Brian Nisbet Poetry Award 2024 – The 200th Anniversary of George MacDonald’s Birth

Today is the 200th anniversary of Scottish author George MacDonald’s birth, considered one of the founding fathers of modern fantasy literature, and we are delighted to congratulate our own author Clay Franklin Johnson (A Ride Through Faerie and Other Poems) on winning the Highly Commended Award for his poem ‘The Faery Wood’, one of two prizes given for the Brian Nisbet Poetry Award 2024.

The award’s theme this year was the life and writings of George MacDonald to honour the bicentenary of his birth in Huntly, Scotland, where the Brian Nisbet Poetry Award is based.  Below is Clay’s poem ‘The Faery Wood’, which was partly inspired by MacDonald’s fantasy novel Phantastes (1858).  Thanks to all involved in making this award possible, including Huntly Writers, Lynn Rutter, and lead judge Dawn McLachlan, and congratulations to all other winners in each category.