Weekly contest winners 1/12/2014

Another week, another set of poems gracing the famed PnQ front page! Thanks again to the judges for being punctual and precise, there was a wide spread of poems voted on this week showcasing the quality of the writes produced. Only two poems received multiple votes. Well done to our winners, Karla, Meena and Kevin. Kevin kept it short and sweet, with a vernacular twang that left the reader going quietly into their own ponderment about the piece. Meena rhymed in melancholic lament, reminding us all of those that journey on in life. And Karla gives a philosophical, capital-letter-free glance into a reflection. Interesting reads all three, take a moment to read them if you haven't yet gotten around to it!

Winners:
Retrospect by Karla (10 + 7) - 17pts
Every single day maa... by Meena Krish (10 + 4) - 14pts
Rice Paper by Kevin - 10 points

HM's:
And the willow still weeps by Rings of Poetry - 10pts
Coffee conversation by Everlasting 10 points
Words by SiLeNtLy ScReAmInG" - 7 pts
Sing a Water Song of Nothing by Adreamer - 7pts
Notebooks by Beautiful Soul - 7pts
Keeper of keys - Everlasting -7pts
Staying Strong - Fenix Flight - 4pts
Necromancer - Hannah Lizette - 4pts
Night by Everlasting - 4pts
The stars were but sparks" by Rings of Poetry - 4 pts

***** COMMENTS *****

Retrospect by Karla (10 + 7) - 17pts

'Karla penned an amazing poem that took the concept of 'retrospect' and chiseled a moving, exceptional piece from it. The beginning stanza that described the reflection of yourself in water - as something you hid from a fractured soul was just phenomenal. She breathed poetry into a simple act of observing one's reflection. Not many poets are capable of doing that with innate imagery and the perfect choice of words. I've also noticed that only the beginning verse is capitalized - I think it was done to denote this as just one entire "thought", with the by-product of making this piece more informal and 'personal' as a consequence of that, as the piece does not acknowledge the formality of starting sentences with capitalized letters. Furthermore, Karla ends this reflective piece with a chilling statement "...and what you see is so distorted and frightening", a perfect summary of all the ideas she wrestled with in this piece.' (10)

'This poem is a triumph in describing an existential moment into which the years are refracted like the light coming from the glass. Age is such a relative thing, not merely for the fact that it creeps up so slowly, but also that you hide from it, and the things you gave away, like a shamed heart that protects itself from the vicious whorls of life. The choices of life, whether for love or those things seen as greater than love, come to haunt you later, when you're alone, just you and the filled glass. Yet, who is it in the glass? You? Or Someone you no longer know . . . or would even admit to?' (7)

*****

Every single day maa... by Meena Krish (10 + 4) - 14pts

'Meena pulls the heartstrings again this week by showing the pain that comes when remembering a beloved mother, and wishing time would allow you to be together one more day. The wording in this poem is incredibly touching, and I feel many people will be moved by these words, especially those who have been through such an emotional loss. Truly gripping write.' (10)

'A child's cry for mother never grows up. In this poem the anguish for the missing mother is so poignant that you wish you could reach out & squeeze her shoulder, smile in her face and say simply, "Yeah, me too."' (4)

*****

Rice Paper by Kevin - 10 points

'Kevin deserves to be highlighted this week with his masterminded poem!

Let's start out with the title for starters: Rice Paper- It's thin, very thin... speak quietly, things can be heard.. Now my interpretation of this piece may be way off but it's how the reader takes and gets out of it. There are so many angles this piece can go and be taken and in a small poem, that is not easily done, which is why I highlighted this poem.

Truly a mind boggle of a piece. I admire poems like this!
You can speak riddles but try not to be heard. Ignorance of society
Is another message that is intertwining this well written piece for me.

It reminds me of judgmental relationships. Judging another while sneaking silently in the background. Love thy neighbor? See this is why I really admired this piece because of all the angles this poem took me and that is a true, power packed small poem and how it should be!

Well done Kevin!! (10)'

*****

HM's:
And the willow still weeps - Rings of Poetry - 10pts
'This poem Describes a weeping willow tree perfectly. I love how you describe nature in its prime!

