ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

My apologies for not getting this up earlier.

The Boyup Brook Country Music Festival is on again on 13th - 17th February 2013, and we are again running a written bush poetry competition in conjunction with it.
There are two categories – Open and Emerging (not having won a competition).
Please contact Irene Conner on iconner21@wn.com.au or 0429652155 for entry forms and further details.

On the performance Bush Poetry calendar this year, the guest poets are Bob Magor and Peter Mace.
There are several events over the festival where poets can participate. These include:
Thursday morning Poets breakfast at the Tennis Club
Thursday – Bush verse writers workshop/poetry performers workshop
Friday 11am – Poets in the Tourist Park
Sunday am – WA’s Biggest bush poets breakfast

Please contact Bill Gordon for details if you are interested in attending and participating in the performance program, on northlands@wn.com.au or 97651098

Great atmosphere, and great weekend!!!

G'day Irene,

I'll chase up the entry form and take a bunch to the Illawarra Folk Festival 17th to 20 January. You're in for a treat if you haven't seen Peter Mace before. I love his poem 'Courting Mary'. Say no more.
Hope you are enjoying your retirement (ha).

Thanks Zondrae - hope you got the email I sent you - I have been having trouble with my internet!!

Here is the entry form:

Boyup Brook 2013
WRITTEN BUSH POETRY COMPETITION
In conjunction with the Country Music Festival
13 – 17th February, 2013

Conditions of Entry
 This competition is an event for ORIGINAL AUSTRALIAN verse having very good RHYME and METRE.
 There are no subject restrictions
 Previously published poetry that has not won a first prize in any written competition will be accepted.
 A4 size pages should be used keeping each entry separate, using one side of the paper only.
 Entries should be typed where possible using a standard font (Times Roman, Century, Arial, Verdana)
 Send two copies of each poem
 Maximum of 40 lines/poem.
 Cover sheets should be used. Entrants names or other details must not appear on any of the poems.
 Cheques or money orders for the total amount of entry fees should be made out to Boyup Brook 2013 Bush Poetry Competition and must accompany all entries.
 CLOSING DATE. Entries must be received no later than 6th February 2013 - Late entries not accepted.
 Copyright remains with the author. Poems may be used in any anthology of competition entries. Poems will not be returned.
 The Winners will be announced at the Bush Poets Breakfast, Boyup Brook, 17th Feb. 2013. Winners will be notified
 If required entrants should supply an SSAE for results to be posted after 21st Feb 2013
 The judges’ decision will be final and no further correspondence will be entered into. Public Criticism of Judges decisions will result in disqualification from future events.

ENTRY FEE: $5 per poem
PRIZES: Open – 1st Prize - $100
Emerging Poet (never previously won) 1st Prize - 100

Post to: Boyup Brook Poetry Comp
C/- Irene Conner
PO Box 584
Jurien Bay WA 6156

Entries can be emailed to iconner21@wn.com.au and money paid via direct deposit. Please contact Irene on above email, or 0429652155 for details.

ENTRY FORM – BUSH POETRY WRITTEN COMPETITION

Name ………………………………………………….

Address ……………………………………………………

………………………………….………………………….Post Code …………….
Phone…………………………….. email…………………………………….

Have you EVER won any written poetry competition? Yes No

Titles of entries:

1. ……………………………………………………………………..

2. …………………………………………………………………….

3. …………………………………………………………………….

I declare the enclosed verse(s) is entirely my own work and that it conforms to the above conditions. I agree to be bound by these conditions and accept the judge’s decision as final.

Signed…………………………………………….. Date…………../……../ 2013

Results - 2013 Boyup Brook Country Music Festival - Written Poetry Competition

Emerging Poet Category:

Winner: Charlie - Warren Cox, Bellbowie. Qld
Highly Commended: The One that Got Away - Warren Cox
Commended:
Irish - Maureen Clifford, Ipswich. Qld
Desert Interlude - Maureen Clifford
Australian Son - Vic Jeffries, Baulkham Hills, NSW

Open Poet Category:
Winner: That's How it Is - Brenda Joy, Charters Towers, Qld
Highly Commended:
Closure - Brenda Joy
The End of an Era - Terry Piggott, Canning Vale WA
Reflections of the Kimberley - Brenda Joy
The Last Farewell - Terry Piggott
Commended:
Beneath the Slouch Hat Brim - Allan Goode, Nerang, Qld
Saving Grace - Allan Goode
Dragonflies - Zondrae King, East Corrimal, NSW

Congratulations to Warren Cox and Brenda Joy, and to all those who placed in the competition, as well as a huge thanks to everyone who entered it. I was a late getting the information up this year, and really appreciate those who sent in entries - I thought I may have left it too late.

Please find following the Judges comments. I hope to have the certificates, along with your copies of your poems, sent out within the next two weeks. Oh, and the cheques to the winners!!
Irene

Judges Report – 2013 Written Competition – Boyup Brook Country Music Festival
This year, we had 52 entries, 16 of which were from ‘Emerging poets’ who , in this competition, have their own section, so giving encouragement and a sense of achievement to some who, otherwise would have difficulty competing with well -established poets.

In the emerging poets section, it was again evident that most have great difficulty understanding that bush poetry has an underlying rhythm or pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables which must be consistent throughout the entire poem. That being said, most poets had a good grasp of ‘perfect rhyme’. Also, there was a wide variety of styles and topics – well done all. Study the works of established poets and continue writing.

The Open poets section once again resulted in giving me a difficult job to select a single winner. There were at least six that could have taken this award. After considering long and hard, I chose one of only two that had taken that extra little effort in using a rhyming pattern which departed from those used by the vast majority.

I also wish to comment on several poems which, in various ways, made them unappealing to a broad audience – these are poems which have specific locations, real characters, or other features which limit their appeal. They would be more suited to a local historic competition or newspaper.

A few other points which some of the poets need to address include accuracy in natural events,
eg. lightning always preceeds thunder, the new moon does NOT rise in the evening, also the use of terms from other cultures (unless of course, this is obviously intentional as part of the story)

In general, most had a very good consistency in rhyme, rhythm and structure. There was a wide range of topics and almost all had good progression, with fitting opening and closing verses. In addition, many showed excellence in the use of various poetic tools which add colour to the narrative or description.

To all writers - well done, irrespective of whether you are an award winner or just beginning. You are maintaining a part of our heritage which, without you, would be just a bit of forgotten history.

Brian Langley
Judge

G'day Irene,
Thank you for posting the results of the competition up so promptly. Naturally, I am delighted. Please thank your sponsors on my behalf and thank you to Brian for his judge's comments.

Congratulations to all the forum members who did oh so well.

Brenda

Congratulations Brenda! Also good to see Terry, Warren, Vic and Zondrae on the winners' list. And what about Maureen hey! You go girl! Congratulations all.

Heather

WOW

Thanks Irene for the emails setting me straight on elegibility. But for that info. Charlie wouldn't have been entered into the comp. I'd like also to thank David Campbell and Glenny Palmer both of whom have assisted me in understanding the interplay of syllables and stress in the ballad form.
Cheers ...Wazza

Congrats to all . . . lots of ABPA forum names there! Especially to you Waz - you've got a way with words - I love reading your stuff. Keep it up.

Cheers, Marty

Thanks Marty. Means a lot coming from you.
Wazza