Grand Prize Winner
Mother Reef by Bradley Haylock
I am your protection from the surf and the sea.
Your anchor chains and flipper fins fracture me.
I am alive; I am alive, stay out of my hair.
Must survive, must thrive, hear me up there.
I am sanctuary to millions of living things.
Earth’s natural wonder and all it brings.
Your pollution guarantees the death of me.
I am your protection from surf and the sea.
The filth and slime you pour is blasphemy.
Your cayes and shore will disappear after me.
Our coastal cities you can never save
Without my protection from a tidal wave.
Can you stop this careless defiling?
Is there no hope for reconciling?
To creatures great or small I’m a home.
You will soon have a salt water catacomb.
For every anchor chain and fishing lure,
Vengeance of the sea will be swift and sure.
A wretched have not nation you will be
Without my protection from surf and the sea.
Ode to The Lobster
Ode to a Lobster by Sharon Matcalfe and Cassidy Brown
O Poseidon! What hath your salty waters reared?
A creature whom the sea stars rightly feared,
With pincers sharper than a rosebuds thorns,
And shell so red it surely should have horns.
Our cages gently sway on ocean floors,
To welcome little lobsters in their doors.
The true king of crustaceans he must be,
To have the poet down on bended knee.
The crab, the conch, the mussels can’t compare,
To ocean waters ruled with lobster flair.
And when I know he’s mine, my hearts a-flutter;
I long to dip his flesh in garlic butter.
Whether he was boiled, baked, or steamed,
He tasted even sweeter than I’d dreamed.
To duel those mighty claws, it is a risk
Rewarded by a feast of creamy bisque.
This tender dish no mortal can refuse,
When skillful chef adopts him as his muse.
His crimson crusted shield, my soft-shelled heart,
Will break if they are ever forced to part.
So thanks be to the lobster- small and strong-,
Your season is too short, the wait too long.
Most Romantic
Unseen Valentine by Kyran Garbutt
The Christmases have come and passed
The new year has begun with a blast
A habit for many like myself is to make resolutions
To sit down, analyze, and make all these grand decisions
For many it’s a fancy car and a big house
While for others it’s just to relax and make better choices
For me it was, to fall in love
With as many things as possible
But every time I try, it seems to be impossible
Another resolution about to die slowly
So I become frustrated and tired emotionally
I could not go on…I could not understand
What was wrong with me? Was it too much for me to throw on?
As I went about my day, these questions ponder upon my Heart
What was I to do? QUIT and just give it another start
I try to remain with an open mind
Seeing that it was just a week before valentine
Three days have passed and then another one
Just then when I felt all hope is gone…
Here comes an old childhood friend Shawn
He said “ I’ve been looking for you…”
It took me three years to finally realize I love you too!
I was without words, speechless as can be
For now I realize He was the one for me
He was not the exception, because of time
But he was the perfect Unseen Valentine
As I reminisce on the years He was absent
Guys have come and guys have gone, but there was never
Any serious commitment…
For you see He was the one with my heart
And now that I’ve got him we will never part
He belongs to me…and I to him
Now a new song I can sing
You see love is not with time, it may be right at the border line
The Perfect Unseen Valentine!
Funny Valentine
My Beautiful Valentine by LN Garbutt
My Valentine is not a person but a place
A place with a most beautiful face
Blue waters and clear white skies
Where the glorious barrier reef lies
It harbors people from all walks of life
It’s a refuge from unwanted strife
While she bears the touch of a mother’s love
She embraces liberty from the father above
San Pedro Caye, is my valentine’s you see
For many great wonders she has done for me
While many criticize and have a lot to say
Thousands upon thousands have made it their stay
Don’t judge a book by its cover, until you’ve read the pages
My valentine will be around for all ages
Some women in my life have come and gone
Yes there were signs and indeed I was warn
Debbie came and leave me for Ian
Sandra did the same when she met Ryan
If you think that was bad or that was dumb
Martha left me for the 1 barrel rum
I couldn’t dealt with, none of them were fit
So when it comes to some women and their SH*T I quit
Give me the island, give me the Caye
Give me San Pedro, she belongs to me
My beautiful valentine you will always hear me say
And never from her will I ever stray
The Anti-Valentine
Go Ahead, Be My Valentine by Marea
When the minute hand passes 12
and it becomes Valentine’s Day,
tiny satanic imps
cloven-foot and pitch-forked
stab through
cherry chocolate bon-bons
and caramel-filled centers
trodding in goo and runny syrup
laughing
breaking chunks of confection
stamping on lace-trimmed cards
shredding paper hearts.
Cupids
bending back their heads to
gleefully gloat.
Red roses snap and die
kissed by the breath of
the Devil’s valets.
Island Love
Secrets to be Discovered on our Ambergris Caye by Luis Joe Gamez
White sandy beaches, wonderful blue sea,
Beautiful island with many things to see.
If you meet the kindness people, the holders of the free,
You’ll know that you are on my Ambergris Caye.
On her waters and on her land
You’ll feel the warmness of her hand.
On any place where you stand
You’ll feel welcome for she’s a madam.
From north to south, east to west,
You’ll notice that our island is the best
And if you take a chance and listen to her chest
You’ll hear that giant who soundly rest.
My sweet Ambergris Caye,
Manifested for every eyes to see,
Yet more mysteries hide on her land and sea,
Marvelous secrets to be discovered by you and me.
Spanish Submission
Perdoname, por favor by Vernon Tillett
Amor de mi vida
Perdónameporaquelladespedida
Estoymuyarrepentido,
Masqueconfundido.
Me hacefaltatucalor.
Me trasnochopensando en tí
Dime que no teperdi
Estoymuyarrepentido
El alcohol, mi peorenemigo
Me hacefaltatuamor
He juradonuncamasbeber
Para asívolver a renacer
Asípodrévolverta a conquistar,
Y a tuladoparasiempreestar
Quítameeste dolor
Dios perdona hasta el peorpecado
Lo mismoesperadelserhumono
Perdóname, necesitoestar a tulado
Tedeseo, tequiero, tea mo
Ten valor, perdóname, por favor
