The Ontario Poetry Society

• 1st Prize: Kathy Stinson, Rockwood, ON — Open Your Mouth
• 2nd Prize: Ronda Wicks Eller, Mitchell, ON — The Red Tent
• 3rd Prize: Maureen Korp, Ottawa, ON — Winter Ice
• 4th Prize: Sydney Stanley, Vancouver, BC — It's Been Seven Years Since
• 40 Judge's Choice Awards: (In order of appearance in the anthology)

• I dance in the kitchen by Lisa Borkovich, Hamilton, ON
• Earth Day by Cayt Campbell, Ajax, ON
• Perfect for a day by Cayt Campbell, Ajax, ON
• Unlooked by Hazel C., Perth, ON
• Ottawa Hospital, August 26 by Alison Colvin, Toronto, ON
• Newfoundland, The Rock by Neil Desborough, Thamesford, ON
• Robert Frost by Bruce Fairley, Golden, BC
• To You by Norah Eastern, Innisfil, ON
• for sale by Miriam Gersho, Dundas, ON
• Shinsetsu by Joe Giampaolo, Toronto, ON
• Queer as Heaven by Carol Krause, Toronto, ON
• Untrammeled Mind by Karen Mills, Stratford, ON
• Ever Grace by Marianne Neill, London, ON
• Mornings by Anthony Purdy, Kingsburg, NS
• Haiku in Portugal by David Stones, Stratford, ON
• They looked through the room by Keri Switzer, Grimsby, ON
• The Killdeer's Plight by Emma P. Troup, Jordan Station, ON
• because of you by Lisa Watts, Cayuga, ON
• at night by Lisa Watts, Cayuga, ON
• Magnetics by Ed Woods, Dundas, ON
• On the Evening Before Your Cremation by Susan J. Atkinson, Ottawa, ON
• The Feeling of being by Lisa Borkovich, Hamilton, ON
• Moon Goddess by X.Y. Chen, Richmond Hill, ON
• In the Flicker of a Moment by Neil Desborough, Thamesford, ON
• tingle by Ronda Wicks Eller, Mitchell, ON
• parts of me by Erin Entler, Toronto, ON
• Reason for Name Change ll by Twoey Gray, Toronto, ON
• Always the Black Umbrella by Mary Anne Griffiths, Ingersoll, ON
• If the spring wind has no understanding by James L. Hargrove, Winnipeg, MB
• At Midnight by Susan Ioannou, Toronto, ON
• In My Solitary Mood by I.B. Iskov, Toronto, ON
• New Life by Laurie Kelly, Cobourg, ON
• Pantheist by Carol Krause, Toronto, ON
• One Note by Pauline Le Bel, Bowen Island, BC
• Ringo by Carol L. MacKay, Qualicum Beach, BC
• How can you really feel at home by Alannah Radburn, Ottawa, ON
• Telling the truth is an earthquake by Alannah Radburn, Ottawa, ON
• Kinship by Diane-Taylor Sexton, Toronto, ON
• Time now to let go by Michael Stacey, Burlington, ON
• Lost by Heather Starastin, Toronto, ON

• A HUGE thank-you to our judge, Rebecca Clifford, who carefully read and re-read over 660 poems entered in the contest before selecting the winning poems.

• Five Finalists: (In alphabetical order by last name)

• April Bulmer, Cambridge, ON for her manuscript, "Love Letters"
• Mindy Bains, London, ON for her manuscript, "Load-Bearing Timelines"
• T.N. James, Courtenay, BC, for his manuscript, "Island Shores"
• S.A. McCormick, Cameron, ON, for her manuscript, "Spring"
• Derek Peach, Victoria, BC, for his manuscript, "Personal Currents in Public Events"

• Sincere thanks to our judge, Kate Marshall Flaherty, who read and re-read all the submissions before making her final selections.

