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2008
The judges for the 2008 competition were
Alexis Rotella and Scott Mason. See 2008 judges' comments.
First Place:
David P. Grayson
street corner memorial—
my four-year old
asks for the balloon
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Second Place:
Michael Dylan Welch
busy Italian restaurant—
happy birthday
sung to the wrong table
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Third Place:
Margaret Chula
Tokyo vending machine
the long line
behind the foreigner
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Honorable Mention
Kenneth Elba Carrier
old palm reader . . .
my life line
her longest yet
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Honorable Mention
Marian Olson
engagement ring
he decides
it looks real enough
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Honorable Mention
Catherine J.S. Lee
parade march—
the old vet with canes
refuses to ride
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Honorable Mention
Robert Mainone
first day of school
her brother's backpack
with legs
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[Top] |
2007
The judges for the 2007 competition were
Ce Rosenow and Francine Banwarth.
First Place:
Scott Mason
inviting aromas . . .
the hostess asks
will it just be me
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Second Place:
Scott Mason
our pilot hopes
to see us again real soon
the intercom clicks
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Third Place:
Carolyn Hall
candlelight dinner
she fingers the rose
to see it it's real
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Honorable Mention
Collin Barber
stale cookie
I give away
the fortune
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Honorable Mention
Ernest J. Berry
wrong date
the thickening skin
on her latte
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Honorable Mention
Anne Maud Godles
a new boyfriend
the same lingerie
enticing again
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Honorable Mention
Marylouise Knight
feeling the shape
of the wrapped gift
I put on a polite face
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[Top] |
2006
The judges for the 2005 competition were Claire Gallagher and Carolyn Hall. See 2006 judges' comments.
First Place: ($100)
Roberta Beary
first date—
the little pile
of anchovies |
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Second Place: ($75)
Daniel Liebert
mistaking telephone
for doorbell—
I let loneliness in |
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Third Place: ($50)
Kenneth Elba Carrier
arguing—
a deaf man grabs
the other's hands |
Honorable Mention - 1st place:
Kenneth Elba Carrier
crossing the hopscotch
two old women
avoid the lines |
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Honorable Mention - 2nd place
C.R. Manley
dentist's obituary—
common interests
we could never talk about |
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Honorable Mention - 3rd place:
Garry Gay
As if it were spring
the green mold
on the cheese |
Honorable Mention -4th Place
Roland Packer
psychic fair
she brushes some dirt
from the cards |
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[Top]
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2005
The judges for the 2005 competition were An'ya & Carlos Colon.
First Place:
Emily Romano
centerfold:
the model's navel
off-center |
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Second Place:
Ron Moss
day moon
a fresh tattoo rises
out of her jeans |
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Third Place:
Susan Antolin
Independence Day
I struggle to free myself
from a wet swim suit |
Honorable Mention - 1st place:
Ron Moss
fresh blueberries
a 'gothic' teenager
darkens her lips |
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Honorable Mention - 2nd place (tie):
Scott Mason
switchbacks—
five or six cub scouts
an octave higher |
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Honorable Mention -
2nd place (tie):
James Fowler
my father and I
paint the barn
compare wars |
Honorable Mention - 3rd place:
Evelyn H. Hermann
picnic
in the sun-dappled courtyard
my freckled banana |
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[Top]
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2004
The judges for the 2004 competition were Terry Ann Carter, Claudia Coutu.
First Place:
John Stevenson
in the dream
my dog has a whistle
only I can hear |
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Second Place:
Emily Romano
rodeo cowboy
hopefully clutching
a handful of sky |
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Third Place:
J. Daniel Beaudry
two-way glass—
the patient waits inside
the therapist's reflection |
Honorable Mention:
Robert Bauer
rush hour—
the blonde in the Porsche peels
an orange |
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Honorable Mention:
Carl Patrick
scar on her cheek
she gets her lipstick
just right |
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Honorable Mention:
Marilyn Appl Walker
grocery shopping—
his python tattoo
squeezes the Charmin |
Honorable Mention:
Frank Walsh
on display:
her small and firm
opinion of men |
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Honorable Mention:
Jeanne Harrington
conservatory,
the carnivorous plants
behind glass |
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Honorable Mention:
Bill Pauly
grinding sausage meat
she recounts the times
her husband cheated |
[Top]
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2003
The judges for the 2003 competition were Roberta Beary and Ellen Compton.
First Place:
w.f. owen
aftershock
the picture on the wall
straightens |
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Second Place:
Carlos Colon
in the middle
of making love
counting syllables |
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Third Place:
R.A. Stefanac
nudist camp
where to begin
with the sunblock |
Honorable Mention:
Zanna P. Rade
Clothesline—
the shirt shows off
its biceps |
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Honorable Mention:
Bob Boni
open mike night
the audience
goes dead |
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Honorable Mention:
Carolyn Hall
getting acquainted
I learn another name
for wild radish |
[Top]
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2002
The judges for the 2002 competition were Pamela A. Babusci and Tom Painting.
