Weekly Contest Winners - 2/15/16!!

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a splendid weekend and Valentine's Day. An incredible amount of talented work this week... the site had to break a tie. Congrats to Melissa, Liz, and Luce on their front page win as well as J. Nair and the other HM's! Thank you so much judges for your hard work.

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WINNERS:

"A Real Neat Show" by: Melissa 10+10 = 20 points
"Old Tree" by: Poetess 10 + 7 = 17 points
"If Tomorrow Comes" by: Everlasting 10 + 7 = 17 points

COMMENTS:

"A Real Neat Show" by: Melissa

"There is such a large variety of wording that is so fun and detailed that I had to highlight this piece. The structure within the formatting also allows the reader to have fun reading this piece.

I felt like I was at a carnival and I do believe that was meant to be the metaphor and the message within the lines is very powerful.

Melissa has a true gift for pouring out her feelings within descriptive detail and metaphors!! Just wonderful." (10)

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"Promises, promises, promises, one leading unto another. Building upon those dreams of a better future, one step at a time, unfulfilled childhood anticipation.......very Impressive." (10)

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"Old Tree" by: Poetess

"This is an exquisite piece, although it's originally written for an old tree that was cut down during the author's childhood (as noted by a comment), it's applicable for a lot of other life forms - people and animals. The repetition was not distracting, and served to build up this notion that its death was fine, but the last verse was a welcomed ending that did a 180 with the last verse. This piece is the epitome of a double entendre and it was executed extremely well! Penmanship at its finest." (10)

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"The writer brings life to the tree with simile by comparing limbs to arms and bark to flesh and even death to real life events in the conclusion. Such a heartbreaking, beautiful write. Never underestimate the power of poetry. This poem kept me interested from start to finish. I thought the word "wearisomely" was a little awkward and that wearily would flow better. I wasn't even sure if wearisomely was an actual word because spell check kept underlining it. However, it is a word and I believe also used correctly." (7)

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"If Tomorrow Comes" by: Everlasting

"What first attracted me to this poem is the layout. The stanza lengths and how they seem to 'thump thump thump' in and out is a visual reflection of the content. I like that you personified Poetry and gave 'her' a gender. I can easily see the different manner in which poetry can strike us. You made the comparison beautifully. Quietly, slowly, strolling through the lines, or all in a rush, loudly. I love that you end on the word 'loudly' and though there is no exclamation point, I can hear it. Excellent writing. A great example of how saying less can mean more." (10)

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"The piece dawned on me quietly at first, but loudly at the end; a powerful narrative that has slight nuances of it indicating that this is a piece about the author's muse, or perhaps a battle with writers-block. It's encapsulates the feelings that writers get, the gentle stream of inspiration, the every now and there flood of inspiration, and the overwhelming desire to express ourselves. This piece is extremely relatable, and is written beautifully!" (7)

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HM'S:

"Life summed up" by: J Nair 10 + 7 = 17 points

"Smoke" by: Silvershoes 7 + 4 = 11 points

"Tropic of cancer" by: Karla = 7 points

"Vacancy" by: Melpomene = 4 points

"Waiting" by: Trampled Angel = 4 points

"She Bares Her All" by: Ben Pickard = 4 points

"Rose upon Rose" by: Satish Verma = 4 points

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COMMENTS:

"Life summed up" by: J Nair

"Childhood, like the white lacy foam riding on dancing waves
Gleefully surge on to the shore carrying exciting secrets of the ocean's core.
Bursting with joy, wanting to share it all
Only to be cheated and left behind, stuck on wet shores
Sadly vanishing into grains of sand
Tearfully watching the receding waves.

^This stanza describes childhood to a tee. I could imagine a toddler with an inquisitive and vivacious attitude, venturing away from Mom and Dad to test the waters so to speak to learn what they can or cannot get away with. In this stanzas instance learning what they thought they wished for. It also describes teen and young adulthood, before the responsibilities of life and bills.

