This year the five words have been selected from submissions by poetry filmmakers, who responded to an international call for Word Films. These will be presented on Given Words on 1 August, and all you have to do is write a poem which includes all five words and send it in before midnight on 22 August, Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day.

The Given Words competition is free to enter and is open to all New Zealand residents and citizens. Prizes will be awarded for Best Poem and Best Poem by Under-16s. The winning poems will be selected by Sophia Wilson, Pat White and Charles Olsen, and winners will receive prizes courtesy of The Cuba Press and Massey University Press.

You will find full details of how to participate on Given Words, where you can also read entries from previous editions. For teachers there is a creative lesson plan available to inspire pupils.

Charles Olsen, director of Given Words, will also be sharing some of the Word Films received on the Given Words Instagram during the run up to the launch. He comments, ‘After the wonderful word films made by children from Honduras, Spain and New Zealand, for the last three editions of Given Words, I thought it would be great to challenge international poetry filmmakers to provide word films for this special tenth edition. I can’t wait to share these on 1 August and to read all the poems they inspire!’

For more information, visit:
Given Words
Instagram @givenwords
National Poetry Day