Cosmo Davenport-Hines Poetry Prize

The Department of English is delighted to announce the third annual Cosmo Davenport-Hines Poetry Prize, established by family and friends in 2009, in memory of Cosmo who was a student at King's. The annual prize is one way for us to remember Cosmo's creativity and love of words.

We invite any KCL student to submit a poem on the theme of ‘The Strand’, meaning the London street of that name (but you can interpret other meanings of 'The Strand' if you prefer).

The Strand now has a digital community project, Strandlines. It is led by the Centre for Life Writing Research at King's, and it aims to build a community on The Strand through lives past, present and creative. Submitted poems will be posted on the the Strandlines website with prior agreement (see submission instructions below).

Submitted poems must be no longer than 40 lines and must be written in English; all poetic forms are welcome. To help you write and redraft your entry, the Department has organised a poetry workshop with Roddy Lumsden, which you might wish to attend - details here.

The winner will receive £200, plus publication in the London Library's magazine. Two runners-up will receive £50 each. The winners will be announced at a ceremony on Tuesday 3 May 2011.

Judging panel:

Clare Brant
Richard Davenport-Hines
Elizabeth Eger
Josephine McDonagh
Andrew Steggall

Submission instructions

Please send an email with your poem attached by

Friday 8 April 2011 to english@kcl.ac.uk:

attach the poem as a Word document;
include your student ID number only, NOT your name;
name the Word document with your student ID number;
in the email include your name, student ID number, KCL Department and degree title;
indicate if you would or would not like your poem to be posted on Strandlines;
entries must be original and previously unpublished.

2010 Competition: 'Fears'

Winner: Philip Bentall
Where Cows are Met

Runner-up: Jacob Bauer-Anstadt
In our Father's House Circa 1997

Runner-up: Claire Hazelton
“Dear Rolf Harris”