[Y]oung poets throughout Cumbria are asked to write about “Deep Waters” to celebrate World Heritage status for the Lake District.
It’s the theme for this year’s Wordsworth Young Poets competition organised by the family of Britain’s greatest poet who lived at Rydal Mount near Ambleside. It is open to all young people of school age in the county.
The contest will celebrate the cultural landscape of the Lakes following the award of world heritage status last year.
Entries will be judged by members of the Wordsworth family, who will attend the annual award ceremony later this spring. The winning poem will be framed and displayed prominently in the drawing room at the popular tourist attraction.
The competition has become very popular with both junior and senior schools and last year attracted more than 200 entries. The winning poem last year, Wild is a Child by Ambleside primary school pupil Rowan Ashworth, reached huge audiences after being hailed by academics and campaigners for natural childhood. The poem has also been read by thousands of visitors to Rydal Mount.
Christopher Wordsworth, the great great great great grandson of William Wordsworth, said: “In celebrating World Heritage status in this year’s competition we believe that Deep Waters has poetic potential. It can refer to physical water in the Lake District, but it can have resonance to emotions and feelings. Water, rivers and waterfalls were important parts in living nature to William Wordsworth and we look forward to the poems which may be submitted.”
The winner will receive a £50 cash prize, a personal trophy, and his or her name will be added to the roll of honour on the plaque at Rydal Mount. There are book prizes for the poets judged as highly commended in the primary and secondary school categories.
Each entrant also receives a certificate signed by the descendants of William Wordsworth.
The closing date for entries is Friday March 22, and an award ceremony will be held at Rydal Mount after the Easter holidays when the winner will be announced.
Entry forms can be found at HERE.
