OUF!
She sends proof of how her world changed
while she dreamt of an endless
autumn.
Old man
Freud’s interpretation with explanation:
the power of wishful thinking.
Freud and froid, French for cold, slept alongside, like wooden spoons she
won’t have to use for kindling.
Hydro-Québec will keep her warm these coming
nights with cold Old Man Winter.
Pour de
longs mois, she
writes. For long months. Nous y sommes. We’re there. OUF!!!
Proof.
 |
| Foto par Iolande Jolicoeur, Nov. 16, 2022 |
|
|
 |
| Sylvia Manning at Brownsville-Matamoros border with Witness at the Border protest in 2019. |
Poets for Human Rights and Poets Without Borders proudly announce the 2021 Anita McAndrews Award and 2021 Renee Duke Youth Award Poetry Contests are open for submissions.
1. 2021 Anita McAndrews Award Poetry Contest.
*Theme is human rights. Familiarity with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is recommended.
Guidelines:
*Submit up to three poems.
*No simultaneous submissions or previously published poems.
*Any poetic style or form is allowed. No graphics. No handwritten poems.
*Multi-lingual poems are welcome. Include translation in English.
*Length limit – 1 page 8 1/2 x 11, 12 point font or larger. Left-justified.
*Cover sheet – include your name, address, phone number, email address, poem title(s), permission to publish, brief bio.
Submission options:
*Mail hard copy entries to Stazja McFadyen, 1006 Vapor Drive, Pflugerville, Texas 78660. Send two copies: one copy to include your name and contact information, one blind copy without identifying information. Postmark deadline: November 30, 2021.
*Email entries to poetsforhumanrights@gmail.com Send entries in the body of email, or as pdf attachments.
Winning poems will be announced and read at Poets for Human Rights annual awards on or around December 10, 2021 - 73nd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and will be published on the Poets Without Borders website.
First prize $250, Second prize $100, Third prize $50.
For more information, contact poetsforhumanrights@gmail.com
Visit poetswithoutborders.org to read the winning poems for 2020 Anita McAndrews Award poetry contest.
______________________________________________________________________________
2. 2021 Renee Duke Youth Award poetry contest :
Attention poets aged 17 or younger: send up to three poems using the theme: Universal Declaration of Human Rights (or any of the 30 articles)
1st Prize - $200, 2nd Prize - $75, 3rd Prize - $25.
Winning poems will be announced and read at Poets for Human Rights annual awards on or around Dec. 10, the 73rd Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and will be published on the Poets Without Borders website.
Format: Left justified, 12 point font. No colors, no graphics.
Multi-lingual poems are welcome. Include English translation.
Length: Up to 96 lines – 1 letter-size page.
Submissions deadline: November 30, 2021
No simultaneous submissions or previously published poems.
Submit poems by email to poetsforhumanrights@gmail.com, in body of email or pdf attachment. No hyperlinks or word.doc attachments will be considered.
In subject line, write “poetry contest”
Cover sheet : Include name, address, age, school and grade, permission to publish, poem title(s). Short bio is optional.
An abridged copy of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is available upon request.
For more information, contact poetsforhumanrights@gmail.com
Visit poetswithoutborders.org to read the winning poems for 2020 Renee Duke Youth Award poetry contest.
la planète s’essouffle
le vide sous le virus
dégonfle, permute
nos âmes amèrement déjouées
le « moi/moi/moi » et les autres
rugit sans crier gare
brime nos pensées, abusées, asséchées
« to be careful ,
not destroy » our goodness
une durée malmenée
nous laisse sans voix ni voie
l’infâme peu à peu
s’est installé
sans regret, sans vergogne
une peur vacillante
abime notre sens de vigilance
aiguise, fustige nos actes
d’être bien-pensant.
 |
| Iolande Jolicoeur de Québec August 22
|
Merci, mais oui, ceci tu dis
(un triolet)
It’s true
that you have seen the snow.
C’est vrai, c’est ça? -- Texas ou Picardy.
It’s not your first,
this rodeo.
Of course it’s true you’ve seen the snow
(which means the same, perhaps you know).
J’ai vu la neige, tu as nous dit?
It’s true that you have seen the snow.
C’est vrai, c’est là – Texas ou Picardy.
looking over and out
on Place D’Youville pavers
as if already nostalgic
for human beings to come around,
make occasional easy eights
in the ice with their skates
today still cold but not enough
for authentic rinks to resist
running off to join (one thinks)
the flow of the St. Lawrence
going home then to sit musing
at my one window, on the alley,
until a memory of Detroit glides by
of winter-rented house
with backyard on another alley
revealing in spring a sunken garden
much smaller than this oval
in Québec (named also for
being where a river narrows,
as is Detroit, d’étroit)
with black soil moist with melted winter
become sudden home for tall tulips
taking hundreds of shades from infinity,
too many for a child to try to name,
each with a black star at inner center depth,
each a magnificent surprise.
