The Second Basil Bunting Poetry Award 2010
The Second Award in 2010 was very successful and full details of all winners together with features from the Awards evening are available by following this link. We were especially encouraged to hear our judge, Jo Shapcott say that whilst this was only the second year of the award that "it was a sign of a truly useful and interesting award because it felt as though it had been around for ages".
Shortlisted Entries 2010
The shortlisted poems are displayed in a completely random order
Download and read the shortlisted and winning poems and listen to some of them
Leo Madigan
The Lads I Went to School With
James O'Brien Commended
Octogram
Patrick Daly Commended
Shade
Nichola Deane Third Prize
I Tell Her Everything I Know About Raisins
Elisabeth Murawski
Cleopatra to the Bard, Concerning Julius Caesar
Polly Atkin
the bird that makes you afraid
Carol Moldaw
A Leafs Gravity
Fiona Ritchie Walker
The Second Week of the Soap
Justin McCarthy
Baguettes
Mark Cooper
Recital
Judy Brown
Two Virgins
Margaret Speak
The Pyrotechnist Attendant (This poem has been withdrawn)
Jane Routh
Step Theory
Malcom Watson First Prize
Readers Browsing
Ryan Whatley
He had his Father’s Fishing License
Geraldine Paine Commended
The Creek
Sam Jackson
The Keeper of the Keys
David Underdown
Bird Man
Moira Lake
Girasole
Paul Groves
How I became an Existentialist
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You can see the awards, hear and read the poems from 2009 here.
Keep watching this web site for news and for updates - and, of course, to see announcements about the next Award. If you have given us your email address we will contact you by email.
This second year of the Award has revealed again the huge wealth of creative ability across the world. We are committed to consolidating the position of the Award and to build on what Peter Bennett, one of 2009’s winners, had to say:
It really is a great privilege to be among the commended and winning line-up of this first Basil Bunting Award, which I predict will become one of the most sought after awards in the country.
2009 saw the publication by Bloodaxe of a new edition of Bunting’s celebrated long poem Briggflatts which came with a CD and DVD. This delightful book has sold extremely well and Faber & Faber are also planning a new Bunting edition for 2011.
It was also encouraging in 2009 and 2010 to have so many entries from abroad including commended poems from America.
The 2010 award was judged by Jo Shapcott and the awards ceremony was held in December in Newcastle in collaboration with the Newcastle Centre for the Literary Arts (NCLA). After the awards the winners and those commended were invited to submit 10 poems to Neil Astley, editor of Bloodaxe Books. Without obligation, Neil will respond to the poems submitted.
The Award for 2010 is now closed. Please watch this web site for information about future awards..
Prizes for the 2010 Award were:
First Prize: £1000.00
Second Prize: £500.00
Third Prize: £250.00
and there are three commendations of £75.00 each
Judge
Jo Shapcott
The Award closed on 30th September 2010.
Winners were announced in December 2010