Winners Announced for Fourth Annual Margaret Reid Poetry Contest for Traditional Verse
Northampton, MA (PRWEB) September 15, 2007 -- Tom Howard Books is pleased to announce the results from its fourth annual Margaret Reid Poetry Contest for Traditional Verse. Johnmichael Simon of Metulla, Israel won first prize and $1,000 for his poem "On the Border" (http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/margaret/2007/ma07_simon.php). Hundreds of entries were received from around the world.
Simon's poem eloquently blends compassion and outrage, portraying the diversity of people trying to live their ordinary lives, and even find moments of beauty and hope, in a war-torn Middle East. Despite his own generation's memories of the Holocaust and the centuries of conflict that the region has endured, the narrator can still dream of a time when Jewish and Muslim children will sneak across the border to "frolic together in a shady pool/beyond the last waterfall, teaching each other/how to pronounce 'jump', 'dive' and 'swim'/in Arabic and Hebrew".
The judges said, "It is difficult to make a political statement in a poem without appearing gauche, over-emphatic or unpardonably declamatory. Johnmichael Simon has risen to the challenge nobly. By writing three vividly visual impressions of life 'on the border' in poetic rather than newspaper-headline terms, he has captured the essence of a powerful plea for Middle East harmony. His lines sing with a passion for the innocent, caught in the middle of a conflict they neither favor nor understand."
Second prize of $400 went to Sally Odgers of Tasmania for "Spinning Pearls". This dream-like poem portrays a mysterious, magical woman whose gifts are now neglected by the world. Cynthia Rausch Allar of Pasadena, CA, won third prize and $200 for her poem "Uncovered". In this poignant poem, the rituals of a Catholic girlhood are the context for feelings of grief and helplessness when prayers seem to go unanswered.
Ten High Distinction awards of $100 each went to Cynthia Rausch Allar, Helen Bar-Lev, Brian Bentley, Noble Collins (three awards), Gretchen Fletcher, Rollin Lasseter, Johnmichael Simon and Joseph Soldati. Ten Highly Commended prizes of $70 and 30 Commended prizes of $50 were also awarded, bringing the total prize pool to $4,800. The top three winners, High Distinction poems, and contest guidelines are published online at winningwriters.com/margaret (www.winningwriters.com/margaret).
The Margaret Reid Poetry Contest for Traditional Verse accepts original poems of any length. Both published and unpublished works are accepted. Traditional verse is broadly defined as any form of poetry that has been in circulation for 50 years or more. It includes free verse. Poems should follow some kind of formal or informal pattern, which might involve rhyme, meter, line length or repetition.
The next Margaret Reid Poetry Contest will open at WinningWriters.com on November 15, 2007. The prize pool will increase to $5,250, making this one of the largest contests for traditional verse in the world. The top prize will increase to $2,000. The postmark deadline for entries in this next contest is June 30, 2008. Entries are accepted online and by mail.
About the Judges
Contest sponsor and final judge John H. Reid is a former journalist and magazine editor who has published several novels, a collection of poetry, a guide to winning literary contests and fifteen books of film criticism and movie history. He lives in Wyong, Australia. Mr. Reid is assisted in the judging by Dee C. Konrad. A leading educator and published author, Ms. Konrad was Associate Professor in the English faculty of Barat College of DePaul University, and served as Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences for the year 2000-2001.
About Winning Writers, Inc.
Winning Writers assists with entry handling and publicity for the Margaret Reid Poetry Contest and other literary contests sponsored by Tom Howard Books. Winning Writers is today's leading source for poetry contest information. We have been selected as one of the "101 Best Web Sites for Writers" by Writer's Digest for three years in a row (2005-2007). Our online database, Poetry Contest Insider, ranks and profiles over 750 literary contests. Our free email newsletter offers news about free poetry and prose contests and quality literary resources.
Winning Writers was founded in 2001 by Jendi Reiter and Adam R. Cohen. Learn more at winningwriters.com (http://www.winningwriters.com).
# # #
Related Articles:
Why Every Freelance Writer Needs A Website
What do you mean, you don't have a website yet? Websites these days aren't just for businesses and people who want to share their obsession with Buffy the Vampire Slayer with the world. These days, websites are one of the most important tools for writers.
Diodati Makes a Daring, Robust, and Passionate Entrance into the World of Poetry with Lifelines Available by Print-on-Demand at Lulu.com
Lifelines is a story that unfolds through six seasons of the author's new life in Sedona, Arizona. Searing and jubilant, these renderings of her soul burn through any artifice, defense or hesitation.
Thoughts.com Holds Its 1st Writing Contest
The free blog community, Thoughts.com, has unveiled their first writing contest, the winner of which will be awarded a free 3 day, 2 night vacation for two. Beginning Tuesday, April 1, 2008, all Thoughts.com members are encouraged to submit a 300-500 word essay beginning with the phrase "Hey, I just had a crazy thought. What if ....." The blogger who fills in the blank with the most original and creative thought will receive an all expenses paid vacation getaway not too far from their part of the world.
An Introduction to Urdu Poetry
Many of you may never have heard of Urdu Poetry before, and even fewer of you may know what Urdu Poetry actually is. This article is a humble attempt to give you some basic knowledge about Urdu Poetry.
Top 5 ways to find an Authentic Custom Dissertation Writing Service
When a dissertation is written according to your requirements and subject of your interest and choice, without any sort of plagiarism, then it?s called a custom dissertation. Custom dissertations cannot be written hurriedly or haphazardly. Writing a custom dissertation is a grueling task because of its long process and it requires assistance at all stages. Let?s see in what ways you might require help and then how you can manage to find an authentic dissertation writing service:
How to Write For New Magazines as a Freelance Writer
Roughly 1,000 magazines are launched every year, according to Samir "Mr Magazine" Husni, a magazine consultant and chair of the journalism department at the University of Mississippi
Mechanical Poetry; Part Two
What do you do when you want to write poetry? I hope your answer is "I start writing." Even writing a bad poem is better than waiting for the "right words.
Outskirts Press Announces Reflections Of An Old Soul: Volume II, the Latest Highly-Anticipated Poetry Book from Poquoson, VA Author G. Barry
Outskirts Press, Inc. has published Reflections Of An Old Soul: Volume II by G. Barry, which is the author's most recent book to date. The 6 x 9 Paperback in the Poetry category is available worldwide on book retailer websites such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble for a suggested retail price of $10.95. Reflections Of An Old Soul: Volume II is also available in its 6 x 9 Casebound edition for $18.95. The webpage at www.outskirtspress.com/gbarry2 was launched simultaneously with the book's publication.
Kris Krainock Releases Criticisms, Witticisms. & More a Book of Poetry and Prose
Kris Krainock Aims to Satisfy Independent Publishing Publicity Craving with Print-on-Demand Availability of Criticisms,Witticisms,& More at Lulu.com
Winners Announced for Fourth Annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Poetry Contest
Debbie Camelin of Ottawa, Ontario, is the winner of the fourth annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Poetry Contest sponsored by Tom Howard Books. This contest awards $3,500 in prizes, including a top prize of $1,000, for the best original poems in any style or theme. Camelin's poem "Intimidation", a stirring account of nonviolent resistance to apartheid, was judged the best of hundreds of entries from around the world. The top ten winners are published at http://www.winningwriters.com/tompoetry
Outskirts Press Announces DejaVoodoos, The Latest Highly-Anticipated Poetry - General Book from Babylon, NY Author Edward V. Lacina
Outskirts Press, Inc. has published "DejaVoodoos: A Collection of Peoms, Rants and Erotic Tales" by Edward V. Lacina, which is the author's most recent book to date. The 5.5x8.5 Paperback in the Poetry - General category is available worldwide on book retailer websites such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble for a suggested retail price of $19.95. The webpage at www.outskirtspress.com/dejavoodoos was launched simultaneously with the book's publication.
How to Start and Sustain a Career as a Freelance Writer
Have you wondered how you can make a career writing books or articles for various publications? Or are you seeking a viable second income opportunity but do not know where to start? Well, freelance writing may be the right career for you and it can open a world of lucrative opportunities for you.You do not need to have special qualifications to be a freelance writer and make money.
The Earth Vision Nature Writing Contest
The Earth Vision Nature Writing Contest short fiction, creative non-fiction, poetic prose, or poetry.
Writing Contest Makes Every Entrant a Winner with a 750-word Critique
The Writing Show First-Chapter-of-a-Novel Contest offers all entrants a professional 750-word critique.
Passion and Poetry, and Life
Ironically, the passion that can neutralize the repulsion for difficulties depends on the effort to overcome these difficulties. The irony resides in the circularity of this principle – which applies to all areas of activity, including poetry: One must make the effort to overcome difficulties to achieve success and feel capable, and one needs this achievement and feeling to have a passion for making this effort.