Adult:
1) Kurt Gravenhorst-Los Altos Hills
Fat cucumbers crowd
The furrows of my garden
Like pods of beached whales

2) Susan Meade-Palo Alto
The world around us
Contained in a brief moment
Pause to enjoy it

3) Samuel Krinsky-Palo Alto
Among fallen leaves
Silent black velvet paws stalk
Small gossiping birds

4) Jennifer Hennings-Stanford
“Trust no one,” she said.
I covered her eyes. “Fall back,”
I said ~ and caught her.

5) Verna Spinrad-Palo Alto
I have parked the car
And am walking to meet you.
A smile moves my lips.

6) Palmer Pinney-Palo Alto
In my next number
I show life’s turns and levels-
Behold my stair walk!

7) Valerie Ross-Palo Alto
my prince of picnics,
your afternoon feasts and trysts
ravish me with love.

8) Joy L. Shieman-Los Altos Hills
From this dark, clay soil,
from seeds not even watered,
Sunrise of poppies…

Honorable Mention:
1) James Michalko-Palo Alto
Anticipated,
like breeze for which one is braced,
street life surprises.

2) Linda Bickham-Palo Alto
Old dog deep in sleep
Running carefree through your dreams
Wait! I’m coming too.

3) Norman V. Martello-Palo Alto
swimming crookedly
the floating lane lines keep me
from straying too far.

Youth (17 and under):
1) Annes Ahn-Palo Alto
This pain that I feel
Is nothing to some others
But that’s how I learn

2) Elissa Brown-Palo Alto
Join with me, my friend
Together we’ll change the world
Let’s begin today

3) Nabiel El-Danasouri-Palo Alto
Needle sharp teeth shine
An enormous brown body
Fins shoot through the creek

4) Brent Talbott-Menlo Park
Dog, Canis, Inu
Barks and chases tennis balls
Slobbers over bones

5) Shaina Davis-Palo Alto
One small, bright blossom
In the midst of winter snows
Individual

Judges