The grand winner of the Breath of love poetry contest 2021 and winning honorarium of $100 is:

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TANMAY LATA – LOVE OF LOVE

Tanmay Lata is a sorcerer supreme. He is a System Engineer at an IT firm by profession. He believes in the spiritual way of living and is passionate about writing poems. He is originally from Jaipur but currently, he lives in Bangalore, India along with his mom.

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The first runner-up:

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ABBIE DOLL – FLOURISH AND WITHER

Abbie Doll is a current student in Lindenwood University’s MFA in Writing program and has served as an Editorial Assistant for The Lindenwood Review. She lives with her husband and two canine companions in Columbus, OH. Her favorite activities include curling up in her hammock with a good read, taking the pups for neighborhood strolls, and experimenting in the kitchen. Traveling the globe and exploring the beautiful intricacies of language are her greatest joys in life.

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The second runner-up:

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WILLIAM DAVID – THE BEST YEAR

William David has had a successful career as a Senior 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 in Monywa, Myanmar. William is retired now and living with his wife of 37 yrs. in Tucson, Az. He likes spending 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 recently been published in three journals, the poem “A Dead Horse Fantasy” was published in Underwood and “Belle’s Saloon” in True Chili, as well as “On Hold”, “I Never Judge”, “Freestyle”, and “Early Morning Sunlight” in Rue Scribe , these journals are published by Underwood Press. He is currently an invited reviewer for that publisher.

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Here are our top finalists:

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TESSA SWACKHAMMER – EVERLASTING

Tessa Swackhammer is an author and poet based out of Ontario, Canada. Her work has been featured in an anthology through City Limit’s Publishing, as well as two pieces in Jaden Magazine, and was most recently shortlisted for the Plough Arts Poetry Prize for her poem, “Maybe It’s Nothing At All’.

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GREG CLARY – NEW YORK CITY, AUGUST 7, 1974

Greg Clary is a retired college professor who was born and raised in Turkey Creek, West Virginia, and now resides in the northwestern Pennsylvania Wilds. His photographs have been published in The Sun Magazine, Looking at Appalachia, Tiny Seed Literary Journal, The Watershed Journal, Hole in the Head Review, Change Seven, Dark Horse, Detour Ahead, Tobeco Literary Journal, and many other publications His writing and poems have appeared in The Rye Whiskey Review, The Bridge Literary Arts Journal, Northern Appalachia Review, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Waccamaw Journal, Rusty Truck, Ant-Heroin Chic, Sterling Clack Clack, and North/South Appalachia: Poetry and Art, Vol 1.

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HOPE COTTER – PUT THE TIME IN

Hope Cotter is a writer. She grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania, attending New York University, and now lives with her husband, children, and peacock in New Jersey. She loves the smell of old books and new ideas.

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NATALIE COUILLARD- DAWNING

Natalie is a PSW in a Long Term Care facility caring for seniors. She began writing again after an energy healing by a good friend with the intent to assist her in meditation. Writing poetry is her version of meditating, consequently bringing some healing and peace. Her writing journey is in its infancy and she looks forward to seeing where it takes her. She’s had three poems published so far. A Claim to Power…2020 Summer Anthology: A Headrest for Your Soul Other Wordly Women Press Cracks in the Mirror…2020 Winter Anthology: Healing Felines and Femmes. Other Worldly Women Press Nemesis 2021.Dark Poetry Collection by Wingless Dreamer

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RUTH MOTA – BELOVED, WHEN I REMEMBER YOU

Ruth Mota lives and writes in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California. While earning her BA in English at Oberlin College she fell in love with the verse of Garcia Lorca and decided she must live in a Spanish-speaking country so that she could feel such passion directly. She applied to Peace Corps Latin America and was sent to Brazil where she fell in love with a Brazilian and lived for many years working in public health before returning to the site of her first love. Her poems have been published by Wingless Dreamer, Fourth River, Terrapin Books, High Shelf Press, and Gyroscope Review among others.