Esteemed poet and former Chancellor of The University of Manchester, Lemn Sissay OBE, has been unveiled as a returning judge for the 2025 edition of the annual Micropoetry competition.
As the honorary chair of creative writing, Lemn will joined by fellow judges John McAuliffe, Professor of Poetry at The University of Manchester and Manchester-based poet and critic, Maryam Hessavi.
The theme for 2025 is 'Connections' and the challenge is simple - write a 'micro poem' of no more than 280 characters, and submit using the official competition entry form.
Lemn said: "The Micropoetry Competition sets a wonderful yet challenging task of translating a theme into a short work of art. It's a craft to tell a story in such a manner and I'm looking forward to reading the 2025 entries, centred around the chosen theme. As someone who published a book of tweets in the form of quatrains, I urge you to pen your poem and enter the competition."
Entries must be submitted by 23:59 on Saturday 21 June 2025, with winners to be announced by Friday 25 July 2025.
Prizes will be awarded for first place (£500) and the two runners-up (£250), with a £25 book token for winner of the under-18s category.
Professor of Poetry at The University of Manchester, John McAuliffe, said: "World Poetry Day celebrates all that is fascinating about poetry and its manifold forms. Our Micropoetry Competition explores the art of translating a set theme into a condensed poem that captures attention and shares a story."
For the full entry details as well as the terms and conditions, visit the website.
