A Dumbarton poet has won a prestigious prize after penning a piece on being hungover at an Alexandria vaccination centre.
Poet Stephen Watt has won the Liverpool Poetry Prize open competition and will travel to the city on June 24 to receive his award for the poem ‘Hungover at the Vaccination Drop-in Centre’.
A visit to Alexandria Community Centre for his Covid -19 jab after a night out inspired Stephen to write about the experience.
Stephen, who is poet-in-residence at Dumbarton Football Club, explained: “I had just finished my last job, and I had the Christmas night out with them, and the next day I had my booster.
“I had already been out the night before, and then I had to go out to Alexandria.
“I had a look around at the characters and the noises. It was the kind of mix of cure and hangover together. I took notes on what I had seen, and obviously, that prevailed to be the winner.”
The judge for the competition was Liverpudlian poet Roger McGough, who is one of the famous Liverpool poets alongside Adrian Henri and Brian Patten.
McGough spoke with the competition organisers and said: “I wish to thank all the poets who took part, and say how much I enjoyed reading the submissions.
“There was humour, as I would expect, but moreover, many poems that really touched the heart.”
Stephen is a talented writer and spoken word artist who has received a number of awards for his work over the years.
He is a massive admirer of Roger McGough, and he told how winning a competition, which he judged, was particularly huge for him.
He added: “I am absolutely thrilled. It was a big draw for me to enter the competition because of who the judge was. Roger McGough is someone I have been familiar with for over 20 years.
“Liverpool has a great reputation for poetry, and for one of these guys to recognise me is huge for me.
“Roger McGough is known as the godfather of poetry.
“He’s a Liverpudlian poet, and he has a wicked sense of humour. He has said that they did receive a lot of humorous efforts.
“I think the temporary angle of the vaccinations, which were at the forefront of people’s minds with the pandemic, swung it for me.
“He would have taken it in tongue and cheek when I was referring to a ghetto blaster, seagulls giving the vickies because they were going through the bird flu.
“There were silly things which would appeal to him. But I do think if you’re able to weave these things together into a half-decent piece, then usually it stands out, and this time it has.”
