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The John Edward Johnson Prize Winner:
Ellen Blickman
Honorable Mentions:
Laurel Blossom, Grace Claire Przywara
Judge’s Comment:
: I could smell and taste this poem, but I could also see the quiet spiritual dimension, and I loved the weaving of the material and immaterial in such a short poem.
The Mystery of Pomegranates
The knife slips into the taut skin
of the pomegranate,
releasing its ruby pearls
onto the cutting board,
an old wood plank my Nana used for
making Charoset for Passover.
The fragrant cinnamon still rises
from its worn surface with each thunk
of the blade.
My daughter watches from a safe distance,
eyes wide with the mystery of the inner world
of pomegranates that spill their sweetness
like tears of joy.
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