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The hunt is on for budding young poets to steal the title of poet of the year. MARISSA CARRUTHERS caught up with poet and judge Lemn Sissay to find out more.
"Poetry is the central component to life."
These are exactly the kind of words you would expect to come out of a poet's mouth. But according to award-winning poet Lemn Sissay, poetry doesn't have to be all fancy speech and philosophical sentences.
"You can be a doctor, an academic, a novelist or a road sweeper as well as a poet," he said.
"A lot of people think you have to be some sort of intellectual academic to be a poet, but that's just not true.
"Creativity is the key and being able to translate everyday life on to a page is what matters.
"A lot of song lyrics, like Morrisey's, or rap is poetry."
And that's exactly the kind of material that Lemn, a judge at this year's Foyles Poets of the Year award, is looking for.
"I think there's tons of talent in Britain, and it's always found in the places you least expect it.
"The idea of a poet is having an original way of seeing the world that makes the reader able to see it as if for the first time.
"It certainly isn't something that's restricted to somebody who's got a brilliant, expensive education."
Today, Lemn is urging youngsters aged 11 to 17 across Wearside to put their pen to paper and get writing in time for the deadline on July 31.
The competition, run by The Poetry Society, aims to unearth, promote and support young poetic talent from across the UK.
Previous winner of the Foyle Young Poets and Respect Slam, Jay Bernard said: "Some of us are excited about the U.S. elections, curious about global warming or worried about increasing levels of violence.
"In a society where young people are mostly looked down upon, writing is a chance to talk about these things, to use words brilliantly and to find others who want to listen.
"Take it – shake things up. The world is ours."
The poets whose work is selected as the most promising will attend a week-long residential course at the prestigious Arvon Centre, where they will be tutored by this year's judges, Lemn and Selima Hill.
Winners under the age of 14 will receive a visit to their school from a professional poet.
To request an entry form for the Foyles Poets of the Year award, email fyp@poetrysociety.org.uk.
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