Poetry in the Archives competition announces winning poem

Paul Everest has been announced as the winner of ‘Poetry in the Archives’, a poetry competition open to staff and students.

Scribe, by Paul Everest (click to enlarge)Paul Everest, Biographical Assistant in the Library, has been awarded first prize in the ‘Poetry in the Archives’ competition with his poem Scribe.

The winning poem was written in response to the prick wheel, a tool used to prick a row of dots or holes in parchment. Entrants were asked to choose one of 10 unusual, hand-picked items on display in the Archive Centre, selecting the item that inspired or intrigued them the most. Other exhibits included a pink resin Pig Club badge from the club’s 50th anniversary dinner, a signet letter from Elizabeth I, charters and seals of King John, and rugby caps from the 1880s.

‘Poetry in the Archives’ was set up by Archivist Tracy Deakin to mark the opening of the new College Archive Centre in the School of Pythagoras. Tracy wanted to establish a competition that showcased poetry as one of the creative prizes available to Johnians, and this competition was open to staff as well as students in order to create a greater awareness of the history and special collections at St John’s. All poems entered were judged by a panel anonymously.

Paul Everest decided to write Scribe after undertaking some basic research on each of the hand-picked items on display at the Archive Centre. “The prick wheel was actually the item I was least drawn to at first,” Paul said. “I wasn’t even sure what it was for, but after researching how it would have been used, an idea began to take shape. It was a slow burner; I did absolutely nothing with it until a few days before the deadline, when it came together fairly swiftly on a bus journey one morning!”

Paul writes poetry regularly but had never entered a poetry competition before. “I’ve never considered that there was any merit in what I write, and consequently don’t really share my poetry,” he said. “I only really entered the competition to support the initiative because I thought it was great that it was open to staff as well as students, and I simply wanted to lend credence to the competition by the statistical virtue of submitting – I never once entertained the thought that I’d make it past a first read, let alone win. I guess it’s turned my preconceptions on their head somewhat – maybe I can write after all?” Paul wins the top prize of £100.

Sportsman, by Rebecca Watts (click to enlarge)Second place was awarded to Rebecca Watts, Library Projects Assistant, who chose the rugby caps from the 1880s as inspiration for her poem Sportsman. “I chose the rugby caps because I was interested in the contrast between the activity they symbolise and the passive/static context in which they are now viewed. I also thought it would be a fun challenge to write about rugby, of which I have no particular knowledge!”

Rebecca has been writing poetry for eight years, and her work has been published in a number of magazines and journals, most recently in Carcanet's New Poetries VI anthology, edited by Professor Michael Schmidt, Writer in Residence at St John’s College, and to be released in July. “External recognition of creative effort is always encouraging,” Rebecca said, “and being awarded money for poetry is especially cheering!” Rebecca received a £50 prize.

Commended entries were Elizabeth by James Hartley, One Glance by Philip White, and Badge by Adam Crothers. Adam’s poetry also features in Carcanet’s New Poetries VI.

The poems will be on display alongside the items that inspired them at the College Archive Centre in the School of Pythagoras until 31 July; contact Tracy Deakin, Archivist, at archivist@joh.cam.ac.uk to make an appointment.