A poem about defying the pressure to grow up and act your age led one of the island’s leading performance poets to scoop a top local literature prize for the third time.

Jackie Morrey Grace was voted on top of the pile as she claimed the title of Isle of Man Poetry Slam champion for 2021.

Reading her untitled poem, Jackie gave a typically energetic, forceful and magnetic delivery as she railed against the conventions and expectations of aging in today’s society, gleefully and proudly delivering the lines: ’I’m going to tell you a secret I very rarely share,

I started rapping aged 42 on a festival stage wearing gold flares’!

After first winning the coveted crown in 2017, Jackie claimed it for the second time last year and made her triumphant defence on Friday night at the Port St Mary Town hall, in the face of stiff competition from a varied line up of fellow wordsmiths, including John Davies, Rakie Bennett, Hazel Teare, Bill Quine, Kai Varetto, Jacqueline Shirtliff and many more.

Also taking part were some of the Manx Bards, including former champion John ’Dog’ Callister and Stacey Astill, along with the current bards Owen Atkinson and Brintha Yasodaran.

Helen Jessop came in a close second place with her poem ’Heather’s Spider’.

The competition was organised by Poetry Unlimited and is held in conjunction with the Manx Litfest.

The competition was compered by the new Castletown MHK, former journalist Tim Glover.

’This year we had 19 performers on stage, ranging in age from 18 to 80 years old, with much diversity, creating an entirely electric night of entertainment,’ said organiser Bridge Carter.

’The competitors were a mixed bag, some old hands and some very raw new recruits but all managed to captivate the audience whose ecstatic response totally raised the roof.

’We had performances on ageism, feminism, domestic abuse and more right through to spiders, junk and Ne Na’s.

’All were absolutely mind blowing and left the audience in tears of woe and laughter. Port St Mary Town Hall was buzzing with mixed emotions throughout the entire night.

’It was definitely one of the stiffest competitions I’ve ever seen with top performances which just get bigger and better each year.’