The Battered Moons event during the Swindon Festival of Literature on Friday 11th May came and went, leaving a trail of good poetry and music.

From here I would like to express my gratitude to our guest poet and finals judge Michael Symmons Roberts, to the winning and commended poets, the fantastic audience, Matt Holland and Hilda Sheehan, and our helpers Michael Scott, George and Miranda.

Dear poets: your beautiful readings were a gift. You've made all the work worthwhile. And your names read like a poem:

Galleymore,
Richardson,
Hynes;

Lukens,
Tait,

Klein,
& Deakin.

Michael Symmons Roberts had us all pinned down in a trance with his powerful poetry. Among the celebrated poets I have had the pleasure to meet, he certainly stands out for his friendly, approachable manner and his good judgement and professionalism. It has been an honour to work with him.

To Robert Jack and Serene Boulton: your music turned the event into a feast.

Special thanks to Paul at the  Swindon Museum and Art Gallery for being there and for his effort to provide all the props needed.

Our thanks to Artswords Swindon, Arts Council England and Swindon Festival of Literature for funding and support.

Let's do it again.

PLEASE VISIT THE POETS' PAGE FOR MORE ON THE WINNERS AND COMMENDEDS.

The Battered Moons Poetry Pamphlet is now available on request via email to cristina.ne.newton@gmail.com  and the poems can be read on The Poets' Page.

RESULTS FOR THE BATTERED MOONS POETRY COMPETITION 2012

Good news for Battered Moons

Michael Symmons Roberts has now announced the three winners and four commended poets of Battered Moons 2012.

Join us to at the Battered Moons Poetry competition event for live readings by the winners and commended poets, as well as the judges, Michael Symmons Roberts and Cristina Newton. The event will take place as part of the Swindon Festival of Literature on Friday 11th May at the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, Bath Road, Swindon (Tel. 01793 466556). The Battered Moons 2012 pamphlet will be available from 11th May directly at the Battered Moons event or through this site.

Our congratulations to all seven and thanks to all those who submitted their poems and followed the competition. The high standard and variety of the submissions made it quite a challenge to select the finalists, but at te same time it is a testimony to the merit of so many poets in Britain today.

First Prize: Frances Galleymore for her poem My Father Travelled.
Second Prize: John Richardson for enfilade.
Third Prize: NJ Hynes for On Wednesday.

Commendations
David Lukens for In Transit.
Euan Tait for Trauermusik for James Bubear.
Wendy Klein for The Natural History Museum of Ulaan Bataar.
Julia Deakin for Eleven Wonders.

MOONS IN ORBIT

Thank you to all who have entered Battered Moons Poetry Competition. It has been a joy to receive so many and such good poems from all over UK.

The preliminary phase is complete and our finals judge Michael Symmons Roberts will now go on to decide the seven finalists, who will be contacted by the end of April and invited to read their poems at the Swindon Festival of Literature, 11th May. For more on the Festival and the Battered Moons event, follow http://www.swindonfestivalofliterature.co.uk/, where a full programme will be available from 21st March.

As well as the three winners and four commendations, the Battered Moons event will feature readings by Michael Symmons Roberts and Cristina Newton. We will celebrate our winners to the music artistry of guitarist Robert Jack and singer-songwriter Serene Boulton performing her songs to the mesmerising sounds of her electric piano.

Come and join us at a Festival renowned for its friendliness as much as for its surprises.