Contest Winners- December 24, 2012

Merry Christmas Everyone!! Congrats to this weeks winners, so odd saying that, being a winner myself! Here are the scores and comments. Have a great Holiday you guys :)

WINNERS:

Paper plates and all things disposable
by Yaki- 10 + 7 + 7 = 24

Omnicient

by Chelsey- 7+ 7+ 4 = 18

Chess
by real meaning- 10 + 4 = 14

HM's:

The Sun Rose?! by Wild flower (10)

Amelies Chansons

by: Karla (10)

The Violins Somber Cry

by WitheredRose - (10)

A single Rose, A single tear

by The Poet behind the poems - (7)

The journey of meditation

by Sarah Serenity -(4)

Joker
by Maple Tree (4)

Thoughts on a cold day in December

by Tara Kay (4)

WINNER COMMENTS:

Paper plates and all things disposable by Yaki

Yaki, your piece is breathtaking. I am speechless although I must confess it left a bitter-sweet taste in my mouth. I loved your poem because it is simple and relatable. We all have moments of introspect where we catch ourselves examining and questioning our attitudes in life openly and honestly. We can't simply ignore and forgive those who hurt us. It requires a lot of altruism and kindness. I don't really think we are prepared to exercise all muscles of our hearts because forgiveness means above all self-denial and self-sacrifice. It takes to time to build up confidence and feel superior again."Forgive and forget" is such a beautiful advice but how difficult it is to release ourselves from our private tragedies and move on! You are right "people are not paper plates", however, some human beings are made of plastic and they are disposable. People like those haunt us and have no scruples about squeezing our hearts. They are not aware we have feelings because they themselves don't have blood in their veins. Partly because life was hard and made them cold beings and partly because they don't know what love is/means. We can't give what we don't have, my dear. Don't ever think you are disposable or that you failed love (or even that love failed you). Some people only realize their mistakes when they lose us forever. Besides, some people don't deserve our love and understanding. We can even love them but we shan't expect to be loved back. It is something impossible for them. All I hope is that you may find love because as Rumi said: "what you seek is seeking you". Your message is touching Yaki. Excellent piece!(10)

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Paper plates and all things disposable

by: Yaki

This poem really moved me in ways unimaginable. Those opening lines are heartbreaking and filled with so much sadness yet the author manages to portray her thoughts beautifully.

"that there is nothing beautiful about a rainbow"

I find this lime simply stunning. It's so meaningful and thought provoking.

A lot of the time when I read poetry, I often find poems that start out strongly at the beginning tend to become weaker throughout and often without an enjoyable closing that wraps it up. But this, this poem just got better and better as I read and I was incredibly moved and stunned by all of it. I truly didn't want it to end and am still awestruck at how the author put this together so perfectly.

I'm finding it difficult to express my thoughts properly because I really am awed by the whole poem. The whole concept, the content, rhythm and flow all meld together beautifully to create an exquisite piece of art. (7)

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Paper plates and all things disposable

by Yaki

I immediately became immersed in the voice this poet used. It seemed to sink into my deepest emotions and bring out that doubt that is often on the surface of our thoughts. I loved the opening, how the poet grasped the reader with the questioning and continued use of "you", and that hope and belief someone may have had all their life....is a cold reality no longer desired.

The strength and rawness of this piece calls and screams out. I never thought before of ever fearing someone for the rest of your life, but what if something was that constant? Something so changed...brilliantly worded with a creativity this poet utilizes exquisitely. The image of paper plates and the relation to human beings, past beings of your life is phenomenal. It brings out much pain, the truth can become constant, the cruelty that can override others. Excellent emotion and sadness that is rooted out here. Very well expressed. (7)

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Omnicient

by Chelsey

I have heard of this word before, but never used as a title of something, and I believe the poet portrays the power of this all-knowing truth in the end. The poet's voice in this poem is shown with sadness but with the answers already known ahead of time, making it bitter in the end that this relationship between two people could become so twisted. There is a theme very relevant to many readers: that want to be loved and the want to rid one own's life of loneliness. To be filled. Yet, the reader finds out this man has planned a way of life that is divergent from her's, maybe to be in control.

Wonderfully structured, with a very distinct structure that speaks for itself. I like the stand-alone lines that start with "I know", giving off an aurora of some premonition, that when not followed, results in a loss of love and in heartache. Again, there is a anguish that a vulnerable heart could be taken over, and as this poet wrote about anchoring himself to her. Very effective, the little stanzas articulate so much about the kind of men who seem to prey and the type of women who only know innocence. Well written. (4)

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Omniscient
by Chelsey

Chelsey took this message and blew it out of the water in my opinion.

