International Welsh Poetry Competition 2025 winners announced

The International Welsh Poetry Competition 2025 organisers have announced the winners of their prestigious 19th contest.

Judged by Welsh writer, Mike Jenkins, the overall winner was Mark Lewis for his poem ‘Notes from a transported convict’.

Born and bred in Pembrokeshire, Wales, Mark Lewis worked in the museum sector for 30 years before going freelance in 2023 when he was able to dedicate more time to his creative writing. Mark is the author of two novellas and several dramatic performances.

Sheer originality

Lewis’s extended prose poem, Erimos, a moral-powered tale that blended timeless mythology and contemporary darkness, was published in 2024 and was praised for its sheer originality, imaginative use and control of language and impressive poetic and dramatic moments.

Mark’s second book, Anchor & Wing, a collection of poems, is due to be published by The Seventh Quarry Press in 2026.  His plan in life is to “find professional tranquillity through the creation of the written word and personal joy in daily life with my wonderfully supportive wife, Emma.”

This year’s judge, Welsh poet, Mike Jenkins said: “This outstanding poem immediately drew me in, not primarily because of its almost ship-shaped stream of consciousness, but the world of the convict’s mind it creates so vividly. It is guttural and visceral, with no room for sentiment. It is intense with sounds and descriptions taking you from street to boat to strange shore, summoning the tortuous life of its subject.”

Competition organiser Dave Lewis said: “Once again we had a lot of very strong poems, from all over the world, with six Welsh writers amongst our Top 20!

“We also had eight winners from England and two from Scotland, making this one of our most representative contests for the home nations in years. There is so much writing talent out there, and it’s great to be able to celebrate this each year.

“As well as being the biggest and most respected poetry competition in Wales, in our history we’ve had entries from at least forty countries around the globe, highlighting just how diverse and inclusive the contest is! Long may it continue to put Wales on the international writing map!”

Judge, Mike Jenkins, also noted: “On a hugely positive note, I must also add that this was the highest standard of any competition I’ve judged. So many really good poems. Da iawn pawb!”

Winners

The winners were as follows:

First place: Notes from a transported convict – Mark Lewis (Kilgetty, Wales)
Second place: The language my grandmother spoke to the earth – Deborah Miller (Plymouth, England)
Third Place: What the moon wouldn’t do – Emma Williams (Ludlow, England)

Highly Commended:

Uprising – Emma Williams (Ludlow, England)
The archive of accumulative injustices – Suzanna Fitzpatrick (Orpington, England)
Canary in a glass house – Vivienne Tregenza (Penzance, England)
Particulars – Gareth Writer-Davies (Brecon, Wales)
The owl & the pussycat are grounded – Anne Connolly (Edinburgh, Scotland)
One hundred words for rain – Julie Sheridan (Barcelona, Spain)
Yr Wyddfa – Liz Beth Turner (Wales)
Saturday lunchtime Ponty Market 1974 – Mike Pullman (Hope Valley, England)
Back in the days when we walked like Egyptians – Paris Rosemont (Sydney, Australia)
Child – Claire Beynon (Dunedin, New Zealand)
two accordion players journey through Vivaldi’s winter – Diana Sanders (Corwen, Wales)
Unmoored – Anne Casey (Northbridge, Australia)
Llyn y Fan Fach – Sue Moules (Lampeter, Wales)
Drone – Suzy Hobson (Newport, Wales)
When I think of my mother – Iris Anne Lewis (Kempsford, England)
Sirin – Jane Fuller (Port Logan, Scotland)
Oxytocin in the Bronze Age – Pamela Job (Wivenhoe, England)

The Welsh poetry competition is an independent event, funded by the organisers & entrants. For more information and to read the winning poems and judge’s comments, visit the competition’s site here.