Abounding in Literary Success

On the heels of my friend Abby, I just learned of my own little piece of success in the literary award. I was notified by email today that I've won an honorable mention for my poem "More Than A Rooster" in the Knoxville Writer's Guild Poetry contest. Here's what judge Marianne Worthington had to say about my poem:

Tim, I chose your poem because I greatly admired the sense of humor conveyed in the symmetrical stanzas, and because, well, I had a grandmother that talked that way! I’m very happy about your winning poem.

That's kind of nice, that my poem about dirty-talking grandmothers resonates with someone other than just me. Below, please find my award-winning piece.

More Than a Rooster


Ecology is a dangerous thing.

To know so much about the world

except why grandmother's golden

rooster flashed his wings, crowed,
Chased me round her circle drive

Dive-bombing my feet.

I eyeballed a toy ball bat,

Orange savior in the primrosed path.

I hit him hard,

Hit him hard again.

Pullet proud, cocksure.

It is hard to know how

Good it feels to hurt something

To make another thing fear,

To hear my grandmother calling from her porch,

"Smack the son of a bitch!"