Page Seventeen

Ladies and Gentleman, you will find listed below the shortlists for our short story and poetry competitions. These shortlists were compiled by our judges, former editor Tiggy Johnson for short stories and MPU president Wendy Fleming for poetry.

And so, the names, in alphabetical order of the writers:

Short Story Shortlist 2011

‘The Other Guy’ – Emilie Collyer

‘Not My Son’ – Jennifer Goode

‘Luck of the Draw’ – Hayley Katzen

‘Wings’ – Kerrie McCure

‘Mandrake in the Marsh’ – Lachlan Plain

‘The Smiths’ – Eugene Yang

Poetry Shortlist 2011

‘The Space Between’ – Emilie Collyer

‘I Am The Lion on the edge of your bed…’ – Nathan Curnow

‘Remembering Laszlo’ – Greg Piko

‘Night Music’ – Kristen Roberts

‘Washington NYE’ – Anna Ryan-Punch

‘Half Empty’ – Marian Spires

‘Giraffes’ – Valerie Volk

As per our usual methods of torture here at page seventeen, we will not be revealing the winners and runners-up just yet. That’s the juicy bit left for our launch. Date and place are TBA on the launch at this point in time, but suffice to say that it will be early November and that it’s going to be a blast.

To everyone that made the shortlist, congratulations and I hope to see you at the launch. For all those who missed out this year, don’t be discouraged, and I hope to see you at the launch. Hell, anyone who’s stumbled onto this site from a writers blog or random facebook link, I hope to see you – wait for it – at the launch!

A big thank you to everyone who sent in work for the competitions. There’s always plenty of material that just misses the mark, that has a moment of bad luck and bows out without specific commendation. So, to anyone who didn’t get a story or poem into this shortlist: please keep sending your work out, whether it be to us or to the next available competition you come across.

Memories of a Friend by Lisa Fitzpatrick was shortlisted in the 2009 Page Seventeen Short Story and Poetry Competition and is hence published in Issue 7. Current Fiction Editor Laurie Steed shares his thoughts (initially posted on the Gum Wall, Dec 4, 2009, reproduced with permission).

The Story
Jen has broken up with her husband Phil. They have two children together, and Jen’s doing her best not to take it out on the two kids.

She left the relationship because he was beating her, and now busies herself with the day-to-day process of raising her kids. She packs the lunches, considers the housework, and makes a mental list of things to pick up from Phil’s. She has an additional task today; going to see her friend Sal, along with Sal’s newborn baby.

Jen has to work first, watching elderly residents knit, thread by thread at Clarabell Hall, with “nursing home stares”. She heads off at one, leaving them to their world of inactivity, time frozen.

She has reasons to be hesitant about seeing Sal, but wants to be there for her friend, and so pushes her grief down, at least for the time being.

Jen drives to the hospital, stopping first to pick up food and gifts for Sal and the baby. And then, with dahlias in hand, she visits the maternity ward.

Why it Sticks
With good stories, you barely notice the seams as you read. Even better stories have any number of subtly linked scenes, narrative echoes of the overall theme. Fitzpatrick’s story is filled with narrative echoes and thematic symbols, many of which I missed the first time around I was so engrossed by the character’s journey. On subsequent readings, you can literally see motif upon motif, all contributing to articulate the story’s common themes of grief, isolation and guilt.

Memories of a friend also succeeds because it is willing to take risks with its characters, where grey is most definitely the colour. These are not mere caricatures, but real people, with their own flaws, mean-streaks, and petty insecurities…and that only makes their story all the more compelling.