The grand winner is:

JASMINE ERICE-HARLIN - THE OLIVE TREE

Jasmine is a poet who loves to explore Life, Death, Nature, and the Uncanny in between. Jasmine has long written poems to help her grandmother deal with the loss death of her beloved husband, and Jasmine's grandfather, so this poem is very important to her.

And now, let’s shine a spotlight on our incredible First Runner-Up! With an entry that captivated and moved us deeply, this writer’s words resonated with grace and profound emotion. The heartfelt contribution truly stood out in a sea of remarkable work. Please join us in giving a huge round of applause to our deserving First Runner-Up!

The first runner-up is:

LINDSEY BUCKLEY - ETERNITY

Having been born and raised in Wyoming, she has relocated to Indiana to fulfill a dream of teaching but also to be closer to her daughter and grandson. She has been writing since childhood, starting with short stories and working up to poetry. She has been lucky enough to be published in a few literary journals. Her poetry is a reflection of the way she sees life, love, family, and her thoughts.

And now, let’s celebrate our fantastic Second Runner-Up! With a beautifully crafted entry that touched our hearts, this writer’s talent and creativity have truly shone through. The work stood out with its unique voice and heartfelt emotion. Let’s give a resounding cheer and heartfelt congratulations to our outstanding Second Runner-Up!

The second runner-up is:

GIOANNA ROMANO - FRACTURED

Gioanna Romano has been writing poetry since she was a teenager and finally decided to start to get her work out into the world! She lives with her fiancé (they are getting married later this year), and they have two of the best cats ever! Lily is a diluted calico and an absolute princess (in the best way possible), and then they have Binx, their crazy, golden-eyed, black cat who has turned their lives upside down (again, in the best way possible). She turned 29 years old in April and is starting to have an existential crisis about turning 30 (lol).

Let’s give a huge round of applause for our remarkable finalists! Each of these talented writers has woven a unique silver lining from the threads of heartbreak, presenting us with stories that are as powerful as they are poignant. Their creativity and emotional depth have made them stand out in a truly exceptional way. Join us in celebrating the brilliance of these outstanding finalists!

Here are our top finalists:

DANIELLE POTTER - LISTEN, HE SAID

James B. Nicola, a returning contributor, is the author of eight collections of poetry, the latest three being Fires of Heaven: Poems of Faith and Sense, Turns & Twists, and Natural Tendencies. His nonfiction book, Playing the Audience: The Practical Actor’s Guide to Live Performance, won a Choice magazine award.

M.S. BLUES - DIVISION IS ALL I KNOW

Danielle Potter is a CSU Fresno MFA graduate and current high school English teacher in California’s Central Valley. She has been published in journals such as Meridian, Poets Choice, Io Literary Journal, and Free Spirit. When not grading papers, she’s usually writing, drawing, reading, traveling to the coast, taking in stray dogs, or being lazy with her cat, Sushi.


DOUGLAS COLSTON - ENQUIRY, MOTIFS, IDEAS, TRUTH, THREADS, ART, DECONSTRUCTION AND FACILITATION

Douglas Colston hails from Australia, has played in Ska bands and picked up university degrees, supported his parents during terminal illnesses, developed chronic mental and physical illnesses under sustained workplace harassment, married his love, fathered two great children, had his inheritance embezzled, and, among other things, pursued a PhD he hoped would provide a positive contribution to the zeitgeist. In addition to various Wingless Dreamer anthologies, his fiction, nonfiction, and poetry have appeared in various anthologies and magazines, including POETiCA REViEW; Impspired; New Note Poetry; Otherwise Engaged Literary and Arts Journal; and Revue Révolution.

ALOMA DAVIS - SOFTENING

Aloma Davis’s poetry is concerned with social justice, beauty, and kindness. Despite her best efforts, birds frequently fly into her poems. In 2022, she was a national finalist in the Australia Poetry Slam; in 2023, one of her poems was selected to be part of the International Human Rights Art Festival in New York; and in 2024, she received a Red Room Poetry Fellowship. She divides her time between living in Melbourne, Australia, and living in her head, where she has a library with one of those sliding ladders, Haast's eagle as a pet, and work-life balance.

TERRY MILLER - LOVE’S WHIP HAND

Nottingham England-based writer Terry Miller honed his writing skills as a creative director for several advertising and creative agencies. Lately, a successful game inventor, Terry, has utilized his skills to create evocative, funny, and sometimes disturbing poetry. Written in an accessible form, Terry's poetry is deceptively complex, often tackling topical issues and exploring deep emotional issues. Terry's poems have been featured in several international poetry anthologies.

ORESTE BELLETTO - GYPSUM

Oreste Belletto is 53 and living in San Francisco. He has a master's in poetry from UC Davis. He has had poems published in Byline Magazine, Exquisite Corpse, The Lilliput Review, and nycbigcitylit.com, and has work pending publication from Zoetic Press, Eclectica Magazine, and Midway Journal.


BENJAMIN BISHOP- THE BIRDS NO LONGER SING

Benjamin Bishop resides in Riverside County, CA. Benjamin has poetry, fiction, and non-fiction published in several literary magazines and anthologies, such as Clever Fox Literary Magazine, The Expressionist Literary Magazine, Hey Hey Books, The Humanist, The Malu Zine, The Monstrous Femme, and Reverie Magazine.

MARIA VOLODKEVICH - CLIFFSNOTES

Maria Volodkevich, a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, skydiving instructor, and collegiate swimmer, dove into poetry just as she did into the swimming pool and out of the airplane. As an emerging author, she uses poetry as a coping mechanism and an effective way to encapsulate her emotions while serving in the U.S. Air Force. With a focus on the devastating impacts of divorce, loss, and generational trauma, her writing emphasizes the significance of embracing grief as a vital step toward transcending loss and attaining freedom from our self-imposed shackles.

LIAM STRONG - BREAKUP POEM BREAKS UP WITH GETTING BACK TOGETHER POEM

Liam Strong (they/them) is a queer neurodivergent cripple punk writer and photographer who owns two Squishmallows, three Buddhas, a VHS of Cats The Musical, and somewhere between four and eight jean jackets. They are the authors of the chapbook Everyone's Left the Hometown Show (Bottlecap Press, 2023).