Writers were asked to tell us their “Secrets of the Trees” in the Urban Tree Festival writing competition that walk · listen · create administered – their imaginations branched out, with more than 150 authors submitting poems and stories. The Top 12 shortlisted “secrets”, chosen by a team of volunteer judges that included past competition winners and festival writers-in-residence will be published in a beautifully illustrated limited edition chapbook.

The shortlisted authors will be reading their pieces at the WRITE ABOUT TREES Showcase on Sunday 21 May from 4.30pm (online) – the event at which all will learn who are the winners and runners-up. Winners will be receiving a cash prize!

Shortlisted pieces and their authors:

• Galia Admoni – Tree
• Julian Bishop – Warning: Dangerous Tree
• John Bowen – Jacaranda: Blue on Blue
• Adam Elms – Fallen Comrade
• Em Gray – Evergreen
• Lizzie Gwinnell – Deirdre
• Andrew Halsall Smith – When the Bough Holds Strong
• Rayna Haralambieva – Trees are poems Sung by the Wind
• Cheryl Markosky – Sucking
• Arthur Sparrow – Death of a Veteran
• Penny Walker – 4Ever
• Kyra Williams – The Forest

Edited by Chris Bestwick, illustrated by Alban Low and published by SampsonLow, the Canopy – Secrets of the Trees chapbook will be available from 8th May. You can pre-order chapbooks from the Urban Tree Festival online shop here.

You can read the longlist of the highest scoring poems and stories selected by the volunteer judges, or you can choose to follow one a day from now to the start of the Festival (13 May), by tuning into their Twitter feed.

Thanks to everyone who submitted poems and flash stories to the competition.