Judged by Penelope Scambly Schott
1st Honorable Mention: “She Smiles” by Christian Shute
2nd Honorable Mention: “It’s Mostly Complaining” by Philip Wilson
3rd Honorable Mention: “Seven Encounters with Rainbow” by Tuula Rebhahn
Judge’s Comments
When I read a poem I am hoping to see something that interests me and makes me feel some intensity about it. I want a new experience, fresh imagery, and some kind of emotional response. I don’t want to be distracted by clichés or preaching or deliberate obscurity. After much reading and re-reading, I ended up picking these particular poems for their compassion and originality.
“She Smiles” gives a fresh view of an autistic girl; “It’s Mostly Complaining” offers an amusing portrait of a house at night; and “Seven Encounters with Rainbow” is completely surprising.