[CW-Grad] Poetry Alumnus Neil Aitken strikes again!

[Robin Russin]

>From Neil, via FB:

Guess it's official now. My poem "Vigil" was selected out of 800 entries from all over the US and awarded 1st prize in the 3rd annual Beyond Baroque Poetry Contest. Needless to say, I am humbled and delighted by this honor. It's a poem that grew out of a scrap of paper, a few unmoored images, and a memory of my mother during the long days while we cared for my father who was dying of ALS.

Regarding the poem, contest judge Suzanne Lummis said: 

“Of all the entries, my first choice, "Vigil," was the one that struck that fine balance between clarity and mystery, simplicity, and shimmering depth. After I'd read it, it continued to echo in my imagination.”

Kudos, Neil!

Robin Russin

Associate Professor and Director
MFA for Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts
Department of Theatre
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
(951) 827-2707
(213) 949-1061 cel
robin.russin at ucr.edu
http://robinrussin.com

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