I’m beyond delighted to be able to share news that I won the John Pollard International Poetry Prize.
I’d like to thank Dr Linda Doyle and Trinity College Dublin, Stephen Vernon and the John Pollard Foundation, the lovely judges Professor Eoin McNamee, Una Mannion, and Seán Hewitt for welcoming me and this bestowing this wonderful honour.
Karen Downs-Barton is an award winning poet. Minx, her first collection, is published by Chatto and Windus, Penguin Random House in March 2025. Her pamphlet, Didicoy, won the 2022 International Book and Pamphlet Competition and was the Poetry Book Society recommended pamphlet 2023. Her writing incorporates experimental form and multilingualism alongside lyric pieces exploring an Angloromani heritage, times in state child care, and in diverse occupations including a magician's assistant. Karen has appeared on BBC Radio 4's The Verb, Ledbury Literature Festival, and is currently touring, promoting Minx. Karen gained a Doctorate in Creative Writing from King's College, London and is a regular workshop facilitator for Creative Future UK. Follow her on social media at: @downsbarton Instagram, @karendownsbarton.bsky.social View more posts
Karen Downs-Barton