Winners of the Ides of March "Stabbing Pain" Poetry & Prose Contest 2012

We changed the contest a little bit this year. This year, we had a theme. All writers were asked to express "stabbing pain" in their poetry or prose. Some writers chose to interpret the theme quite literally. Others chose a more subtle approach. Many writers stepped outside their comfort zone and expressed a darker side of their personality. Many broached the theme with subjects that are difficult to even think about. Others approached the theme with humor and spunk. The judges and I enjoyed reading and considering all of the unique work. There were 130 poems and 19 short stories entered in the contest. And now...the winners:

Adult Prose ($20 Cash Prize Each)

Jessica L. Brooks, La Crescenta, CA - The Final Thoughts of the Gaul Killing Himself and His Wife

James D. Fischer, Independence, KS - Mr. Payne and the Acupuncturist

Clare Kron, DeKalb, IL - Reaching the Pinnacle

Adult Poetry ($20 Cash Prizes Each)

Beverly Broyles, Rockford, IL - Untitled

John M. Davis, Visalia, CA - THESE CONTRARIES ARE NOT EASILY RECONCILED

Mary DeLorier Carlson, Sandwich, IL - STABBING PAIN

Cindy Guentherman, Loves Park, IL - the first time

Terri Hallberg, Rockford, IL - bitter tears

Michael Hardesty, Louisville, KY - THE FIRST TIME

Michael Koenig, Oakland, CA - Four or Five Times

Gene McCormick, Wayne, IL- The Scent of Abandonment

Bruce Muench, Roscoe, IL- Penitence

Vera Nordquist Rabe, Davis, IL - Somebody's Old Coat

Jennifer A. Rea, Rockford, IL - Jane Eyre I Know How You Feel

Nancy Schaefer, Moline, IL - Learning to ride a bike

Susan Tamalunas, Moore, S.C. - The MS Wrap

Joan Vistain, Antioch, IL - Would I Not Know Serenity

YOUTH POETRY ($10 Cash Prizes Each)

Juniel Kemp, Chicago, IL - Cut by the Wire

Jocelyn Kuntz, Rockford, IL - The Pain of a Burn

Everette Johnson, Chicago, IL - Trouble

Claire Reck, Caledonia, IL - The Broken Window

Renee Joy Li Jalbert, Belvidere, IL - R.I.P. Brenda and Thalia

All winning poetry and prose will be published in the 2012 summer-fall Members Only edition of The Rockford Review. The book will be available for purchase in the middle of July 2012. Also, all winners are invited to our annual gala at Cliffbreakers on July 15, 2012.

Winners of the Ides of March Contest
2011

Adult Poetry

1st Place - Nancy Shires, Greenville, NC -Survival of the Felicitous ($75)

2nd Place - Jude McCanse, Rockford, IL - The Procession ($50)

3rd Place - Carol Hamilton, Midwest City, OK - Beginners ($25)

Honorable Mentions ($10 each)

William Beyer, Belvidere, IL - A Father's Death

Daniel Malcolm Curtis, Beloit, WI - My Soul Undone

John M. Davis, Visalia, CA - "JUST BECAUSE TOMMY DOES IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO DO IT. IF HE JUMPED OFF A BRIDGE..."

Gene McCormick - Wayne, IL - The Warriors & Princesses Nursing Home

Wilda Morris - Bolingbrook, IL - Dad's Pocketknife

Jim Swierzynski - Reeseville, WI - Brew Scooter

Joan Morse Vistain - Antioch, IL - Impression

Adult Prose

1st Place - Ann Wienen Edmonds - Sterling, IL - Consulting Solomon ($75)

2nd Place - Rebecca Gorman - Denver, CO - Hannah's Monologue (from Grave Sight) ($50)

3rd Place - Charles Francis Gould - Portland, OR - How Pope Leo the Great Saved Rome from the Huns ($25)

Honorable Mentions ($10 each)

Tom Fenwick - McHenry, IL - Not As Bad As You Might Think

Jeff Flodin - Chicago, IL - Tragic Figures from History #446

Karl Harshbarger - Hamm, Germany - The Nighthawk

Clare Kron - DeKalb, IL - Resolution

Robert Tomaro - Beloit, WI - Jazz in the Jungle

Youth Prose

1st Place - Rebecca Russell - Rockford, IL - A Time of Judgment

Winners of the Ides of March Contest
2010 

Adult Poetry

1st Place – Rich Farrell, Carpentersville, IL - Showdown
2nd Place – Candace Murrow, Olympia, WA - Poet’s Song
3rd Place – Rebecca Kojetin, Rockford, IL - Tattered Clothes

Honorable  Mention – Wilda Morris, Bolingbrook, IL - At Norman's

Adult Prose:

1st Place – Jeff Flodin, Chicago, IL - Faithless
2nd Place – Ann Wienen Edmonds, Sterling, IL - My Great Grandmother’s Chicken Dressing
3rd Place – Alan Youmans, Freeport, IL - Second Chance

Honorable Mention – Robert Tomaro, Beloit, WI - 8

Youth Poetry:

1st Place – Claire Reck, Caledonia, IL, Rockford Christian School, 8th grade - The Promise in a Seed


Youth Prose:

1st Place – Ryan Bernsten, Belvidere, IL, Boylan High School, Senior - The Lumberjack Breakfast
 
2nd Place - Valerie Portolano, Fountain Hills, AZ, Fountain Hills School District, 8th grade - White Walls of Misery

The winners receive cash prizes and publication in The Rockford Review Summer/Gala Edition, 2010.

The Rockford Writers' Guild congratulates the winners and all the authors who participated in this contest. Thank you for sharing your talents!

Winners of the Ides of March Contest
2009 

Adult Poetry

1st. Place – Dave Slater, DeKalb, IL - Gathering Wood
2nd. Place – Sandy Fink, Dowling, FL - from Mosaics IV, Words
3rd.  Place – Lisa Roettger, Freeport, IL - Newsworthy

Honorable Mention – Wilda Morris, Bolingbrook, IL - Death by Chocolate

Adult Prose

1st. Place – Mary Chandler, Reno, NV - The Visitor
2nd. Place – Kathleen Demmert Tresemer, Rockton, IL -Lesson Learned
3rd. Place – Jeff Flodin, Chicago, IL - The Miracle Cure

Honorable Mention – Pat Bryan, Beloit, WI - The Cutting Edge of the Human Condition

Youth Poetry and Prose

1st. Place - Julia Friberg, 18, Rockford, IL - A Different Shade of Grey, prose
2nd. Place - Rick Morrison, 17, Rockford, IL - Hopeless, prose
3rd. Place - Valerie Portolano, 13, Fountain Hills, AZ - Shadows, poetry

Honorable Mention – Anna Jungles, 16, Freeport, IL - Quiet Moments, poetry

Winners received cash prizes:

1st Place - $50
2nd Place - $30
3rd Place - $20
Honorable Mention - $10

Winning entries are published in The Rockford Review - Pooling Our Talents -Summer Gala Edition - 2009. Authors were invited to read their piece at the annual Summer Gala Luncheon & Reading, July 19, 2009 at the Clock Tower Inn Resort.

Thank you to everyone who participated and congratulations to the winners!