First Place:
w. f. owen
divorced
she cleans the ring
around the tub |
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Second Place:
Heather Basile
after lovemaking
returning
to ourselves |
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Third Place:
Art Stein
nest of black hair
secured with ball-point pens
office geisha |
Honorable Mention:
Marilyn Taylor
naked at the ironing board
concentrating
on a crease |
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Honorable Mention:
w. f. owen
round and round
debating
circumcision |
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[Top]
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2001
The judges for the 2001 competition were Barbara Ressler and Bill Pauly.
Out of 574 entries, they selected the senryu below as the winners.
First Place:
Billie Wilson
freezing wind—
the body builder pumps gas
in a muscle shirt |
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Second Place:
W. F. Owen
werewolf movie
at the commercial
letting the dog out |
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Third Place:
Janeth H. Ewald
winter rain
holding the umbrella
over the dachshund—pissing |
Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order)—Greeba Brydges-Jones;
Richard Burri; Carlos Colon; Garry Gay; Barry George; W. F. Owen; and
R.A. Stefanac.
[Top]
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2000
First Place
Yvonnne Hardenbrook
the clerk’s lip ring
I forget
what I wanted
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Second Place
Robert J. Guarneir
in the midway sun
corn on the cob customers
grinning ear to ear
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Third Place
LeRoy Gorman
school library
such quiet
books
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Honorable Mention
Garry Gay
At the fence
they sit on their tractors
talking hay
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Honorable Mention
Timothy I. Maze
three surgeons
five nurses
wrong leg
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Honorable Mention
Marian Olson
Full moon
I iron a wrinkle
into his pants
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Honorable Mention
Michael Dylan Welch
Valentine’s Day
she reminds me
to fasten my seatbelt
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Honorable Mention
Michael Dylan Welch
before the guests arrive
I straighten
the straight cushions
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Honorable Mention
Michael Dylan Welch
a lull in her hands
the hairstylist asks
how I part my hair |
[Top] |
1999
First Place
Leatrice Lifshitz
in one room
everything she has
and a window
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Second Place
Garry Gay
Floating
in the dishwater
a pair of chopsticks
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Third Place
Jeff Witkin
serious
she takes off her sunglasses
to speak english
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Honorable Mention
Ernest Berry
nude beach
an empty bikini
turns me on
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Honorable Mention
John Barlow
dropping valentine chocolates
he quickly swaps them
for another box
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Honorable Mention
Carolyn Hall
leaning back
in their chairs
old friends reunited
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Honorable Mention
Theresa Mormino
saving her best dishes
for a better day
my eighty year old mother |
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[Top] |
1998
First Place
Carl Patrick
fireflies
my neighbor
has more
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Second Place
D. Claire Gallagher
blowing out
one birthday candle:
the whole family
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Third Place
John Stevenson
“Just Married”
the attendant
pumping too much gas
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Honorable Mention
Diane Tomczak
family reunion
everywhere I look
my old nose
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Honorable Mention
Lee Gurga
identical twins
their hair neatly parted
on opposite sides
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Honorable Mention
David Gershator
at the flea market
looking through books
I gave away
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Honorable Mention
Sandra Fuhringer
nightfall
the zookeeper
lets himself out |
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[Top] |
1997
First Place
John Stevenson
tourist town
postcards of the waterfall
racked upside down
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Second Place
Paul Watsky
carrying their canes
two old women lean
on one another
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Third Place
Jeff Witkin
first date
in the parking lot
our car doors touch
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Honorable Mention
Diane Tomczak
parents coaxing
baby to eat
mouths wide open
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Honorable Mention
Francine Porad
handsome vendor
my name
on a grain of rice
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Honorable Mention
J. Lent
driving lesson done
father and daughter run
fingers through their hair
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Honorable Mention
Bruce Detrick
naked
on the bathroom scales
stomach held in |
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[Top] |
1996
First Place
Sandra Fuhringer
reconciliation
the candle between us
sputters
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Second Place
Paul Watsky
his ashes scattered
what to do
with the box
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Third Place
John Stevenson
nude beach
his enormous
sand castle
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Honorable Mention
Helen Dalton
letting the dog out
letting the dog in
wrong dog
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Honorable Mention
D. Claire Gallagher
A gusting breeze
the comet wobbles
in my binoculars
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Honorable Mention
Marianna Monaco
long walk home
kicking a stone
for company
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Honorable Mention
John Stevenson
Christmas Day
the exchange
of custody
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Honorable Mention
John Stevenson
honeymoon trip
he refuses to stop
for directions |
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[Top] |
1995
First Place
Michael Dylan Welch
clicking off the late movie . . .
