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VoicesNet Anthology International Poetry Competition Winners and Finalists

Contest I - Submissions from January 1, 2002 to May 31, 2002

Congratulations to all of the worldwide poets who contributed to our inaugural and historical "Voices Anthology - The International Poetry Competition".

Enjoy these top 3 poems from the winning authors. The list of all finalists from the poets selected for our publication follow the top 3 poems.

Voices Anthology I Winner

Winner: Ibitomilade O. Akinyanmi from the USA

Voices in the Wind

Said the wind to me
I bring you voices from across the world
and did I hear them?
The voices in the wind

The first of hunger spoke
and how it cried for food
I pick up my pen to write
of the hungry man in the street

The next spoke of oppression
of the big man cheating the small
of the government blindfolding the people
so I pick up my pen to write

Another I heard cry of affliction
It spoke of wars guns and bombs
of maiming and killing
so I pick up my pen to write
The voice of mourning I also heard
of widows and orphans calling out their grief
so I pick up my pen to write

one voice of poverty spoke
of lack of shelter and of life threatening diseases
so I pick up my pen to write

Then I heard the voice of the betrayed
and the cry of the jilted beat strongly on my ear
that I could feel their painful loss
so I pick up my pen to write

when I had written all of these
I thought that I was done
on my bed I laid my wearied body to sleep
yet the wind brought more voices to whisper in my ears
and these ones did put sleep to flight
the voice of the earth brought me back to life
crying of disembodiment
weeping for the murder of her children
that her voice may be heard
I pick up my pen to write

I heard the drunkard’s voice
and that of the drug addict too
how they cry for help!
That others may hear their plea
I pick up my pen to write

I heard a cry of agony
from the unformed throat of the aborted child
and cry I did with him
I cried for the torture he was made to bear and
for his voice which will never be heard
I pick up my pen to write
Then I heard a song of joy
of the newly wed
of them to whom a child is born and
of those that are full of the joy of life
so I pick up my pen to write

I also heard a voice speak
of innocence still alive
I heard one speak of hope and
I thought the world this voice must hear
so I pick up my pen to write

I write of the foolishness of man and of his atrocities
I write of man’s joys and also of his love
I write of man’s pains and agonies
I write of what he sees
what he feels and what he thinks,
of these I write as well
I write of everything and anything
the voices I hear crying in the wind
I write so that those whose ears cannot hear
may read and be wise

 

Voices Anthology I 2nd Place

2nd Place: Valerie Elizabeth Sumner from Australia

The Rose

Trust in me, said the rose to the tree
And I will lure the bees to thee
To send your seed with winged speed
So forests deep can grow near me
And roses bloom in summers warmth
Where squirrels play and birds sing
So come dear bees and pollinate
And I will send my scent for free
My family comes in precious blooms
Some are white and some maroon
I myself am perfect red
Without a spur upon my bough
My leaves are soft and emerald green
Whilst I grow here so serene.


Voices Anthology I 3rd Place

3rd Place: Simon Henry Weinberg from France

A House in the Country

All I want to achieve
Is a house in the country
The soft peal of church bells
The quiet of a bird's cry
The bittersweet of wood smoke
The lapping of lake against land
The "grüss Gott" of the neighbors
The craft of a man's hand.
- To live in life as we would in heaven:
A joy in pleasure, and leisure, nature and humanity
In beauty and discovery, innocence and deity.

No more hands to the grindstone
Wills to the whip
Flat in the city
Weekends losing grip
Bills to be paid for
Violence to be feared
Pollution, emotion
Blood sweat and tears.

No more early flights late-night fights
Cuddling by the telly on a Saturday night
No more Baby-sitter woos for a night in the pews
No more puffing up the cushions for an afternoon snooze
No more shopping sprees, bank-balance squeeze
No more scraping out a living on bended knees
No more late hours spent paying the rent
Sucking up to bosses with their pockets half-bent

No more irrational, unfashionable, working-for-promotional
Careering without steering, rent in arrear-ing
Funless, one less
Duress and Executive stress
No future unless.....

All I want to achieve
Is a house in the country.

special note: these are pre-proofed copies of the top 3 poems.

Voices Anthology I Finalists

(in alphabetic order by last name, first name)

Poet Name Poem Title Age Country
Byjunath Walk in the Eternal Street 44 India
Akinyanmi, Ibitomilade O Voices in the Wind 26 USA
Anderson, Nicholas Ronald The Clock 17 USA
Astin, Deborah J. In the Throes 42 USA
Bailey, Barbara S. I Am The Cry 39 USA
Belden, Michael American Banner   n/a
Buhrman, Natasha L Lord's Lesson 25 n/a
Choudhary, Shanu A Twisted Hatred 14 England
Christman, David P How much 20 USA
Finnell, Douglas P 9/11 haiku 38 USA
Fraher, Donna M The Sea Orphan 32 n/a
Gramlich, Katelyn W. War at 3AM 15 USA
Howard, Michelle Mine 40 n/a
Isabelo, Prescilino M I Remember Those Days 21 USA
Jackson, Angela L UNDER ATTACK 29 USA
Jobmann, William G. LIFE 21 USA
Jordan, Joyce V A TALK WITH GOD 53 USA
Joye, Bridgette J Colorblind 18 USA
Kendall, Jane If wishes were Dishes 36 USA
Keuter, Jennifer K On the Wings of the Innocent 19 USA
Kigelman, Neomi Where I Belong 18 Canada
Koss, Elliot J An Unborn Love 17 USA
KURUBO, SODIENYE Them 18 Nigeria
Lang, Benjamin H Avenue Man 13 n/a
Larson, Coy D Last Call 26 USA
Leithhead, Alyson Not Forgotten 43 Australia
Lunn, Roeethyll Why Me!!! 53 USA
Marsden, Wendy R "Excuse me; Are you lost?" 32 Australia
McGonegal, Ryan A '' TWO of a KIND '' 26 Canada
Mericle, Laura J War 15 USA
Naber, Michael Predator of the Mind 47 USA
Ostgard, Alicia N Natural Silence 15 USA
Palubiski, Allison M The Party 19 Canada
Parker, Karen Iris Haiku 32 n/a
Petersons, CJ LIVE at Eleven. 26 Canada
Poole, Courtney The Cheese Circus 10 England
Purcell, Evan C I Am A Bold Adventurer 15 USA
Sawyer, Korie C Finally 12 USA
Schultz, Daniel E Forgotten 57 USA
Silva, Steven R. Children 40 USA
Southon, Stephen C Catherine wheel 36 New Zealand
St. Patrick-Davy, Rachel Click 41 n/a
Sumner, Valerie Elizabeth The Rose 60 Australia
Tepfenhart, Ossiana Minerva Stop it! 14 USA
Thomas, Clare L Emmy (written for a friend whose baby is in Neontal ICU) 30 n/a
Thompson, Trish A. Heart And Soul 49 USA
Vidra, Ashley Vidra N A Letter To Mommy 15 USA
Walen, Cheri A My Haiku 17 USA
Weinberg, Simon Henry A House in the Country 36 France
Wells, Mischelle Myers Salvation 26 USA
Wilkinson, Douglas J Sparrow 28 Canada
Wolfram, Ericka K. Hopeless Timeless 18 USA
Yasinski, Emma C Anger 13 USA

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