Winning Poem

To Survive is to Pretend
by Helen T.

Before I wake fully I know—it is a
day of hunger.
Twisting, gnawing pains in my belly open my
eyes to a dim reality.
On these days,
to survive is to pretend.
Suddenly, my straw-like blue tunic
becomes shivering velvet robes of the deepest purple.
Low, dripping ceilings
rise to a height never imagined—the damp |
stone walls
widening, cloaked in wondrous tapestries.
The abject lack of light
chased away by a multicolored whirlwind of stained-glass sunlight, filling my newfound
castle completely.
A soft, warbling clack
leads me to heave open my grand double doors—no small feat,
even for such a king as I.
And there, upon my shining steps—my loyal
subjects!

Runners-up

Wonder is the Way to Win
by Phoenix R.

Although it’s sullen and barren,
This home still allows the flower of wonder to bloom.

Although it’s something so trite, so boring, so banal

The camouflaging, ashy feathered figures attract every bit of attention of the young.

Although not human, perhaps the birds wonder too? Who is this girl?
Why is she wearing blue?
Is she the boundless sky we fly into?

The barren sky leaves little to fly into, yet still wonder seeps in once more. How will it look when blue?

Awe drives the young,
whether it be one of flesh, feather, or fin.

Wonder.
Wonder is the way to win.

A Child-like Curiosity
by Harrison P.

With curiosity and hesitation, the
innocent child peers out,
and what he sees captivates him. A stunning
sight of the unknown:
Feelings of fear clash with the intense need to know.

What does he see?
Something almost hidden, among the
monotony of the street.
Something one notices with the keenest eye, discrete figures
distinguished by dull outlines, figures depicting unfamiliar life

But what are their intentions?
Are they friend or foe?

Fear begets retreat.
While curiosity immobilizes, as the
child peers out,
at the sight of three geese.