Don’t you hate it that the young get all the chances? That there are so many poetry awards for people under 18, under 25, under 30? What if you spent the first part of your life not writing poetry but gathering material for poems that only came later, when you had a bit more time to reflect?

Well, now it’s your turn. The Stare’s Nest is sponsoring a competition for older writers to get their moment in the spotlight. The brand new Fledgling Award celebrates debut pamphlets and collections by poets over the age of 40. And I’m delighted to say that the judge is none other than Martin “too old for a Gregory, to young to die” Figura!

So these are the rules:

1. Eligible books must be the first solo book of poetry (whether a pamphlet or a full collection) from a poet who was 40 or older…