Congratulations to the winners of Cultureword’s Stand Up! Poetry Competition

1st Prize: What Oldham Holds by Keeran Sahiba

2nd Prize: Kaur Rising by Jasleen Kadhari

3rd Prize: The British Working Class is a Colony by James Lawton

Some words from competition judge, Ella Otomewo:

It has been so inspiring to read the many submissions we received to Oldham Poetry Competition this year.

Writers across Oldham responded to our ‘Stand Up!’ prompt with such tenacity and passion that I was moved from heartfelt contemplation to fits of giggles. The people of this town care about so much, so deeply!

Thank you to everyone who laboured over new work and dared to send it in to be ‘judged’, it’s always a nerve-wracking thing to do. Poetry isn’t really a thing to be judged and what we really hope is that people felt moved to put words to the things that matter to them.

Read the winning entries here: Stand Up! Poetry Competition Winners 

All copyright remain with the writer. For details of future competitions sign-up to our newsletter below or follow us over on Instagram.