Poet’s winning verse celebrates those who gather fish for chips
A Sheffield woman with a terrible fear of drowning has won a
poetry competition dedicated to the nation’s mariners, with the prize of having her poem read out by the 'Bard of Barnsley' Ian McMillan.
Maggie Ballinger won the inaugural Seafaring Limerick
Competition, launched by the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society (SMS), with her
five-line tribute to sailors. The limerick was as much a celebration of the
British national dish as it was a celebration of a life at sea.
She wrote:
The swell, and the towering wave,
Cover many a seafarer’s grave.
So to land Britain’s dish,
(What are chips, without fish?)
A man must be strong, skilled and brave.
The announcement of the winning poet was made in time for
today – and what better way to mark World Poetry Day (21 March) than by penning
a prize-winning poem. The prize in question was to have the poem recorded for
posterity by the poet and competition judge Ian McMillan, who performed it in
his distinctive Northern style. As winner, Ballinger also received an engraved
barometer from the society.
The Sheffield poet said she entered the competition after
watching a programme about 30-metre waves; something scientists claimed was
impossible until it was proven credible with the result that shipping lanes
were changed. Given her fear of drowning, she says she has great admiration for
anyone who willingly goes out to sea. This inspired her to write her winning
limerickal (sic) tribute, beating off 120 fellow entrants.
“Maggie’s limerick actually covers a number of emotions
which is hard to do in five lines: it rhymes, it’s got rhythm, it’s a proper
limerick,” said Ian McMillan.
McMillan – or the ‘Bard of Barnsley’ as he is known – is the
poet-in-residence for English National Opera and a regular presenter of R3’s
The Verb. He also has a strong maritime connection courtesy of his father, who
served in the Royal Navy.
The SMS is a charity that provides financial support and
advice to retired seafarers in need. Between 2010 and 2011, the charity made
regular payments and one-off grants to some 2,644 retired sailors and their
families, amounting to over £1.5 million nationally.
Britain’s history and heritage as a maritime nation might be
well-known, but according to the organisation it’s continuing reliance on the
sea is often overlooked. The maritime sector is worth some £56 billion to the
UK economy – more than aerospace and agriculture combined – and directly
employs over 410,000 people.
“We were delighted with the response we got to this
competition and the creativity of people given just a five line format,” said
Malcolm Williams, the society’s Chief Executive. “We really like the winner’s
limerick, which is light-hearted, but a serious message on the dangers of the
sea and the reliance we have on the sea as an island nation.
“Having someone with the talent and reputation of Ian
McMillan judge our competition was a great honour for the society and is
especially fitting given his own maritime connections. Every year we see cases
of people who have dedicated so much of their lives to our seas and the society
aims to support them in times of difficulty.”
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