DARK HUMOUR, BITTER IRONY
RESULTS
We are pleased to share the results of Dark Humour, Bitter Irony, our latest Dark Poets Club mini challenge.
With over 2,000 submissions from 38 countries 38 countries, the response to this challenge was exceptional and reflected the wide range of ways poets approach humour, irony and darker subject matter.
The submissions explored satire, absurdity, self-awareness, grief, discomfort, social observation and the strange contradictions that often sit beneath humour. The strongest poems showed a clear understanding of tone, using irony and wit with control, originality and purpose.
Judging was highly competitive. Many poems stood out for their voice, structure, intelligence and impact, which made the final selection process particularly difficult. As this was a mini challenge, the aim was not only to identify one winning poet, but also to recognise a wider group of writers whose work strongly captured the theme.
After careful consideration, S.D Gould has been selected as the winner of Dark Humour, Bitter Irony for two outstanding poems: Back Row at My Own Funeral and Terms & Conditions.
Alongside the winner, we are also recognising 4 Highly Commended poets, Shortlisted poets and Honourable Mentions.
❗ If your name is not included within the results, please do not feel disheartened. With over 2,000 submissions, many strong poems could not be included in the final selection. The results reflect a very competitive field and a careful editorial process.
Thank you to every poet who entered and shared their work with us. Your submissions made this a memorable and highly engaging challenge for Dark Poets Club.
Yours in darkness,
Dark Poets Club Editorial Team
Stay tuned for more updates as we celebrate the extraordinary talent within our community!
TIM REAPER
Timothy (pen name Tim Reaper) is an American student of Literature & Performing Arts.
“Winning the Dark Poets Prize feels like someone finally switched the light on in the part of my mind I’ve spent years trying to apologise for. I’m an English Lit major, so I’ve lived inside language for as long as I can remember, but I’ve also lived inside my own head in a way that can be… loud. Neurodivergence means my thoughts don’t arrive politely. They spiral, they snag, they repeat, they sharpen. For a long time, I mistook that intensity for something to hide.
These poems came from the places I used to edit out — the unsettling, obsessive corners, the ones that won’t ‘move on’ just because the world expects them to. To have that darkness not only accepted but chosen is honestly surreal. It’s validating in a way I don’t think I’ve ever experienced as a writer.
This win doesn’t just make me happy it makes me braver. It makes me believe I can trust my voice, my instincts, my strange angles of seeing. My confidence has lifted astronomically. And if you’re someone who feels too much, thinks too fast, or carries the unsayable like a second spine, I hope this is proof that your darkness can be a kind of craft, and your difference can be a kind of power.”
HIGHLY COMMENDED, SHORTLIST + HONOURABLE MENTION:
Congratulations to all the incredible poets that participated and to those who made it into our 'Shortlist' + 'Honourable Mentions', whose stunning work has also been selected for publication on Dark Poets Club, (you will be contacted in due course):
FOR THOSE DIGITALLY SAVVY AND WISHING TO SHARE THEIR SHORTLIT OR HONOURABLE MENTION, FEEL FREE TO DOWNLOAD THE CLEAN IMAGE BELOW AND ADD YOUR NAME (BOLD FONT IS ANTON):
