Poetry Day Competition

Page & Blackmore NZ Poetry Day Competition 2011

 
The winner of the poetry competition is Greg O’Connell with his poem, No Simple Book. Greg is from the West Coast and runs a poetry in schools programme. (http://www.gregoconnell.com/)
Runner-ups are Barbara Strang, Inside the Radio, and Sarah McCallum, sleeper arts.
 
 

This year’s judge Lindsay Pope said

“Thanks to Page and Blackmore for both the opportunity to judge their 2011 competition and for actively promoting poetry writing and reading.

The task presented me with some challenges. With a small catchment of words entrants were able to explore a range of forms and create a variety of tones. It was gratifying to see such diversity.

The winning entry “No Simple Book” has a convincing narrative, consistent tone and a compelling resolution. It was a clear winner.

Congratulations to the runners up, “sleeper arts” and “Inside the Radio” and to all who participated. Please keep on reading and writing poetry.”

 
1st place:
 

No Simple Book

We were the world, you and I.

We were the world, and

ours were the nights; we had that.

We were night-music, builders of poetry.

We were no annihilated sleepers, no contemporary

passing souls, no simple book. We had

the shining lens of night mirrored

in our faces; everything sweet oratory.

In the still dawn: no

art in the fretful room,

no life in the radio,

the mirror, dressed in blue;

and me, lost in the smoke

of poetry. No music. And no you.

- Greg O’Connell

Runner-up

Inside the Radio

Dear John,

We hoped for everything …

Scott and Shackleton hoped for a new world,

an Antarctic passage in the blue dawn,

still, they were builders of huts.

The Tasman is a shining lens,  

and your poem mirrors that,

still your hut has no room for a sleeper,

your radio’s fretful as you circle

to popular music, 1964

a passing world that’s lost in smoke,

and your bill has annihilated me

dear John …

Harry Hovell’s the new builder,

he’s simple, sweet and new.

- Barbara Strang

 
 
Runner-up
 

sleeper arts

Pearson, the mirror builder, had a radio

and a book of poetry, The Poems of Harry Zealand.

Smoke oratories circled the world. Nights

of shining whetu and Antarctic dawns

were passing as Pearson dressed

our room in kowhaiwhai and mirrors.

And our life (inside the radio inside the room

inside the hut of Pearson the mirror builder)

had a simple music and sweet, sweet poetry. Life

had everything stilled. And everything lost.

- Sarah McCallum

Many thanks to everyone that entered. We had a great response this year with 60 entries. We hope you enjoyed National Poetry Day.