Literature, with its universal power, has always connected hearts across the globe, breaking down borders and fostering unity. The Passion of Poetry Community, under the guidance of Event Director Antonio Ma-at, embarked on a remarkable journey with the launch of the Member Art Pix Prompt (MAPP) in September 2023. This initiative brought together over 115,000 poets from around the world, with around 1,000 entries submitted each Friday. From these, 20 finalists are selected, showcasing the diverse and vibrant cultures that contribute to the event’s success.
Poets from countries such as the UK, US, India, the Philippines, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago, Indonesia, and more have made this event a global tapestry of artistic expression. The competition’s success is largely due to the dedication of its participants and the unwavering support of the esteemed judges, whose experience has elevated the event.
The MAPP scoring system involves judges selecting their top five poems, with varying point allocations, while Antonio Ma-at adds an additional score ranging from 10 to 100 points. This unique system ensures a balanced and fair assessment of the entries, reflecting the collective votes of the judges rather than simply assessing the poems’ intrinsic value.
The panel of judges is made up of distinguished literary figures from around the world:
- Angela Kosta 🇮🇹 (Italy): Translator, essayist, journalist, editor, and published author with works translated into 28 languages.
- Yannis Fikas 🇬🇷 (Greece): Founder of the Academy of Farsala and Director of Humanities at BCA College Athens.
- Helen Sarita 🇵🇭 (Philippines): Founder of Filipino Poets in Blossoms and President of Blossoms Journal International Magazine.
- Joan Josep Barcelo 🇪🇸 (Spain): Artist-poet known for surrealistic and abstract poetry, contributing to both literature and visual arts.
- Eva Lianou Petropoulou 🇬🇷 (Greece): Celebrated children’s literacy author and Nobel Prize candidate.
- Alexander Kabishev 🇷🇺 (Russia): Chief Editor of Demo GOG and leader of the Hyperpoem Anthology Project.
- Ody Munson 🇭🇰 (Hong Kong): Accomplished author, public speaker, and TEDx speaker, known for her storytelling.
- Antonio Ma-at 🇵🇭 (Philippines): Event Director and globally honored contemporary author.
- Gabriella White 🇺🇸 (United States): Novelist, poet, lecturer, and founder of the New Leaf Writing Community.
- Ratan Bhattacharjee 🇮🇳 (India): Ph.D., affiliate faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University, and founder of the Kolkata Indo-American Society.
The competition’s diverse ranking results celebrate poets from all over the world:
- Nikola Meekin 🇬🇧
- Sujata Banggoo 🇮🇳
- Tha Ono 🇹🇹
- Ency Bearis 🇺🇸
- Fatima Sarah 🇮🇳
- Feliz Ruiz 🇵🇭
- Zenobia Abiera 🇵🇭
- Richarddonna McCabe 🇬🇧
- Aaradhana Sadasivam 🇸🇬
- Harumi Aina 🇮🇩
- Jackie Shaffer 🇺🇸
- Farida Fanaswala 🇮🇳
- F.P Jones 🇺🇸
- Kathy Jo Blake Bryant 🇺🇸
- Carol Mitra 🇮🇳
Antonio Ma-at and the POP MAPP team, led by President Annette Tarpley, and supported by an extensive administrative team, continue to elevate the competition, fostering a sense of community and creativity worldwide.
