Poetry winner, The Borrower by Yaning Wu
And the winners are?
Poetry winner, The Borrower by Yaning Wu
You barreled into me. Ponytail astray,
You dragged your Mommy into my embrace.
She was carrying enough but you plonked two tons of my treasures
Into her arms. Just like last week: more dinosaurs.
I remember when you stopped needing the pictures.
Then, you learned that ‘dysfunction’ is spelled with a y, not an i.
I was proud of you. We knew
It was time for the big books, then.
Where are you now?
A student of population health,
All you see is pathogens on my pages.
Haven’t had free time in ages,
But don’t you think of me?
It’s true. My guards shush your whispers
And give you the eye when you satisfy your hunger in my home.
They make you pay for loving my treasures a little too long.
Or is it that you have forgotten about them?
Look. I am more than dinosaur stories and reading lists.
My cabinets have saved lives
When hatred penetrated my walls with bullets.
My words are a respite
From the nasty ones bellowed at home.
My embrace is warm
And available to all.
My loans have held up the world.
Now, can I borrow you?
You barreled into me. Ponytail astray,
You dragged your Mommy into my embrace.
She was carrying enough but you plonked two tons of my treasures
Into her arms. Just like last week: more dinosaurs.
I remember when you stopped needing the pictures.
Then, you learned that ‘dysfunction’ is spelled with a y, not an i.
I was proud of you. We knew
It was time for the big books, then.
Where are you now?
A student of population health,
All you see is pathogens on my pages.
Haven’t had free time in ages,
But don’t you think of me?
It’s true. My guards shush your whispers
And give you the eye when you satisfy your hunger in my home.
They make you pay for loving my treasures a little too long.
Or is it that you have forgotten about them?
Look. I am more than dinosaur stories and reading lists.
My cabinets have saved lives
When hatred penetrated my walls with bullets.
My words are a respite
From the nasty ones bellowed at home.
My embrace is warm
And available to all.
My loans have held up the world.
Now, can I borrow you?
You barreled into me. Ponytail astray,
You dragged your Mommy into my embrace.
She was carrying enough but you plonked two tons of my treasures
Into her arms. Just like last week: more dinosaurs.
I remember when you stopped needing the pictures.
Then, you learned that ‘dysfunction’ is spelled with a y, not an i.
I was proud of you. We knew
It was time for the big books, then.
Where are you now?
A student of population health,
All you see is pathogens on my pages.
Haven’t had free time in ages,
But don’t you think of me?
It’s true. My guards shush your whispers
And give you the eye when you satisfy your hunger in my home.
They make you pay for loving my treasures a little too long.
Or is it that you have forgotten about them?
Look. I am more than dinosaur stories and reading lists.
My cabinets have saved lives
When hatred penetrated my walls with bullets.
My words are a respite
From the nasty ones bellowed at home.
My embrace is warm
And available to all.
My loans have held up the world.
Now, can I borrow you?
JUDGE'S COMMENT:
“Clever, heartfelt, engaged with the theme in a way that brought in the real threats the libraries are under.”
John Baker
JUDGE'S COMMENT:
“Clever, heartfelt, engaged with the theme in a way that brought in the real threats the libraries are under.”
John Baker
JUDGE'S COMMENT:
“Clever, heartfelt, engaged with the theme in a way that brought in the real threats the libraries are under.”
John Baker
Poetry second place: OVER BEFORE IT BEGAN by Jennie Balaganeshan
Prose second place: THE OLD OAK DOOR by Hûw Steer
Prose winner: A PECULIAR DISCOVERY by Libby Randall
Poetry second place: OVER BEFORE IT BEGAN by Jennie Balaganeshan
Prose second place: THE OLD OAK DOOR by Hûw Steer
Prose winner: A PECULIAR DISCOVERY by Libby Randall
Poetry second place: OVER BEFORE IT BEGAN by Jennie Balaganeshan
Prose second place: THE OLD OAK DOOR by Hûw Steer
Prose winner: A PECULIAR DISCOVERY by Libby Randall
