Third Place: Earth Music by Diane Neff

In this never silent world –

Birthed of a pulse, a pulse, a swell

From the moon’s pull, 

A beat, a beat, a breath,

And a melody risen from the wind

Across our own hollow spaces,

Like water in a tumble of rock and weed,

Sound fills the crevasses and cracks, 

Muffles the scrapes and scuffs,

Gurgles against rough edges 

And strokes the smooth –

Chords tie us into harmony.

About the Author

Diane Neff is a former professor, college dean, and US Navy officer and now serves as a librarian for the Seminole County Public Library System. She is the current president of Orlando Area Poets, a chapter of the Florida State Poets Association. Her poetry has appeared in several anthologies. Her other activities include Toastmasters, tap dancing, and volunteering at Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando.