Congratulations also to Mrs E Williams of Eastbourne, Staffordshire and Brother Roy W. Herbert of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk who have been awarded a 'Highly Commended' and 'Commended' respectively. Here are their poems:

Highly Commended: ‘Remembering the ‘Anderson’’

There is a grey haired lady,
That nobody seems to know.
Her working days expired and
Has ageing lines that show.

Beside her sits her husband now,
A somewhat fragile man,
Balding head, white whiskers,
Holding crutches in his hand.

He bore the shrapnel in his leg,
To give a brand new start.
So who is there amongst us who
Will take them to their heart.

They've done their reminiscing,
About Hitler and his bomb.
The photographs have faded
Of their kids, who've wed and gone.

The recipes she knew by heart,
Now have left her mind.
And his garden tools redundant,
"'Cos the weeds have not been kind."

But just when they began to think
Their lives were all a welter,
They noticed in a magazine,
A home within a shelter.

"That's it," she cried remembering
When sirens rang out loud,
"That's where we went for company,
Felt safe amidst the crowd."

So now they're in their sheltered home,
Protected from all fears,
Enjoying warmth and company,
Throughout those winter years.

Poet: Mrs E Williams, Eastbourne, Staffordshire

Commended: 'Nature’s Love'

'Tis daybreak and the sun is high above the land
Our small but feathered friends are in good form
Nature with its wonders, can we give a helping hand
Perhaps to weed the borders, or slowly mow the lawn.

Starlings' throats a tremble as they sing their song
Flowers bend their heads amid the gentle breeze
Tranquillity dominates the scene the whole day long
And yachts glide gently through the calm and gentle sea.

If only one could keep this beauty safe and clear
Mind working like a camera, capture this alone
Like this one feels so calm, so clean and so sincere
To feel appreciation for the love that has been shown.

To compare this rare and lovely thing
Now feel the warmth of gentle bliss of loves own love
And to share the wonders that these times can bring
I wish to share them all with nature's love.

Poet: Brother Roy W. Herbert, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk