AUDREY MALONE, POET

Audrey Malone of Hope Town has been invited to Washington DC in August to attend the convention of the International Society of Poets. Here's her story in her own words.

"I needed to say some words to my son after he passed away and put it into the words of a poem. Then I sent it away to the International Library of Poetry for evaluation, never thinking it would go anywhere. They wrote back to say they had entered it in their poetry contest and wished to publish it in their annual anthology of poetry coming out in fall 2001 titled "True Reflections". After that they wrote and said my poem had been chosen out of 33 to be read on tape and CD. Then I received a letter and certificate saying I had won the Editor's Choice Award for Outstanding Achievement in Poetry.

"I have always loved poetry. I learned all the poems in our "Royal Readers" at school but had never put anything on paper until I lost my son and felt the need to say something to him.

"Then I received a letter saying I had been nominated as the World Amateur Poet and invited to the summer convention of the International Society of Poets in Washington to read my poetry and be inducted as an International Poet of Merit and honourable member of their society. I will receive an International Poet of Merit Award medallion, a personalised walnut-finished commemorative plaque and compete for over $65,000 in prize money. First prize is $20,000. I can also add a poem to the world's longest Poem For Peace. I will be leaving on the 15th August to attend the conference."