Weekly Contest Winners, 6 April 2015

The is the week of Karla and Karla. With three of her poems nominated two made the front page and the third received a 10 for an HM. The judges rewarded her for her tribute to la Sonora and for her poignant imprinting of a missing one's lingering presence. Meme's elegant better-you-come-yet-better-you-not quandary takes the third prize this week.

WINNERS
I am Soror Mariana Alcoforado by Karla 10+7+7=24 points
Wearing you by Karla 10+4=14 points
Staircase to whom? by Meme 10+4=14 points

HMs
I'm living, come back later by Karla 10 Points
Caliraya by "Mahal Ko Kuya Ko". 10 points
Swim in my veins by Beautiful Soul 7 points
On picking up my wife's shoe at the repair shop (Senryu) by Larry Chamberlin 7 points
Recoil by "Poet on the Piano". 7 points
Reading Poetry (senryu) by "Maple Tree". 4 points
I still pay... (Trochee) by Meena Krish 4 points

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I am Soror Mariana Alcoforado by Karla 10 points
I found this piece to be an absolutely beautiful tribute; the story depicted and behind this piece is just surreal, romantic and tragic. This piece captured Sorors life in entirety, and after reading the letters that were written by her, and re-reading this piece, Ive come to appreciate this piece much, much more. An absolutely phenomenal write by Karla.

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I am Soror Mariana Alcoforado Karla 7 points
- This poem was narrated very nicely, making the reader want to finish since the first line of the opening stanza. It's quite unique in its own way, the letter of a nun made into a poem that's rare that I've read, if there have been any poems in which a nun (God's own maiden) fall in love with a soldier/other man and made into something so tragic yet stunning in it's futile happiness. This is a beautiful tribute to a wonderful woman to say the least! Good write

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I am Soror Mariana Alcoforado by Karla 7 Points
I didn't realize this piece rhymed at first. On first read-through I was too caught up in lines like "I had to marry my own ashes" to pay attention to much else. To be honest it's impressive to see someone writing rhymed poetry that doesn't sacrifice meaning and creativity, and in addition, this piece tells a story.

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Staircase to whom? 10 points
- This piece is interesting in the way it may be like a scorned woman making a man pay the price for making a mistake that the woman is not going to easily forget when he comes back, but at the same time it feels different from that scenario like when a woman waits for that certain person to come to their senses but they never do, so now they make them wait exactly what the poem said, it was intriguing and that's what I love reading a poem that has a little of love and yet instead of sweet it's bittersweet.

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Staircase to whom? by Meme 4 points
Meme has such grace and simplistic class with her poetry and this poem speaks volumes. Waiting and holding out hope for the one who has drifted apart can be agonizing and when the love is unconditional it will gravitate such patience within the soul that they choose to hold onto hope. Meme's word usage is very vibrant, Serendipity is a word that paints many colors to canvass and I was in awe.. Very pretty piece this week

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Wearing you by Karla 10 points
This poem is a tear magnet for the reader! The title holds such graceful power and elegance for the entire piece. Yearning the loss or breakup of a love is devastating and the heart continues to wear the memories of that person for years to come.. This poem by Karla is breathtaking and simply gorgeous, along with a very unique and touching format, heart driven piece that gets to the core of the readers emotions, AMAZING!

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Wearing you by Karla 4 Points
Karla had a lot of really beautiful pieces nominated this week. This is a great example. She draws the reader in with this very simple but curious start "I look around/while everything sleeps.
still wearing you,/i get up and go to the window/just to be sure/of myself."
I love the ambiguity of this poem. It feels sad and hopeful, existential and very tiny all at once. Good job Karla!

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I'm living, come back later by Karla 10 Points
I appreciate how colloquial this poem is, it's very smooth and light, but full of sentiment and word play. I particularly loved "i stand up and go ahead/completely incomplete,/absolute and entire,/almost frail,/almost." This piece is relatable and deceptively complex. Great write.

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Caliraya by "Mahal Ko Kuya Ko". 10 points
I'm impressed by the poetic skills used in this writing, the journey across the Caliraya lake narrated excellently. His introduction was very attractive, referring to his ever fond memories of the dandelion, a word that was used several times in the poem giving a great example for the poetic use of repetition. A great diction and a very balanced tone we feel in every stanza, despite the random structure of the poem. His closure as well was not less enthusiastic, it's the part where the poet conjoin the relation between the lake and the dandelion, and its poetry, at ats finest level.

