WINNERS
 
James McIntyre Poetry Contest 2004-10-21



Grade 1
Best Poem


First : Cheese by Keenan Brunklaus

Pizza is fast and easy to make.
And I smile when it is on my plate.
I like it with lots of white cheese on it.
It is good in my belly.

 
Second: Cheese by Brodie Warnock

I like Swiss cheese.
It has holes in it.
I have never actually tried it.
But I like it!

 
Third: Cheese by Liam Dickinson

I like cheese strings.
They are fun.
I try to make moustaches.
They taste good too.

 
Honourable Mention: Cheese by Dana Barnard

I like cheese.
Cheez Whiz is the best.
I like it on toast.
Better than the rest.

 
Honourable Mention: Cheese by Joshua Holmes

I like cheezies.
They taste good.
They are crunchy.
I would like to eat them right now.
 

Grades 2 & 3
Acrostic

First: Ingersoll by Sara Seys

Ingersoll is lovely place.
Nice community.
Great schools.
Excellent stores.
Really happy place.
Some people are nice.
Oh, I love Ingersoll.
Lovely home.
Lovely pets.

 
Second: Trains by Marika Ishihara

T - Trains are long trains are short
R - Railroads are jumpy when cars go over them
A - A trains is fun to go on but its very slow
I - I think trains are cool and very long
N - Now trains are heavy and carry packages
S - so long, so short and very tall

 
Third: Cheese by Gregory Mantle

Cheese is good in Ingersoll
Healthy people eat lots of cheese
Eat lots of cheese
Eat cheese so your teeth get clean
Stinky cheese isn't good for you
Eat cheese to get strong
 

Honourable Mention: Ingersoll by Matthew Holmes

I - Ice hockey
N - Nice teachers
G - Great town
E - Exciting
R - Restaurants
S - Strong people
O - Original
L - Loud
L - Library

 
Other (rhyming, 2-word poem, free verse)


First: Blue by Madison Anne McIntyre

Blue, I can see it in the sky.
I hear a Blue Jay singing in the tree.
In a little shell you can hear the Blue Ocean.
A Blue marker writing on Blue paper going up and down making wavey lines.
My eyes are Blue like my jeans.
Blue is like the morning showers.

Second: The New Pillow by Cole McDonald

Lacy and I were walking and walking
to town to buy a pillow.
People were in a line up so long
we were weeping like a willow.
Hurray! We carried our pillow home
and gave it to our Mum
because it was Mother's Day today;
she was not looking glum.
She was smiling and went to bed
and Lacy and I did, too.
We went to sleep and dreamed of snow,
white and soft and new.

Third: Hockey Game by Michael White

Hockey Game
Whistle blows
Puck dropped
Skating up
Fast pass
Pass again
Fake shot
Real shot
Shoots scores

Honourable Mention: I Love Scooby Doo by Cole McDonald

I love Scooby Doo because
he's a dog and I love dogs.
He's funny when he's scared.
In his movies the music is good
and he fights the monsters.
He solves mysteries.
He's a detective.
He's my hero.
I wish he was real and
could sleep in my room.

Honourable Mention: Kitty Kats by Lian Ma

Kitty Kats are cute,
Kitty Kats are sweet,
Kitty Kats love their music
and they dance to the beat!
Meow, meow, scratch, scratch,
Kitty Kats don't scratch,
But if you buy her cat food,
She'll eat the whole batch!
Kitty Kats are soft
but they hate the wet!
But if you buy them cat toys,
She'll play with them I bet!

Grades 5 to 7
Rhyming verse

Tie for First: The Thrill of the Ride by Rebecca Belanger

Loopdy Loop
Feet a-dangling
You get scared and start the dragging
Wide awake
But eyes shut tight.
You scream "Who turned out the light!"
As you shake.
You scream out to stop the ride.
You scream so loud you hurt your side.
The ride has stopped.
You had fun.
You only wish it wasn't done.
Now, get in line
For another run.
You laugh. You scream. And that was lots of fun.

