This month, we ran a poetry contest to celebrate National Poetry Month. We challenged our readers to craft a poem using only the words that appeared in one of our newsletters (here are the original contest guidelines if you want to give it a try).
Turns out, you’re all poets and we didn’t even know it. We were beyond thrilled to read the original, creative, and awe-inspiring poems you created from our newsletter copy. Check out the poems below, including the contest winners our readers voted for.
We closed voting at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24, at which point we had a tie in votes, giving us two poetry contest winners.
Winner: “Life Lesson” by Tara E.
The interior life of fish is one of our lazy mysteries. Officially: they’re simple — a feature of time, space. Who is to know how a poem will change you if not read? You may see only a husk. Let me clarify. Me: a garden wild, music to play at night, an exception to the rule, a liability. Because we are fond of love — and of us — ask me to stop, and I will. For now.
Winner: “Advice for a rewarding life” by Renee B.
Your story starts today: Don’t overlook change. Make an effort to be part of the celebration of life. Run in a garden full of bluebonnet, wild roses, miles of Spring blossom. On a red violet night perform amazing music (it lives across space and time). Travel into the sunrise. Explore mysteries and build your own unique environment. You make the rules. Begin a lifetime direction — life excluding limitation, inspired with creativity, based on highlighting love.
Finalist: “Reawaken” by Craig S.
Spring is rising on your interior, a sunrise in the blood: Submit the husk, pedestrian and narrow, to creativity. Wait. Originality appears. Sip mysteries. Crush on fresh orange, rose. Honor your wild. Ditch the impeccable. Feel the environment blossom. Plunge in lavender. Life is a poem.
Finalist: “Retiree Reverie” by David H.
The four retirees sat and rocked to Fleetwood Mac, Rhiannon, Say You Love Me made years roll back. They had to stay cool, to avoid an attack. Over coffee and chess, they made their best guess as to the mysterious woman in whose company they’d just been blessed. In her hand, a cornhusk doll, and in the other a book in need of binding. The cold plunge of her artistic creativity was to them blinding.