Cradle of Balladry Poetry Contest 2023

Literature and Poetry have the power to stand the trials of time. From the ancient courts, the renaissance societies and the modern websites- Poetry is always interwoven within the lives of the people regardless of the era. Through the pages of our upcoming anthology ‘Cradle of Balladry’, we are expecting to contribute to that, eternal stream of literature and poetry.

We hope that the participants enjoyed the process of making this anthology a reality, as they penned down their works without any thematic barrier. We are utterly grateful for the overwhelming support we have received and we would like to congratulate all our contestants.

Without further ado, Let us hold our breaths for the finalists of this contest. Their works had truly blown us away and made us experience a vast multitude of emotions with just words.

The Floral Wreath of the ‘Cradle Of Balladry’ contest belongs to :

1. A Priestly Paradigm- Leila Slim

Leila Slim is a British writer, of Palestinian-Greek/Scottish-Canadian heritage a mum, and former small business owner based in Scotland (now in the process of relocating to Athens) with a background in International Energy Finance Law. Leila has an LLB from Queen Mary, LLM from LSE, the LPC from the University of Law London and qualified as a solicitor of England and Wales. Leila’s poetry has so far featured in the literary magazines: Popshot 2020 Protest Issue, and The Caterpillar 2021 Spring Issue, and will be featuring in a book being published by Duke University Press in 2023.

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Light up the town for out runner ups:

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• Hard Times- William David

William David after a successful 40+ year career as a Senior Architectural & Engineering Designer working with international mining companies, designing Gold, Silver, and Copper processing plants all over the world, including the first SX-EW copper processing plant in Asia, located near Monywa, Myanmar. William is retired now, and living with his wife of 38 yrs. in Tucson, Az. He likes spending his time now devoted to his passion, reading, reviewing, and writing poetry. William writes for his pleasure, and for the pleasure of those who might read his poems. He has been published in three journals by Underwood Press, the flagship journal Underwood, also True Chili, and Rue Scribe. He is currently an invited reviewer for that publisher. His poems have appeared in online journals, Bluing the Blade, Elevation Review and Sheepshead Review. He also has had poems published in 13 different anthologies by Wingless Dreamer Publishers.

Blow the trumpet and beat the drums for our finalists:

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• Oceanic Love- Rosalie Hendon

Rosalie Hendon is an environmental planner living in Columbus, Ohio with her husband and many house plants. She started a virtual poetry group in 2020 during quarantine that has collectively written over 200 poems. Her work is published in Change Seven, Planisphere Q, Call Me [Brackets], Entropy, Pollux, Superpresent, Cactifur, Fleas on the Dog, Red Eft, Rising Phoenix, MockingHeart, Ariel’s Dream, Willawaw, and Quarter Press. Rosalie is inspired by ecology, relationships, and stories passed down through generations.

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• Liberosis- Jessie Layton

Jessie Layton is a Creative Writing student expected to graduate in 2024. Jessie is originally from the DC area and moved down to Charleston, SC and fell in love with the art of writing and storytelling. Jessie created Tokens and Travels, her own travel blog, and writes for Her Campus at College of Charleston. Jessie’s work is featured in Outrageous Fortune.

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• Guilt’s Illusion- Patricia Skinner Patterson

Patricia is a Portland, Oregon based poet and began writing as a new mom, over twenty years ago. Having had her child later in life she is now retired and currently studying advance poetry writing in college. She has contributed an article to SageWomen Magazine.

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• I Held- Shanna Williams

Shanna Williams (she/her) lives in San Francisco, CA. When she’s not breaking her own heart and writing about it, she’s usually drinking red wine in a fuzzy robe.

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• The Senses Swooned and Celebrated- Shailey Bellamkonda

Shailey Bellamkonda is a poet and a fiction writer from Hyderabad, India. She won honors from F. Scott Fitzgerald Museum and Himalayan Writing Retreat for her literary works. Her works are published/ forthcoming in various anthologies – The Elpis Letters ‘Womanhood’, Whimsical Press ‘Seasons’, Auroras & Blossoms Publishing ‘Positive Art’ and journals like Fahmidan Journal, Setu Bilingual, The Wise Owl, Teen Ink, TWP Quarterly, The Battering Ram, Iris Youth Lit Magazine. Besides her literary and academic engagements, Shailey can be found immersed in her home library of YA literature, playing piano or sketching. She is also a travel vlogger occasionally and enjoys Indian film music.

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Stay tuned for the grand release of our anthology  ‘Cradle Of Balladry’!