Weekly Contest Winners - 6/13/16!!

Hi, everyone! Wanted to wish everyone a peace-filled week and thank everyone for their hard work and dedication. Darren, Luce & Rania took the front page this week. Darren, with a stunning metaphor of being a tree, much reminiscent of "The Giving Tree" in my eyes... Luce, with her writing to her "Charlie", living for Charlie through her words... and Rania, likening her broken poems to pottery. Very mesmerizing and heartfelt poems this week! Congrats to all the winners and HM'S!

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WINNERS:

"Being a tree" by: Darren 10 + 7 + 4 = 21 points
"In the hands of a poet" by: Everlasting 7 + 7 + 7 = 21 points
"The Pottery Poems" by Ms Sunshine aka Rania Moallem 10 + 10 = 20 points

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COMMENTS:

"Being a tree" by: Darren

"the very things we wrote our soul upon, we take for granted, the very boards that build out refuge, the very horrific uses as seen in the passage below. Our tainted history

yet now;

I have no eyes to unsee
the man hanging from me
the tear stained rope
the grimace
the fall
the tautness
the end
violating me

this poem was filled with many personal journeys many have witnessed over the years. it's message delivered exquisitely. Well done!" (10)

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"Darren created a powerful poem this week.

He took a topic that many within society ignore, the destruction of nature; dark side of beauty and he created a unique and captivating piece, very powerful!" (7)

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"An interesting and insightful write! You have given the tree character and
its realistic for as a reader I feel what the tree is putting up with, the sadness
the joys it sees rather it witnesses and not been able to let it all out yet keep
it within it and just keeps growing stronger. I like this!! (4)

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"In the hands of a poet" by: Everlasting

"I enjoyed the parallel between a child's life and poetry; a parent/author can squeeze the life out of it, and often forget to just let them be. The concept of this poem was very unique to me, and the narrator did an excellent job at story-telling, bringing us through Charlie's life, or lack of it, to their own confession." (7)

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"I was beaten within an inch of my life on a few occasions as a child, I've seen heads severed, seen people shot over a basketball game, stabbed to death over a pack of cigarettes, so very few things affect me emotionally, however I cried like a little baby reading this......and in all honesty I'm not flattered by the format, the style nor the simplicity, I am however in awe of the overall presentation and the deliverance. This is the type of poetry that grips you and holds you captive, it plays on every emotion within you, makes you hold your breath and tears accompany the exhale. Outstanding!" (7)

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"I am glad that Luce decided to share this piece with us all again. It had me captivated as I read and rode the wave of emotion. I like the sense of growing up, or witnessing others moving on around her. It is almost like she is in this bubble with Charlie and a realization hits towards the end. A lovely emotional piece that is fairly simplistic, but this works and compliments the subject." (7)

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"The Pottery Poems" by Ms Sunshine aka Rania Moallem

"I adore Rania's title...
the title explains a great deal for interpretation.

to be sculpted and come to life, as poetry... So beautiful and yet so delicate and can easily break a spirit... ton of thought process within the title alone!

Her format and word structure is refreshing!

From start to finish, this metaphoric poem is a rich and pure delight!!" (10)

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"I appreciated the unique telling of the intersection of poetry to pottery; for a brief moment they intersect since they are both art, both expressions of an artist's soul, but unlike pottery poetry cannot be mended, or repurposed or recycled in any form (almost everything else follows that path, food, plants, etc as noted in the poem). Poetry is exempt from that, it sort of collects, especially when the artists does not like it, but I'd say to hell with those poems, this right here is an absolute masterpiece!" (10)

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HM'S:

"Closure" by: Beautiful Soul = 10 points
"Little broken wings" by: Ben Pickard = 10 points
"Color me blank canvas" by: Magikarp = 7 points
"The Balcony" by: Ben Pickard = 4 points
"Beauty" by: Courtney = 4 points
"Experimental Lovers" by: Fragile Nymph = 4 points
"6/7/2016" by: Senryu = 4 points

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COMMENTS:

"Closure" by: Beautiful Soul

"This is such a painful read to have read and the images just come out
and grabs the reader's mind. Psychologically it pulls the mind into this painful
episode and I can say this is something so very personal that it needed to come
and be put into words to rid the painful thoughts.

