January 24, 2022 | Wingless Dreamer | Announcements
Air: our thoughts
Fire: our passion
Water: our emotions
Earth: ourselves
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According to ancient Greek philosophy, the universe is comprised of just these four elements. Our mind, body and soul are also made up of these eternal elements within us. Wingless Dreamer’s publisher organized a poetry contest that included these elements and captured the passion of human nature. We held a contest in 2021 named Garden of Poets.
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We were quite amazed by the extraordinary submissions from all over the world. It was a very difficult task for our judges to select the winners among the most talented writers. What a roller coaster ride it was! Finally, we were able to select the winners of the Garden of Poets contest. So, let’s not keep you waiting any more, and announce the winners now!
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TERRY DAWSON – WHEN THE FROST
Terry Dawson, an ordained Presbyterian minister, resides in Austin, Texas. There he produces and performs with the poetry, Jazz and live painting collective, “Five Voizz Brush”. His poetry, essays and creative non-fiction have appeared in Red Fox Review, Horizons, di-verse-city anthology, Pigeonholes, Courtship of the Winds, Dash, the Texas Poetry Calendar, the Ocotillo Review, Talking Writing and the Austin American Statesman and most recently in the biannual anthology Equinox. He was slated as a feature poet for the 2020 Austin International Poetry Festival, twice long-listed for the Fish Anthology Prize, a finalist in the Chase Going Woodhouse and Julia Darling poetry competitions and runner- up for the Christina Surgeyevna Prize. He has read from his work on KUTX Radio, Austin.
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The first runner-up of the contest is:
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LONNA BLODGETT – SOLILOQUY OF THE SILENT STONE
Lonna Blodgett is a quintessential poet with a broad understanding of our world within the human element of experience and understanding. She uses her words as a paint brush to explicitly create the readers journey and perception of both the intellectual and sensual aspects of meaning and appreciation. Her poems have appeared in several anthologies and various websites and she is currently finishing her first book.
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The second runner-up is:
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ADELINE CRUZ – ONTARIOS ROBINS
Adeline Cruz is based in Minnesota, braving the long, bitter winters with the help of her trusted yaktrax. She has work published or forthcoming in Penumbra, The Pointed Circle, and Ice Lolly, among others. When she isn’t composing poetry, you might find her whipping up a new recipe or meandering through a state park.
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Cue the confetti for our top finalists:
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JULIA MCDONALD – CINNAMON
Julia McDonald (She/Her/They/Them) is a queer artist, writer, and physician. Named Maine’s 2019 Physician of the Year, they typically provide full-spectrum healthcare while advocating for political and social change in the US. They are currently working in Ethiopia and DRC for a global humanitarian organization. You can follow them on IG (@drjuliamcdonald) and blog (https://drjuliamcdonald.wordpress.com)
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PAUL KIERNAN – WINTER FIRES
Paul Kiernan is a retired engineer living on the Gulf Coast of southwest Florida.
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CLARA KLEIN – FILLING MY SPACE
Clara Klein writes about nature and spirituality. Schooled in the natural sciences, she specializes in environmental education, nature interpretation, and ecopsychology.
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GARY BOLICK – NATURE HAIKU
Gary Bolick is a native of NC. Bolick lived and studied in Paris and Dijon before graduating from Wake Forest. He has published numerous stories and three novels. The latest novel: A WALKING SHADOW (Unsolicited Press) 2018
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ANDY BETZ – WET
Andy Betz has tutored and taught in excess of 40 years. He lives in 1974, and has been married for 29 years. His works are found everywhere a search engine operates.
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DAWN RAY – WAR OF WAVES
Dawn Ray is a writer and artist living in Christiansburg, VA.
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SRABANI – LOVE IS IN THE AIR
Srabani is a writer, editor and translator. Poetry helps her experience, observe and live more consciously. Her works have been published on LiveWire, Kalavaram, The Kali Project and Novus Literary Arts Journal. You can find her weaving dialogues with the world around her on Instagram (@paperbird.me).
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AISHA ABU-ASABA – WHAT DO YOU SEE WHEN YOU STAND IN THE WOODS?
Aisha is a social worker and loves working with families and the community. Writing awards her another way to give to others while advocating for truth and justice. She finds that her poetry resonates with the building emotions of current affairs and speaks to those who have lived through experiences that aren’t easily put into words. She incorporates elements of nature into her poetry and often finds inspiration in the movement and stillness of the Earth.
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DOUGLAS COLSTON – THE FOOTSTEP METHOD
Like many on the high side of 50, Douglas has accumulated quite of bit of life experience including a former career in public sector policy and administration, undergraduate studies in History, Ancient History and Psychology, post-graduate studies in Psychology and Counselling, industrial hearing loss – and the corresponding roaring tinnitus – arising from playing in Ska bands and an interesting collection of illustrated books. Another two ‘parts’ he fulfils is being ‘supportive husband’ to his wife who is finalizing a PhD that will empirically validate play for adults as a wellbeing intervention and ‘supportive father’ to their children in High School. Currently, he is in the process of locking-down a PhD enrolment – the project is intended to be a speculative memoir of a 1st Century CE Greco-Roman author – a relatively innovative project in Creative Nonfiction.