Ed Collins got the shock of his life when he was told that he was the winner of a national poetry title. "The news came the day before my 80th birthday. I've been writing all my life and never won anything - so it came as a complete surprise," said Ed, of Southport. Ed is the 2009 winner of the biggest free to enter annual national poetry contest there has ever been. He entered the National Poetry Anthology with a poem inspired by his grandchildren. The competition organisers pick 250 regional winners every year - put them in the book - give each winner a free copy - then ask them to vote for the best poem in it. The winner of the vote gets £1,000 and a magnificent trophy to keep for life. "I've written six novels and countless short stories, as well as a host of poems, but this is the first prize I've ever won," said Ed, a retired teacher. "I love writing and I find it very therapeutic. I very rarely submit any of my work to anybody, but when I saw the details about the National Poetry Anthology, I felt that I had to enter. This competition is completely free and although I didn't enter it for the £1,000 cash prize, it comes as a nice bonus. I'm not sure what I'm going to spend the money on." Ed is a widower with two daughters and five grandchildren. His winning poem is entitled "The Land Of Little People."
"It's an endearing description of the way children see the world," said Peter Quinn, managing director of United Press, the competition organisers. Peter presented Ed with his trophy and his £1,000 cheque, at a press gathering at Southport Library.
Ed is the first Merseyside winner of the competition. He describes himself as a people person and is very active in his local over fifties club at St Patrick's RC Church, Southport.
THE LAND OF LITTLE PEOPLE
There is a land where children go,
Beyond the church and steeple,
To the edge of the world and back again,
To the land of little people,
Where roads are covered in chocolate cream,
Rivers flow with pop,
And forests abound with lollipop trees
With lots of cream on top.
There are woods and lakes and magic spells
And fairies in the park,
And elves and gnomes of every kind,
To chase away the dark.
It's a world of tears and laughter,
Which every child knows well,
The golden land of make believe
With its ageless magic spell.
But no one knows its whereabouts,
The direction that it lies,
Though the gateway's there for all to see
In children's shining eyes.
