Competition

First Prize

25 words or less
by Lyrian Fleming
Stanmore, NSW

FamilytriptoHongKong/ipodshuffle/weekendaway/sunglasses/$100$1,000$100,000 $1,OOO,OOO/mobilephone/gymmembership/unlimitedcallstoFrance/newcar ...

...I should win a trip to Hong Kong for the family because the only way you ever really know they're there is when they're not...

...creating musical chaos with a new ipod shuffle would be a beautiful way to help me ignore all the boxes I've packed my life into...

 ...A weekend away will help me
    forget I fill my weekdays with people I
don't like for hours and hours and hours
and hours and...

...Showing people how cool and cashed-up and cavalier I am is only possible with the emblem of the right sunglasses, your sunglasses, on my face...

Spending a million dollars would

take me less time than reciting the bible in Hebrew

because I don't know any Hebrew or own a bible. . .

...Staying connected in this disconnected world would be easier with a new mobile phone and the best bit is it comes without calories!..

...I'm bursting out of my clothes with my tax bracket and so
much to say, now I need your gym membership more than my name...

...As useful as a torch with no battery is unlimited calls to France where I only know Amelie who's from a movie and can't answer...

..I need a new car to sell because
the tv says money buys happiness
and I want to be happy above all else. . .

Include a stamped, self addressed envelope with your entry and that’ll be 50cents/sec for your time

Second Prize

Farm
by Ashley Capes
Newborough, Vic

dawn comes like someone embarrassed
to bring bad news, sunlight
very soft on weatherboard.

in the horse's mouth even straw sleeps
and the earth holds perfume,
memory of rain on pine needles.

hills are bone-grey and a cold hand
massages the empty river, no prayers
swim this belly of dust,
no whispers to quicken fruit.

night looks down in a shower of moth wings,
headlights turn powerlines into silver webs
and cheeks go unshaven.