Simulacrum Contest - FINALS RESULTS

Hello, Everyone.
I'm sorry for the wait, I am still missing results from one judge but I gave 25 points to everyone instead.
I want to thank those who participated in every round and also for writing this amazing poems.
I'm amazed by the talent Pnq has.

Here are the RESULTS:

#1 Necromancy Rising

Oh love, they sealed you underground
and wailed beside me all the day;
I waited 'til the night was deep
then took your body from the grave.

Raven wings and lizard bones
swirl the pot with smoke above;
snake of darkness strikes the light
tithes are paid come back, my love.

Red of blood and brown of flesh
yielded from your corpse reposed
white and black are waging war
my soul damned, the spell's composed.

Bring me now your truth, amour,
that sparkle glowing in your soul,
drape my shroud o'er us entwined
forever we entranced are whole.

[Chant]
"Who was alone no more apart;
where once was one we now bind two;
as one heart beats two souls quicken
a share of life to each imbue."

Whoever seeks our eyes won't see,
for they conceive of lonely lives
yet two souls swirl in this clay mold,
engraved in heart our love survives.

Note:
"Not embedded in stone but engraved in our hearts
Not written in a book but alive in our souls
Behind the veil of life, beyond the look of eyes
Fragmented in light but united in us."
- Samael, Alliance

Judge # 1

#1 Necromancy Rising (21/25)
The idea here is interesting: the speaker is using black magic to communicate with the soul of his/her lover, after taking the buried corpse late at night. However, I'm not so sure where the twist is. Maybe "my soul damned" is the one? If it is, it's unexpected, and that's great, but I would've loved to see it at the end. Anyway, loved the pace much, alongside the description of the spell - it was spooky! [21/25 Points ]

Judge #2

Structurally, this poem was pretty near perfect. The rhyming scheme was kept simple and the meter was more or less evenly balanced throughout which made the whole verse flow wonderfully.

I loved the whole idea of spells and witchcraft, you have painted some terrific images for the reader to envisage. I also admire some of the vocabulary/language used, it was very interesting. Also, the chant was a very nice addition I felt.

Overall, this poem kept me spellbound (pardon the pun) from start to finish 25 points. [25/25 Points]

Judge #3

#1 Necromancy Rising

Comment:
Well-structured poem. I love the verses in which you write in. My few suggestions are that in a couple of stanzas, I felt more of a pause was needed, such as in the fourth stanza- third line. Also, the twist wasn't as dramatic as I expected. Make an impact. The way you composed this write was very morbid, from your love wailing to mentioning a spell. Also, you had colors that reminded me of the picture, mentioning the browns and red of flesh. I liked the realization that you would be alive and together with your love because of what is engraved in your heart, but make it somehow darker. It was more melancholy in the end when you wrote that others
won't see you united with your love, they will only feel
their own loneliness. Good write, you molded in the part about "beyond the look of eyes" well.

Votes = 21/25

Total Points: 25+ 21+25+21 = 92

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#2 Nyctophobia

When I was a child,
a night time was something to fear at all costs.
Must've been the protruding curtain,
where the faceless man hid.
I would curl up beneath
the sanctuary of my sheets; terrified
with eyes tightly shut, almost choking
at the sadist sound of my heartbeat

deafening, suffocating
suffocating, deafening

until the fog of sleep
consumed me.

Each night has since become restless
as I laid ever so still, waiting for slumber
to overtake my mind's tormentor
and adversary.

Yesterday was wintry and dark,
darker than any other night.
I knew then, my fate was sealed:
I was to die strangled, asphyxiated in
cold blood.

Aware of the hair-raising change in the thickening air,
my eyes flicked up to their own accord,
and as I took a slow step forward
a warm gust of air hovered
at the back of my neck
like a perverted breath,
lustful and hurried.

His cold tongue
lapped wetly below
my earlobe,
as I tensed with fear,
perhaps pleasure,
though not a single moan
could escape.

Too scared to stay, too shocked to run,
I turned around to face my chilly assailant
only to have his mouth capturing mine.
Minutes to hour-- passed in a blur,
laid us, two lovers in the dark,
feeling more than sated and devoured.

"I would want nothing more than you
in all the world, my beautiful love,
you have been the first and will be
the only one to ever touch my heart."

All my fears have since been quickly dissipated,
now that darkness has become
my faithful ally.

--
"Excuse me, Miss Lynne
I must be spacing out"

I shakily replied as I hid behind my bangs.
She holds my gaze a bit longer this time,
my goddamned therapist is always
ready to meet
my eyes.

---------------

Judge #1

#2 Nyctophobia (25/25)

Does "Perfect" suffice?
The title hints to the psychiatric side of the story which is reflected in the very last word. Let's start, however, with the beginning which gave goosebumps to my goosebumps. It felt as if a narrator in a movie is speaking, and there is fog and fear all around; it felt really dark and scary!!! The fear of night was originally shed light on through brilliantly precise feelings. I wonder who the writer is. Can't wait to know his/her name :) Of course I gave this a full mark because of the twist which came at the very end (just the way it should be, IMO) - TOTALLY unexpected, and somewhat funny at the same time, with the marvelous cinematic addition of the therapist at the end. [25/25 Points ]

Judge # 2

This read more like a story to me than a poem. I think there were just too many stanzas and each just described fear in a slightly different way. By this I mean that everyone has been afraid of the dark and the boggy man at some point in their life so I didn't really need a step by step account of it. If the stanza had been reduced and more focus placed on letting the reader "imagine" (by this I mean placing their own thoughts in the poem) it would have worked much better in my opinion.

I did like the twist at the end but, to be honest, it was slightly predictable. [15/25 Points]

Judge #3
#2 Nyctophobia

Comment:
I loved the sensory imagery in this poem and the details
in which you show the reader what you are experiencing.
The opening set the atmosphere for this fear of night,
this inevitable restlessness that just won't let you go.
I liked your creativity with this, how you didn't feel
compelled to be confined to write in this many paragraphs
or this many stanzas. The suspense is well-crafted, especially with the realization that this night is darker
than rest, something will have to end. Great twist at the end, it took me by surprise but was a simple end that had
the effect of your therapist not being afraid to see beyond your eyes. The only suggestion I can possibly make is that
I sort of feel there was too much described for us- I think it could be more chilling if you left some questioning open for the reader. Give the imagery like you did but with "too scared to stay, too shocked to run", maybe don't explain it, have the reader feel it's presence.

Votes = 23/25

Total Points: 25+25+15+ 23=88

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#3 Cyclones

I think I was squinting. My vision - dizzy - (with the whiskey,)
tried to understand why night was on a merry-go-round -
or why my head whirled, with it?
There were cyclones.

- My eyelashes are too long, aren't helping.
Black angry bars - imprisoning my eyes -
The knife might cut them off, the knife -

the kitchen -
a crashing in my head
and I think 'I'll feel that in the morning.'
But now I feel like weedkiller,
or falling...
..
...
..
Shivering, cheek down on the kitchen tiles,
I wake, blinking, and stand.
Throat-burning, I scramble for water.

Things were still a haze, but I knew
it was blood I was watching drain down the sink,
and remembered it was hers.

-------

Judge # 1

#3 Cyclones (19/25)
Something about this piece is disquieting. Maybe the way it was written (too much dashes, ellipses...). However, I liked the imagination up there. It feels like some sort of psycho-thriller movie, where a disturbed man kills someone without realizing the act, then comes to perceive his/her evil deed. The realization was the twist in this poem, quite cool and somewhat scary. I would love to see this piece reshaped. Great job. [19/25 Points]

Judge # 2

For the author of poem #2 This is what I meant by letting the reader use their own imagination. There is a lot going on in this poem but the author has very cleverly just placed some prompts and has left the rest out. By doing this there are many different scenarios that could occur and, I'm pretty sure my interpretation will not be the same as this author and, that's what makes this one work.

The first stanza was a very good opener but I think it should be trying and whirling in keeping with squinting in line one. I loved the comparison of eyelashes and black angry bars, very creative. The ending had a definite twist and yet, once again, you leave the reader guessing.

I really enjoyed this one. Suspense at its very best. [ 20/25 Points ]

Judge # 3

#3 Cyclones

Comment:
This was the most unique read for me, and it wasn't just due to the brevity, it was because I felt the author was confident in his/her word choice and it's meaning...the chosen words express something that makes you want to reflect more on it, because there is depth to how this scene is described. This was my favorite twist at the end because it brings a character unnamed into it, a mystery, or it could even be you represented in another time. I like how you became creative with punctuation and used them in your own way for a dramatic pause. I liked all the dashes as well, it made your voice chilling. This read to me as a verse from a horror movie, or an excerpt from a story we've never read before. The subtle repetition like in "The knife might caught them off, the knife-" was strong. Like you were considering more than its implications. Fascinating, especially with the reason for this woman's blood in the end. Murder? A dream? An illusion? This scene was profound.

Votes = 25/25

Total Points: 25+ 19 + 20 + 25=89

*********** SCORES ******************

Poem #1 Total Points: 25+ 21+25+21 = 92
Poem #2 Total Points: 25+25+15+ 23=88
Poem#3 Total Points: 25+ 19 + 20 + 25=89

** WINNER FOR THIS ROUND and ENTIRE CONTEST ***

MR. LARRY
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o/..o/.o/.o\..o/
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with his poem

#1 Necromancy Rising:

Total Points: 25+ 21+25+21 = 92

*****SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS*****

TO:

Colm for being 2nd Place in the entire contest
with his poem

#3 Cyclones: Total Points: 25+ 19 + 20 + 25=89

and

The QUEEN For tying 1st place with Mr. Larry in Round 1
and for being the winner in Round 2. as
For coming on 3rd place in the entire contest
with her poem:

#2 Nyctophobia: Total Points: 25+25+15+ 23=88

And Mr. Larry as well for tying in First round with The QUEEN

(yay)...............(yay)......
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____________Audience______________|

****** THANK YOU's**************

Real Meaning, Jordan, Colm , Kevin, Andrea, The Queen, Edward D Zurovec, and Mr. Larry For participating.

I also want to thank my judges!!

I had one or two different judges in some rounds, But I want to thank each of them.
Thank you Hellon for judging the entire contest!! Poet on the piano for helping me out by filling in, Abed as well, Senryu too, and Anonymous judge thank you!

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Please post your poems in your account.

Awwwwwwwww Congratulations Larry and the rest of the group who participated and thank you judges for your awesome critique's... This was a fun challenge.... Luce I really enjoyed this... thank you for hosting and all the hard work you put into this :-)

Well done Larry and Myryn, and thanks for putting on the contest Everlasting. It was an interesting and challenging one (especially Round 2, what was that image about?!) but I'm glad I participated. Thanks too to the judges, the feedback was detailed and was appreciated!

CONGRATSSSSS, Larry :)
Great Job!!

Also the rest of the participants. Amazing work.

And, MYRYN. Your 3rd round poem was freakin' awesome XD

And LUCE, thanks for holding this contest. You did an awesome job.
(I love the YAY, LARRY in ur post above :P hahah)

Thanks to the judges for their comments. The win is appreciated, but Colm & Myryn's poems were every bit as good. I'm honored to be in the same category as them.

Thanks for running this contest Luce, and thanks to Hellon, Abed, Senryu and Anonymous for your judging.

Thank you guys,

Colm...

"especially Round 2, what was that image about?!"

That image... I have no idea. I was searching for some interesting abstract images when I stumbled upon that one. Wasn't it an interesting one?

What I liked the most was that I could see a lot of objects, I figure other people could find more and bing go! if it wasn't for the poems I wouldn't have seen the lady, the bull, the rocking chair, and the porch.

I also had a few nice chats about that image even with my dad. Definitively, Round 2 was a challenge and my favorite picture.

I hope I didn't cause anyone a headache.

Congrats Mr Larry!!

well done to all who participated in the contest, very interesting to read based on the pictures provided.

A honourable mention to the host Everlasting for this unique contest and I would be very curious to see what you have in store in deciding to do another contest in the future :P

Congratulations Larry!!! Wonderful work and congrats to all the participants from all the other rounds, every poem was captivating and an honor to read :) Thank you Luce for this contest!

Congrats. Larry! You deserved every bit of it :)

Congrats to you too, Colm and to all the participants, wonderful work!

Thank you judges and Luce for your time and efforts. :)

This was a very hard task for me....the margin for marking these poems was very narrow as they were all so good. I don't mind the poets knowing which comments are mine so...if you wish me to post my comment to your poem for each round just identify your poem for me....