Competition News

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The Monica Taylor Poetry Prize 2025 is now closed. Thanks to everyone who entered.

Ngā mihi to judge Janet Newman who read all 362 anonymised entries. The winning poem and judge’s report appear in takahē 115.

RESULTS

The shortlist for the takahē Monica Taylor Poetry Prize 2025 was:

  • 580nm – Laurice Gilbert
  • Acorn – Andrea Ewing
  • Dawn Chorus – Rebecca Hawkes
  • Ghazal for the Earth – Marjory Woodfield
  • MUNDANE DETAILS – Jasmine Taylor
  • Paraselene – Mikaela Nyman
  • Supermarket run; matuku moana, the traffic and me – Alex Stone
  • The Butcher of Whack-a-White – Jilly O’Brien
  • THE OTHER SIDE – Jessica Le Bas
  • [Title of this poem] [Waitangi] – Hana Buchanan
  • Two Harbours, one heart (in the style of Nazim Hikmet) – Ines Almeida

The longlist for the takahē Monica Taylor Poetry Prize 2025 was:

  • 580nm – Laurice Gilbert
  • Acorn – Andrea Ewing
  • Aku waewae e rua – Hana Buchanan
  • A Rahui over Aotearoa/New Zealand – Rangi Faith
  • Dawn Chorus – Rebecca Hawkes
  • Ghazal for the Earth – Marjory Woodfield
  • He Koha, He Koha, He Koha – Rangi Faith
  • MUNDANE DETAILS – Jasmine Taylor
  • Paraselene – Mikaela Nyman
  • Saturday night – Kathryn Martin
  • Supermarket run; matuku moana, the traffic and me – Alex Stone
  • The Butcher of Whack-a-White – Jilly O’Brien
  • THE OTHER SIDE – Jessica Le Bas
  • Three Deer – Jillian Sullivan
  • [Title of this poem] [Waitangi] – Hana Buchanan
  • Two Harbours, one heart (in the style of Nazim Hikmet) – Ines Almeida

See Past Competition Results to read winning poems, judges’ reports, and shortlists. Learn more about the history of the prize.