It was that time of the year again, Valentine’s Day had arrived. What better way to celebrate it than by listening to romantic and funny poems at the annual San Pedro Sun’s Valentine’s Day Poetry Competition. Hosted at Blue Iguana Grille, The Sun had attendees enjoying the poems which were read live and aired on the 92.3FM airwaves, The Reef Radio.

    Submissions were received by many poets, locally and from abroad. Each of them were judged in categories like Foreign, Grand Prize, Funniest, Most Romantic, Spanish, Student and Lobster. Judging was done by diners patronizing The Blue Iguana Grille at the end of the night.

    For the 2010 Poetry Competition submissions were received from all over Belize and the world. One entry was submitted by Chukwurah Ephraim, a 21-year-old poet from Nigeria. Entries were submitted by students from the San Pedro High School, Saint John’s College Junior College, Muffles College and Isla Bonita Elementary. It was a close race for the prizes, with one vote separating the winners at times. At the end, after judging close to 50 poems the winners are as follows:

*Foreign – Ode to the Lobster submitted by Lydia Langston of Pearsall, Texas, USA (six month subscription to The San Pedro Sun)

*Grand Prize – Ode to the Lobster submitted by Lydia Langston (Lunch for two courtesy of Hidden Treasure Restaurant, Snuba for two courtesy of Discovery Expeditions, one Round Trip ticket courtesy of SP Belize Express, $150 cash prize courtesy of Grand Belizean Estates, Sunset Cruise for two courtesy of Sirena del Mar @ Blue Tang Inn)

*Funniest – The Garbage Man is my Valentine submitted by Lisa Anderson (Lunch for two courtesy of Rico’s Bar and Grill, one Rum Cake courtesy of Rainforest Rumcakes, Gift Certificate courtesy of Liquor Box, $25 Gift Certificate courtesy of Caroline’s Fine Cooking)

*Spanish – Que bonito mi San Pedro submitted by Freddy Nunez ($150 Gift Certificate courtesy of Rapidito Loans, $150 cash courtesy of Grand Belizean Estates, one Rum Cake courtesy of Rainforest Rumcakes, Dinner for two courtesy of Sunset Grill)

*Student – Our devotion to Love submitted by Kadizha Jones of the San Pedro High School (Goody Bag courtesy of Courtney Sage, $100 cash prize courtesy of the Reef Radio, $50 gift certificate courtesy of Aquatic Sports Belize Limited, Round Trip ticket for one courtesy of Tropic Air)

*Most Romantic – If I told you submitted by Lynda Quintanilla (Gift from Graniel’s Dreamland, Hol Chan-Shark Ray Alley for two courtesy of White Sands Dive Shop, Lunch for two courtesy of Lily’s Treasure Chest, one Rum Cake courtesy of Rainforest Rumcakes)

*Lobster – Ode to the Lobster submitted by Jill Mirise (Stone Crab Dinner courtesy of Nautica, Snorkel for two courtesy of Ambergris Divers, Round Trip ticket courtesy of SP Belize Express)

*Honorable Mention – Let Love Live submitted by BB Bashing (Sunset Cruise for two courtesy of Seaduced, Dinner for two courtesy of El Divino)

*Honorable Mention – My only profession submitted by Angel Nuñez (Dinner for two courtesy of Portofino, one Rum Cake courtesy of Rainforest Rumcakes,)

    The San Pedro Sun thanks all those who took the time to submit their poems, Blue Iguana Grill for hosting the event, prize sponsors who generously donated wonderful gifts for the winners and the readers who continue to make the contest a success year after year.