First Prize: "The Long Road" by Mary Anne Griffiths, Ingersoll, ON

Second Prize: "The Slow Regard of Silent Things" by Jan Wood, Big River, SK

Third Prize: "Something I'd Change in a Film" by Donna Langevin, Toronto, ON

• 4. They're Selling Postcards of the Hanging by Dave Bartlett, Parry Sound, ON
• 5. After the Storm by Nicole Dalcourt, Barrie, ON
• 6. The Watch That Ends the Night by Ruth Latta, Ottawa, ON
• 7. Charlotte's Web by Catina Noble, Ottawa, ON
• 8. Around the 1 a.m. Campfire with Sylvia by Mary Anne Griffiths, Ingersoll, ON
• 9. Goldfinger by Herb Hagell, Cannington, ON
• 10. These Memories are Ghosts by Debbie Okun Hill, St. Andrews, MB
• 11. A Tale of Two Cities by Roberta McGill, Orillia, ON
• 12. Sleeping With the Enemy by Jan Wood, Big River, SK
• 13. Yellow Haired Woman by April Bulmer, Cambridge, ON
• 14. Locusts by Angie Conrad, Lethbridge, AB
• 15. Take Me Home Country Roads by Nicole Dalcourt, Barrie, ON
• 16. As You Like It by Keith Inman, Thorold, ON
• 17. Black and White by Jennifer Tan, Hamilton, ON
• 18. Carousel by JC Sulzenko, Toronto, ON
• 19. House Call by Donna Langevin, Toronto, ON
• 20. Passage Ways by Derek Peach, Victoria, BC
• 21. Tuesday by Lena Solomon, Toronto, ON
• 22. Before You Knew the Word Nightmare by J.J. Steinfeld, Charlottetown, PEI
• 23. The 50-Foot Woman and the Incredible Shrinking Man at the Drive-in by J.J. Steinfeld, Charlottetown, PEI

Many thanks to our judge, David Stones who read and re-read each poem before selecting the winning entries.

• 1st Prize: Josie Di Sciascio-Andrews, Oakville, ON — "Quantum Sparks in the Tabernacle"
• 2nd Prize: Barbara Hunt, Oshawa, ON — "Rock"
• 3rd Prize: Charlotte Blair, Parry Sound, ON — "Laundry"
• 4 HONOURABLE MENTION AWARDS: (In alphabetical order by the winner's last name)

• "The Henge's Kiss" by Ronda Wicks Eller, Mitchell, ON
• "Daddy Says" by Robert Ezergailis, Toronto, ON
• "Prospector" by Susan Ioannou, Toronto, ON
• "Wanting to Untarnish the Past" by J.J. Steinfeld, Charlottetown, P.E.I.

• Thanks to all who supported this contest.

• 1st Prize: Irina Moga, Toronto, ON — "Wave Man"
• 2nd Prize: Charlotte Blair, Utterson, ON — "We Are All Just Walking Each Other Home"
• 3rd Prize: Robert Ezergailis, Toronto, ON — "Mysteries"
• 20 HONOURABLE MENTION AWARDS: (Listed in order of appearance as in the book)

• "Wedding Vows 4" by April Bulmer, Cambridge, ON
• "How to Knit a Daughter" by Rhonda Melanson, Sarnia, ON
• "Rite of Passage" by Alvin Ens, Abbotsford, B.C.
• "Shift" by Jacqueline d'Amboise, Maynooth, ON
• "Shift" by Jacqueline d'Amboise, Maynooth, ON
• "Fibre Whisperer" by Jacqueline d'Amboise, Maynooth, ON
• "the bare truth" by Patti Cole, Toronto, ON
• "My brother says everyone needs a "posse"" by Rebecca Clifford, Caledonia, ON
• "Jaclyn" by Wayne Scott Ray, London, ON
• "Kintsugi" by Lynn Tait, Sarnia, ON
• "My Body as Willow" by Lynn Tait, Sarnia, ON
• "fear a snake" by Lisa Watts, Cayuga, ON
• "She invited you to weed with her" by Sarah Sangster, Regina, SK
• "Moved" by Kerri-Ann Bevis, Timberlea, N.S.
• "The Frazzle" by Chantel Lavoie, Kingston, ON
• "That It Should Come To This" by Chantel Lavoie, Kingston, ON
• "grenade" by Marianne Jones, Thunder Bay, ON
• "Love is a Hat In the Wind" by Mary Anne Griffiths, Ingersoll, ON
• "… all gone into the world of light!" by Katerina Vaughan Fretwell, St. Catharines, ON
• "And Sid Says" by Charlotte Blair, Utterson, ON
• "Deglutinate" by Charlotte Blair, Utterson, ON

• Many thanks to our Contest Judge, John Oughton for carefully reading each poem several times before selecting the winning entries.
• Thanks to all who supported this contest.

