TRC student picked as poet in residence for UK's largest poetry festival

Eloise Unerman (18), a student at Thomas Rotherham College, will attend the Ledbury Poetry Festival next month which attracts thousands of poets each year from around the world.

Eloise, of Goldthorpe, won the honour of being poet in residence after gaining first prize in last year’s Ledbury Poetry Competition in the Young People 12-17 category with her poem ‘04:52 to Bristol’. Read her poem below.

Her poem explores femininity and what it is like to be a girl in society today by telling the story of a woman running away from her abusive partner.  

Eloise said: “It is so exciting to be selected to be poet in eesidence at the festival and means a lot to me to see how far I’ve come.”

Eloise will attend the first weekend of the festival, from June 29 to July 2, accompanied by her mum, and will be present for the launch showcase, dinner and various workshops.  She will also have the opportunity to meet other poets. 

Eloise’s talent for poetry developed through her love of writing at a young age.

As a teenager, she was introduced to HIVE South Yorkshire, a group for young writers which allows members to attend workshops, open mic sessions and explore their interest in writing and poetry. 

Eloise, who is studying her A Levels in law, biology and sociology, said she would either like to work in a library or gain an apprenticeship as a teaching assistant after completing her studies.  

Competition judge Fiona Sampson said: “It’s always a pleasure and a privilege to judge youth poetry competitions.

“The teenagers are astonishingly frank about their emotional worlds.

“It’s astonishing how poetically mature the outstanding entries are, and fascinating to see what poetry these young writers might now be exposed to, to help them develop further.” 

The Ledbury Poetry Festival was founded in 1996 and is considered the largest and best poetry festival in the UK.

04:52 to Bristol

Femininity is wide-eyed, she is covered

in mascara and desperately searching

for a train ticket. She’s in McDonald’s at midnight,

giving her last five pounds, to smear rebellion

red lipstick on a big mac. Femininity has taken

her high heels off. She is wandering

the empty dance floor, torn-away sequins,

engagement ring confetti sticking to her feet.

She is travelling across the country, running

from a brown-carpeted flat, and a man

with veins pulsing in the contours of his face.