The winner of the November/December poll for the Readers’ Choice Award is:

Religion of the Species – by Giles Turnbull

…and a coveted prize mug will soon be on its way to Giles.

The Editor’s Choice Poem is:

Sound Bank – by Marilyn Longstaff

selected by Anne Caldwell who said:

“It was a delight to be asked to read the poetry of Algebra of Owls for this issue. The work was wide ranging and inventive. I would like to commend ‘Casting Call’ for its gentle, self-depreciating humour and ‘Leaving Russia’ for the inventiveness of the image of ‘storing promises’ in kneecaps, and its dignity of tone. 

I chose ‘Sound Bank’ as the Editor’s choice. I particularly enjoyed the sensory nature and pathos of this poem. It was unusual and original to read a piece of work that focused on sound rather than sight. The attention to detail in this piece was very clear, as well as the emotional impact of losing hearing. It was a poem that quietly grew on me the more I read it. It wasn’t trying too hard, but the choice of language and form felt right, and the writing was not over-worked. A pleasure to read. “