When I was a child
I woke up one morning
and I asked my father
Where is my country?
He said it is behind the sea
I asked him: can we go there ?
No....he said
Why? I asked him
Because some people took it
Because there are some monsters
Playing by our nation...by our lands
They are killing...destroying ...and burning everything
I asked him
Where do those monsters come from?
Are they from another planet?
Are they from hell ?
He said no
They are people like me and you
They are our neighbors... our neighbors... our neighbors.

By Adam Abdulkadir Alamin

Second Place

Fifty Brothers, A Mother

Fourteenth century, maybe before,
Fifteenth century, maybe after
appeared on the remote horizon
a woman, a black woman, maybe white
pretty, silent, courageous
hardly stamped by sadness.
In this woman,
in this white, maybe black woman
in her face, a sad smile
irrigated by a tear, a red tear
in the middle of night,
in the mid-Atlantic, far away
sounded a scream of pain!
In the solitude of ocean,
plunged in the water,
in the blue and red water,
this woman, this African woman, maybe European
bound by a promise,
hopefully impregnated by a dream,
a Transatlantic dream.
This woman, this Indian woman, maybe Asian
chained in the winter mornings
between the mountains and the flat country,
lost in thought, in these valleys
within easy reach of the hand,
sowed a flower, a scream.
In this woman, in this brave woman
lighted by the Summer sun
marked by a sad remembrance,
was born a dream, a hope, a symbol
multicolored, multicultural and united:
The United States of America!

By Umaro Djau

Third Place

Divorce !!!!

Happiness was gone
Sadness is coming
Love was bitter
Life is ending
Discussion is confusing
Compromise is hard
Lack of confidence
Life full of frustration

Result.............
Husband addicted to alcohol
Wife get stress............commit suicide
Children get abused
Lack of education
Drug addict
Juvenile criminal!

The generation.....................
without ambition
Without commitment
without responsibility
without mission and vision

Life without ...........................
....................................................
.............................. ?????????????

Divorce.............
WHO's RESPONSIBLE !!!

By Bak

General English

First Place

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. symbolizing liberty,
knowing what is right, having a dream,
in light when the world is dark,
ordinary minister, but hero.

By Hung Goo Ann (Young)

Second Place

Love is Life

Love is life
life is knife
be careful
it looks like wonderful.

Life is flower
it gives smell
love makes in an hour
Please! open the door.

By Achyut Prasad Chalise

Third Place

Don't Make a Voice Loudly

Don't make a voice loudly.
Someone will overhear us
Our sweet whispers.
Don't make it up.
Love vanishes like smoke.
But for your love,
My life would be nothing.

By Ryanghoon Lee

Other Entries

America

Anxious newcomers arrived at Ellis Island.
Alas! They shouted aloud,
"America!"
An awesome Statue of Liberty appeared.
All applauded.
An attractive statute of freedom.

By Ryanghoon Lee

Beaches Are Blue

Beaches are blue.
Sky too is blue.
Mountains are long.
Building too is long.
This is U.S.A.

By Sunaitan S.A.A.Z. Al Mutairi

Just for Someone Who is My Love

If you are lonely,
And need a friend,
And troubles seem like too much,
Just remember to keep the faith.
And love will be there to light the way.

Anytime you need a friend.
I will be here.
You will never be alone again.
Don't be fearful.
Even if you are miles away.
I am by your side.
Don't ever be lonely.
Love will make it alright.

When the shadows are closing in,
And spirit diminishing,
Just remember you are not alone.
Just remember I will be here.

No matter what happens,
I will always be with you,
And love you,forever.
Anytime you need a friend,
I will be here.

By Wan, Shih-Chyi

Wife and Mother

Wife, you the special friend to husband
In addition you are the lucky person
From you, we live in your womb on nine months
End of that we born with your animate

Mother, you are the friend to the children
On the ship of life
That makes our live on the ship of life with your hero ( husband )
Happy is always your ingredients to raise the children
Everywhere you go, you had thought about your family
Restfulness for your life is in the house with lovely husband and children

By Anasari Paulus Rinsa

Husband and Father

Husband, you are the person that makes our place
Us live with love....
So make us happy like
Baby smiles without thinking of anything else
And you're be inspiration for the family
Nothing happens to the family with your power......
Do you know, you are the person that has a lot of love

Father, you the person who make us born on this earth
And you are the captain on the ship of life
That be guidance on the way of life....
Hurt, sad, angry is ingredients in your life
End of you life as the father when the fate comes....
Requirment for you family is your attention with affection and make them happy

By Anasari Paulus Rinsa

I Want to Look at Your Face

I want -- want to look at your face
ask if your smile can shine through my path.

I want -- want to hold your warm hands
ask if you can steer our lives.

I want -- want to bury in your broad chest
ask if you have me inside.

By Chun Ya Lu

Snow

Snow, snow, snow
Beautiful snow
Cold snow
Embracing snow

Snow
Just like you

You are very beautiful
But you are
Sometimes cold to me
But you
Embrace me

Like snow

By Take Nobuko

You Think of Me Sometimes

You think of me sometimes, but
I think of nothing always but you.
While you sleep, we are one.
I want to build your castle by my love.
Love will awaken you.

By Hung Goo Ann (Young)

Poverty

Poverty, you are human enemy,
Over all countries you live.
Visiting the lower class from house to house.
Envading homeless, alcoholics and addicts.
Recall you why people live this way.
That will helps society to understand more.
Yawning we can believe in this way.

Poverty is not a disgrace,
Obviously, it is an unfortunate situation.
Virtually can afflict anyone.
Exists among accidented, social discriminated...
Route created from difficulties.
Tired moment of the life.
Youngs are not even saved.

By Paul Lama

Divorce

Divorce....
nightmare for everyone
terrible land disaster
in the house of family
make the children born without love
Divorce....
you are a scale without tribunal
everyone live with regret,
unfair, uncompleted
Divorce....
you are a tree stump, whose
lost your leaf and stick
that lives on unroofed land
becomr life is destitute
Divorce....
why do you exit ???
why do you emerge ???
making human's kill themselves
and you laugh in happies
Divorce....
you prejudge in gambling
life on earth of love
hence......
coexistented ruined under the same roof
Divorce....
you are the poison which separated
into prejudice Life
Abuse..., Egoistic...., Infidelity...., Value freedom
be relevant as a motive is... YOUR scandal
D I V O R C E

By Anasari Paulus Rinsa

Divorce in Guinea

Divorce
Ignorance
Violence
Oppress
Revolt
Crime
Evidence

Guinea
Union
Independence
Nation
Energy
Action

By Abdoul Latif Diallo

Poetry Competition Judges

Tom Leverett

Michelle Lewandowski

Keith Pharis

Marilyn Rivers

Kim Hughes Wilhelm

Poetry Competition Editor Jennifer McCain

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