We are delighted to announce that Univ Library is once again holding our poetry competition, open to all Univ members and Old Members, over 5th and 6th Week. When we ran this competition last year we were bowled over by the quality of the poems Univites sent us, and we had loads of fun reading them all. We hope this year will prove just as successful!

As well as producing some beautiful poems, the poetry competition has an important well-being element too. Historically, 5th and 6th Week are peak times for students to experience high levels of stress, and this point in the academic year can be difficult for staff who have been working relentlessly through a cycle of busy periods. As such, we think now would be an ideal time for everyone to allow themselves a break and do something creative. Creative activity can have positive results for combatting rumination and intrusive thinking, while Pireeni Sundaralingam’s (our Poet Laureate) research explores creativity as a method for supporting shifts in thinking patterns. Stepping away from your work to write a line of poetry, even if only a few minutes, could help you to recharge your batteries while also freeing up your way of thinking.

We welcome submissions of all forms of poetry, on any topic. You can submit your entry (or entries) in hardcopy via the poetry post boxes stationed in each Library, or via email to library@univ.ox.ac.uk, up until end of play on Friday 23 February. The New Library poetry post box is next to the issue PC; the Old Library box is upstairs opposite the Catalogue Search PCs.

Oh, and everyone will be ecstatic to learn we have sourced another gaudy Radcliffe Camera-design teapot for the winner to take home. No finer prize could you receive, than a landmark for your Ceylon leaves.

Happy scribing!

Published: 14 February 2024

Explore Univ on social media