NISA is pleased to announce the winners of the seventh annual BrainStorm poetry contest. We had nearly 600 entries from writers all over the world, and with so many contenders, choosing just three winning poems was very difficult. Our judges spent hours deliberating the finalists before finally unveiling the top three:

1. First prize went to Jennifer Footman of Caledon, Ont. for Diagnosis

2. Tracy King of New Brighton, Minnesota took second prize for elemental

3. Third prize went to Karen Peterson of Edmonton, Alberta for Shrinkipoo

The winning entries will be featured in the Spring 2009 issue of Open Minds Quarterly.There were also six honourable mentions. They are as follows:

Tracy King for Butterfly

David O'Neal for Islands

Michael Conner for Burning the Dark

Diane Klammer for Bless me O Doctor, for I Need More Pills

Benjamin Hawkes for Seeds of Revolution

Karen Peterson for Silent plague (for Colin)

Honourable mentions will be featured in the Fall 2009 issue. All contest entrants will receive a copy of Open Minds Quarterly.

Thank you to all the writers who entered this contest. Give yourself a pat on the back for taking a chance and for supporting mental health consumers in the development of their talents. With your support of the contest, we also raised more than $2140, which will support the continued publication of Open Minds Quarterly.

We also want to thank the family, friends and mental health workers who supported many of our contest entrants. With your help, a number of writers were able to enter the contest who would not have otherwise.

The 8th annual BrainStorm contest runs from Monday, January 4 to Friday, March 19, 2010. The entry form and regulations will be posted on this website after December 1.

Copies of the Spring 2009 or Fall 2009 issues, in which the winning poems will be published, are available from the OMQ office for $5 each (Ontario residents add $0.40). Yearly subscriptions are also available.