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2021 Young Poets

Congratulations to Jayant Kashyap with his winning entry

Earth, Fire
            after Yvonne Reddick

As children, we’d washed your stories off in the river because we didn’t
know what else to do.

                      We did it the same way you hid them under the pillow every
night after we were asleep — tucking your hand in first, softly, and
then, just the act of letting go.

				We were told that you’d be the one to never
leave; and then, if you keep looking, the dead don’t leave.

								So, once we’d
kissed your name on the surface of water, we left you there — we’d think
of you later, occasionally.

				Like, that night, once the fire was out, we’d wanted
to take you back home, your ashes implying just about everything: life;
loss; love. After you, we’d wandered until dawn — hoping there’d be no sun.

Today, we’re in need of a story again. Perhaps one in which there are three
kind men and nothing evil happens?

				                   Perhaps your stories will be sad anyway now.

Perhaps we should have looked back.
 

            (for Grandma)

2021 Winners

PositionTitleAuthorDownload Link (Subject to Availability)
1stEarth, Fire after Yvonne ReddickJayant Kashyap
2ndFireflyCheyenne Macrides Download PDF of Firefly by Cheyenne Macrides
3rdAfter the FallSarah Ang Download PDF of After the Fall Or Daedalus Thinks of Icarus by Sarah Ing

Our thanks go to the shortlist team, to Phoebe Stuckes our 2021 Young Poets Judge and to all those entrants who made the competition so tough for the team.

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