Every year members of the Thames Valley Writers’ Circle, hold an internal poetry competition for the Chris Mundy trophy, in memory of a much-loved member.
In previous years the entries have been judged by a poetry teacher who gave a critique on each poem. This year, members decided to follow a system that has proved successful with one of their short story competitions.
This was to place the entries anonymously on their website and for all members invited to vote for their favourite. The theme chosen for the competition was The Kite.
The first three according to the votes placed were announced at a regular Tuesday meeting when it was discovered that two poems had been voted equal second.
These were Plastic Tears by Cloe Stoakes which lamented the changes that had taken place in the world since a small boy climbed trees and flew his kite.
The other second-placed poem was similar but perhaps a little more cheerful. Some Higher Cloud by Les Williams, told how a young boy who flew his kite with his father, grew up, married, had a family and moved away, but was returning to fly his red box kite once again on the nearby hills.
The winning poem was Majesty. A loving description of the Red Kite which we now see so commonly, flying high and imperiously above us in the Thames Valley. It was written by Barbara O Smith, who founded the Circle in 1993 and is now its Life President.
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