Camp Sherman poet honored

John M. Schwartz, poet. Photo by Conrad Weiler

John M. Schwartz has been awarded first place in the Non-rhyming Poem category of the 71st annual Writer's Digest writing competition based on his poem "Bank of China."

The Camp Sherman poet competed with over 4,300 entrants in this category.

"The writer effectively clangs the vocabulary for organic, natural things (trees, birds, sky, wings, sea) against the iron and concrete. This play of opposites dramatizes the 'straining,'" said final-round judge Robert Pinsky.

John and his wife Jill have lived in Central Oregon for the past decade.

He continues a lifelong love of writing poetry and short stories.

Arising at 5:30 a.m., he writes about 30 lines of poetry each morning.

"Bank of China" comes from a working career in Hong Kong, sitting and observing the area and finally putting his thoughts onto paper.

Writer's Digest will publish John's poem in the February 2003 issue. Along with the first place award, he also received $750 and $100 in book purchases.

His "The Perfect Place," will appear in an upcoming edition of the magazine Cascade Reader.

Bank of China

Giant iron birds atop steel trees

Their droppings like hot blisters

against a lead colored sky

Wings festooned with lights

casting glare-washed shadows

over little brown men in tattered shorts

climbing bamboo ladders in wet sneakers.

Iron birds retching gullets

full of concrete into welded nests.

Rising higher, always higher,

straining the sea upon which they rest.