SHP client scoops runner-up prize in International Poetry Award

A client at  Rachel House has been awarded runner-up position in the International Poetic Republic award 2010.

Ian Shaw composed ‘If My Father Could See Me Now’ in February 2009 and entered it into the competition a year later, with the encouragement of staff at Rachel House. First published in the Christmas edition of SHP Source, the poem was inspired by falling in love with a girl he wished his father had been alive to meet .

Ian said “When I wrote the poem, I wondered if it was good enough for a competition so I went on the net to find one. It was gut feeling that inspired me to enter the International Poetic Republic competition and it felt brilliant to reach the final stages of the competition. Basically poetry has got to come from the heart so thinking deeply into your soul can encourage your creativity.”

The creativity hasn’t stopped there for Ian. As part of the music group at Rachel House, Ian and staff member Gemma have been putting the poem to music. They are intending to record it in the near future, hoping for the same success when sending it out to record producers!

Ian is now looking to other poetry competitions for his next poem, called A Caring Friend.