Poetry Competition 2026
Young Persons’ Poetry Competition – ‘Sea Creatures’
In 2026, the Festival is celebrating the 70th anniversary of the filming in Fishguard of Moby Dick, the blockbuster film based on the novel by Herman Melville describing Captain Ahab’s obsessive quest for vengeance against a giant whale. It is this epic tale that provides the focus for this year’s poetry competition.
We invite young people to write poems on the theme of ‘sea creatures’ based on your own experiences and observations. These do not have to be epic adventures like Captain Ahab’s — ordinary encounters with crustaceans, cetaceans, fish, seabirds and other sea life can give experiences that will work well in poetry. The judges will be looking for truthfulness and clarity in these poems about sea creatures.
There is a prize of £30 for the best entries in English and in Welsh, and runner-up prizes of £20. The winners will be announced at the final event of the Festival on Sunday 27th September.
The closing date for entries is 5pm on Friday 17th July 2026.
Terms and Conditions
Entrants must be at least 11 years of age, and under 19 years of age, on this date.
Entries may be written in English or Welsh, and be no more than 30 lines in length.
Entry must be made via email to poetry@onlandsedge.co.uk
Each entrant may submit only one poem.
Poems with joint authorship are ineligible.
Each poem must be the entrant’s own work.
Entries must not have been created using AI.
Poems must not have been previously published, broadcast or submitted to another competition.
The poems will be judged anonymously; however, the name of the poet should be included on the same page as the poem, and these names will be redacted when the poems are given to the judges.