"Like the bursting bubbles in an effervescent drink,
Youth rushes with exciting moments only to fizzle out at the end.
The vivaciousness of an enchanting and promising evening
Bursts and evaporates as night dances into its darkest core."

^This stanza describes the realizations of bills, kids and dreams never accomplished. It has a Cinderella feel to it that everything changes after midnight, and there's still the laundry, cooking and cleaning at the end of the day.

"And all your dreams, like the little prince riding on grandpa's walking stick,
Brandishing a make believe sword,
You charge through life with all your faith,
Under the illusion of conquering the world.

Only to end up as a withered old stump,
Where dogs stray, only to take a leak"

^Perfectly summed up in one poem....Life! Loved the satirical climax and how accurately it fits for what it seems life is. Enjoyable read and it made me smile, that is why it's my top pick this week." (10)

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"To the young people, save this poem, when you get older you'll discover the true significance of it, and then you'll understand how magnificent a write this truly is......wow." (7)

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"Smoke" by: Silvershoes

"Jane,

You took a painful loss and added your talent within this poem, creating a gem.

This poem is so packed with detail I can smell, and feel this piece.

All readers I am sure sheds tears over this poem and or feels the depths of pan within this poem. Powerful piece!!" (7)

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"This is incredibly sad. My fanimals are my family. I know first-hand how heartbreaking it is to lose one. Knowing this was an true account, such a heartbreaking beautiful write came from the loss. There is not much more one could say about this write. Wonderfully written, my heart goes out to you during your time of bereavement." (4)

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"Tropic of cancer" by: Karla

"A gorgeously feminine poem. Strong, volcanic, passionate. The layout of the poem itself reminds me of my own style. I'm sure I'm biased because of it. I love the free flow, the short lines, the understated grammar. You have crafted an effortlessly beautiful poem about a complex individual. An ode to a poet, maybe even yourself. 5/5 of course. Oh, and ending on a question: Genius." (7)

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"Vacancy" by: Melpomene

"Mel- I don't know how you do it, but you do... You create masterpieces. This piece takes me on several angles of messages. Turbulent female wars within the female body, possible birth or renewal... I just don't' know, my head is spinning and I had to highlight this piece!" (4)

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"Waiting" by: Trampled Angel

"The brevity of this piece only helps accentuate the sorrow that the author wishes to convey. It reads a bit choppy, it sounds like a free-verse bordering on a spoken-word piece, each verse is more powerful than the last, until you reach the ending where it hits you like a ton of bricks." (4)

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"She Bares Her All" by: Ben Pickard

"Only a skilled poet can weave rhymes and shape stanzas this painlessly. It's incredibly hard not to come off forced or cliche, but I think your mastery of near rhymes helps. A very pretty nature poem indeed; it makes me wish for spring. Mm, golden sun." (4)

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"Rose upon Rose" by: Satish Verma

"The more I read this the more I love it, the metaphors of life make this an astounding piece, and such a befitting title for the 14th.........love it." (4)

Congratulations to the three thoroughly deserving winners, but also to Jay who missed out in the toughest of ways; you're a winner with that piece too.
I have read many of the hms and they are excellent too. Thank you judges for my own. It must have been a very hard week to decide.
All the very best and take care all,
Ben

Definitely a tough week, so many amazing poems were nominated! Congrats to all those who won, and a HM!

Thanks judges and all who nominated.

Congrats Melissa, Lucero, J Nair and all the HMs!

Ah, thanks to the 2 judges who granted me an honorable mention :)

Congrats to the winners.

Congratulations! Thank you to the judge who voted for my poem, I appreciate it.

Congrats to the winners. Luce I especially liked your poem. Congrats to the HMs and thanks to the judges & to MA for hosting.

Thanks judge.you're right:it's all about myself.
Congrats everyone!

Congratulations all! Thank you judges, and fellow writers.

Congrats to the winners and HMs! Great poems!!!

Congratulations to the Winners and HM's!

Thank you judges for all your work and thanks for hosting MA :)