2011 Poetry Competition

These winning poems will appear with many others in the 2011 book of poetry from the Schizophrenia Fellowship.

First prize:

Blinded by the light

by R A Fraser

I am drowning
A fallen star
No rosy sky at dusk
No element can save me
The fishing boat
Sharpens to black
Turns a searchlight lantern
On the indigo light of my eyes
I am swimming out
To meet you
Your light my only goal
Moon fire spreads
Like a burning
Slick across the water
Igniting Banksia silhouetted
On the shore
The night music of
Waves and trains
Recedes high beams
The crest of morning
Converge.........
And I am caught thrashing the nets.

Second prize:

Mad!

by Chris Rath

I boxed as a kid and I got brain damage.
My scheech is very spitsophrenic.
I get my twanguage in a list.
Mometimes I sake sense.
They spall it coonerisms and sord walad.
They bay I’m sad and also mad.
But wren I write, I usually make mense.
Years ago, my bast was pad.
Concussion caused my speech difficulties.
Comas also affected my mentality.
I suffer, in addition, epilepsy.
When I am unintelligibility.
Yes! My language is frightening insanity.
Sometimes when I’m in my right mind.
I can sound like a genius at times
And when I am unwell, out of my mind.
I am full of hear and fate.
Which my mentality disintegrates.
Is insanity fy mate?
I’ve been hit by cars and falling trees
And by motor bikes. My head injuries
Damaged my brain consequently.
It’s scarey, incomprehensibility!
When I’m wappy and hell
And I weel very fell,
I enjoy ly mife
Especially with wy wife!
And when I am a resident in a clinic,
I feel very well that I am in it!
But as I sadly am a recidivist,
I quickly relapse when I am out of it!
And I dee my doctor today
And she makes me gappy and hay,
I hope that she will give me gills
Which do not fake me meel ill.
Yes! My life is rood when gationality.
Permit my intelligibility!
It’s a pity to be a schizophrenic.
But I’m witty and well when I’m not sick!
Nobody enjoys perfect health.
But my mentality is hell

Third prize:

Music on the windowsill

by Therese Giffney

And the poetry poured forth
like music on the windowsill
In Woolf’s room
the birdsong was in Latin
In Stein’s room
it was still
and percolated society
with dares, dramas
and the aroma of Parisian coffee
In my room
it was roses, chariots
and December flowers my father
told me were called
Stars of Bethlehem
that were breathing for me
throughout sweaty, sweaty, summer Christmases

Highly Commended:

Written For Eddie, my carer

by Helen M Dawson

Oh Eddie, you are a small
bright light
Defying even the Heavens,
With your capacity,
To shine into the very
Shadows of my life,
A life tormented,
And challenged everyday,
By my disabilities,
That cry me naked into
grieving and sin

Highly Commended:

Paper Basket

by Jeanette Young

The echoes of children
excited
active
was I to be forgotten
overlooked
overtures of friendship
were over
they were all over there.
and I remember
after a party
a paper basket of lollies to take home
and I became a “basket case”
addicted to sweets.
Other children blossomed.
But I ballooned
and bulged.
And others told me to “move”
and “run away”
Silently
suggestively
So, I didn’t belong to groups
To clans.
“In the way” ward
(Way weird)

Commended:

Racehorses.

by Robert Thurgood

Nothing more useless
I can confess
Than a racehorse
Of course
(at least a clotheshorse
is a useful resource)
From toe to tail
A racehorse will fail
Beyond a gallop and dash
Backed by the flash
Its circular run
And then it is done
Back to the stable
Of nothing else it is able
A waste of feed and cash
Running only under the lash
When it fails it is glue
(But that can be used by YOU!)

Carers Prize:

Eclectic Dream

by Jillian Black

a twang of bells atonal
each ding a perfect sound
wind-chimes glissando
along dew-laden halls
timespace echoing
gathering on breeze
droplets of water hitting china bowls
high-pitched single notes
in measured intervals release
a thousand songs of peace
swirling rush of river-wind
looping green-leafed poles
of bamboo near water
translucent and serene
gurgling as it pauses
shimmering with ease
birdsong in rushes
luminous cloud-drift seen
dragonflies encircling
a glittering photo-dream