Judges: Christopher Reid, Don Paterson and Peter McDonald. 

Read more about this year's judges.

Competition rules

• Entries for the Christopher Tower Poetry Prizes 2012 must be on the subject of ‘Voyages ’.
• The closing date for entries is 2 March 2012.
• Entrants may submit only one poem, and each entry must be accompanied by an entry form, countersigned by a teacher.
• Entries must be written in English, and be no more than 48 lines in length. They must be on A4 paper, and they should be typed or word-processed if possible.
• Entries are judged anonymously, and the name and address of the poet should not appear on the manuscript.
• Each poem must be the original work of the author, and must not have been previously published, broadcast or submitted to another competition.
• No acknowledgment of receipt can be made unless a stamped, self-addressed envelope is included with the entry. Please ensure the correct postage is used as entries with insufficient postage cannot be accepted.
• Winners will be notified by 30 March 2012, and will be invited to attend an awards ceremony at lunchtime in Oxford on 19 April 2012.
• The judges ’decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into concerning this decision.
• Entrants must be at least 16 years of age, and under 19 years of age, on 2 March 2012.
• Entrants must be in full or part-time education at a school, college or other educational institution in the United Kingdom. Students enrolled on higher education courses are not eligible to enter the competition.
• Entries sent in by e-mail will not be accepted.
• The copyright of each poem remains with the author. Authors of the winning poems will grant Christ Church permission to publish or broadcast the poems for a period of one year from 19 April 2012.

The competition is not open to family members or close relatives of employees of Christ Church, Oxford.