The TPG 15th annual Valentines Day Poetry Contest for 2015 provides an opportunity for us as a publisher to reward four local poets for their craft. Our TPG Poetry Contest winners ran the gamut from: discovered love letters, retrospectives on marriages that have survived the tests of time, and the joys of love rediscovered.
We want to thank these local businesses for providing our winners the following fabulous prizes. For the Capitola Soquel Times – Dinner for two at the Café Cruz. For our TPG Winner for Celebrating Over 30 Years of Marriage – Dinner for two at Seascape Resort, Sanderlings. For the Aptos Times – Dinner for two at Seacliff Inn, Severino’s. For the Scotts Valley Times – Dinner for two at the Santa Cruz/Scotts Valley Hilton Hotel, Stonehouse Bar & Grill.
And the Winners are …
Poetry Celebrating Over 30 Years of Marriage — Donna Kannall of Scotts Valley. Donna’s prize is Dinner for two at Sanderlings, Seascape Resort in Aptos- Aptos Times — Cathy Davenport of Aptos. Cathy’s prize is Dinner for two at Severino’s in the Seacliff Inn, Aptos
- Capitola Soquel Times — Karen Conley of Soquel. Karen’s Prize is Dinner for two at the Café Cruz in Soquel
- Scotts Valley Times — Jacqueline Linford of Felton. Jacqueline’s prize is Dinner for two at Stonehouse, Santa Cruz/Scotts Valley Hilton Hotel
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2015 Poetry Contest Winner for Over 30 Years of Marriage
Donna Kannall of Scotts Valley
For my husband Virgil on our 65th Wedding Anniversary
Sixty-Five Years of Love
Sixty-five years of love and fun-
My darkling, you’ve been the only one.
Who could have known on that first date
That being your wife would be my fate.
We’ve lived through many ups and downs.
We’ve lived in many cities and towns.
First lovely children we added to our nest,
And they’ve always been the very best.
They gave us a dozen grandchildren, and
Now we’re delighted to have a great-grand.
You still call me sweetheart, with hugs-not few-
But show your tenderness with kisses too.
So in these golden years we’ll share our love
And all that’s been given us by God above.
I know our love will never die
Even when our bodies in the cold ground lie.
Our spirits will live on eternally
With our Lord in heaven–you and me.
•••
2015 Poetry Contest Winner for the Capitola Soquel Times
Karen Conley of Soquel
I wrote this when I stumbled across a stack of old love letters when we cleaned out my In-law’s house after they had passed away. They were married for 43 years before she died. This poem is dedicated to couples who write letters and keep them tucked away in an old box or tied up with a faded ribbon to be read and re-read again.
Love Letters
Caressed and worn, our letters
were opened and re-opened,
read and re-read again and again,
filled with beautiful words
meant for only me and you,
memorized and carried in our hearts,
letters filled with love on hidden pages,
tucked away and concealed
from the rest of the world.
Perhaps one day, when we are withered
or dead, others will find and read
our letters of love, of heat, of desire,
love preserved in faded blue ink
on brittle, folded paper,
the love-worn pages of long ago.
Then perhaps they will know,
of the enduring love between you and me,
set down in words, just for me and you.
•••
2015 Poetry Contest Winner for the Aptos Times
Cathy Davenport of Aptos
This poem is written for my wonderful husband, Brock
Third Time’s A Charm
You came to me later in my life
Seven years ago you made me your wife
Nine years ago we met but I was with another
but you said that you fell for me and would wait forever
I loved my husband and you knew him well
but you said my eyes put you under a spell
A year later death took my love
he went to heaven in the blue skies above
Another year passed as I grieved and mourned
I kept to myself, I was very forlorn
One day by chance, we met again
we talked and laughed and became great friends
We were attracted to each other that was for sure
with time and patience our relationship matured
We waited a year and then we were wed
Happily together forever till the end
I love you with a love only mature people know
you love me with a passion you eagerly show
You are my third love, the last one for me
Third times a charm, Forever to be.
I love you dearly!!!!!
•••
2015 Poetry Contest Winner for the Scotts Valley Times
Jacqueline Linford of Felton
This poem is for my Sweetheart, Mark Gottlieb, whom I met on SeniorPeopleMeet July of 2013. It was like-at-first-sight, so when his stage four lung cancer was diagnosed just weeks after we met, we were already falling in love and it only brought us closer. We treasure the time we have together.
A Blink of Time
We met with a kiss – at least it felt that way
Hiking Fall Creek Park, warm lips, warm sun, warm day.
It all felt somehow right for us, and natural and sweet
To hike a bit, then kiss a bit. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
‘til dusk deepened to nightfall and summer air turned cold.
Still, starry eyes and starry skies warmed us in their fold.
Affection bloomed like daffodils as time stood still, but then
Our hearts stood still when cancer crept into our perfect glen.
It visits still, free range, and roams like some entitled queen
Closer to my Sweetheart’s heart than even I have been.
And so we sing and dance and play and sail to block the shrill
Cacophony of pain and loss and dread that haunts us still.
Love is in the one you love and every day you share
A blink of time with tender thoughts and laughter in the air.
So now we count the days and weeks and months and years, so sweet.
Another day? Another kiss. Repeat, repeat, repeat.