Tie for First: Ballet! By Marina Bruggeman

Feet flying everywhere
Teachers shouting, yes they care
"Do be careful! Point your toes!"
Preparing sometimes for some shows.
Catch your breath, start once more
Slow down or you'll get a four!
Work harder work harder please?!
Come on! Soon you'll have it with ease.
Now it's time for a show
Some may hold their heads too low
You walk on stage and fear
the people watching are too near!
You walk off stage, it's done
You did great and it looked fun
"It's time to go, we're leaving.
Are you ok? You are heaving!"

Second: War by Daisy Baijens

War war war,
How much more?
Do you know about the war
They can't go next door.
What do they score
With the war?
Would people cry for the war,
Or would they just ignore.
How would they feel for the war?
They wouldn't go to the dance floor,
Anymore because of the war.

Third: On the Thames by Meagan M. Lobzan

The river the river
So clean and so bright,
With fish in the water
And birds in flight.
Going and coming
Whenever it wants
Splashing and flowing
and wetting my pants.
The river was like this
Many years ago,
But pollution and selfishness
have let it go.


Honourable Mention: At the Dance it is quite loud by Colton Ring

At the dance it is quite loud
it can bring quite a large crowd
It will go down in history
it is not a mystery
waiting in line can take some time
when you sing you should try to rhyme
when you break dance the crowd will cheer
most of the are your peers.
You should bring some toonies with you
Mabe even some loonies, too
The dances are on Friday night
always dance with all your might


Honourable Mention: When You Hear the Whistle Blow by Ashley Dicks

When you hear the Whistle Blow,
Oh my gosh a Train.
You will see the Line will Grow,
Oh my gosh a Train.
The train driver's name is More,
Oh my gosh a Train.
As the people sit in Rage,
Oh my gosh a Train.
And my dog sits in his Cage,
Oh my gosh a Train.
When he barked I ripped my Page,
Oh my gosh a Train.
Then my dad gives a big Yell,
Oh my gosh a Train.
He's mad and you can Tell,
Oh my gosh a Train.
You can smell the old train Smell,
Oh my gosh a Train.
The overpass could have Some Use,
Oh my gosh a Train.
There wouldn't be lives to Lose,
Oh my gosh a Train.
We can live Safely, or you can Choose,
Oh my gosh a Train.

Free Verse

First: Pickles and Cheese by Tim Caskey

I will eat pickles and cheese
When ever I please.

Second: Harvard Planes by Chris White

These planes ruled the sky many years ago,
Tore up the skies and made people quiver like Jello,
The people who flew these planes were very, very brave,
Risking their lives every day.
But now these planes are silent,
They have been for many, many years,
Now they rest near Ingersoll still in working condition,
Blasting through the skies but not on any mission.
This is the end of their tale,
But not the end of their flight,
They still fly on,
Into the depths of the night.

Third: Lost in the Night by Melissa Jacques-Durston

The sky has darkened
no sounds in the distance
where did time go?
eyes stare at you
the darkness frightens you
the graveyard is close
sending a shiver down your spine
where did the light go
it could help me find my way home
could it be here and just
won't let me seek it?
I stare at the ground
scared to look up
and frightened of the noises in the night
and dreaming of home
I'm lost and shivering
waiting to be found
if I only stayed home
I wouldn't be here now
a light is shining at me
I hear familiar voices
could it bee, it has to be
it is, I'm saved.

Other

First: Sisters by Sylvie Weir

Sisters
Right there
Good or bad
Ready to help when needed
Family


Second: I Love My Home Town by Josh McCready

I love my home town.
No one could lift the Big Cheese at 7300 pounds.
Great Thames flows through the middle of Ingersoll.
Every year we have a Harvest Festival.
Remember when the Elm Hurst was a cheese factory.
Special events of history are in our museum.
Oxford's Cheese Capital was here from 1800's to 1900's.
Laura Secord Ingersoll saved Upper Canada
Lucky Thomas Ingersoll. Ingersoll was named after him.

Grade 8
Rhyming verse

First: Ingersoll is a great place to be by Wesley Groot

Ingersoll is a great place to be,
There is so much for you and me,
We have a lot to see and do,
Super restaurants to eat at, too!
In the wintertime hockey is Prime,
In the summer it is soccer time,
The pool is open all year round,
Plenty to keep us skinny not round.
Churches, safe schools, and clubs abound,
Many activities all around,
But when you find the need to roam,
Take the train or bus to bring you home.


Second: Ingersoll is the best place to be by Mandy McCauley

Ingersoll, Ingersoll the best place to be.
We have soccer, baseball and pottery.
We are known for our ultimate famous cheese
Can a have just a little piece please.
We are surrounded by grain and dairy farms
Weather permitting farmers will fill their barns
Thanks to the farmers for the hard work they do
Theres plenty of food for me and you
Our community is filled with arts and crafts
Lessons in pottery makes life a blast
Trains may come through town interrupting class
One thing we're missing is an overpass


Third: A Poem to Write by Holly Totten

Here I sit broken hearted,
Need to write a poem but I can't get started.
Just what am I doing wrong,
Write a poem that needs to be four stanzas long
Nothing comes to mind at all,
A poem about the great town of Ingersoll?
It's a place that I know well,
It is a wonderful place to come and dwell.
Except for the trains we hear
They seem to get noisier year after year!
It's such a nice day to play,
Ingersoll, Ingersoll on what can I say?
I wish I could go out please,
There's something to write about Ingersoll cheese?
I can't seem to get started
So instead I sit here all broken-hearted
Nothing comes to mind at all,
A poem about the great town of Ingersoll?
It's a place that I know well
It is a wonderful place to come and dwell

 
Other (free verse, limerick)


First: A Tale of Toil by Chloe Weir

Young man walks by
They stare scathingly
Young man walks by
Has no place to go
Strong man walks by
Looking for work
Strong man walks by
They will not have him
Lone man walks by
Cast out of sight
Lone man walks by
Like a disobedient dog
Black man walks by
Free at last
The year is 1863
Slavery has just been abolished
Many look down on him
Many will years later
Maybe it will change
Someday


Second: I took a wish by Erin Caskey

I took a wish from a little man,
He was carrying that wish in the palm of his hand.
I wished for a car and knew it was grand
When I took a wish from the palm of his hand.
I took a wish from a little girl's dress
I new that it would probably be best,
I wished for a horse and I named her best!
When I took a wish from a little girls dress.
I took a wish from a turtle's shell.
And then the turtle started to yell.
I wished for a bell to drown out the yell.
When I took a wish from a turtle's shell.
I took a wish from a baby's shoes
When the baby was lightly in a snooze.
I wished for a boat to sail me the news.
When I took a wish from a baby's shoes.


Third: Bouncing off the ceiling by Michelle Wade

Wake up see the doors
are opened maybe
its life before
my eyes.
that tells me to
believe in you
Bouncing off the
ceiling bouncing
off the wall girl
know how I'm
feeling cause
I'm in my world.


Special awards for children (grades 1 to 8)
Cheese Poet Laureate's Awards: Best Cheese poem/dairy ode

Cheese by Chris Borduas

Ingersoll is known
For its cheese alone
Many years ago
We went to the show
At the New York fair
Ingersoll was there
The farmers were proud
To draw such a crowd
People came to see
What it had to be
The gigantic cheese
Brought oohs, ahs, and glee
Old cheese and cheese sticks
Wedges and cheese bricks
Ingersoll is known
For its cheese alone
 

Best Poem about Ingersoll (Past or Present)

Every winter in Ingersoll by Neil Pittock

Every winter in Ingersoll
Something special happens at the Fire Hall
The winter ice rink appears
And everyone in town starts to cheer
The hoses of the firemen
Prepare the rink with no problem
They ever have a bench made of wood
To share with someone in your neighborhood
Many people young and old
Come out to skate and brave the cold
Some fall down and bump their heads
Some go fast and fly instead
Thank you firemen of Ingersoll
A special time is had by all
When I am older and in my seventies
I will always have those special memories
 
