Competition Entry
To enter the NPC online type the number of poems you are entering into the box (above, right) and click 'buy'. The first poem you submit costs £6.00. Subsequent entries in the same submission cost £3.00 per poem. If you join the Poetry Society (or if you are already a member) you get a free second entry, with subsequent poems at £3.00.
Before entering...
Please make sure you have read rules.
Any questions? See our Frequently Asked Questions.
You might want to read last year's judges' tips towards making a successful entry.
The closing date for the competition is 31 October 2010. If you would rather print an entry form and enter by post, click here.
2009 Winners
The winner of the National Poetry Competition 2009 was Helen Dunmore with her poem 'The Malarkey'. To read her winning poem, and other prize-winning poems from last year and previous years, please visit our history pages.
About the National Poetry Competition
Established in 1978, the National Poetry Competition is one of the longest running and widely respect poetry competitions. Winning has given an important boost to a plethora of now widely known poets, including current Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, and 2009 T.S. Eliot Prize-winner Philip Gross. It is judged anonymously by a new set of judges each year.
* Competition entries are priced at £6 for an individual's first entry, and £3 thereafter. Members will receive their second entry free of charge.
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