untitled*

2018 Merit Award
By Nora Whitley Abelite

Clouds of feathers numerous as snowflakes
Cacophony of honks, hums and whirs greet me at twilight
Crowded in gaggles they bed under a frosty moon.

At dawn they wake with breath rising into a misty sky
At dawn my heart thumps to their winged drum
At dawn they fly off to reap, glean and fatten.

Each day of winter, I seek their soaring splendor
Each day of winter, I count their growing numbers
Each day of winter, I wait for their return.

Then one warmer morning they fly away
Into a beckoning sky for their appointment
Thousands of miles north to the tundra,
Leaving the fallow, harrowed fields lonely
With a secret want for tulips.

. . . . .
*Copyright 2018 by Nora Whitley Abelite. Broadside illustrated by Angela Boyle.

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placards on view

The beautiful poetry placards that appear on this site every Sunday (following the Sue C. Boynton Contest awards ceremony and continuing through mid-December) can be seen up-close and in-person. The full set of 25 winning poems from 2018, with artwork by Angela Boyle, Megan Carroll, Christian Anne Smith, and Kimberly Wulfestieg, is circulating through the Whatcom County Library System. See them at:

• Everson and Sumas Libraries (November)
• South Whatcom Library (December)
• Lynden Library (January)
• Ferndale Library and Bookmobile (February)
• Blaine Library (March)
• Point Roberts Library (April)

Enjoy!

untitled*

2018 Merit Award
By Bonnita Lynne

It is more difficult
to maintain perspective
in a city.

In the rural Southwest
are the mesas
with the footpaths of The Old Ones
worn in the rock;

and when I see them
and touch them
I remember

that this two weeks
and these months
are not the only thing
that is.

. . . . .
*Copyright 2018 by Bonnita Lynne. Broadside illustrated by Megan Carroll.

Woodpecker*

2018 Walk Award
By Madeleine Joyce Patterson, grade 4

Thump.
Listen, to the soft thump of the expert, knocking on
the inch-thick woody skin, playing a soft rhythm
Thump. Thump.
on the tall old multi-branched drum
Thump.
Dinner awaits in the third spine-striped layer
Thump. Thump.
Peck away, red-cheeked drummer

. . . . .
*Copyright 2018 by Madeleine Joyce Patterson. Broadside illustrated by Christian Smith.

give your poetry e-book a blast

Do you have a poetry e-book? Would you like to have it reach a wider audience? Would you be willing to give away some copies? Well, Poetry Super Highway has a deal for you!

The 14th Annual Great Poetry E-Book Free-For-All will allow anyone anywhere to download, for free, as many poetry e-books as they like. It’s free for poets, too. Simply complete the submission form and upload your PDF e-book during the month of November. Then, on December 1, a special site will open for 24 hours and your poetry will go planetary.

Read the guidelines and find the submission link here.

winners!

Artist Trust has announced the recipients of its 2018 Grants for Artist Projects (GAP) Award. A total of $92,000 will be directly invested in 61 Washington artists through project-based grants in the amount of $1,500 each.

See the complete list here and congratulate the winners!

Oranges are Orange*

2018 Merit Award
By Grace Moore, grade 1

Oranges are orange
Blue jeans are blue
Colors are brighter
When I’m with you

. . . . .
*Copyright 2018 by Grace Moore. Broadside illustrated by Kim Wulfestieg.