I also get something much more then a willow tree, a sour romance. All in all i believe this is one of the best poems I've read this month!' (10)

*****

Coffee conversation by Everlasting 10 points

'This poems is perplexing and yet carries such weight that it gets my top vote this week. It appears to be more about the relationship between a mother and son than simply about the coffee, but rather, about who will be making the decisions that matter in his life. Yet the tone is both beat and sophisticated, almost as if Jack Kerouac were rewritten by Ayn Rand. Who "wins" the verbal duel is not as straightforward as it may seem. The mother may have kept things in the status quo for now, but the underlying cry for freedom stressed by the son will not go away. Milk in the coffee is simply not enough to invest the future upon. To have captured this moment indicates an understanding of great depth on the part of the poet.' (10)

*****

Words by SiLeNtLy ScReAmInG" - 7 pts

'This piece was the first by this author in three months, and what a way to end a short hiatus. The diction in this piece was sublime. It only worked to help get the author's message across - she could never muster the strength or refused to say goodbye to someone. The brevity of this poem, and the simplicity was something that I enjoyed - it wasn't convoluted with lavish metaphors or similes, it was short, sweet and moving.' (7)

*****

Sing a Water Song of Nothing by Adreamer - 7pts

'Oh to be in love! Euphoria and heartbreak/ the fallen rose petal...

Adreamer took me to a romantic and heartbreaking place this week in her small and poetically crafted poem this week!

Roses are used often in poetry and to be honest it can be tedious, but not in this piece. She writes a very creative and new angle.. and ending this piece with a question was brilliant! Small pieces have to pack a punch and using a question at the end makes the reader think, linger and ponder... and that is just awesome!!

She smacked it this week! (7)'

*****

Notebooks - Beautiful Soul - 7pts

Out of everything I have read that describe poets this is still the best, notebooks are our pen and paper.

I like this poem because its sweet and simple. Anyone who can read it knows what its about and that is what makes it beautiful...' (7)

*****

Keeper of keys - Everlasting -7pts

'This poem strikes me as powerful because of the relative meaning it holds in today's society. We are all keen to recycle now, and to really make use of things that no longer have a use with their sole purpose, and this poem shows how one such thing, can become something so beautiful and meaningful to someone else. The contrast of the two items is also very powerful, to be something that is thrown on the ground, and stomped on, to becoming something very precious and carefully held by someone's hands. Beautiful write.' (7)

*****

Staying Strong by Fenix Flight - 4pts

'I know exactly where you have been, The fact that you feel so strongly after you have fallen just says so much about you. This poem conveys that in ways that no one, unless they have been in this situation before could understand' (4)

*****

Necromancer - Hannah Lizette - 4pts

'This week Hannah has visited the dark category and pulled off a very impressive write which is filled with her metaphors that truly capture such vivid imagery. This poem has the potential to give you nightmares after reading it, just like a horror film could do. The poem is put together well and the content is definitely unique.' (4)

*****

Night by Everlasting - 4pts

'Simplistic and elegant poem about night, crafted with a twist and new freshness by Everlasting this week!

The nature message alone is precious but then you take another deep meaning to this piece.

Going deeper, much deeper. A person is in a dark place within their soul but all others see is the smile and they see beauty while the darkness within makes it so the person can't see it themselves.

Beautiful and thought provoking poem!! (4) '

*****

The stars were but sparks" by Rings of Poetry - 4 pts

'The author made quite an appearance, within a week of his arrival he managed to get quite a few of his poems nominated, and I just wanted to make note of that, and how impressive that is! That being said, this was one of my favourites from him that were nominated; it's a short poem that spoke of tragedy that leaves the reader wondering what tragedy that might have been that lead to this author inspired to write this piece. He employed a simplistic but poetic voice that swayed the readers, making them remember tragic events to relate to this piece. Well done!' (4)

Congrats all, thanks judge for the comment

Congratulations everyone!

Congratulations Folks! Thankyou so muh for a warm welcome and the HM's!!

Congrats all!

Thanks for the HM/comment judge! :)

Thanks judges for your lovely comments.i'm honoured. congrats everyone!

Congratulations everyone!

Thank you for the Hm's, comments, and votes, and more importantly, thank you for your time.

Congrats to the winners and HMs. Thanks to the judges & to Colm for hosting & posting.

Thank you judge for my comment and Congrats to all of this weeks poems amazingly penned.

Congratulations everyone

Congratulations everyone :)

Thank you judges for your comments and time
and thanks Colm!

Congratulations everyone!!

Grats!

Congratulations to everyone!