 
Grade 9
Best Poem


First: Moo Moo by Shannon Sullivan

"moo moo" says the cow
"don't squeeze that, ow!"
"yum yum" says the man,
"throw that in the pan."
"cheese please" says the boy,
"oh no, that's not a toy."
"moo moo" says the cow


Second: The Moment by Jennie Mitchell

A path, leading to a place unknown.
'Shall we explore?'
They make their way between the bushes, which surround them, too thick to see through to
The outside world.
The path is narrow but they continue, unwilling to yield to the tough terrain.
Then the bushes part,
And before them lies,
A swing set for four, lying alone, unused, before a lake.
Sun, sparkling off water, turning it to shards of light in ripples.
The shards of light illuminate the trees above, their shades of green turned to a
flickering glow.
They enter,
And seem to be caught in an enchanted moment. This place, this clearing, locked in time.
Now they are inside, locked in time together.
They stand transfixed in the peace surrounding them,
Birds singing.
Night falls.
Darkness is complete.
Then the moon rises,
The clouds clear,
Stars twinkle into existence, completing the tapestry of the night sky.
They look up,
At the stars.
And down,
At the silver, lunar lit waters.
And can not stir themselves to leave this unsurpassable beauty of this
World at night,
Can not leave this passing moment locked in time.
But it fades…
The sun shatters the wondrous beauty…
And they will have to wait for this perfect moment to come again…
But they have faith, and know it will,
Someday…

 
Third: Cheese Poem by Jordan Hunter

I wonder where cheese was made?
Was it made in shade?
Was it made during a raid?
Was it made by a maid?
I wonder where it was made?


Honourable Mention: Cows, Milk and Cheese by Nicole Gabrielle Simon

Milk is good,
Milk is sweet,
Oh my gosh, what a treat!
Cheese is orange,
Cheese is white,
You can eat it day or night!
Cows are big,
Cows say "moo,"
I like milk. You should too!


Grade 10
Rhyming Verse

First: Ingersoll by Andrew Hurley
It's great to live in Ingersoll,
In summer, winter, spring, and fall.
We are known for butter and our cheese,
We sent a statue overseas.
There is much to do in Ingersoll,
Although the town is somewhat small.
There's hockey, golf, and baseball too,
Which do you prefer to do?
Our parks are clean our schools are fine,
There are restaurants where you can dine.
There is much to do in this fair town.
It's the place to be.
Do whatever you wish to do.
In this town you'll be free.


Second: The Mythical Cows of Zorra Township by Braydon Older

The Mythical cows of Zorra Township,
They come to me in my dreams,
They are something every normal cow would worship,
They can produce barrels, and barrels of cream.
Their stature equals two cows in size,
With giant curly horns,
And eyes that say there wise,
They love their grass, but prefer their corn.
When they are with other,
I think they actually speak,
Their voice they try to smoother,
What is it that they seek?
They graze in rough house play,
Like stars across the night sky,
Could they have made the Milky Way,
That floats above us high?


Third: The Big Cheese by Brian Mann

7300 lbs of cheese.
A six foot ten inch round ball of yellow.
Three feet high this ball of cheese stood.
I couldn't eat it.
Nobody could.
This cheese, it travelled to the New York fair.
Where I bet it got a bug-eyed stare.
It travelled to England and Europe, too.
It was almost like a travelling cheese zoo.
I hear it was sold to a guy in Liverpool.
That guy had to be a cheese loving fool.


Honourable Mention: The Black Bird by Leah Weir

A single raven
Circled overhead
Need I say more
Above a forest
Blackened and soon dead
A ghastly sore
The shadow of death
Beneath its dark wings
Across the land
The raven cries out
But no other sings
Beneath death's hand
Snow covers the earth
The raven swoops down
To a burned tree
Watching two men fight
For a golden crown
They won't let free
Amongst blood stained snow
The battle wears on
Between the last
No honour is left
Just gold can be won
They still hold fast
With a clang of swords
One warrior falls
The crown is released
The last man standing
His victory calls
The battle ceased.
The raven's been stirred
It flies from the tree
Gold caught it's eye
The man just stands by
While the bird flies free
Toward the sky
A single raven
Is clutching it's prize
Need I say more
The bird snatched the crown
Before the man's eyes
There is no more

Free Verse

First: Snowflake by Tamara Tamazashvili

White and small
In your hand, it slowly melts
The drop of water, that remains
Down and fast, they all fall clear,
From the sky
Until the Earth is dressed in white.


Second: Exaltation by Leah Weir

A pearl perfect and spherical
Like a moon on the bottom of the sea
Hidden in the depths of the ocean
Silently waiting for someone to find
And risk lack of air
To brave the waters deep and dark
So is this feeling
Like a forest lush and green
With light shining through the mighty branches
They all are strong yet sensitive
A bird call sounds through the silence
A beautiful song to my ears alone
The cool breeze stirs the foliage
With whispers of harmony and happiness
This verily is a wondrous dream
It is like the way I deeply feel
Beautiful but no dream this
For in waking moments I feel the same


Third: The Leaves by Whitney Gallant

I love how the leaves
Fall in Fall,
With their hues
Purple, read, and orange.
I see the trees
In Ingersoll,
So still
And coloured surreal.
Like some artists great painting,
The background of life,
No wind to make
Them real,
And I wonder,
My hate and need to leave
May not be
So strong.
Though still will I joke
And laugh of this place,
My secret love
Will lie
On these autumnal days
In Ingersoll,
When the leaves
Fall in Fall.


Honourable Mention: Rose by Tamara Tamazashvili

A flower, that looses
Not its petals,
The sweet smell that stays unchanged
In fresh air,
Reminds you the times of joy in love
And life,
It's motionless, yet grabs you in,
To its world of desires

Other (acrostic, haiku, limerick, sonnet)


First: Cheese by Stefany Parker

There once was a big ball of cheese
The smell could just make you sneeze
They shipped it to Britain
The people were smitten
Could you pass the crackers please?


Second: Hero at Beaver Dams by Lindsay Beharriell

Listening intently behind a door
Americans plan to attack at Beaver Dams
Useful information in her hands
Running through enemy lines
Alert and wasting no time
Swamps and mountains in her path
Exhausted and lost is the aftermath
Continuing her journey throughout the day
Outsmarting American sentries on the way
Reaching Canadian troops at last
Discernment and honour never unsurpassed


Third: Chimp for my Birthday by Jamie Harris

My parents got me a chimp for my birthday;
It was the best present I'd ever received.
I couldn't believe it; I didn't know what to say,
My very own chimp; I was so relieved.
He knows how to do my Math and English homework;
He even took my drivers license test.
Why does he do all this work without a smirk?
He wants to be the next Einstein is what he confessed.
We always play soccer and baseball;
We never keep score because he always wins.
There is even one time that I recall,
He was figure skating and did four full spins.
My parents got me a chimp for my birthday.
With all this work I sure hope he doesn't want pay.

Grade 11 & 12
Rhyming Verse


First: Cheeseman by Ryan Hurley
He's twice the size of any man,
spreading cheese to all the land.
Gouda, cheddar, mozzarella, blue,
Monterey Jack, Havarti, too.
He hops the towns, with a burlap sack
of cheese that rests upon his back.
When he arrives, the people gather,
to eat his cheese, to hear his chatter.
"Eat up," he preaches to the throngs,
"your bones will grow both long and strong."
So the people ate, each their fill,
bending to the Cheeseman's will.
One day there came that evil Mould,
to pillage the cheeses, young and old.
But Cheeseman stood tall and boldly said,
"You'll want to be leaving here instead."
Mould then fled, at a torrid pace,
never again to show his face.
The people rejoiced, they danced, they sang.
The Cheeseman lived, enshrouded in fame.
 
