Library announces winners of 2015 poetry contest

The Winlock Timberland Library has announced the winners of their second annual poetry contest as the library celebrates April as National Poetry Month.

Library Associate Becky Standal reported 48 entries were received in age categories 8-12, 13-18, 19-64, and 65 and older (the 7 and younger category was eliminated this year as no entries in that range were received). Entries were received from all over the area and from withers with many different styles and experience levels.

"We are grateful to all the participants for sharing their words with us," said Standal, who had organized last year's contest, as well.

Without further ado, Town Crier is pleased to print the winning entries for each of the four categories:

Poets age 8 - 12

little horse
by Hope Bernhardt
Age 12, of Winlock

little horse
run, jump, roam,
but, don't you run away.

roam, jump, run,
little horse
but, be back by the end of day.

rest, sleep, lay,
little horse
you must be truly tired.

lay, sleep, rest,
little horse
be rested for tomorrow.

Poets age 13 - 18

Make it count
by Shianne Rose Blankenship
Age 14, of Winlock

Ten years from now it won't matter,
Who was richer, or who was fatter.
What will matter is how you acted to,
The things in life that you were put through.

Did you smile when you wanted to cry?
With a broken wing did you learn to fly?
Did you fall to your knees an let your problems create a chain,
Or did you learn to dance in the rain?

Some say when life gives you lemons,
Throw them back and say "I want chocolate,"
But that just shows that your heart easily weakens,
And how strong you really are not.

let the things that break you,
To this day make you.
Forgive and forget, cause life is too short,
To have a bad attitude, and always make a retort.

You're gonna blink one day and your life will be gone.
People will leave but don't hold on,
Cause there will be new people; actually an abundant amount.
Remember you only live once, so make it count.

Poets age 19 - 64

For Borislav
by Angela Renecker
Age 46, of Winlock

There are few pleasures in life

as simple as these:

crusty bread,

a warm bed,

the icy tang of an orange

in my mouth--

a blushing orange, round and perfect--

it's taste as ripe as my fondness

for you, my golden Prince of Zagreb.

Poets age 65 and older

Grandma Names
by Ranee DeLong
Age 75, of Winlock

When the kids were little
Mike was two, Mamie three
They had many grandmas
Close by, that they could see.
Grandma Bootie, Grandma Zelma
Little Grandma too
My mother needed a grandma name
A simple one would do.
Why don't you both go ask her
Find out what she has to say?
They thought it was a good idea
So they asked that very day.
We need a name to call you
A nickname like the rest
Please, please come up with one
You find the one that's best.
"Just call me plain old Grandma
Don't worry about any more."
Then she picked her broom up
And began to sweep the floor.
So plain old Grandma became the name
Of the one who was mother to me
But instead of coming out one word
It always came out as three.
"Plain Old Grandma"

Congratulations to all the other entrants. Thank you for sharing your voices and inspirations with us.