We are delighted to share the results of this year’s Christopher Nicholson Prize for Poetry Translation, a competition open to DG (Year 12) students in honour of the late Christopher Nicholson (1938–2014), who taught English and Latin at Christ’s Hospital from 1965 to 1981. Renowned for his intellect and charisma, Mr Nicholson inspired generations of pupils, and this prize continues his legacy by celebrating linguistic skill and poetic sensitivity.
Adjudicated by acclaimed writer and linguist Sophie Lau, the competition drew an impressive range of entries. Students translated poems from an array of languages, including German, French, Lithuanian, Haitian Creole, Latin and more — a testament to the rich linguistic curiosity fostered at CH.
Congratulations to this year’s overall winner, Ru, for a beautifully judged translation from Russian.
Highly commended entries came from Lois (Mandarin) and Eli (Spanish).
Other notable contributions included translations by Elden (Mandarin), Allegra (Haitian Creole), and Freya (Latin).
We applaud all participants for their thoughtful and creative engagement with poetry across languages — a true celebration of the power of words to cross borders.