Local poets have taken out the major awards in the 2008 Lake Macquarie Literary Award (formerly Roland Robinson Literary Award), with Kylie Rose winning first prize for her poem Bluebottles.
Bluebottles focuses on the relationship between mother and child while something much darker simmers under the surface. In 2006, Kylie received second prize in the Roland Robinson Literary Award for her poem Shark Egg. She is currently collaborating with poets and composers on a project commissioned by the Hunter Writers Centre.
The inaugural Roland Robinson Local Poet’s prize went to Martinsville poet, Magdalena Ball, for her poem Grandpa’s Birds.
Due to the high standard of poems, four people were awarded the Young Poet’s Award.
One of the judges, Jean Kent, said poems are like windows into the lives of their authors.
“The poems were very varied in their subject matter and styles,” Ms Kent said.
“As well as personal experiences of love, grief, delight, or frustration, there were celebrations of local places and exotic travel poems, responses to specific events, such as the storm of 2007, and attempts to grapple with global issues like environmental change.”
The Lake Macquarie Literary Award is open to residents of all Hunter Councils.
LakeMacquarieLiterary Award Winners 2008
Young Poet’s Prize
Cameron Barnes (15yrs)
Two Little Birds
Wallsend
Luke Dean (13yrs)
My Boat
Glendale
Raylee Houston (10yrs)
The dogs down the street
Barnsley
Emily Jordan (13 yrs)
Whispered Memories
Adamstown Heights
Roland Robinson Local Poet’s Prize
Winner
Magdalena Ball
Grandpa’s Birds
Martinsville
Commendation Certificate
Jan Dean
The Morning After
Cardiff
Robin Loftus
Visiting Marie
Dudley
LakeMacquarieLiterary Award Open Prize
Winner
Kylie Rose
Bluebottles
Maitland
Highly Commended
Wendy Alexander
Return
Elington
Zeny Giles
For My Mother
New Lambton
Commended
Gail Hennessy
Latitude 32.55 S
Rankin Park
Julie Simpson
Fibonacci Dreaming
Millfield
