Dear Philip,
 Sometimes I see the results of contests published, and wonder if the judges
were drunk at the time, but O Wise Judges, O Solomons, this time.
This is an excellent poem, and it has heart ,too. You thoroughly deserved to
win, and much success in the future. Many congratulations.
Kind regards,
  grasshopper

----- Original Message -----
From: "Philip Burton" <[log in to unmask]
Sent: Sunday, November 10, 2002 9:57 AM
Subject: Re Re: Re Re: THE POETRY SHED - second draft


Dear Bob,

RESULTS OF THE HAMMICK (BOOKSHOP) POETRY DAY PRIZE (LIVERPOOL)

"There were enough excellent entries to make a final decision very
difficult:

Highly Commended:

David Bateman; Jim Bennett; Tom George;
Cath Nichols; James Phillips; Gabby Tyrrell


And the three winners:

Philip Burton: 'Blessed-fair Sonnet'

Louise V. Mulvey: '...Last Saturday, nineteen of us crammed...'
(1st line; no title)

Soumyen Maitra: 'Celebration'


Can you sing, act, dance a little?

Only joking - but this is the place to be
for Comedy, Performance, Music & Poetry

LEFT BANK EVENINGS AT HAMMICKS BOOKSHOP
mc & organiser: Carole Baldock (Editor of Orbis)

The Wednesday Finale, November 27, 7-9pm

Tickets from Hammicks Bookshop (or pay on the door)
2a Borough Pavement, Grange Precinct, Birkenhead CH41 2XX; 649 1620
(couple of minutes walk from Conway Park Station)
£2/£1 concs - includes free glass of wine


OPEN FLOOR
Guest mc: Graham Holland
1st come, 1st booked: @ 18 x 5 min slots;
your own work or favourite pieces

Special Guests (tbc):
winners of Hammicks National Poetry Day Celebration

Philip Burton; Louise V. Mulvey; Soumyen Maitra

Bookings for slots, ideas and suggestions all welcome
[log in to unmask]  or [log in to unmask]"

WINNING POEM

                   Blessed-fair Sonnet            PHILIP BURTON 20/8/98

          ...what's so blessed-fair that fears no blot? -Shakespeare Sonnet
92

'The Sun' newspaper erased the image of a handicapped girl who had been
invited, with her father, to join the team photograph of the England Cricket
Team. The public outcry brought changes for the better in photo-journalism.

          Merope: the Greek goddess who fell in love with a man and was
punished by being made over as an invisible star in the sky.


Her father proud as Atlas, rounding off the row.
Wheelchair and crouching fielders at the front,
the two honoured guests smiling. Oh I should say so.
A fine gesture this. Loyal fans. For an instant
all the team's white strength and theirs, a continent,
a beaming family in a host of The Pleiadean stars.
How do we view the tabloid's digital affront
airbrushing her kind face and painting a colapsar?
Who loused things up? Who made her disappear?
Who now remembers Merope, whose immortality
has died for love and whose image is a dark star?
Technology can wipe any soul. Spoil any party.
We are all daughters of Pleione, waiting in line
for the brush-off. None may fit The Grand Design.