Poetry Competition Winners 2023

 Best Llanito Category

“Se tá perdiendo” by Dale Buttigieg

Lâ pavanâ tàn volando

Polô patiô de Hivertà

À vè si por una kalle

Amehòn se pweda kuxà

Lâ palavritâ dun làngwij

Ke lô 'vemo orvidàu d'avlà

Komo'n gaite sin levante

Ke seguro no va volà

Sori àlô ke dêpwè vengan

Kon un pâtiso ke reglà

Porke no va sè na fasi

Traè tolo perdìo patrà

Un mevli traviàu nla plasa

Un molino k'aigre no da

Un mîto ke tà sin llama

La farola sin alumbrà

Ese ê er vurdè ke dehamo

Polâ kallê de Hivertà

Tamo supwêto savêlo

Nwêtro hèritij, no'h verdà?

Metìo devaho'r tapete

Vien kondiìto komo si na

Kièn va dâle 'na apolohìa

À ese làngwij ke no va tà?

La patuka ke se pierde

Kolâ s'olitâ dela ma

Si ê ke s'ase dòkiumenting

Lo vamo tenè k'akseptà

Ke tiramo ese hìstori

K'àla pwerta vino à pikà

Er partìo se tà perdiendo

Ni un gou lo va podè sarvà

Pìdeselo à Fadakrîmâ

Kè màjik tenemo k'usà?

Pa 'sè rivèsing un stori

Ke sì va terminà fatà

Si ese Hivertà der fiuch

a Er Llanito no save 'vl

Judge Charlie Durante’s comments:

Dale Buttigieg with Se tà perdiendo. Dale is a great advocate of Yanito and his poem, Se tà perdiendo, is a lament for the slow erosion of our distinctive language. The initial seagull searches in vain for ‘lâ palavritâ dun langwij/Ke lô’vemo orvidau d’avlà.’

The disappearing language is compared to, depressingly, to ‘un mevli traviàu,’ ‘un molino k’aigre no da,’ ‘un mîto ke tà sin llama’-things which have lost their raison d’être. The language is part of ‘nwêtro hèritij,’ but we have neglected and devalued it.

Dale is definitely following his advice about ‘ke s’ase dòkiumenting- his short story (earlier this year) and this poem are powerful pleas for the central role played by Yanito in defining our heritage, culture and distinctive character as a people.

If Yanito has a future in the ‘Hivertà del fiucha,’ we need to overcome our linguistic prejudice and glory in our multi-lingual society.

 Best Llanito Category Runner-Up

“Vámono Pa Little Bay!” by Susan Cabezutto

No me entretenga que me voy pa Little Bay,

It's where I spend my summers every single day,

Adonde vamo esta mejor?

Que in this small place they all ignore,

Hasta que el Levante se apodera,

Y el red flag con fuerza vuela,

Sabre Eas.tern y Both Worlds,

Ahu, now adonde vamo?

Porque el Quary esta jampacked,

Y el Nuffield Pool tambien esta full.

Po vamono pa Little Bay,

Que es temprano, just midday.

Ai que calor por Dias,

Ai el concrete coma quema,

Tantas piedras que dilema,

Que no tengo plastic shoes,

Que hecho de meno la arena,

Con la orilla llena stones,

Que dolores pa mi bones,

Ai la ola que me lira,

Que me ahogo, madre mia,

It's the ferry cuando cruza de Malaga a Tangiers,

No vea el tidal wave that suddenly appears,

Ya no vengo mas,

Cada uno pa sus playas,

What's the time, Siri?

Ai por fin,

Es la hora del pollito al Piri-Piri.

Judge Charlie Durante’s comments:

Susan Cabezutto with Vámono pa Little Bay. What a delightful poem Susan has written. Summer’s here and the heat is unbearable unless you stake your claim to some spot in one of our crowded beaches. So, the speaker does not want to be detained as she rushes to set up her beach umbrella in Little Bay. But Little Bay is only the default choice when the Quarry and Nuffield Pool are congested with sunbathers and swimmers because there ‘el concrete como quema,’ ‘tantas piedras’ torture your feet ‘que no tengo plastic shoes’ and the ‘orilla llena stones.’

The poem succeeds beautifully because the use of Yanito sounds natural and unforced. We all say ‘no vea el tidal wave,’ ‘el ferry cuando cruza,’and ‘ el Quarry esta jampacked.’ There’s also a sense of community and enjoyment of life despite the inconveniences.

I hope Susan enjoyed her ‘pollito al Piri-Piri!”