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Wildfire/Frosted Fire seventh annual single-poem competition

First Prize AUDIO: £300 ― First Prize TEXT: £300 ― 4 runners up £25

Highly Commended poets (shortlist) & Commended poets (longlist) will all join the prize winners published in
Free Speech vs Fake News Anthology 2026
published online as text and audio in December

Closing Date: 10 November 2026

Competition rules, entry fees, and how to enter

Our 7th annual single-poem competition invites poets to write about what free speech means to them personally. You can interpret the theme as widely or wildly as you like in poetry of opinion, narrative (including what-if?), satire, metaphor.

Wildfire Words’ aim is to be inclusive of writers worldwide. We respect all other people and their well-being, beliefs, individuality, and free speech, and expect the same from all who submit. More on our Inclusivity Philosophy.

Is free speech saying what you like in public and allowing others to say what they like? How often are you in an environment where free speech is not advisable or allowed — work, religious ceremonies, theatre audiences . . .? What might you say if it were? What incidents remind you of the importance — or the danger — of unlimited free speech?

Have you ever been prevented from being allowed to say what you believe? Are parents right to stop children expressing their views. If so, at what age does that cease?

Can anyone justify trying to prevent others from expressing their opinion in public? How has the internet and particularly social media, blurred the difference between expressing beliefs and giving inaccurate or false information — in other words, lying?

“Free speech . . . some people’s idea of it is that they are free to say what they like, but if anyone says anything back, that is an outrage.” ― Winston Churchill.

“Free speech isn’t just about speaking. It is also about listening …” ― Tim Cook, Apple CEO.

“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it” ― Evelyn Beatrice Hall,

“We can’t have, like, willy-nilly proliferation of fake news. That’s crazy. You can’t have more types of fake news than real news. That’s allowing public deception to go unchecked. That’s crazy.”
― Elon Musk

Is it reasonable or fair to call others’ speech “fake news” without explaining why? Does fake news simply mean lies? Is it a weapon to prevent free speech by other people? Or is it acceptable as long as it breaks no laws?

Does anyone in your experience used the right to free speech as a right to tell whatever lies they choose? Does it give the right to ask any question? And does it give everyone the right not to say anything in answer to a question?

Does everyone have the right to express or repeat beliefs as if they were facts/truths/universally agreed? Have you ever felt manipulated by such people? Does other people’s free speech strengthen or weaken your own confidence in what you believe or want to say?

more thoughts on free speech & fake news

Competition Judges. Wildfire judges work as a team. All entries will be anonymous when read by Triage Judge Marilyn Timms. This will result in a long list of anonymous poetry which will all be read and heard by Christine Griffin, Heather Cook, Dr Katherine Parsons, Howard Timms. All judges then vote for the prizewinners, followed by collaboration to agree first prize audio, first prize text, second prize, and third prize. At that stage, the identity of the winners is researched in the accounts records.

Competition rules and how to enter

The contest is open to all poet in any country, except those who act as volunteers for Wildfire Words or have won major Wildfire Words prizes in the last two years.
All poems must be entirely the entrant’s own work and unpublished in any form online or in print. “Creation” with AI (artificial intelligence) automatically excludes a writer.
Entries must be in English. Translations are only allowed if the poet has translated their own poetry.
You may submit as many poems as you like, in batches of up to 5 poems. Each poem should be a separate file, and an entry fee must be paid for each. Each poem may be submitted as text, as audio of the writer speaking their poem, or as audio and text.
Each poem’s title should be at the top of the page and used as the file name, whether text or audio.
Each poem should be a separate text file in Word or PDF and no longer than 50 lines, including title and stanza break lines. Audio files are preferred as MP3 or M4A or WAV. If you are unable to make a recording, you can book a free private recording session at this link.
Do not put any identification on the work. We will match your entry title to your email address after the anonymous judging is complete.
Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but an entry must be withdrawn in the event of it winning a prize or publication elsewhere. Entry fees are not refundable once an entry has been received.
Work will not be returned, so please keep a copy.
We are unable to give feedback on individual entries or on the results of the competition — the judges’ decisions are final.
Results will be emailed by early December to all who entered, and also published on this website and social media.
The entry fee is £5 per poem reducing per poem to £17 for 4 and a 5th one free.
Entries must be paid for on the entry form, and your entry file uploaded, by the closing time of 11.59 pm on 10 Novemberber 2026. Our banking for credit or debit card payments is provided by PayPal, but you do not need a PayPal account to pay by card.

Entry form

First Prize AUDIO: £300 ― First Prize TEXT: £300 ― 4 runners up £25

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