Second: Choices by Jenna Joliffe
It can spread on a bagel
Or stand all alone
It can be spotted or white
Or an orangish tone
Made from the dairy
Or the goat's milk
It feels just like heaven,
As smooth as silk
There are millions of types
To suit everyone
It can be solid or creamy
Or melted for fun
Each type is different
A favourite's hard to choose
But whatever the choice,
With cheese, you can't lose


Third: Pass the Cheese by Kayla Duquette

Pass the cheese,
If you please.
I put it on crackers or spaghetti,
It makes no difference to me.
On apple pie or in a Whopper,
Now, here comes a real stopper.
Cheddar, mozzarella,
Parmesan or feta?
How am I to choose?
As long as it doesn't ooze.
And of course, I wouldn't miss
Nacho, tex mex and Swiss.
Pizza and cheese cake,
Oh for Heaven's sake!
Cheese Whiz and cheese dip,
Without them I might flip.
Lasagne and Gold fish,
This will be quite a dish.
Buy it by wheel or block,
Sorry, there's no time to talk.
How about shredded or slices?
Oh, forget about the spices!
So won't you please,
Just this once, pass the cheese.


Honourable Mention: Oh, How I Love My Cheese! By Sara Edge

It's full of richness, it tastes so good.
Goes down so smoothly, never tastes bad.
I would eat cheese all the time if I could.
Oh, how I love my cheese!
Some like the yellow, others like the white
So much variety, so much to choose!
You can eat it in the morning or even at night.
Oh, how I love my cheese!
You can eat Cheddar, Gouda, Swiss,
Each one tastes good on its own,
Or you can mix it and give it a twist.
Oh, how I love my cheese!
Founded in Ingersoll, now a museum for show
A part of heritage and even our traditions,
Anyone who visits our town will definitely know!
Oh, how I love my cheese!

Other (free verse, limerick, acrostic)

First: Cheese, My Love by Dillon King

i like cheese
yellow cheese
white cheese
blue cheese
purple cheese
cheese on crackers cheese on toast
cheese on potatoes [I like pork roast]
cheddar swiss and parmesan
provolone too
i'll get a big piece of cheese
to be eaten by me, not you
[i'm greedy]
i like cheese


Second: Why Any Other? by Tonya Langford

Magnificently delicious
Awarded #1 by me
Rather marble then cheddar
Both colours, white and orange
Love the package it comes in
Eat every last piece, not wasting any
Can't get enough of it
Heaven forbid you eat Limburger
Empty stomach? Marble will fill you up
Enjoy it anywhere, with anyone or at anytime
Sunny days or rainy days, marble cheese will
make the day perfect
Everyone loves marble cheese.


Third: Ingersoll: The Town of Trains by Tom Henderson

When I was young, my mother she would,
Take me to Ingersoll to watch the trains
"Twain, twain," I'd holler as the boxcars rolled by,
Excited I was, my mother she too,
To have a thrilled boy, with an activity he enjoyed
Quiet I'd then get, as the locomotive left,
And my mother, she'd worry, that I'd come down too soon
But not to worry, you see, for three minutes passed and another one would come
And I'd yell "choo, choo!" in sync with that one
Once more I'd clap my hands in delight,
And hoped this one would last twice as long.
Then it would be time to go back home,
and dream of that next trip to the town of trains.

Special Awards for high school students (grades 9 to 12)
Cheese Poet Laureate's Award (best cheese poem/dairy ode)


The Ramblings of a Lonely Cheese by Chris Boyd

Cheese, cheesy cheese is cheese
When cheese is cheese with cheesy cheese
The cheese is cheesier than cheese
And cheese is more like cheese than cheeseries
When cheese is butter 'tis not cheese
Yet cheese makes old more cheese than
Not yet cheese is cheesy, cheese
Is cheese and more the moose than cheese once chose
When I make cheese I don't make butter
But butter is cheese when cheese is butter
When cheese makes cheese more cheesy than
Cheese is than cheese like cheesers do
Yet when cheese cheese the cheesiness is cheesy
For cheese makes cheese like cheese does
And oh so much like moose
The moose is cheese when moosey cheese is
Left to find a moose, and of course cheese
Is more like cheese than moo

