The Aryamati Poetry Prize seeks poetry promoting social change and peace. Within this aim, there is certainly room for protest, and we were delighted to see complex explorations of this in the prize's second year. Many thanks to fellow judges Kayla Jenkins and Amber Rollinson and to all who entered.
Our Winners are below:
1st Place: Jenny Mitchell with poem: Imagining a Forest Made of Freedom
"Our undisputed favourite this year, for its skilful and moving imagery and its important focus in highlighting the bones broken and freedoms lost throughout the transatlantic slave trade, or indeed through modern slavery, so that we do not lose sight of the progress we have yet to make towards human rights for all and reparations for injustice inflicted. "
Runners Up:
Joanna Lilley with poem: My mother made sure
"We were hooked from the first line - the stoic bravery and determination of a mother who encourages genocide as a breakfast discussion. We loved the prose poem tone and feel this is such an important poem to be read over and over again."
Julian Bishop with poem: Starbucks in the gutter
"We loved the flippant and rhythmic tone to this piece - the character study it offered us, without resolution."
These poems will be shortly available to read on our blog and our winning poem in postcard form, and audio form, as part of Manchester Metropolitan's RAH! Podcast.
Our Shortlist was:
Penny Sharman
Tanisha Barrett
Catherine McCabe
Eleni Cay
David Butler
Bill Lythgoe
Shahé Mankerian
Julian Bishop
Sarah Barr
Sarah Wallis
Mary Mulholland
Peter Viggers
Holly Peters
Jane Kingsford
Natascha Solito
Andrew Martin
It has been a pleasure to read the work submitted and congratulations to our shortlisted and winning poets!