"Postcards" Finalist

[Editors' note: This is the sixth in a series of posts honoring the winners and runners up of Kauai Backstory's fourth annual Creative Competition. The theme was "Postcards." This entry by Alison Hummel was a finalist.]

dearest kauai,

we miss you dearly.
we love you clearly.
your heart, as big as wai'ale'ale
your fragrance so sweet in your flowers.
your soul, wraps around like your ocean.
your jokes evoke laughter in the waves.
the thing is--
we left our hearts/souls
on your grass/sands
in your trees/waterfalls
(and oceans)
we will return to get them in july.

love,
Alison and Jon

"Postcards" Finalist

[Editors' note: This is the fifth in a series of posts honoring the winners and runners up of Kauai Backstory's fourth annual Creative Competition. The theme was "Postcards." This entry by Ron Horoshko was a finalist.]

Received this postcard postmarked Japan,a circled date: Dec.1941.Water marked, and covered with years of old stale dust. I felt my son's heavy heart as he wrote: Dear Mother, I have a mission I must fly and die, for I am a Kamikaze. I dropped to my knees, placed it hard against my chest and cried.

"Postcards" Visual Winner

[Editors' note: This is the fourth in a series of posts honoring the winners and runners up of Kauai Backstory's fourth annual Creative Competition. The theme was "Postcards." In the visual category, first place goes to Kimberly Kirk.]

"Postcards" Third Place

[Editors' note: This is the third in a series of posts honoring the winners and runners up of Kauai Backstory's fourth annual Creative Competition. The theme was "Postcards." In the written category, third place goes to Susan Ullis.]

She is five. She is lucky to be alive, having been born 4 months premature weighing only 1 pound. One pound equals 4 cubes of butter. She didn't melt away, though. She became the miracle baby. Now she is counting out the first 100 days of her life in kindergarten. Her class wants to collect 100 postcards from all over the world by the first 100 days of school. I'll send mine. One that shows Kaua’i in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I'll write Aloha one hundred times and become a part of her lifetime of memories.

"Postcards" Second Place

[Editors' note: This is the second in a series of posts honoring the winners and runners up of Kauai Backstory's fourth annual Creative Competition. The theme was "Postcards." In the written category, second place goes to Cosibella Cristenas.]

Beloved,

My heart is now awash with light here by a river called Kalihiwai on the northern edge of Kauai: river meets ocean; liquid jade meets aquamarine; constancy meets perpetual change. Neon yellow hibiscus become sunset orange while floating downstream--miniature prayer boats like the ones I lit and offered into the sacred waters of the Ganges in honor of your life. Without you, I was shoreless--dangerously adrift and drowning. Thankfully I have found the sage edge of solidity and fluidity, and in my crystalline dreams, you are with me.

Me Ke Aloha.

"Postcards" First Place

[Editors' note: This is the first in a series of posts honoring the winners and runners up of Kauai Backstory's fourth annual Creative Competition. The theme was "Postcards." In the written category, first place goes to Bettejo Dux.]

The mules moved slowly in the cool morning light, can saddles stuffed with seed. Mule madly enamored with my leopard Appaloosa, Brownie caught sight of us first. During planting season we met her and Blackie and Caliban every day. Her raucous love song awakened sleepyheads in houses lined along the shore. Long ears flopped and tiny hooves drummed a hula beat in the red earth and her friends, joining her, lifted their heads and did a tail-flipping dance, tasting the air, as their handlers shortened and tightened their grips on sweaty leads.

Beau, my handsome horse, head high, pranced by.

Readings at Kilohana Plantation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kauaibackstory.com congratulates the 2009 "Postcards" creative competition winners. Kimberly Kirk captured first place in the visual category. In the written category, first place goes to Bettejo Dux. Second place goes to Cosibella Cristenas. Third place goes to Susan Ullis.

Winners and runners up (see list below) are invited to read and share their entries at a public reading on Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010, at the Living Room at Kilohana Plantation. The readings will start promptly at 2:00 p.m. and wrap no later than 4:00 p.m. All winners and runners up are asked to please RSVP to kauaibackstory@yahoo.com.

Time permitting, other writers may sign up to read their own original works of writing on a first-come, first-read, sign-up basis. Time limit not to exceed five minutes.

Gaylord’s at Kilohana Plantation serves brunch on Sundays until 2:30 p.m. You are welcome to enjoy a delicious meal before the readings.

Submissions of the contest winners and runners up will begin posting on www.kauaibackstory.com after the public reading; however, a special, one-night only preview will take place at A Ell Atilier as the showcased art during the weekly Old Kapa'a town Art Walk. It will be held Saturday, January 23, from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Kauaibackstory.com is a venue for rigorous writing with a view about Kauai. Year-round, the on-line literary journal welcomes high-quality writing and thoughtful images from the public. All submissions are moderated by a three-person editorial board, however, not all are posted. Kauaibackstory.com encourages the expression of all voices and delights in words and images that shift thinking and open minds. Much like an on-line blog, kauaibackstory.com encourages interactive dialogue with the hopes that the time-honored tradition of kama'ilio, talk story, will build community and understanding.

Runners Up:

Aliana Ho, student
Ron Horoshko
Alison Hummel
Tamara Moan
Polli Oliver
Hob Osterlund
Rocky Riedel
Ela Young, student