“ACKNOWLEDGING the fact that my poem is the best in this tough national literature contest is truly unbearable,” Philip Gena Kaupa told me.
Philip, 27, is a marine biologist and, although he was born in Goroka and currently lives with his family in Port Moresby, a self-described “Simbu man – my home town is Kundiawa”.
“I am overwhelmed by the victorious feeling that comes with this magnificent achievement,” he said.
“The Crocodile Prize is the avenue that creates greatness and fame in Papua New Guinean literature.”
Philip is ambitious. “I wish to be a poet as famous as Shakespeare and hopefully publish a couple of novels that can inspire movies.
“To all participants in the Crocodile Prize, especially the poetry enthusiasts, I know your efforts gave the judges a great deal of work. Keep coming hard in 2016 and never give up.
“Congratulations to all poems that made it into the Crocodile Prize Anthology 2015. You are all authors and poets keep it up. I dedicate my poem “Write for a greater prize” to all writers.”
Philip expressed his “sincere gratitude “to the sponsor of the Award for Poetry, Kina Securities.
“You are not only assisting the Crocodile Prize but building a nation of powerful poets,” he said. “I wish Kina Securities all the best in its endeavours.
“I make a special acknowledgement of PNG Attitude. The blog is the best engine to make great writers and I believe I am one of your products. Thanks very much to Keith Jackson and Phil Fitzpatrick and your hard working team.
Write for a greater prize
Just write
for there’s a prize
Greater than you can bear
bigger for all to share
Because you live only once
and words live more than twice
You learn when you compete
but, that doesn’t make you complete
Dig deep into yourself
check the shelves of your mind
Put on your thinking cap
and open your vocabulary tap
Just write
for there’s a prize
That money can’t buy
and literature can’t deny
That words can linger
though they start small at a finger
They can go to the ends of the earth
far beyond your place of birth
Far into a distant time
still maintaining their prime
You may be history
but your words tell your story
That’s why we should write
for infinity will be our prize