Poetry Contest Winner Announced

“PTSD” by Joshua Jenkins of Pocahontas was the $100 winner of a poetry contest hosted by the English Club at Black River Technical College.

Twenty eight entries were received.  Second place went to Brittany Cox of Lafe for “Dear Sons of Mine.”  Cheryl Onley of Paragould won third with “The Thread and Calab Elsperman of Jonesboro with “Time” won Honorable Mention.

“I think the poetry contest is a great opportunity for BRTC students to share their creative talents,” said Lisa Inman, English instructor over the contest.  “Poetry it is often stereotyped as being pretentious and  difficult to understand; however, I believe our winning poems illustrate the universal appeal of modern poetry and how poetry can be moving and intriguing just like a song.”

PTSD by Joshua Jenkins

 

The sound of my babies in the morning

should fill my heart with joy, not dread,

this is what you do to me.

 

Mornings use to be so easy

now I can hardly pry myself from this bed

this is what you do to me.

 

I find myself yelling and screaming things,

things I would have never dreamt of saying

this is what you do to me.

 

There are times I come out of a daze,

I try to recall just how I actually got there,

this is what you do to me.

 

You steal my happiness away

and bring restless nights,

this is what you do to me.

 

You stole my soul from me

and filled me with anxiety and paranoia

this is what you do to me.

 

You are invisible

making me look normal

this is what you do to me

 

But now you are a part of me

not only me, but my family

this is what you do to us.

 

– Joshua L Jenkins (pictured)

United States Army Retired