We all can relate to this in some form or fashion. Often times in life, when we have somebody come along and teach us the harsh realities of heartbreak, we can either drown in sorrows or possibly express our lessons to others who may see the red flags before it's too late. I adored the format within this piece, and how she tries to express to another soul, that red flags should not be ignored, and possible cushion the fall of heart break. I too can relate to this on a personal level, and that is why I felt so drawn to this piece, it's a painful reality when a person loves you and leaves you like yesterday's news, and in the end, I too wished for the comfort and knowledge of someone who has been there to share with me.. This poem was tastefully written, with a heartfelt tone throughout the entire piece, powerful piece indeed! (7)

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Omniscient
by Chelsey

Chels, I really loved your piece."Omniscient" is such a perfect title since it defines perfectly what the lyrical I does: s/he knows everything that will happen either because s/he has already gone through the same kind of situation or maybe because s/he is suspicious about the so-called romantic love. Experience is always what counts in the long run, however, people have to live their own lives to find out their own truths. I must confess I simply loved how you deconstructed the romantic idea of love here. But it is sad to think about a signed, sealed, delivered fate where a woman has no choice but to suffer for being in love with an idiot because she is too blind to see more than her own immediate needs. I'd rather think she dared to love and didn't ask for advice because she already knew the answer. If she had asked for your help, it would have saved her from a valuable mistake and sometimes we do need to err in order to be stronger and learn something useful especially a woman described as "socially inept, emotional wreck, faith forgotten soul that cries at night" starving for attention. She is an easy prey, a pitiful creature too much involved with her low self-esteem but she needs an earthquake to shake her invisible world/life in order to be free from her small ego. After all even we lose, we gain. I also loved the format of your piece and the language. I found it ironic and detached but it adds such a special charm to the poem. The images are flawless:

I know what he'll do... Dock his boat at your shore and anchor himself into the sandy heart that you own.

All in all I think your poem is amazing not only for the message it conveys but also for the format and the deconstruction of the myth of romantic love. I suppose love can't be a visceral feeling if one is too much worried about our own needs. If we really want love, we have to give ourselves to its flames completely. Great work Chels. Looooooooooooved it - (7)

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Chess
by real meaning

This small visual display simply captivated me! I can't express enough, how much I adore small poems that say more than meets the eye.

I could visualize a man, smoking a cigar in the dead of night, waiting for morning to arrive, its a calm and soothing piece. I love the title- like a chess game, candles flickering losing to early dawn. This piece was written almost like a painting to me, because of the beautiful and elegant visuals I received.

Real Meaning to me to the dark of night, and greeting early sunrise.. I was speechless! well done! (10)

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Chess
by Real meaning

Your poems are always exquisite and you never fail to surprise me with your sublime imagery and metaphysical approach to life. This piece is short but very effective because it captures solitude, silence and a moment of transition between night and day portraying nature as an intelligent player and life itself as a game. Chess and dice are games which lend themselves to great metaphors. The parallel between the game of chess/ dice with nature made me think of a strong esoteric symbolism for your poem. I see a man struggling between two dual forces, trying to maintain his self-identity:

"Light and shadows were dancing with the smoke of my cigar".

The speaker is split between two worlds which he seems to know very well: light and shadows dances for him as the candles surrender themselves to darkness, losing their spiritual force but

"morning was dicing in the eyes of windows."

Fate manifests through a new day as morning dices and life puts itself at the mercy of chance. A long time ago chess was played with dice but after the removal of the latest, the game emerged as a different sport. Chess relies on skill and strategy whereas dice depends on the chance element. I see again two dual forces in this piece but somehow they are in harmony because one doesn't interfere in the other. I can honestly say your poem immersed me in a vague discomfort and strangeness because I couldn't interpret it as a simple moment of loneliness only. However, I must admit I loved the feelings it evoked in me. Great piece. (4)

HM COMMENTS:

The Sun Rose?!

by: Wild flower

I was drawn into this right away because the opening line held so much anticipation and could be interpreted in several ways depending on who the reader is. It makes me feel like the author is diving into something new in their life, something as of yet undiscovered to them. The following lines really pack a punch because of the way I chose to take the first. It goes from confidence and yearning and being desperate to take new steps, throwing yourself into life straight into fear and hesitation and because of the opposite emotions thrown around within this verse alone, it created many conflicting thoughts and feelings for me.

I absolutely love the use of tangled in rays and the ocean whispering. It creates a striking image for me and really allows me to see the jumbled and confused thoughts that the author is describing.

The closing lines were beautifully portrayed and I find it interesting how it is completely different from the first. I find the first to show a hint of fear yet still the wanting to expand and then the closing lines appear to me that the author has totally given up and refuses to try anymore, because their fear is holding them back.

The last line, was a lovely way to wrap this up and really tied everything together very nicely. Lovely poem. (10) ----------------------------

Amelies Chansons

by: Karla

I was gently surprised by this piece, it showed a uniqueness that not only touched my heart, but brought me into the world of this sweet girl. The innocence and message she releases when she only dances is inspiring and automatically puts a soft image in my mind- it's a calming read, but also one of wisdom revealed to the reader.

When Amelie's feet meet together in that moment while in the air, there is relevance, unity....no brokenness, no loss of self-worth. Beautifully portrayed here, I like the poet mentions the "some people" both physically in my mind and through their spirit. What a story this poet weaves, not just describing a character to the reader, but making reality a beauty to be recognized and respected in one's own self. A lot of depth between these lines I still could grasp from. Good work. (10)

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The Violins somber cry

by WitheredRose

This poem is a lesson to all hardened PNQers of how you can cram imagery into a fairly small poem. But that is not all, this reads as rhythmically as a violin plays. I read this and I picture from line one music notes floating out into the distance. However this line immediately lulls us into a false sense of security, because the sadness strikes hard with line two, a vision of loneliness. There is reflection in three where the simplistic and idealistic notes are distorted and all the player hears is cries. Yet we learn that they are used to pain. Very clever reference in stanza two, 'life plays on' this struck a chord with me (no pun intended) Life does go on, no matter what heartache and sadness we can all face, we are just a cog, or a musician in the grand scheme of things. It was the last two lines that convinced me to award 10 points, we have double alliteration and a perfect balance with a final damning reminder of 'life plays on'. To use repetition so close together and for it to work just shows that this young lady is a dam fine poet. (10)

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A single Rose a single Tear

by The Poet behind the Poems

A short poem that not so much as kicks you in the face, it takes a huge 'run up' first. I cannot believe that this young man has managed to cram a huge heart stopping emotional rollercoaster into only 8 lines, I have read this many times. Taking a look at each couplet we are taken by the hand and led to real sorrow, We begin with the scene set, a backdrop of a cold night emphasising sadness, Then we move onto classic imagery of love, a single rose, yet this rose is not a happy image, it is a reminder of what once was. Then the sadness cranks up 10 fold. 'eternal bed' shedding only a single tear, how much this single tear must hurt. Then the end, 'one last time' It asks real questions, Why? Why one last time? Is he going to take his own life, is he moving on? A great little poem that is thought provoking as it is tearful. Well done. (7)

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The journey of meditation

by Sarah Serenity

This poem looks like a poem that has had all of the unnecessary words trimmed away leaving us with just the bones of what the poet wanted to portray. It also has the sense of something written so long ago. Not a modern take on Poetry where emotion is poured onto a page in a rambling way. There is great symmetry to this piece. Each word compliments each other well. The first line is intriguing I can picture a young lady holding a rose to her lips, either praying or hoping for something, she whispers her desire. 'Creatures rest' made me smile, what better way to describe the night, a whole image is presented with two very abrupt words. But stanza 3 is why I gave the points to this, I just enjoy the repetition, which builds like a drum roll, a constant reminder before each new reference. Fantastic poem, enjoyed reading this. (4)

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Joker

by: Maple Tree

So often we see sad and depressing poetry on here that I really enjoy it when I come across one of those rare pieces with a positive meaning, and am always moved by them. This poem did just that. It touched me deeply, left me questioning my own self doubts but more importantly, left me beginning to think on how to fix them or change them for the better, and it left me with a smile when I came to the end of the poem.

I particularly like how the author starts off with a somewhat melancholic tone, how it states that earlier things were different, that she doesn't believe what she does now, and then ended in such an inspirational way.

I only hope others who doubt themselves for whatever reasons or circumstances come across this and realise they too are worth more than they think they are. We all have our doubts and demons and it's nice to see someone fighting back, and saying I AM better, I can do better, I will do better. If only more people could adopt this attitude, the world would be a much more happier and peaceful place.

I really enjoyed this. (4)

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Thoughts on a cold day in December by Tara Kay

This nature piece was written in such a creative angle that alone made me choose this piece. To write of a bare tree, with barren limbs, brought me to tears for the metaphoric message is that of loneliness and in the end comfort. It has a holiday feel to it as well, and also speaks of a message of depression during winter and how soon, the sun will shine again! When I can take many messages out of one piece, it deserves to be highlighted!! Beautiful nature piece!!! (4)

Thank you judges for my win!! Thank you Ben and Abed for nominating it, looks like it was a big hit ! :) haha. So unexpected. Thanks again!

Wow thank you mense, specially the first comment

I feel as if te judge was trying to heal me, so beautiful

~~~**i feel like a star**~~~

that poem was so hard for me to write.. muah

Well done to all involved and happy christmas :)

Congratulations winners and HMs:)
Thank you for the HM judge=)

Thank you judges for my HM,
and well done winners and other HMs!!

Way to go Chelsey!!!

xxx

Thanks guys for acknowledging my work. I was not sure if they were even read.
I am grateful!!

Congrats, all :) Great work!

Congratulations winners and HM's! Amazing work :]

Congratulations to the winners and HMs.

Judges, thank you!

Great work Chelsey.

Thank you judges. Congrats winners. Those poems are awesome!

Congratulations winners and H'ms... :-)

Thank you judge for my Hm and lovely comment~

Grats, all! :D