Deadline nears for £2,000 Causley prize
The former poet laureate Sir Andrew Motion will be judging poems shortlisted for the £2,000 Charles Causley international poetry prize, set up in memory of the Cornish poet. Motion said “‘I’m looking for poems that surprise me – not by their ostentation, but by making me see, think, remember, recover things I’ve forgotten I already know.” The deadline is 1 December. More details
Dominic James
Fri 23rd Sep 2016 09:27
A quick look at the Causley site and I can't find last year's winning poem, nor this year's final-line up of the judges - it is not clear from how many poems head judge Andrew Motion will actually choose the most surprising - surprising is one of the new blurb words in the fiction sections, surprising and truthful, - however, appraisals and photos are supplied. It's abit odd. I recall a bow wow shop article which found Motion's description of a bigger cash prize he awarded as "nourishing him for days" rather provocative, but it would be nice to have the poet's considered opinion, and win a little capital.
I don't mean to single out the Charles Causley prize, nor Andrew Motion as a judge & I am not saying these competitions aren't above board - even if they do beg for scrutiny. My point is that before entering any largish competition you should weigh up the merits of of the thing. eg. Who will be doing the judging? Will you see the winning poem? We will use our own criteria but ignorance leads to disappointment. And the poetry movement at large is not served well by dropping cash into the bottomless pit.