The Prize

The prize for the winning poem is $5000 in cash.

Theme

The theme of the Robert Gray Prize is taken from the title of a poem of Robert’s that first appeared in Nameless Earth: “A poem of not more than forty lines on the subject of nature.” Take whatever approach you like to “the subject of nature,” and employ any form.  

Principal dates

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​Eligibility

 

1. Entries must be the original work of the Entrant.

2. Entries must be written predominantly in English.

3. Entries must not exceed 40 lines, or, for prose poems, 500 words. These limits do not include the title, citations or epigraph (if any) or any sub-headings. There is no minimum line limit.

4. Images must not be included in the submission.

5. No part of any Entry must have been written with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence.

6. Entries must not have been previously published, either in print or in electronic form. Publication, for this purpose, does not include appearance on the private website or social media pages of the Entrant, or printing of the poem in a pamphlet for private circulation that was not made available for sale.

7. Entrants must be 18 years or over at the closing date for submissions.

8. Entry is open to all, without restriction on nationality or domicile.

9. Members and employees of Oystercatcher Enterprises Ltd, members of the 5 Islands Press Editorial Advisory Board, and their family members are not eligible to enter.

 

Entry procedures

 

1. Entry is online only. Poems must be attached as a MS Word document (.doc, .docx) via the entry form on the 5Islands Press website. Entrants may, if they wish, attach pdf versions of their poems in addition to the MS Word version,

2. The entry fee is $A20 for each poem entered.

3. There is no limit on the number of entries that an Entrant may submit.

4. For administrative purposes, Entrants must provide their legal name on the entry form. Entrants who prefer to be published under a pseudonym may also enter their penname on the entry form.​

Conditions of entry

By entering the Robert Gray Prize for Poetry, the Entrant agrees to be bound by the following terms and conditions.

1. Unless and until an Entrant is notified that their poem has been included in the shortlist for the Roberth Gray Prize, Entrants may enter poems submitted for the Robert Gray Prize for Poetry in other competitions or submit them for publication elsewhere.

2. If a poem is longlisted or shortlisted in another competition, or accepted for publication elsewhere, the Entrant will, as soon as they reasonably can, either withdraw their entry from the Robert Gray Prize for Poetry or withdraw it from the other competition or publication opportunity.

3. If an Entrant is informed that their poem has been shortlisted for the Robert Gray Prize for Poetry, and that poem has also been submitted for publication or entered in a competition elsewhere, the Entrant will either withdraw their poem from the Prize or from the other competition or publication opportunity.

4. If a shortlisted Entrant decides to withdraw the poem from the Robert Gray Prize, they will do as soon as they reasonably can, and not later than three days after receiving notification of the shortlisting.

5. Entry fees will not be refunded if a poem is withdrawn from the Robert Gray Prize for Poetry for any reason.

6. Entrants must acknowledge in a footnote or citation at the end of the poem, any quotations or text from other sources used within the poem.

7. Entrants give permission to 5Islands Press to publish their poems, if shortlisted for the Prize, in the 2026 Oystercatcher Three anthology. The copyright to the work is retained by the Author. 

8. 5Islands Press may use any Entry, or an excerpt from any Entry, for the purpose of promoting the competition and the anthology.

9. Any subsequent publication that includes a poem published in the Oystercatcher Three anthology should acknowledge the anthology as the first publication of the poem.

10. All Entrants whose poems are published in the anthology will receive with one (1) free print copy of the anthology.

11. Entrants agree to receive opt-out correspondence from 5 Islands Press.

12. The winner of the Prize may be required to participate in media-related events associated with the competition.

13. The judges’ decisions are final. No correspondence will be entered into by either the judges or members and employees of 5 Islands Press.