2015 Toolangi C.J. Dennis Festival Poetry Competition

[Stephen Whiteside]

The results of the 2015 Toolangi C.J. Dennis Poetry Festival written poetry competition, as announced on Saturday, 17th October, are as follows:


OPEN

First Prize: "A Hunnerd Years?" (David Campbell)

Second Prize: "The Sentimental Bloke - 100 Years on" (Bessie Jennings)

Third Prize (equal): "Have You Gazed at Night at a Flickering Fire?" (Stephen Whiteside)

Third Prize (equal): "A Street Too Far" (Daan Spijer)


THEMED (The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke)

First Prize: "'Ow I Sees It Now" (Will Moody)

Second Prize: "The Win" (Kate O'Neil)

Third Prize: "Accordin' to Rose" (Shelley Hansen)

Highly Commended: "Bill Remembers" (Graham Watt)

Highly Commended: "The Sentimental Sheila" (Val Wallace)


ADULTS WRITING FOR CHILDREN (adults judging)

First Prize: "Myrtle the Turtle" (Bessie Jennings)

Second Prize: "The Clever Cuckoo" (Shelley Hansen)

Third Prize: "Hide and Seek" (Jenny Erlanger)

Highly Commended: "The Sticky Fart" (Stephen Whiteside)

Highly Commended: "Lost" (Jenny Erlanger)


ADULTS WRITING FOR CHILDREN (children judging)

First Prize: "The Sticky Fart" (Stephen Whiteside)

Second Prize: "Maggie Magpie" (Barry Collier)

Third Prize: "Wibberly-Wobberly-Bobberly-Boo!" (David Campbell)

Highly Commended: "The Impossible Barbecue" (Jackie Hosking)

Highly Commended: "The Clutterbucks" (David Watt)


POEMS BY STUDENTS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

First Prize: "Ride in the Summer Time" (Stella Eom)

Second Prize: "The Old Emu" (Aaron Wallace)

Third Prize: "The Sheep Farmer's Drought" (Isabella Wallace)

Highly Commended: "The Bushfire Was Here" (Isabella Wallace)


Congratulations to all the winners!

[Catherine Lee]

Wonderful! Congratulations to you all!

[Heather]

Congratulations everyone. Good to see some new names creeping in there too.

[Terry]

Congratulations all - so many familiar Names.

Cheers Terry

[Stephen Whiteside]

Thank you Catherine, Heather and Terry.

[David Campbell]

Thanks all, it was a great weekend. The weather was kind to us yet again, and Stephen did a magnificent job as MC and also in carrying a major part of the load in terms of organising everything. Ted Egan was there (see the photo in Manfred's post), and we also had terrific performances from guests Jim Haynes, Geoffrey Graham, and John Derum (who's a C J Dennis specialist). Geoffrey, in particular, was brilliant on the Saturday night with his interpretation of nine of the poems from The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke.

Some forum members travelled long distances to take part, including Will and Mary Moody, Shelley and Rod Hansen, and Val and Ted Wallace. Will, Shelley and Val all won awards, as you'll see from the results, and presented their winning poems. In addition, Shelley and Rod did a very entertaining double-act with one of Shelley's poems at the poets' breakfast on the Sunday morning.

Stephen and Maggie Somerville launched their CD of music and Dennis poetry with a performance that had to be seen to be believed...Stephen's impersonation of a kookaburra had all the local birds heading for the hills, and Maggie will never forgive him for forgetting the kazoo (in-joke!).

Judging by reports, everyone had a fabulous time in what is a truly magnificent setting, with food and hospitality provided by Jan and Vic Williams, the owners of The Singing Gardens & Tearooms. Next year it will be the centenary of The Moods of Ginger Mick.

Cheers
David

[Stephen Whiteside]

Thank you for your kind comments, David, and also for your own significant contributions to making the festival the success that it was.

Last year, the birds flocked to John Derum's performance of "The Singing Garden". The only response from the local fauna to my performing this weekend was that the dog went off and had a pee!

[vwalla]

Ted and I just arrived back home from a great weekend. For those who can get to Toolangi next year , may I thoroughly recommend it. Thank you so much to the organisers and all those who participated in the presentations and how special is it to be in such a beautiful and historic setting
Cheers
Val Wallace

[Stephen Whiteside]

Thank you for being a part of it, Val. It was great, wasn't it?

[Shelley Hansen]

This was the first time Rod and I were able to travel down from Queensland to attend the CJ Dennis Festival. It was a delight to be named among the prize-winners and receive my award from the venerable Ted Egan, and also to have the chance to recite my winning poems, and to perform with Rod at the Poets' Breakfast.

The Saturday night concert of "The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke" was truly outstanding - a master-class in the presentation of Den's unique style. We thoroughly enjoyed the fun of "The Two Bees" on Sunday, and the chance to join with "Banjo", "Henry", "Den", Maggie and the children in the moving theatre tour of the magnificent Singing Gardens. What a delight to meet and chat with John Derum, whose work we have long admired.

It was a pleasure to finally meet Stephen (the stror 'at coot ), David, Val, Geoffrey, the "two Jims", Jan Williams and others - and to catch up again with those we already knew.

So a huge thank you so much to all the festival organisers and participants for making this a truly memorable weekend and a real highlight of our poetic year!

Best Regards
Shelley (and Rod)