Poetry Competition Winner

HAD is delighted to announce that the 2014-15 poetry competition on the theme of ‘Honouring the Ancient Dead’ has been won by Rob Miles.

Rob’s poem can be found below.

Every museum known to have ancestral remains on display will be offered the winning poem to be used alongside displays of ancestors (commonly referred to as ‘human remains’).

The quality of entries was very high and the judges had a challenging but enjoyable time deciding on the eventual winner. In fact, the standard was so high, it would be a pity not to celebrate the creativity further. Plans are being drawn up to publish the best of the rest on this site, and perhaps as a bound anthology. We will be in touch with selected entrants over the coming days and weeks to consult on this idea before publication.

An enormous and sincere thank you to all who took part. Scores of ancestors up and down the country will now have a greater opportunity of being remembered, by us the living.

Honouring the Ancient Dead

No matter what you see of age
or illness, disaster, ritual or war, remember

while you learn, no fragments found
behind this glass

could be my love, nor all my knowledge,
nor all yours.

You may not chance to share
this air, although you might reflect

the heart and vision that you are
is also how I was. Release for me at least

a breath, a tiny, living wish for peace. Then breathe
as if for all of us.

Rob Miles