It was incredibly moving judging the Aryamati Poetry Prize, in memory of poet and teacher, Aryamati Olga Kenyon. Writing about social change and for peace can be emotional at the best of times, but both anger and resilience in these entries gave us hope. Many thanks to Siem Bruinsma for helping me choose the below winners.
1. (Winner) Pippa Little "The Strangest Happiness"
2. (Runner Up) Jenny Mitchell "Song for a Former Slave"
3. (Runner Up) Colin Dardis "After Grenfell"
Special Mention To:
Anne Casey "Still I rise"
Greta Ross "Season Song"
Tim Kiely. "Radix" / "Sister Juana" Carlos Andrés Gómez - "Murambi" Mark A. Murphy - "Seven Day Eternity" Hilary Walker - "The Day the Children Came" Charnjit Gill - "Revolution"
Congratulations! The prize will return again in 2020 and I am delighted that our first year created such an uplifting response to the memory of a very talented and loved writer, activist, Buddhist mother and Grandma.
You can find out more about the prize here