the couch cushion
reinflates
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Second Place
Connie Meester
opening night . . .
missing the entrance
of the night blooming cereus
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Third Place
Donna Claire Gallagher
Forgetting his underwear
the one with so many
frequent flier miles
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Honorable Mention
Donna Claire Gallagher
summer concert
fanning myself faster
during the scherzo
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Honorable Mention
John Stevenson
overmatched boxer
his eyes closed
before the fight
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Honorable Mention
Elizabeth St. Jacques
yard sale:
she takes the baby crib
back into the house
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Honorable Mention
Diane Tomszak
his toe
answers mine
a truce begin |
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[Top] |
1994
First Place
David Carmel Gershator
making sure
nothing grows
the rock gardener
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Second Place
John Stevenson
too quick to reply
cutting my tongue
on the envelope
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Third Place
Lynda La Rocca
Grandfather’s funeral
Cousin Kate, air kissing,
Spies a mirror, checks her makeup.
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1st Honorable Mention
Marilyn Taylor
in a semi circle
retired sisters watch
“Wheel of Fortune”
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2nd Honorable Mention
Mark Arvid White
dissatisfied
with her Virgo horoscope
she tries Pisces
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3rd Honorable Mention
Lawrence Rungren
first time
at the zoo my son
watches the people
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4th Honorable Mention
Jim Kacian
antiquities room
the curator asks
“So what’s new?” |
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[Top] |
1993
First Place
Tom Clausen
meeting her boyfriend
our handshake
out of synch
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Second Place
Leatrice Lifshitz
from the Holy Land
he sends a postcard of cracks
two thousand hears old
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Third Place
Makiko
Polaroid of her lover
coming clearer
with time
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Honorable Mention
Peter Duppenthaler
visitor’s day
buttons just right
her dress inside out
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Honorable Mention
Garry Gay
Blueberries
we show each other
our tongues
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Honorable Mention
Margaret Peacock
battered child
. . . kicking the swing
higher
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Honorable Mention
Michael Dylan Welch
a pause in the lecture
all at once three students
cross their legs |
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[Top] |
1992
First Place
Christopher Herold
cropped grass
∏r2 =
the tethered goat
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Second Place
Helen L Shaffer
whacking the bat
with a broom, she says
they attack people
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Third Place
Vincent Tripi
Clear about
everything
the window washer |
[Top] |
1991
First Place
Leatrice Lifshitz
dining out
next to the window
her coat
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Second Place
Carol Montgomery
late spring blossoms
the silhouette artist facing
another ponytail
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Third Place
Marlina Rinzen
balloon man
selling pins
for popping |
[Top] |
1990
First Place
John Thompson
On the same bus
the same strangers
as yesterday
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Second Place
Michael Howell
New neighbor
eyeing the worn path
between our houses
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Third Place
Michael Howell
a man swept by
in a wave rising, falling
sees us see him drown
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Honorable Mention
Lesley Einer
fingering my tattoo
granddaughter asks
when she can have numbers
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Honorable Mention
Kenneth Leibman
the words unspoken . . .
waiting for the toast
to pop up
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Honorable Mention
LeRoy Gorman
drilling deeper
my dentist talks me into
Amnesty International
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Honorable Mention
Anita Krumin
Methodical husband:
On his list of chores, she finds
Her name
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Honorable Mention
LeRoy Gorman
running down
FIGHT ILLITERACY
the gang’s red paint
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Honorable Mention
Brenda Duster
drunken sailor
loses both shoes
tying one on |
[Top] |
1989
First Place
Brenda S Duster
eating alone
my alphabet soup
speaks to me
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Second Place
Joe Nutt
lunch
with her lover’s wife
leftovers
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Third Place
Garry Gay
Hole in the ozone
my bald spot . . .
sunburned
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1st Honorable Mention
Sheldon Young
after kindling
his passion . . .
she lights his cigarette
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2nd Honorable Mention
David Elliot
Nurse’s Station
above the heart monitors
a soap opera
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3rd Honorable Mention
Dee Evetts
how desirable
in the thrift shop window
my old Mag Johng set |
[Top] |
1988
First Prize
Frederick Gasser
hopscotch
a one legged man
raises cane
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Runner Up
Charles D Nethaway, Jr.
young lawyer
his briefs
in the snow
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Runner Up
Dee Evetts
in his mother’s house
he walks into the cobweb
she underlooked
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Runner Up
Caroline G. Banks
Feel the warmth of
Basho’s frogpond
just xeroxed
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Runner Up
Carol Mongomery
behind shadow proof blinds
the calligrapher’s
word processor |
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[Top] |
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