TYWC  - WORLD POETRY DAY 2004
Contest Winners

The following poems are the winning entries in TYWC's contest
held to celebrate World Poetry Day 21st March 2004. We hope you enjoy them.

First place
Writersdomain, Rebekkah Laeuchli & _faith_

Second place
Chicchick89, Nicole Braganza & Witless

Third place
K K P, Nessa Pippenger & Tatua

Congratulations Everyone

&
thank you to our Judges.

First Place Winners

Writersdomain

THE MAIDEN
When the soldiers march out 
To their deaths
And they know 
Their fate is at hand
We watch them fall 
Through pitiful eyes
Brimming with tears
For their bravery and fate
All hope is lost
What can we do?
Who will we turn to for help?
When the armies of evil 
March forward
 Slowly advancing 
The approaching danger 
Is now evident
All protection 
Has fled
No one to turn to
And yet, We are left
Expected to cope
With the fact 
That there is nothing we can do
To help them
And we are kept behind walls
Even though they need us 
Out on the battlefield
A withering beauty
Watching our people die before our eyes
With us knowing we cannot help them
We are on our own
What fate will befall us now?
What hope do we have to live on? 
If only they would have taught us
How to defend ourselves
To fight for freedom
Maybe this land wouldn't have fallen
THE SOLDIER
Marching into battle
We are outnumbered 
There is no hope
No escape
The clanking of armor
The snorts of horses
All is quiet
Too quiet
We all know our fate
That our fate is death
All are grim
The memories of family back home
Whom we are fighting for
Drive us into battle
Then enemy advances
As do we
Closer, closer we drag ourselves forward
To our deaths
The enemy line halts
As does ours 
A moment of silence before the battle
The army breathes sparingly  
For those breaths may have just been their last 
The horses grow restless
At the tension in the air
'If we die, we die for our people and we will die honorably' think the army
"Charge!" shouts the captain
Their lines charge 
Our lines meet with the fury of horses
The clashing of swords
Many have fallen
Many will fall
If we fail all is lost for our family and people
What a burden a soldier's task is
To know all depends on you
And if you fail…
It could be the end for everyone, and everything you love and cherish 
What hope is there?
For those who march out today
To their deaths
What a burden it must be
To know you have not the strength to save those you love
To stand helpless
Without control
And watch you people die
CONCLUSION
Which is harder?
To stand behind walls and watch you people die
Or to ride out knowing that no matter how hard you try
You will not save your people
Which is a heavier burden?

Rebekkah Laeuchli

look! 
do you see it?
a spirit, a human spirit
elusive yet tangible like the wind
transparent, yet full of color

like an instrument being played
it shimmers with emotion and thought
perhaps if you could touch it
you would feel beauty
for you see beauty
as you stand here, distant and watching

maybe you shouldn't go nearer
it would hurt you to see
a spirit, a human spirit
close beside you
with its horror and its filth
crying in pain, lashing out at relief
the colors broken 
the strings of the instrument cut
and shuddering in the wind

yes, go forward!
go and look
you must see it
your own soul will throb
and your heart scream in recognition
as the beauty dissolves and
the ugliness
your ugliness
appears

_faith_

they say we all have one,
but we hide our skeletons in soft casings of
lavender-cream scented skin, 
we allow our small perversions
safe haven in the small dark airless places inside us,
while outside 
we are shades of
ivory, cinnamon, copper, chocolate, obsidian skin.
judge me not by this, the wise man said, but by my actions. 
the wise man was also a fool because
we are all alike-
humanitarians and tortured artists and petty criminals.
we are one because
inside us,
darkside sleeps and dreams its demon dreams.
lightside lies awake and wonders how long
he can smile, how long he can say
have a nice day before this postcard perfect
façade cracks, 
leaving him naked and exposed in his sin,
in his humanity. 

Second Place Winners

Chicchick89

I ponder
Staring off
Wondering, confused

Wondering, confused
She looks at me
Asks me whats wrong
Sees my perplexed expression

Sees my perplexed expression
I shake it off
Smiling and laughing
For my sake
But more for hers

But more for hers
I get through the day
Get Home
Do what's needed

Do what's needed
Late at night
Thoughts rush back to me
making me dizzy and confused

Making me dizzy and confused
I break down
wondering how

Wondering how
1 simple conversation
Changing my friendship

Changing my friendship
I hoped It would help
But how far from the truth
My assumption  was

My assumption  was
I wonder how
It happened like it did...

It happened like it did...
I'd hoped to help her
She rejected my offer
Keeping her Self boxed up

Keeping her Self boxed up
Her true self
Hidden inside

Hidden inside
Never showing It to anyone
I wonder why
I ponder

I ponder
Staring off
Wondering, confused

Nicole Braganza

Hiding my face within the pages
Of a book.
I am a free spirit,
Bound by nothing.
I can laugh and cry and smile,
And the soft whisper of turning pages
Comforts, calms my rebellious soul.

Witless

Lady of the Silver Wheel
Three times you cursed your Son
That shame was too real
When you stepped over a Magic Wand

Dylan died in Govannon's sea
While the Nameless-one lived on
This second child you knew not to be
You didn't know of your other son

Gwyddion had stolen him quick away
That boy grew and needed a name
In disguise they came to you one day
Then were revealed and renewed your shame

Llew Llaw Gyffes he was to be known
Dubbed by you, vindictive Daughter of Don
For he killed the wren with his stone
"The Bright Lion with the Sure hand" was your son

Arianrhod, you wouldn't leave him alone
Twice more you cursed the Son God
Twice more your curses were thrown
Yet that final solution was rather odd

Arms were given when you denied them
And a woman of flowers was made for Llew
When you forbade the embrace of a real woman
Now he flies along with you

O Arianrhod, Lady of the Silver Wheel
Forever cursing your Son God, Llew
Mother and son, so surreal
Heavenly bodies, spinning for You

Third Place Winners

K K P

I get closer and closer.
And it's torn apart.
I stand aside and it runs ways.
The roses decay,
When I forget to stand away,
Or move closer,
When our moods sway.

Keep your distance; it'll ruin us.
Hold me, I need you right now.
Throwing the darts blind,
Playing telephone,
As if you could give it a cliché name.
Or like there is anyway to kill
Feelings of misled guilt.

Nessa Pippenger

when he kisses me
all I feel are lies
because I am no longer kissing you
but a stranger
in disguise

Tatua

Luminescent, shimmering rainbow sheen,
Soft colors dancing in myriad patterns,
Blues and grays blurring softly as one,
Moonlight's steady gaze stroking earth,
Bathed in its luminescent, silvery sheen,
Coated with its shimmering rainbow slither.
Lit by moonlight as obscure and distant,
As wavering as uncertain flames flickering,
Dancing in and out of quiet being,
In a dance of dim, incandescent splendor. 
(Night, 'tis but a fading lullaby)

Soft lights of dawn coating horizon,
Dim, shimmering moisture filling air.
Incandescent, serene beauty of faded night,
Seeming so distant, so obscure, so bleak.
As it fades and drifts, slowly replaced,
By the echoing laughter of oncoming day.
The sky alit by teasing fire, soft and
But a gentle stroke of comfort, warm.
Life is reawakening as death fades,
Day replaced by the shimmering moonlit night.
(Say goodbye to night's now fading lullaby)

© 2004 - TYWC & the authors