This year’s entries into the annual Robert Burns poetry competition constituted an eclectic mix of poetry offering lyrical observations, introspection, and playful takes on the many challenges life throws at us. Poets grappled with the impact of colonisation on whakapapa, place and belonging, as well as with the great poet himself and the Scottish language. 

 

As judges, we relished the well-crafted lines and language, the myriad of astute observations, surprising images, quirky non sequiturs, and considered endings crafted by published and unpublished poets alike. It is always refreshing to find new responses to poems from a different era, providing a reason to acquaint (or re-acquaint) yourself with a poet’s work. At the end of the day, judging a creative writing competition is always a subjective affair. While quite a few poets had managed to paint a poignant scenario, or craft some memorable lines, they weren’t always transmuted into a complete and successful poem. Some poems were nearly there, but would have benefited from another round of editing. Besides the winners, there were several runners-up vying for a spot in the limelight, hence we decided to pick a few more deserving poems that rose to the top. 

About the judges:

 

Liam McIlvanney is the inaugural Stuart Professor of Scottish Studies and Director of the Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies at Otago University. 

 

Mikaela Nyman is the 2024 Robert Burns Fellow and an award-winning poet. Her first poetry collection in English, The Anatomy of Sand, is forthcoming with Te Herenga Waka University Press in May.