The Bridgette James Poetry Competition | How to Apply
The 2025 Bridgette James Poetry Competition
Theme: “Nature and You” | Submission Deadline: May 8, 2025 (Noon BST)
Entry Fee: Free | Open to: Writers from Sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, and their diaspora
Prizes
- 1st Place: $40 USD
- Runner-Up: $10 USD
- Top 3: Published in the Penned in Rage Hardcover Journal
Ella’s Poems invites poets to enter the second annual Bridgette James Poetry Competition, now open through May 8, 2025. This year’s theme, “Nature and You,” calls for poems that explore our personal and collective relationship with the natural world.
To compete, writers must submit an original, unpublished poem (max 40 lines) written in the first person. The theme can be interpreted broadly—focus on climate change, cultural ecology, urban development, or ancestral connection to the land.
Use free verse or experimental forms. Avoid metered poetry and AI-generated content; all entries will be checked for originality.
How to Submit to the Bridgette James Poetry Competition
- Write a 40-line max poem in non-metered form (free verse, haiku, prose poem, etc.).
- Format your poem in a Word document (.doc).
- Submit one poem only to:
- Use your real name in your submission. You may include a pseudonym for publication, but you must disclose your legal name to organizers.
- Subscribe to www.ellaspoems.com to be eligible. Subscription is free—just click “Subscribe” on the homepage.
Note: Only successful entries will be contacted. Winners will be announced publicly on May 30, 2025, on the official website.
Additional Opportunities
At the same time, Penned in Rage also welcomes:
- Flash Fiction (max 500 words)
- Non-academic essays and creative nonfiction (max 500 words)
You may submit work on any topic. However, the journal does not accept work that offends any social group or includes metered verse.
Publication & Awards for the Bridgette James Poetry Competition
Winning entries will appear in the Nature & You Anthology 2025 and the annual hardcover edition of Penned in Rage (published via Amazon KDP). The journal also publishes three downloadable PDF editions each year (January, April, October).
Judging Panel for the Bridgette James Poetry Competition
Poet Pamilerin Jacob will judge the top entries. His work has appeared in POETRY, Lolwe, The Rumpus, and more. He brings sharp editorial insight and a deep commitment to showcasing bold, authentic voices.
Joining the reading panel is Anna Zgambo, PhD candidate in literature and author of Peruse Every Poem. She has published widely and brings a rich understanding of African poetics and lyric form.
About the Founder: Bridgette James
Bridgette James, a British-Sierra Leonean writer, founded the competition to amplify underrepresented voices. A former UK police constable with a background in literature and criminology, she draws on lived experience to craft emotionally resonant work.
Her writing has appeared in The Lake, Allegro, London Grip, Dreich, and Bristol Noir. In 2024, she won the Fiction Factory Poetry Prize, and was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize and Renard Press Poetry Prize.
Need a Boost Before You Submit?
Fuel your creativity with these resources:
