The Yeovil poetry competition contacted me to say I was in the runners up. I guess there’s still a chance I might be a prizewinner, but it doesn’t seem likely.  However, this year for the first time they’ll be creating an anthology, so I’m quite pleased that I’ll be in that.

Meanwhile, Clare Cottage have also told me I’m a prizewinner in their competition. I’ve never been to John Clare’s cottage, so the opportunity to read there (part of the prize) will be wonderful. It makes me think I should aim to read in all the “poets’ cottages” in the country (having also read at the Wordsworth Trust at Dove Cottage earlier this year) although that’s probably a silly idea. The Clare Cottage prize also includes reading on the Speaker’s Steps at Westminster, which will be exciting, too.