The winning entries of the 3rd Creating Reality Haiku Competition are here!

 

 

FIRST PLACE

WMD by Verica Peacock

Death stalks Black watch! Though
Weapons of Mass Destruction
Never found, still kill!

Verica Peacock was born in Croatia, given away at the age of 4 to an aunt and uncle. During World War II, she was imprisoned, aged 13, together with her relatives and was the only one saved, while the others perished in Auschwitz. She came to England in 1946, aged 16, unable to speak a word of English, but passed her Matriculation a year later. After several jobs, she taught Commerce, English, German and Drama in Comprehensive Schools. She has been writing poetry most of her life, winning several 2nd prizes and publication in anthologies but, since retiring, has also had many articles published in different newspapers and magazines. She is a member of The Inn Scribers Writing Group in Harlow. Her autobiography, The Find, was published in Dec 2004 and she is hoping to find a sponsor for No Summit Is Too High, a book of advice from famous people, to be published in aid of the British Paralympic Ski Team. She also enjoys translating poetry into English and this year has started writing poetry for children. At 48, Verica had a massive stroke, but has recovered well. She is married to Graham and has a grown up son, daughter and three grandsons. www.vericathefind.info

SECOND PLACE

Tourist to Monkey by Jean Edmunds

Peer through my windscreen.
See me, peering back at you.
Which of us is free?

Jean Edmunds lived in South Africa for most of her life, but returned to the UK last year for keeps. She has been writing since she was about 10 or 11 years old, poetry, short stories, articles, etc. Since returning to the UK she has been entering competitions with a few successes and a couple of poems and stories published. The inspiration for this Haiku? In S.A. Jean lived in Port Elizabeth. There are monkeys in the bush on the outskirts of the city. If you stop at known monkey-frequented places they will emerge and climb on your car. But they can carry rabies and will bite if the fancy takes them, so you are told not to feed them, but of course people do.

THIRD PLACE

Daytime TV by Alison Mosquera

Mind-numbingly dull,
An addictive sedative:
I can’t switch it off

Alison Mosquera started writing poetry in 2003. She has a poem published in a recent anthology of poetry about health and illness, The Poetry Cure, published by Bloodaxe Books (April 2005) and has had a poem accepted for future publication by The Interpreters House poetry magazine. She was shortlisted in a Writing Magazine poetry competition earlier this year, but this is her first competition place.

RUNNER UP

Untitled by Andre Surridge

Stealing centre stage
The idiot who forgot
To turn off his phone

André Surridge is a poet and playwright, born in Hull, England in 1951, he emigrated to New Zealand in 1972. Poetry published sporadically in British and Australasian publications from 1970 to 2005 including Civil Service Poetry, Argot, More, Rimu, Valley Micropress, The Mozzie, NZ Listener, Kokako, Bravado,Yellow Moon & Presence. Two small collections of poetry published, Estimations Destinations 1982 and Wings for You 1993. Poetry Awards include; Winner of the 3rd Haiku Have-a-Go Competition, Katikati, NZ 2004. Winner of the Upper Hutt Montana Poetry Competition, NZ 2004. Playwriting Awards include; Shell Playwrights Award (NZ) 1984; Lantern Theatre Trust Award (UK) 1987; Doug Wrenn Memorial Award (NZ) 1994; Minolta Playwriting Award (NZ) 1995.

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Untitled by Theresa Hind

Another day and
More silence. He is the storm
Cloud I live under

Theresa Hind is a journalist living and working in rural Lancashire, England. She started writing creatively a couple of years ago and is half way through a degree in creative writing at the University of Bolton. She is writing a novel that was runner-up last year in a national competition for works in progress by unpublished authors.

Lost and Found by Verica Peacock

Walking in the woods
Among trees, I lose the track
But find my true self!

(For biography see above)

Untitled by Harry Paticas

Stuck to a doorframe
A spiral shell cloaks a snail
Asleep upside down.

Harry Fotios Paticas is half English and half Greek. After graduating from a degree in Maths with Astronomy, he studied an Open University arts course which inspired him to become an architect. He completed his degree at Kingston and diploma at the Architectural Association and will soon be taking his part 3 professional exam in architecture. He plans to use his writing to distil and communicate ideas for his architectural projects.


Inevitability by John Martin

Mouldy clay piled high,
Yawning grave anticipates
Earth to earth awaits.

John Martin retired four years ago and has kept himself occupied by completing an M.A. in Culture, Religion and Society. He has also started writing short stories and poetry. He won first prize in the short story section of the Drogheda Creative Writers Competition in August 2004, first prize in the Dunlavin Arts Festival Short Story Competition in May 2005 and third prize in the 2005 Gurteen Golden Pen Competition. He has also had success in poetry competitions including Third place in the Creating Reality 2nd Haiku Competition and Second prize in the Dunlavin Arts Festival Poetry Competition 2005. In addition to writing, he lists his interests as theatre, reading, cycling and his grandchildren!

To see the winners of our first haiku competition click here
To see the winners of our second haiku competition click here