WyoPoets Eugene V. Shea 2013 Annual National Contest winners announced

Winners have been chosen for the WyoPoets Eugene V. Shea Annual National Contest. The contest received nearly 400 entries from 20 states. Our judge, Amanda Fall, is creator and editor of SproutOnlineMagazine.com, a monthly indie publication that celebrates hope and healing. She features poetry, essays, flash fiction, art, creative prompts, interviews and more. Amanda invites each of you to glimpse her vision of the celebration of poetry in her magazine and consider submitting. Her comments on the WyoPoets national poetry contest are below with the winners following:

"Wow. What a gift to spend so much time with these powerful poems. Many strong contenders rose to the surface, hanging on through multiple rounds. Although my decision was a difficult one (and many additional entries were worthy), the winners eventually came clear. These poems kept inviting me to read and read again, savoring turns of phrase and startling at unexpected insight. The winning entries are melodic, offering depth of feeling and layers of meaning. These words will echo in my mind and heart—and for that, I am grateful. Congratulations to the winners and to all who bravely entered this contest."
-- Amanda Fall

Winners
First: Dream Request; Christina Kamnikar, Cheyenne, WY 82009
“We want a poem about your nightmares, said the dream publisher” opens this first place entry.
Second: Sponge; Eileen Malone, Broadmoor Village, CA 94015-2029
Third: Metalwork ;Molly Prosser, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Fourth: Rendering; Meg Eden Kuyatt, College Park, MD 20740
Honorable Mention 1: Schrodinger’s Daughter; Susan Mark, Cheyenne, WY 82001
HM 2: Future Unrecognized; Cindy Bechtold, Lehi, UT84043
HM 3: Ascending Blues; Barb Blanks, Garland, TX 75044
HM 4: Grackles; Lee Ann Siebken, Douglas, WY 82633-0155
HM 5: The Pear; Jennifer Grooms, Casper, WY 82601
HM 6: Wyoming Two-Step; Janet Kamnikar, Fort Collins, CO 80525
HM 7: A Late Garden; John McBride, Bettendorf, IA 52722