Runner-Up: ‘Nurses’ by Irving Parry NURSES by Irving Parry Thou Swell.. Thou Grand Wouldst hold my hand And smile away my fears. Hug away my tears. Thou hast anointed me With healing TLC Thou hast restored me. Oh Thou Swell. Thou Grand. Thou hast held my hand.
Winning short stories Winner: “Donkey” by John Meiklejohn Runner Up: “Life is a Circle” by Irving Parry DONKEY by John Meiklejohn
a farrier who looked after his feet, but he was still discontented.
If I strayed too near, he tried to kick me. When I planted new trees and bushes, he ate them. We tolerated one another, travelling along paths never to meet in a congenial relationship. One day, he left it all behind. Our neighbour saw him go.
We bought the house and so began my journey with a donkey. Don “The donkey has gone walkabout,” came with the house. Whatever she said, pointing eastward. possessed me to agree to that remains a mystery! “Towards Menstrie.” We had had pets but a donkey was unknown territory. He rejected all my efforts to make contact. He had a half-acre paddock for grazing, a stable for comfort and shelter, and
I set off on what seemed a fruitless exercise and grumbled, “Ungrateful animal, he has all that a donkey in the east would desire and yet he wants more”. 27