• 1st Prize: Ruth Latta, Ottawa, ON — "The Gnarled Pine"
• 10 HONOURABLE MENTION AWARDS: (In alphabetical order by last name)

• "Dandelions Don't Tell No Lies" by Charlotte Blair, Utterson, ON
• "nature's sonic boom" by Angie Conrad, Lethbridge, AB
• "Rite of Passage" by Alvin Ens, Abbotsford, B.C.
• "Newly Hatched Cicada" by Mary Anne Griffiths, Ingersoll, ON
• "Fence" by Herb Hagell, Cannington, ON
• "Rest, Relax, Refuel" by Halyna Koba, Hamilton, ON
• "The Nightmare" by Naomi Hendrickje Laufer, Toronto, ON
• "Lifeline" by Roberta McGill, Orillia, ON
• "Driftwood" by Irina Moga, Toronto, ON
• "The Promise" by Kathy Robertson, Kitchener, ON
• "Mud Puddle" by Stephen Kent Roney, Saint John, NB

• Many thanks to our Contest Judge, Ronnie R. Brown, for carefully reading every poem several times before making the final selections.
• Special thanks to all our members who took the challenge and entered this contest. Watch for our next Members Only Poetry Contest to be announced in 2026.

• 1st Prize: Rebecca Clifford, Caledonia, ON — "Les Tissues"
• 2nd Prize: Janet Edwards, Ottawa, ON — "The Dancee"
• 3rd Prize: Charlotte Blair, Utterson, ON — "Why is it that it's Always Women"
• 4th Prize: Jonathan Sprung, Belleville, ON — "Kiss"
• 40 Judge's Choice Awards (in alphabetical order by last name)

• "Music puts order in the melee" by Dave Bartlett, Parry Sound, ON
• "I took a walk with sad today" by Charlotte Blair, Utterson, ON
• "Call me the awkward optimist" by Charlotte Blair, Utterson, ON
• "Dreamer in the Subway" by Inez Caldwell, Toronto, ON
• "Waking with Mahler" by Inez Caldwell, Toronto, ON
• "Poem of the Eight Steps" by Sima Chen, Waterloo, ON
• "Black and White Photo" by Alison Colvin, Toronto, ON
• "Spring Brûlée" by Angie Conrad, Salt Spring Island, BC
• "grief" by Marie De Roy, Cochrane, AB
• "remains" by Marie De Roy, Cochrane, AB
• "at times a weed" by Neil Desborough, Thamesford, ON
• "a breath stirs leaves" by Neil Desborough, Thamesford, ON
• "An Asterism I Know" by Jacqueline DiRamio, St. Catharines, ON
• "Paramour" by Janet Edwards, Ottawa, ON
• "Tangled and Untangled" by Robert Ezergailis, Toronto, ON
• "A Wrinkle and a Scar" by Louise Fairley, Edmonton, AB
• "Pocket Treasure" by Melanie Flores, Toronto, ON
• "Urban War Zone, Ukraine" by Meg Freer, Kingston, ON
• "In the Bathroom" by Meg Freer, Kingston, ON
• "Tough Guys" by Meg Freer, Kingston, ON
• "Affair" by Mary Anne Griffiths, Ingersoll, ON
• "Starting Over" by Debbie Okun Hill, St. Andrews, MB
• "Snowy Cemetery" by Halyna Koba, Hamilton, ON
• "This and That" by John Krafchek, West Montrose, ON
• "At Crow Lake" by Ruth Latta, Ottawa, ON
• "Metamorphosis" by Sharon D Loduca, Oshawa, ON
• "At The Window" by Kim Mannix, Sherwood Park, AB
• "haptic" by Eamonn Mc Mahon, Vancouver, BC
• "Imaginary Life - Number 8.66i" by Husain Mehdi, Mississauga, ON
• "Everything Comes In" by Nicholas Minh, Oakville, ON
• "it would be so easy" by Sarah Moroz, Waterloo, ON
• "Trust" by Rosemary Nowicki, Richmond, BC
• "Force" by Lori-Anne Noyahr, Toronto, ON
• "Force" by Lori-Anne Noyahr, Toronto, ON
• "The Talisman" by by Lori-Anne Noyahr, Toronto, ON
• "As a kid who" by Sarah Sangster, Regina, SK
• "Some Poems" by K.V. Skene, Toronto, ON
• "Soap" by Jonathan Sprung, Belleville, ON
• "Zoom Zoom" by Keri Switzer, Grimsby, ON
• "Across from Me" by Renee Thompson, Ottawa, ON
• "Preserved" by Dianne Wey, Kitchener, ON

