Closing Date for Entry is 4th December, 2013 (entries postmarked that day from the UK or abroad will be accepted )

Judging Period

Entries will be handed over to the judge, Clare Pollard, who

will read every entry, on 7th December 2013.  Clare will have

completed her choices by 7th January 2013 and they will be posted

as soon as possible, thereafter, within a day or two.

The Prizes

First Prize: £200  Second Prize: £125  Third Prize: £50

Fourth Prize: A two year subscription to South Bank Poetry magazine.

Fifth Prize: A one year SBP magazine subscription.

Additionally, five commended poets will have their poems published

in SBP Issue 18, along with the prize winners.  The rest of the poems

long-listed by the judge, Clare Pollard, and only those poems, will be

considered for inclusion in the special London poems competition

anthology Issue18 to be published in 2014

Reading at the Poetry Cafe in Covent Garden, London

All those included in Issue 18 will be invited to read at the subsequent launch

readings at the Poetry Society’s Cafe in The Poetry Place at 22 Betterton Street

with extended readings for the prize-winning and commended poets.

The Rules of the Competition

1. The competition is open to anyone aged 16 or over.

2. Poems entered must have an explicit London setting – past, present or future

is acceptable.

3. Poems must be by postal entry, typed, in English, unpublished, have a title, and

be your original work. No translations. Please ensure you attach the correct postage.

If we have to pay the post office for any shortfall, we reserve the right to reduce the

number of poems you have entered, to cover our loss.

4. No entry form required, send two copies of each poem, one anonymous, the other

with name and contact details. An e-mail address is essential for contact with regard

to publication in Issue 18, if your poem is long-listed.

5.Poems must not exceed 55 lines, excluding title, and be typed on A4 paper. If on two

pages they should be stapled in the top left hand corner.

6.All poems will be read and judged anonymously by Clare Pollard, cannot be returned,

and may not be altered after submission. The judge’s decisions are final.

7. No person may win more than one prize.

8. The copyright of each poem remains with the author, although the organisers have the

right to publish winning and commended poems once, in a future issue of South Bank

Poetry magazine.

9.  No travelling or accommodation costs will be paid in connection with any prize

awarded or attendence at any subsequent launch reading(s) of winning poems.

10 Entries must be addressed to: Peter Ebsworth, South Bank Poetry Competition,

74 Sylvan Road, London SE19 2RZ. The entry fee is £3 per poem.  As a special

concession to subscribers,  if current subscribers enter at least three poems, they

are entitled to enter up to two additional entries free. New subscribers may enjoy

the same concession, if they add £10 for a three issue subscription or £18.50 for

six issue subscription, to their total payment. Payment must be by UK cheques or

crossed postal orders, and must be payable to ‘ Peter Ebsworth ‘.

Good Luck. Copies of the previous London competition anthology Issue of SBP are

still available for £3.50 incl pandp, until they run out, from the same address, cheques

payable to ‘Peter Ebsworth’ .