The New Forest Poetry Society organised an open competition on the theme of SALT and invited entries for 3 age groups:

Under 11; 12 - 17; and Over 18

We received over 135 entires (one poet also submitted an updated version of the poem submitted) from all over the world including India, Greece, Malta, USA, Canada, and the home nations. The overall standard was extremely good and the winners are as follows:

The Overall Winner: Peter Salisbury, St. Thomas's, Lymington

Built on Salt

In the crash of the wind-smashed wave
or the lick of the ripple's lap
- hidden.

As the shore smell bites
or the sea breeze heals
- hidden.

Till sun-bathed salterns, and fire,
distil the diamonds in the pan
-revealing: worthy salt; and power.

Once our town's foundation,
then abandoned to time's tide,
now buoying up the moneyed yachts
of a new Lymington
- still built on salt.

Runner-up: Kate Miller, London

Aigues Mortes

From the ramparts of the fort
the king has built to ring our farms
I see that all we thought was Eden
is an overgrown yard,
green-hung with figs,
and in the sheds, our pitted spades,
a battered cart, the white mare
lame, her foal too skittish nervous
to be harnessed. This July
we will not cross the drying fields
again, in case we rouse
flamingos. They steep and dye
in pans of purple on the marsh, rise
in swarm: demons, they swirl
and shriek a curse
upon our pyramid of opal salt.

Runner-up: Ben Ziman-Bright

Salt

When all my tears for you
are dry
they will resemble this:

a vast salt plane,
pure as the snow
and spanning miles.

Nothing will grow
(except maybe a cactus)
and all who venture there
will know the bitterness.

It will stain their shoes and clothes.
It will sting their eyes,
chap their lips.

And then everyone, everything
(perhaps even the cactus)
will weep.

Winner of 12 - 17 age group: Beth Blomfield, Lymington

The Salt March

200 miles
There was no end
The salt was taken
The money you spend

The dividing of India
Came as quite a shock
To Ghandi who protested
The salt out of stock!

They marched to the sea
And made their own salt
Where Ghandi told them
It wasn't their fault.
That if their salt was taken away
Each and everyone of them would have
To pay.

Winner of Under 11 age group: Anna Cooper, Lymington

Beware Salt

It's the life blood of heart attacks
It strikes with an almighty blow.
You can love it or hate it
But there's one thing you need to know:
An overdose can be fatal
For it's a lethal foe
Clogging the arteries to your heart
If you snack when you're on the go.
Don't think I'm talking rubbish
Don't think I'm messing around
'Cause you're the one who''ll regret it
When a dreadful disease they've found.