John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry

2009 John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry
The Winners
 

Click on the links below to read the winning poems.

1st Prize Winner - DAFYDD WYN

Dafydd Wyn has taught English in schools in London, Bala and at Ystalyfera. He is the author of two novels, The December Letters (Adelphi 1991) and The M4 Cats (Lolfa 2008). Dafydd is a previous Runner-up in the John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry and has also achieved personal success with his Welsh-language poetry and prose at the National Eisteddfod. He has also been employed as a WJEC English Language and Literature examiner and is a former Mayor of Cwmaman. Dafydd is a Member of Academi.
 

Dafydd's Poems
One of the Boys
Gwilym’s Last Visit
Saint David’s Ward

Runner-up and Audience Prize-winner - LIAM JOHNSON

Liam Johnson, who is half English and half Canadian, moved to Wales when he was five and grew up in the countryside on a smallholding. He has four older siblings, one if whom used to read him poems instead of bedtime stories. Liam started writing his own poems and lyrics at fifteen though this petered out he started writing blocks of prose-poetry again in the summer of 2007 after reading Jack Kerouac for the first time. He states the Beat Generation as his most significant influence. Liam is now studying at UWIC in Cardiff for a degree in English and Creative Writing. He is also currently attending open mic nights and writing a book.

Liam's Poem
The Weight
(please note that the above poem contains some swearing)