The Academi Cardiff International Poetry Competition

Bob in Cardiff stood out amoung the shortlisted poems for its energy and immediacy. The poet conveys vivid immpressions of the city on a summer’s evening; it’s vibrancy enchanced by the music that is a background presence. We get a sense of the specialness of the occasion, the importance of this music that lifts us beyond our immediate surroundings; yet the physical details throughout the poem serve to keep us grounded in the here-and-now of the actual city that carries on its life regardless. I love the way the poet handles this tension between the everyday and the transcendant. It’s also a very well-written poem, with a confident technical skill; well worthy of the Cardiff Poet Prize in this Centenary year.