Tom Howard/John H. Reid Poetry Contest 2012
Congratulations to the winners of the 2012 Tom Howard/John H. Reid Poetry Contest!
Most Highly Commended $150
- Bill Cento, Another Crossing
- Maureen Flannery, Selling the Ranch
- Fred Flickinger, Long Long Ago
- Nirupama Kotru, A Mother’s Musings
- Robert B. Robeson, To Steal, Or Not to Steal
- Myron L. Stokes, The Whittler
Special Award $250
- Sherwin Kaufman, Child’s Play
The Judges Comment on the Winning Entries
As many contestants are now aware, we have decided to amalgamate our two annual poetry contests. So this will be our last Report for the stand-alone Tom Howard Contest for Poetry in All Styles and Genres. Why amalgamate? Because the line between traditional and non-traditional verse has become increasingly blurred. In future, we will define traditional poetry as the verse forms commonly in use by major poets in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. We will also include traditional Asian forms such as haiku. If an entry does not fit into this category, it will be considered instead for the Tom Howard prizes.
Having one contest also eliminates the highly unlikely event that a poem could have such power and intensity, it could, if entered, win First prize in both contests. That event has now happened. The judges congratulate Jacie Ragan on her superb achievement for "In the Shadow of the Condor". What makes this achievement even more compelling, is that entries for last year's Tom Howard Contest were of an exceptionally high standard—so high in fact, that the judges were unable to differentiate between "The Play Has Closed" by Gail Walsh and "Illusion" by Nicole Grace for the Second Prize Award of $1,000. Fortunately, the organizers came to our rescue by deciding to award TWO Second Prizes of $1,000 each. Third Prize of $400 was collared by Helen Leslie Sokolsky for her very clever narrative poem, "The Coat".
Where are all the men from this winning line-up? I'm glad to say Vernon Waring came to our rescue by winning Fourth Prize of $250 with his exceedingly clever little poem about what a poem is not, namely, "Not a Poem". Our final but not least major prize, the $250 award for the Best Humorous Poem, went to Sherwin Kaufman for his highly amusing "Child's Play".
Contest Judges
John Reid
John Howard Reid, founder of the Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest and the Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest, won first prizes and other awards in prestigious literary events. A former journalist and magazine editor, he published several historical novels, a collection of poetry, a guide to winning literary contests, and over fifty books of film criticism and movie history. See his work at Lulu. He lived in Wyong, Australia, and passed away in 2018.
Contest Judges
Dee C. Konrad
A leading educator and published author, Mrs. Dee Konrad was Associate Professor in the English faculty of Barat College of DePaul University, and served as Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences for the year 2000-2001.
