Maya Poetry Book Awards

Lots of exciting news for the 2027 competition

NEWSAWARDS

Dave Lewis

The international Maya Poetry Book Awards will return with renewed ambition and expanded opportunities for poets worldwide, officially launching on 4 January 2027. The 2027 awards promise to be the most exciting yet, featuring a huge increase in prize money, with acclaimed poet Rae Howells confirmed as the lead judge.

“I am really looking forward to judging the Maya competition and reading exciting new poetry collections from across the world. I'll be looking out for originality in language, imagery, thought and form, and for collections that have something particular to say and know how to say it,” said Rae Howells. “More than single poems, poetry collections offer a unique opportunity to get under the skin of a theme, to examine something from multiple angles and perspectives. The best collections become a kaleidoscope of images and language that surprise you with new combinations with each turn of the page. Poets - send me your best kaleidoscopes!”

Recognised for championing outstanding poetry across the globe, the Maya Poetry Book Awards is a truly international competition, accessible to all through the English language. The Awards are a vital platform for emerging voices, with emphasis on self-published poets and small micro presses.

“Good poetry is daring, tests boundaries, and finds new ways to tell a story,” said organiser Dave Lewis. “In previous years, we’ve had books about every conceivable subject, and from countries all over the world. With increased prize money, and a host of excellent judges, 2027 will be a significant year for poets and readers alike.”

What’s New for 2027

Increased Prize Money
Enhanced financial awards underline the organisation’s commitment to valuing self-published poets’ work and supporting sustainable creative careers
Main Judge: Rae Howells
Winner of the Welsh Poetry Competition and The Rialto Nature and Place Poetry Competition
Preliminary judges
Mike Jenkins, Sheila Aldous, Mick Evans, David J Costello, Mark Lewis and Robert McKain

Open to poets from around the world, the Maya Poetry Book Awards welcome submissions that push limits, honour tradition, and reflect the rich diversity of contemporary poetry.

Winners will receive:

1st Prize - £3,000

2nd Prize - £2,000

3rd Prize - £1,000

Plus 5 runner-up prizes of £200 each.

Closing date – 27th June 2027.

Websites: www.poetrybookawards.co.uk

About Rae Howells

Rae Howells is a Welsh writer. In 2017, Howells' poem 'Airlings' won the Welsh Poetry Competition. This win was followed by another prize the next year, when 'The Winter-King' took first place in The Rialto's Nature and Place Poetry Competition. Both of these poems would eventually appear in Howells' first full collection ‘The Language of Bees’, published by Parthian Books in April 2022. In May 2023, The Language of Bees was shortlisted for the Wales Book of the Year award, with the shortlisting announced on BBC Radio Wales.

Preliminary judges

We are also delighted that we have the following awesome poets as part of our filtering team:
Mike Jenkins, Sheila Aldous, Mick Evans, David J Costello, Mark Lewis and Robert McKain.

Maya Poetry Book Awards

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