Best poem about Ingersoll (Past or Present)


Ingersoll Spirit by Blair Elgie

This the great town of cheese,
that has a taste that will always please,
but upon visiting it isn't all one sees,
and the spirit there shall let you be free.
It is in the beauteous town of Ingersoll
With buildings of brick and steeples tall,
Celebrating the harvest within the fall,
but it isn't the only time that pleases us all
Through the winter and into the spring
the bells in the tower always will ring.
We travel to streets where people sing
And where people feel as if they are a king.
Within the summer the kids do play
safely traveling the streets as they may.
With neighbours gathering with respect to pay
To a town where the gracious people stay
This, a town with a historic past,
That some dismiss this fact too fast,
But forever this proclamation will be cast
that Ingersoll has a spirit and it will always last.

Adult category
Rhyming Verse



First: Signs by Juanita De Roo

Poplar trees are full of sighs,
Winter's back is broken now,
While fields are drying in the sun
The farmers cleans and oils his plow.
Quilts are airing on the line,
Buds all tipped in apple green,
The farmer casts a weather-eye
And mends the harness for his team.
Skeins of geese returning returning north,
Gleaning corn fields on their way,
The farmer greases wagon wheels
Then pulls aside the old bobsleigh.
Breezes full of fresh spring rain,
Spinning windmill fans around,
The farmer's bags of fall-threshed seed
Will soon be sprouting in the ground.

Second: A Study of Charlie's Portrait by Juanita De Roo

An impish smile curls at his mouth,
Celtic genes in cheek and chin,
A reed-thin grace somehow belies
The country boy within.
That simple, sweet faced mother's son
Who died at Vimy Ridge on day,
The slender, bashful farmer lad
Now forms a bond with France's clay.
The camera's candid eye reveals
A man not fit for hate or war,
Poor trepid soul who found himself
On Europe's war-torn distant shore.
Our mother could not be consoled
The day you left aboard the train,
And father walked for countless hours
Through his fields of ripening grain.
While hellfire cannon roared and shook,
You, tender heart, likewise recoiled,
Within your pocket safely rests
One last handful of homestead soil.
Then "Charge" rang out above the din,
That word your fate so surely sealed,
And as the light dimmed in your eyes,
Was their last sight those golden fields?

Third: Time by Anna A. Sojka

Every second, every minute, every hour!
As you race by… you hungrily, devour
Memories, feelings, youth and faces
No discrimination, you leave behind traces
Traces, bits and pieces, of who I used to be
Of how I crept up behind me too fast
I felt your presence, as I stood aghast
You heal all wounds, as the saying oges
This is true… I suppose
But, as you do so… you open up the door
Insecurities, feelings of perhaps doing more
Wasted life, wasted chance
My wasted opportunity to visit France
Now I am old, wrinkled and at the end of the road
Listening to you tick away, in my humble abode

Free Verse


First: The Conception by Janice M. McDonald

This was no splicing of genetic material,
no intertwining of reproductive DNA;
vain hope exists of tracing contours and textures
to maternal or paternal offerings.
Rather than some biological process,
this conception was internal, metaphysical
none-the-less, you are permanently grafted
into our complex genealogical tree.
The procedure took place unnoticed,
and yet its results are unmistakable:
we, End Products, were altered, changed.
Two adults and one small child
have somehow become a family
whose genesis can be traced back
to Author of All Miracles,
Master Chemist, Brilliant Botanist.
He brought us together and I -- well,
I will praise Him -- if only because of that --
every single day.


Second:

*Pentecost by Elizabeth Bustard

Morning breaks!

Crimson sun

climbs skyward.

People gather

in anticipation.

Stillness now shattered

by a mighty wind, by fire!

Thousands find themselves

dancing in the streets,

laughter, amazement!

Language twirls

like tongue twisters

as from every tribe and nation

words of new life

are heard

by each

in his own tongue.

