The Haunting of English Laureate has been hunted down!

The Haunting of the English Laureate

Judging The Haunting of English Laureate felt like stepping into a space where language whispers, lingers, and refuses to be forgotten. Page after page, the book surprised me, unsettling in the best way, alive with questions, memory, and beautifully charged unease. This isn’t just a book you read; it’s one you experience, long after you’ve put it down.

What truly stands out is the boldness of this work. It isn’t afraid to challenge, to haunt, or to reshape the way we think about English and its inherited weight. The Haunting of English Laureate reminds us that language has a pulse, and that the bravest writing listens closely to it.

Huge congratulations on this powerful, resonant win. May this book travel far, spark conversations, and keep haunting readers in all the right ways.

Best regards,
Aarjavee Chankeshwara

We are elated to finally announce the winners of The Haunting Of English Laureate. This anthology is a collection of the darkest memories and experiences of these authors who have put their heart and soul in writing the poems. The collection truly captures the pain behind grief, depression and all the saddest moments of life. The poems truly connect and stay with you days after you read them. A heartiest congratulations to all the winners and finalists and it was a really tough decision to make. Keep the creative spark strong and always continue to light up rooms with your poetry!

WINNER

HOLLY KEEHN- THE MOUTH IS A BLADE

Holly Keehn is a teacher and writer from Gig Harbor, Washington. Her work reflects the intersections of motherhood, memory, and the natural world. When she isn’t teaching second graders, she can be found writing poetry or exploring the Pacific Northwest with her family

RUNNER UP

VIVIAN WYATT- COBWEB OF LIES

Vivian Danielle Wyatt is an aspiring poet and author in South Mississippi. She has three published books on Amazon: "More Than Me, " "A Fragile Heart, " and "Dixie Dust: Poetry & Prose about living in South Mississippi. She works as an office manager and has two beautiful sons named Joshua and Hunter.

2ND RUNNER UP

OKARONI EDWARD-THE NIGHT I MISTOOK A FLOWER FOR A GHOST

Edward Okaroni, also known as Edy Roni, is a poet, lyricist, fiction writer, and dietitian by profession. He is currently preparing to publish his novella Between Bulls and Whispers. You can find him on social media as @ronitheteller (Instagram, TikTok, Rapfame, and Threads) and as Edward Okaroni on Facebook.

FINALISTS

KENDRA LEONARD- FOUR OPHELIAS
AMANDA DARZNIN- SMOKE
HOWARD OSBORNE- IF WORDS ARE NOT ENOUGH
JOHN SARA- “WHEN I DREAM THAT FREDDY KRUGER KILLS ME DURING MY THESIS DEFENCE”
JENNIFER WEIGEL- THE WITCH’S LAMENT
MAXWELL BAUMAN- VISCERA
CARA TOBIN- A WALKING NIGHTMARE
BAILEE RUDOLPH- OPEN ENDED
JENNY HART- THE LEXICON HOUSE

CONTRIBUTORS

LINA BUIVIDAVICIUTE - WHAT GOOD POETRY NEEDS
TERRY BRINKMAN - SNOT GREEN
JORDAN CORLEY - DIAGNOSIS: LOST IN TRANSLATION
AKIVA ISRAEL - THE SLEEP OF REASON
JASON PALOMINO - THE INK REMAINS
BILL SIMMONS - SHADOWS
STEVE GERSON - SELF PORTRAIT IN BONE
AJ CHILSON - LOST
COURTNEY LIU - MIDNIGHT IN ELSINORE
LOURDES LEINER - THE LAB RAT
BASKIN COOPER - INTERSTATE FREQUENCY
ANTOINE LIU - A LECTURE
GAVIN BOURKE - CROW LIVES ON
HOPE CRAIG - THE MIDNIGHT SYMPOSIUM
HANS BECKER - THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN DEMONS
AJAYSAH HARRIS - VOLUNTARY SINKING
LAUREL ASHCOM - FROM OUR ASHES
LindaAnn LoSchiavo - POE AND HIS WOMEN
RYAN RAHMAN - EMISSARY
ASHOK JAHAGIRDAR - THE LEXICON OF LOSS & AN INCANTATION OF INTERRUPTIONS
AUBREY LYNCH - AN INSTINCT TO DIG
TANIA PRZYWARA - SOMEDAY, WILL YOU COME CRYING?
UDATHA GEETANJALI - AS I WALK A MILE
YASSMINE AMER - MONSTER
TERRY MILLER - UNDER THE TREES WHERE THE BODIES HANG
ADNAN ADNAN - FEMALE FORM
REEBIE ANN FLOWERS - SPIRITUAL EXPLOITATIONS
STEPHANIE TOBIA - ALSTEDE’S FARM HARVEST PSALM
MOHAN RANGAM - POEM OF ECSTASY

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