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Swim in my veins by Beautiful Soul 7 points
Though this piece was short, I found the emotions and the essence behind this piece to resonate long after I read it, and I still cannot pinpoint why. The authors use of diction coupled with imagery and metaphor-laced words made this piece extremely memorable to me.

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On picking up my wife's shoe at the repair shop (Senryu) by Larry Chamberlin the Godfather 7 points
Larry truly knows how to mesmerize the reader with the senryu form! This formed poem is very touching and classic! "The shoe may be small in size, but the beauty of the woman wearing it is far more greater" just my interpretation of the message... I smiled with great joy after I read this... Walking in starlight holds such a magical feeling and using it to interpret his Wife's spirit is beyond loving and romantic. Beautiful poem by Larry this week!!

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Recoil by "Poet on the Piano". 7 points
Very interesting perspective, especially with that controversial introduction " My body isn't a pinball machine, ".... the quote is interpreted in a very well written piece where the writer used some very vocabularies in the first stanza, and depended on the question in the second stanza to reveal her thoughts, neat layout and very successful ending.

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Reading Poetry (senryu) by "Maple Tree". 4 points
Impressive tiny gem, though the poem must have been posted in section of life poems. The poet illustrated the quiet state of inspiration where we have nothing but writing to vent, followed by a real self-confronting right after finishing a poem. few words, strong messege, very enjoyable.

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I still pay ... (Trochee) by Meena Krish 4 points
As usual, Meena displays her talent in writing formed poetry this week with a lovely trochee that gripped the readers heart - she speaks of loss in the poem, and the reader cannot help but sympathize with her.

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Whim by GB 4 points
- The lovely darkness that you could feel in this piece was (to me at least since I love dark poetry) adorable. The imagery and grief/hatred she held, made everyone spell bound to this particular woman's predicament. Most definitely everyone has experienced this feeling at one point of their lives and I thought this for sure had to be at least given points for it's beauty.

Congratulations, Ms Karla (: and Meme (: And also to the HM's (: Thank you judges (:

Congratulations everyone! :)

Congrats all, thanks Larry for posting and thanks judge for the hm

Thanks judges.i am honoured.

thanks the one who downrated me as soon as my poems appeared on the front page. maybe they aren't good for you. i will try to write according to you guidelines but that will only happen if you criticize my poems openly.

congrats Meme. your poem is a gem.i guess the same person who downrated me, did the same with you.
congrats hm's.

:(. Freaking down voters. I hate it too. It has also happened to mine as well before. I don't understand people sometimes

Congratulations to the Winners and the HM''s.

As words of wisdom from an "old" person, the down voter got exactly what they wanted, to upset each of the writers and get attention brought to themselves even though they are cowards and won't reveal themselves or give comments as to why they feel the way they do about someone's writing. They will continue to down vote and hide in the shadows as they have always done on this site.

Congrats Karla & Meme, plus all HM's! Thank you for the HM and judges as always for all your work.

(And just a point to add: votes shouldn't even matter, in my humble opinion. At least people are being honest even if not leaving a comment, which would at least give constructive criticism. Now if some people did it to spite others, well, that is their problem. But not every poem is going to be a 5.0. All comes down to perspective and opinion. Nothing wrong with honesty.)

Congratulations Karla and Meme and to all the HM's!

Thank you judges for the HM and for your time. Thanks Sir for hosting and posting.

I agree with MA, the downvoting should be ignored, taken as sour grapes or perhaps as a backhanded compliment that if it meant that much for the poor soul to expend their energies to downvote, then they must see your status as a threat. Their votes, though, are meaningless and spiteful and ultimately have no import.

PS: Thanks for the comment, judge. Rosaura is an easy topic for me.

Congrats all!! :) Thank you judges!!

Down votes are a compliment, Karla! :)

For sure! at least i had a vote.

Congratulations!

Congratulations!

Congratulations everyone, thank you "Maple Tree" for nominating my piece :)