• Many thanks to our Contest Judge, David Stones. He read every poem several times before selecting the winning entries.

• 1st Prize: Lee Ann Eckhardt Smith, Richmond, ON — "What You Will Crave"
• 2nd Prize: Debbie Okun Hill, St. Andrews, MB — "When Floorboards Speak"
• 3rd Prize: Katerina Fretwell, St. Catharines, ON — "What a World"
• 5 Honourable Mention Awards (in alphabetical order by last name)

• "A Photograph of Maisie" by Roberta McGill, Orillia, ON
• "Spring Callouses" by John Morris, Ottawa, ON
• "Echoes and Prayers" by J.J. Steinfeld, Charlottetown, PEI
• "Against All Odds" by Tracey Thiessen, Oakville, ON
• "City Life and Street Reality" by Ed Woods, Hamilton, ON

• Many thanks to our Contest Judge, K.V. Skene, who read every manuscript at least 3 times.

• 1st Prize: David Stones, Stratford, ON — "The Old man and the Sea"
• 2nd Prize: Angie Conrad, Salt Spring Island, B.C — "The Yellow Wallpaper"
• 3rd Prize: Jacqueline Bell, Victoria, B.C. — "Pax"
• 20 Honourable Mention Awards (in alphabetical order by last name)

• "Before the Coffee Gets Cold" by Sruthi Amalan, Barrie, ON
• "Are You Experienced?" by Lorrina Belluz, Thunder Bay, ON
• "Broken Hearts" by Patti Cole, Toronto, ON
• "The Blues" by Gaiyle Connolly, Hamilton, ON
• "make me angry then call me mad" by Angie Conrad, Salt Spring Island, B.C.
• "And I Love Her" by Flora Dezsofi, Hamilton, ON
• "Cold Cold Heart" by Ruth Latta, Ottawa, ON
• "The Men Who Built the Titanic" by Roberta McGill, Orillia, ON
• "Just Blue" by Lisa Reynolds, Ajax, ON
• "The Sea Around Us" by K.V. Skene, Toronto, ON
• "Autumn leaves" by K.V. Skene, Toronto, ON
• "The sun also rises" by Laurie Smith, Windsor, ON
• "sitting in the park on my birthday" by Laurie Smith, Windsor, ON
• "Silver-Screen Romance" by J.J. Steinfeld, Charlottetown, P.E.I.
• "A Mythical and Astonishing Woman" by J.J. Steinfeld, Charlottetown, P.E.I.
• "Even If It Is Godot" by J.J. Steinfeld, Charlottetown, P.E.I.
• "Highway of Tears" by David Stones, Stratford, ON
• "The Dangling conversation" by David Stones, Stratford, ON
• "Much Ado About Nothing" by Peter Taylor, Aurora, ON
• "Appointment with Death" by Cathy Sands Unruh, Parksville, B C.

• Many thanks to our Contest Judge, Meg Freer, who spent many hours reading and re-reading all 131 poems before selecting the winners.

First Prize: "Quantum Sparks in the Tabernacle" by Josie Di Sciascio-Andrews, Oakville, ON

Second Prize: "Rock" by Barbara Hunt, Oshawa, ON

Third Prize: "Laundry" by Charlotte Blair, Parry Sound, ON

4 HONOURABLE MENTION AWARDS: (In alphabetical order by the winner's last name)

• "The Henge's Kiss" by Ronda Wicks Eller, Mitchell, ON
• "Daddy Says" by Robert Ezergailis, Toronto, ON
• "Prospector" by Susan Ioannou, Toronto, ON
• "Wanting to Untarnish the Past" by J.J. Steinfeld, Charlottetown, P.E.I.