We’re pleased to announce the winner of the August WWWC: phil saunders! Responding to the prompt ‘news from afar’, phil’s triptych of postcards home deftly combines poetry and prose.

Read his winning entry below.

News From Afar

Part One: Happy New Year & All That

I have seen a plane vanish into mountainside mist / Varanasi where I am sitting at 8.11 am watching the world / everything here happens slowly / up at 6.30 am for a walk / quiet streets in contrast to busy ones we entered last night/sunrise red through orange gold to yellow / centre of Hinduism on Ganges / it is another place at another time / patience is painfully learnt as one waits for buses & banks & trains & planes / flights in & out of Kathmandu offered beautiful views of the Himalayas / they rise above as if placed for our amazement / many hours are spent just looking / bunches of tourists taking photo after photo of the people & their temples / spent more than expected or desired but still have plenty & will make up for it back here in India / wait / look at the street / let mind wander / draw / maybe read, walk, take a rickshaw / Christmas was unexpected / met & was invited to lunch by some people connected with an aid mission / beautiful food with about 20 people 10 nationalities / was invited to American Club / mix up with breakfast so will wait / breakfast has started to come 8.50 am the day will continue.

high snow melts

into rivers that sustain

life giving grandeur

Part Two: All That’s Left Dear Mum and Dad

Finally got to see some country, went to Hamilton last Saturday as appetiser. Mon hitched Auckland to Wellington stayed with Wally. Tues ferry to Picton then hitched on to Christchurch stayed with guy I met at convention. Wed view from nearby hill & pig farm visit. Thurs Dunedin stayed with pastor. Today hitched to Invercargill. Alive and well. Busy in a chaotic sort of way. Letter soon. Had very pleasant day trip to Hanmer Springs a walk up a hill to view the valley, & cups of tea etc going & coming & picnic lunch. In the thermal pool you can’t put your head underwater because you can get amoebic meningitis. So a good day & a postcard for you to share our pleasant memories. Inexpensive room for Bay of Islands resort motel with view, shared kitchen & bath plus balcony & spa & two minutes from beach. I’m actually at Wellington but it’s a pretty picture! Glad to be away from Christchurch & all it holds. Personal & business trip seeing friend & government & other contacts. Beautiful clear view on way up early am flight yesterday. Hard to believe I’ve been here only one and a half weeks, so much has gone on.

journeys taken amid changing panoramas

created a landscape for my aloneness

my home for the moment

Part Three: More Ghosts to Decipher

Really pleasant journey. Lots of green and a beautiful sunset & moonrise over the infamous Hay Plain. Even had the time to make a business call & stopped at Tucker Bay & Big Marino! Beautiful spring weather a week early. Sunday drive to Blue Mountains. Stopped at Hydro long enough to enjoy expensive coffee & cake & outstanding view but not long enough to take the baths. This week not so kind work & more work & an infected throat, very red, one of the reddest the doctor has seen. There’s always next week! Chuffed to get your card. If it’s Tuesday it must be Wagga. Just as well the name of the town is on the card, every post office looks the same for those with the good sense to keep the originals! another day another view. Met up with woman I knew who took me to the sights & home for very pleasant evening. Got to visit the Western Plains Zoo very impressive. The beasts were generally eating & doing very little which seemed to me an excellent thing so I sat & had some lunch & watched birds and monkeys before heading off, away from sunny Dubbo to stormy Sydney.

PS: Happy Birthday Mum.

toward rising moon

setting sun in rearview

Hay Plain ghosts