WD Poetic Form Challenge: Awdl Gywydd Winner

Learn the winner and Top 10 list for the Writer’s Digest Poetic Form Challenge for the awdl gywydd.

Here are the results of the Writer's Digest Poetic Form Challenge for the awdl gywydd along with a Top 10 list. You can check out all the awdl gywydd entries in the comments on this post.

Click here at any time to see what current WD Poetic Form Challenge we're running. Our next WD Poetic Form Challenge will likely launch in early July.

Here is the winning awdl gywydd:

"5 AM at the Metropark," by J. Furda

I'm awake before the sun.
An abundance of birds sing,
calling their future lovers—
a chorus covering spring.

Branches' shadows intertwine,
phantom vines on paths leaf-strewn.
Silhouettes of critters stir,
dancing ghosts under the moon.

Heron, in his own ballet,
stalks its prey in waters dark,
while woodpeckers in the trees
knock wildly against the bark.

Now light crests the canopy
and dawn slowly paints the sky;
a peacefulness settles in—
night begins its lullaby.

*****

Play with poetic forms!

Poetic forms are fun poetic games, and this digital guide collects more than 100 poetic forms, including more established poetic forms (like sestinas and sonnets) and newer invented forms (like golden shovels and fibs).

*****

Congratulations, J. Furda! "5 AM at the Metropark" caught my attention during my first read because of the sounds and grew louder with each further reading.

Here’s my Top 10 list:

  1. 5 AM at the Metropark, by J. Furda
  2. The White-tipped Dove, by Lelawattee Mano-Rahming
  3. Peaceful War God, by Pamela L. King
  4. Vigil, by Tracy Davidson
  5. Humans, by Seamus
  6. "The tree perched...", by Connie L. Peters
  7. Inter-species, by Jane Shlensky
  8. Pockets of Joy, by Trudy Bosman
  9. small sign of hope, by Candace Kubinec
  10. Alder Creek Seasons, by Taylor Graham

Congratulations to everyone in the Top 10! And to everyone who wrote an awdl gywydd!

Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.