Decaffeinated

No joy, sadly, in the Norwich Cafe Writers open poetry competition. I thought my three poems were quite strong, which goes to show how much I know about poetry.

Norwich Cafe Writers Open Competition
Judge: George Szirtes
Open CompetitionFirst Prize (£1000) Deer Helen Mort, Cambridge

Second Prize (£300) Comfort Rosemary Norman – Richmond,London

Commended (£50)

First days on the houseboat Ian McEwen, Bedford
Fresno with Martha Bob Mee, Snitterfield ,
The Trees in Autumn Richard Lambert Norwich
Space Station Lydia MacPherson Camb
You Tell Me Matthew Brown - London

Norfolk Prize Winner (£100)

Sunlight and Rain Tom Warner - Norwich

Nancy Jervis Prize (£150)
Winner Reconciliation Phillip Donnell – New Zealand

Some other commended poems (open competition - no prize)

Competition Sarah Luczaj - Poland
Emigrated Sheila Grundy – Richmond N.Yorks
Butterfly Valerie Morton Wheathampstead, Herts
With the Silence Steve Layzell - London
Twin Heather Freckleton – Chester
Train Joan Stansbury Devon
Eighteen Rosemary Norman – Richmond,London
Harsh Coast Jenny Morris Norwich

Commended, no prize, Nancy Jervis

Holy Family Halos Vishvantara (Julia Lewis) London
Reconciliation Nicky Guthrie, Beauly, Inverness
Betrayed Angela Pickering - Woodbridge

Two points - nobody from Ireland, I see.
And with 1600 entries, how can I be expected to compete?