Jamaica Gleaner
Published: Sunday | November 15, 2009
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Golden poetry

'Best Overall Writer' Sharon Williams-Brown receives her trophy from Sydney Bartley, principal director in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. - Contributed

The top writers in the 2009 Jamaica Creative Writing Competition organised by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) were awarded at a ceremony held at the Rex Nettleford Hall on November 5.

Poet Sharon Williams-Brown was announced the Best Overall Writer ahead of 40 awardees and more than 300 entrants islandwide. Williams-Brown topped the medals table with her works 'Ol' Firestick' and 'The Unfolding', receiving two gold medals and a trophy as well as a printer-copier machine courtesy of Advanced Integrated Systems.

42 medals

Other major awards included Most Outstanding Writer, which was copped by Malachi Smith, Special Writer, won by Christine Marshall, Noteworthy Writer which was presented to Joy Campbell, while Choice Writer, went to Haneefah Seid, Julene Vanhorne, Shane Shaw, Sharon Hare and Verone Johnson in a tie. A total of 10 gold medals, 15 silver and 17 bronze medals were presented across the categories of poems, short stories, novels and plays.

Today, we showcase some of the poems which won gold in the competition. See more on the winners next Sunday.


The award-winning poems

The unfolding

I have opened up to you

Like a flower to the sun

And how I have enjoyed the

unfolding;

For a flower was meant to

bloom

Not stay a bud.

So when I think that we might

part

I know the petals would stay

closed,

For there is only one sun

And neither moon nor stars

Can give enough light

To make this flower unfold

again.

- Sharon Williams-Brown, Kingston and St Andrew (Adult)

Ol' firestick

My love for you is like a fire

which still burns

Though years have intervened

And several 'flames' have

come and gone,

For when they've died

The embers which remain

Are those ignited by your

love.

- Sharon Williams-Brown, Kingston and St Andrew (Adult)

Be yourself

People come and people go,

Total strangers and people you

know,

People who try to be

themselves,

And people who die trying to

be someone else.

I know in life there will

always be,

People worse and better than

me,

So I'll not try to be another

man,

Instead I'll be the best I can.

I'll do my own thing and so

should you,

And always to yourself be

true,

When you are you, your

confidence will soar,

And people around you will

respect you more.

Everyone has strong points

and flaws we all share,

Nurture those talents, as they

are so dear,

And as for the flaws, improve

what you can,

And those that seem

unchangeable, keep working on.

You can be anyone you want

to,

It is quite easy to be someone

else,

But the greatest joy can only

and must only be found,

When you are yourself.

- Christene Marshall, St Catherine

(Juniors)