Winner of the March 2009 Poetry Contest
It was not easy to select a winner for this poetry contest. During the two short weeks the contest was available we had over 70 poets sign up. The top 10 poems were read, reread, and argued over during the final round of judging. In the end we selected “Scimitar Wind” by Roberta Tracy (Review Fuse user rltracy) as the winner of our first poetry contest. Second place was “Options” by zymrgist and third place was “A Call” by mdeer.
Scimitar Wind
I would ride the scimitar wind
O’er simmering sea and sand
Hornpiping swells and swallows
To free a captive land.
I‘d stroke its long wild tresses
As it wove me through the trees
Slashing, slicing, piercing
Fighting as it frees.I would ride the scimitar wind
And watch the blossoms swarm
Frenzied flying victims
Of dancing death by storm.
My tears would water petals
Lying too soon on the ground
Pristine indiscretions
Swept in a shapeless mound
~ Could great beginnings still bear fruit?
~ Would tendrils sprout from barren root?
I long to know but cannot say
Our prime is past; we must away.I would grasp the scimitar wind
Honed down by reckless flight
Gain control of blade and soul
And stow it far from sight.
Unleashing it if lies and doubts
Make troubled times appear
Slashing, slicing, piercing
Penetrating fear.
Aiming true and steady
‘Til we reach the moment when
Forgiving and forgiven
We can begin again.
I would like to thank Lance Larsen*, a creative writing professor at Brigham Young University, for his guidance in judging the poetry submitted to this competition. I will share some of Dr. Larsen’s insights about poetry on Wednesday in order to assist those entering the April 2009 poetry contest.
Jacob
*Lance Larsen received a Ph.D. Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Houston. He has taught creative writing and poetry courses at Brigham Young University since 1993.
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