Sometimes

that is how the Spirit comes.

Sometimes

the Spirit comes as
-a whisper
-a word of counsel
-laughter of a small child
-a gentle touch
-an embrace
-a plea
-joy on a wrinkled face
-cooing of an infant
-glory of a sunrise
-a cry for justice!
often
often
often!
*In this context, a festival of the Christian Church occuring on the seventh Sunday after Easter, to celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples.

Third: This Place by Sarah Crellin

We inhabit this place.
Our spirits roam here.
In the corners of these school yards,
And in sunny store fronts.
We refuse to abandon these grassy river banks,
Monarch butterflies, and broken bottles.
We inhabit this space.
Our dreams bound only,
By the limits of this town.
We mingle with,
The familiar rhythm,
Of the train pushing,
Along the tracks,
At midnight.
We lie in wait,
In our silent beds and graves,
Surrounded by shadows and
The moving light from passing cars.
We breathe this place,
With gasps of laughter and sorrow,
But so calmly and evenly,
During naps on the couch,
Under afghans on Saturday afternoons,
The sound of cicadas,
Humming in our trees.
We walk these streets and paths,
A thousand times and
Carry on secret conversations.
Friendly with each sidewalk crack,
And calling to our familiar creek.
Around each corner,
A face,
A moment,
That has inscribed itself on us,
Until we are covered with this place,
And we can never leave.

Honourable Mention: Ash Wednesday by Julia Penistan

This morning, sunshine streamed between armatures of close-standing larches,
The night's imprints proclaimed their owners' passage with rimed clarity,
Squirrels clawed and scratched for last summer's cache,
Just-returned blackbirds swayed precariously,
Chirred territory from the tips of aspiring firs,
And, scuffing through freshly powdered crystal,
We strolled among rainbows.
Now, in candle-soft dusk,
Unfamiliar hymns hover between pine ribs, dissipate aloft;
From oak-dark pews, elderly faithful are proudly escorted up stone steps,
Along hand polished rails to ashes and elements,
Dust and glory in each pocket.
Treading ancestors' footprints, we, to, approach Sanctuary,
Rapt in eagles' wings and rainbow.

Other (haiku, tanka, prose poem, villanesque, etc)


First: Against Sunset by Becky Alexander

against the sunset
line of cows along the ridge
eager for milking.


Second: The Gossips by Janice M. McDonald

tree leaves congregate
gossip together and then
separate to spread
all the news on rustling wind
before meeting up again.


Third: The Big Cheese by Deanna Carruthers

There once was a Big Cheese of fame
Twas from Ingersoll town that it came,
It's size was incredible,
For something all edible,
And gave Oxford a "dairy" good name!
Honourable Mention: Lines by Elizabeth Bustard
Wisdom well written
on closely scripted lines etched
in her wrinkled face

Special Awards for adults
Cheese Poet Laureate's Award (best cheese poem/dairy ode)

The Travelling Cheese: A Poetical Dialogue by B.J. Smith

A curious young child, while stopping at a Plaque telling of Cheese and History

Meets the ghost of James C. McIntyre, begins his avid query:

Know it's the famous Ingersoll round that you saw!
What a sight! What a cheese! What an exploit of man!
Tell me all! How this cheese tour round the world first began?

Some dew-fall, some soft breeze whispering like a lover!

Like bamboo in China, from the ground forth to shoot.

The huge cheddar, for England, embarked with the tide.
England! Home of Colby! Home of Derby! Home of Cheddar!
Were we to beard Britons in their den, assert ours is better?

The cheese round travelled round England's markets and countryside.
Was it hot? Was it fair? How fared our cheese there?
Did the heat and the dust from the markets adhere?

And how from a ship's deck she rolled. What a blunder!
Oxford's cheese, like Titanic, does she live beneath the seas?
Do fish, walrus and dolphin, too, know of our cheese?

Though we never shall forget to honour her at home.
This wonderful cheese is the subject of many a fable.
But r d rather have a wedge of her before me on the table.