Young Persons Category -

Finalists

Why am I not good enough for society? – Nyah Becker

Red skies, blue earth, and green nights – Bryce Williams

The Ocean – Daisy Jones

Runner Up

Red skies, blue earth, and green nights – Bryce Williams

Winner

The Ocean – Daisy Jones

Winner:

The Ocean - Daisy Jones

A tide dances upon the sand

The sun glistens upon its glossy surface

A million colours of coral, Golden and orange

A picturesque view of the sand, sea and sky

The ocean shows off its coral glaze

While the green sea slightly shines through

The sea was a beautiful emerald green

Bejewelled with a sapphire blue

A most beautiful sight

It seemed almost transparent so you could easily see

the golden sand

I hear the sound of the sand laughing quietly as the sea

gently tickles it

A calm, mindful sound of the waves grazing the sand

The wind quietly singing a lullaby that slowly sent the

sea to sleep

I see a majestic dolphin dancing in the air

Its silhouette flying through the air like a kite in the

wind’s arms

It elegantly turned every time it became airborne

It was royalty sent from God

Everything was perfect. 

Adult Category

Finalists:

Silver Horizon – Liam Wakefield

For Valour – Charles Evans

In the Olden Days – Vanessa Lampert

Sonyashnyky – Caroline Strong

Nan’s Charbanc to Barry Island – Sally Russel

Runner Up

Sonyashnyky – Caroline Strong

Winner

Nan’s Charbanc to Barry Island – Sally Russel

Winner:

Nan's Charabanc to Barry Island - Sally Russel

Nan boards the Western Welsh bus

in her Sunday best—navy cloche hat,

Kitty Foyle dress, white collar and cuffs.

Gladys had saved her a window seat.

Nan checks her straw bag—

spam sandwiches wrapped in our Bill's hanky,

flask of tea. Monday she'll trot

down Gwyddon Road for scrag end

and potatoes, tinned tomatoes and cheese.

But today, her housecoat hangs

behind the scullery door, the rayon

of her dress gossamers

between her fingertips. She inhales

the special lavender soap on her palms,

joins in the raucous rendition of Kum Ba Yah.

Slag heaps give way to hillsides of sheep,

powder puff soft. The drum

of droplets on the window surrenders

to ocean light, clouds tacked

to the horizon by luminous sunshine.

She steps into the smell of Coppertone

on hot skin; fish and chips

wrapped in the Barry Herald.

Bodies wriggle on the beach

like a colony of sandworms.

Nan and Gladys settle on blue and white

striped deckchairs. Nan closes her eyes.

Her mam's face eclipses the sun.

I knew, my girl, one day you would glimpse life

beyond Ebbw Vale's black mountains.