetry Competition

The ‘After the End’ research project, in collaboration with the National Poetry Centre, is inviting poets worldwide to submit original, previously unpublished work as part of the exciting research project exploring time, temporality, and the question of endings. This initiative aims to draw inspiration from poets far and wide, inviting contributions on the themes of the research project, bringing new perspectives to the questions posed, seeking to understand who decides when something has ended and how different experiences of endings shape lives, communities, and policies globally.

Poems should therefore engage with the concept of “after the end,” exploring the temporal, ethical, social, or emotional dimensions of endings. Submissions may draw on personal, historical, or global events, reflect on lived experiences, or experiment with form and perspective. There are no restrictions on style or genre but poems should be no more than 40 lines.

Open internationally to poets of all experience levels. The winners will be announced on 1st February 2026.

Judges: Professor Patricia Kingori, Nick Barley, Professor Laura Salisbury, Professor Osman Sankoh, Salma Begum, Chris Hassan, Nike Jonah and Khadijah Ibrahim

Prizes: First £200 Second and Third £100

See Poetry competition 2025 is open! — After The End

entry E16

The Moth Poetry Prize is open to anyone (over 16) from anywhere in the world, as long as the work is original and previously unpublished.

There is no line limit, and the poems can be on any subject.

The entry fee is €16 per poem. You can ENTER ONLINE or send your poem(s) along with a cheque or postal order made payable to ‘The Moth Magazine Ltd.’ with an ENTRY FORM or a cover letter with your name and contact details and the title of your poem(s) attached to: The Moth, Ardan Grange, Milltown, Belturbet, Co. Cavan, Ireland H14 K768.

Please remember to READ THE RULES of the competition before you enter.

CLOSING DATE 31 DECEMBER 2025

See The Moth Magazine

Kenyon Review Poetry Contest.

The Kenyon Review publishes the winning poetry in print (with corresponding contributor payment), and the author is awarded a full scholarship to attend the Kenyon Review Writers Workshops. (Note: If you are a high school student in your sophomore or junior year, please submit to the Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers.)

see Poetry Contest

The Wolverhampton Literature Festival Poetry Competition is opening their submissions call for poets across the globe.

Entrants are welcome to submit poems of any subject. Poems must be previously unpublished, written in the English language, and be under 40 lines. Judges: Martin Figura, Helen Ivory and Steve Pottinger

There will be cash prizes of £400 (1st) £150 (2nd), and three £25 (3rd). There is an additional prize of £50 for the best poem from someone living in a WV post code.

see  Wolves Lit Fest Poetry Competition 2026 – Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists