The grand winner of the Wingless Dreamer War Poetry Contest 2022 is:

MARK HAMMERSCHICK – MEKONG TURKEY

Mark writes poetry and fiction. He holds a BA in English from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and a BS and MBA. He is a lifelong resident of the Chicago area and currently lives in a northern suburb near the shore of Lake Michigan. His poem “The Tides They are Rising on Up” recently won third prize in the Poetry Society of Virginia Anne Spencer Memorial Prize Category “Overcoming Adversity”. His current work will be appearing in: Calliope, Fauxmoir Literary Magazine, Sincerely Magazine, Mignolo Arts, Blue Lake Review, Naugatuck River Review, New Plains Review, Grey Sparrow Journal, Griffel Magazine, Voices Magazine, Wood Cat Review and Change Seven Magazine.

Cue the confetti for our first runner-up is:

ANDY BETZ – STATIONERY

Andy Betz has tutored and taught in excess of 40 years. He lives in 1974, and has been married for 29 years. His works are found everywhere a search engine operates.

Beat the drums for our second runner-up:

JOANNE MONTE – IN THOSE TIMES, IN THESE TIMES

Joanne Monte is the author of “The Blue Light of Dawn” which received The Bordighera Poetry Book Prize. Many of her poems have been published in literary journals such as Poet Lore, The Raintown Review, The White Pelican Review and many others. In addition to being a Pushcart nominee, she has received several awards and has had poems that were judged as a finalist and semi-finalist. She is the author of a highly reviewed novel, “The Day to Eternity.”

A huge round of applause for our top finalists:

DOUGLAS COLSTON – SOMETHING TO BE

Douglas Colston has travelled the world, knows there is no place like home and his poetry, fiction and nonfiction has been published in online and traditional print magazines and anthologies. Decades ago, he garnered some lyric and song writing credits playing in Australian Ska bands. At that time – and while not playing Ska – he was studying and working in the public sector. He holds holds a BA, a BSc and a post-graduate Psychology qualification and in 1998, he completed his first thesis (it particularises research demonstrating the effects of the relationships between rhetoric, individual intention and perception of the self and others). Later, he contributed to the long-term palliation of both his parents throughout their terminal illnesses, married the love of his life (whose own PhD research validated play as a well-being intervention for adults), fathered two great children, had his inheritance embezzled by a now-deceased uncle and transitioned into Counselling as a vocation. Currently, when otherwise unoccupied, he is pursuing a PhD.

TANIA PRZYWARA – FALLING BLOSSOMS

Tania Przywara is an American poet with works published in the anthologies Breath of Love and The Book of Black by Wingless Dreamer Publisher, among others, as well as in Volumes 2 and 3 of Through Loving Words by City Limits Publishing. A classical pianist, composer, and photographer as well, Przywara often finds that her passions intertwine with each other. Above all, Przywara aims to express the beauty of life and love through her original works and inspire others to live ever more deeply and authentically. Learn more at taniaprzywara.com.

TERRY BRINKMAN – FATHER’S WAR

Terry Has been painting for over forty five years. Has Five Amazon E- Books. Poems in Rue Scribe, Tiny Seed. Winamop, Snapdragon Journal, Poets Choice, Adelaide Magazine, Variant, the Writing Disorder, Ink Pantry, In Parentheses, Ariel Chat, New Ulster, Glove, and in Pamp-le-mousse, North Dakota Quarterly, Barzakh, Urban Arts, Wingless Dreamer, LKMNDS and Elavation.

ELLIS CHARLESWORTH – THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER

My name is Ellis Charlesworth i am 51 years old i live in a village called Barlow in Derbyshire. My home is very close to the eastern moors of the peak district. Living and working here inspires me to write poetry. I served in the royal navy as a young man and have the utmost respect for our military.

GAVIN BOURKE – ALL ALONE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN

Gavin Bourke grew up in the suburb of Tallaght in West Dublin. Married to Annemarie living in County Meath, he holds a B.A. in Humanities from Dublin City University, an M.A. Degree in Modern Drama Studies and a Higher Diploma in Information Studies from University College Dublin. His work broadly covers nature, time, memory, addiction, mental health, human relationships, the inner and outer life, creating meaning and purpose, politics, contemporary and historical social issues, injustice, the human situation, power and its abuse, absurdism, existentialisms, human psychology, cognition, emotion and behaviour, truth and deception, the sociological imagination, illness, socio-economics, disability, inclusivity, human life, selfishness and its consequences as well as urban and rural life, personal autonomy, ethics, commerce, science, grand schemes and the technological life in English and to a lesser extent in the Irish Language.

EMMA BROWN – SOMEBODY

Emma (she/her) is a voracious reader, avid writer, and STEM student. When she’s not in a lab doing research, she’s writing about life, her experiences, and other people, particularly those who are members of minority groups like hers

VALERIE SOPHER – BROKEN CIRCLES

Valerie Sopher is a singing quilter who loves anything to do with paper, pens and words. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is grateful to Wingless Dreamer (contest winner Dawn of the Day), Canary, Caustic Frolic, Prometheus Dreaming and SLANT for publishing her work and to the Ina Coolbrith Circle Annual Poetry Contest for honoring and selecting her poems

A big round of applause for our selected contributors. Bravo!