Its something like a punishment a parent gives a child like: trap me in closets
and lock in me but at the same time the punishment or the torment been printed
here goes much deeper that it leaves a scar. There are certain lines in this poem which
is so powerful and the last couplet:

your death is the only way I can forgive you

^^This leaves a room for the reader to think. Can death really make one,
who has been hurt so much to forget everything; it may heal but the scars
are there forever...a very touching and deeply moving write. So much more
that it hurts me that I have to rate this poem because writes like this cannot
be rated...nonetheless... " (10)

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"Little broken wings" by: Ben Pickard

"He nearly had me this week, upon first read I thought there was no rhyming scheme. I must be tired or overworked, reading another two times I picked up on the rhyming scheme mostly secondary but works in a more subtle way which I liked. There is no obvious syllable count which is more towards where I like to be. I was going to drop this to 7 points because of the use of a word that doesn't exist. 'Almighty's'
Written in this context I can only assume Ben is referencing God. Almighty in this sense is written as 'The almighty. ' I can understand the apostrophe to show possession but this is not correct for this word or context. However that said I think it should be, I understood what Ben was writing, with artistic license it works. I think if it was to be grammatically correct then 'God' should be used. If it was it would detract from the poem, it would be more religious than dark, the repeated 'God' throughout could also turn a few people away from this piece. Overall a good dark piece with a nice rhythm and tone." 10

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"Color me blank canvas" by: Magikarp

"What an interesting write with an interesting outlook. Its poetry and artistry all
molded into one to make a perfect picture/art. At the same time there is also a touch
of sensual atmosphere and passion seeps from each line. It goes to show how
passionate an artist is when involved with his/her work.

with your painted red lips
distinct and soft like summer rain drops
my Michaelangelo, my Da vinci

^^This also can be viewed from a lover's point of view-passions play
coupled with famous artist's names, the colors mingled with nature.

Overall a different method of expressing poetry using a variety
of tools which involves creating an art...hope that made sense." (7)

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"The Balcony" by: Ben Pickard

"some people need to be drunk to enjoy each others company. cheap wine will do it everytime . Lol, I liked this fancy free recollection of a love. Very entertaining.

i have nothing now i stand on it alone

^i would have loved to seen this read "I have nothing now, standing alone" (4)

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"Beauty" by: Courtney

"I appreciate the sentiment behind this poem, and it's written well, the author speaks with purpose and you could definitely tell." (4)

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"Experimental Lovers" by: Fragile Nymph

"Fragile Nymph really and truly got me with this poem!

That moment within the beginning of any relationship... not knowing if things could go farther, or willing to accept this explosive yearning for another.. very powerful and descriptive poem!!" (4)

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"6/7/2016" by: Senryu

"Okay, I have read the whole thing 4 times now. Is it a work of art or a ramble from a madman? I don't know. I love the non-title. I love the pace of the whole thing and the tone used is brilliant. Do I understand it?
No, not even now. Did I enjoy reading it?
Very much so and that is why it is worth 4 points. " (4)

Congratulations all and thank you judge for the comment, and MA for posting

Congrats to all the HM's & winners!! Thank you all who made this week go so smooth!

Breathtaking poetry, congratulations everyone! !

Thanks Judges and MA, congrats all,

what a pair to share the front page with.

Congrats, Darren, Luce & Rania!
Congrats to the HMs, thanks judges & MA

Loved the candid comment on Mark's piece!

Thanks Judges and everyone.
Congrats, Darren and Rania.
Congratulations to the HMs as well.

That's a very welcoming start, it's been a while since I wrote down stuff on my mind, thank you for the kind words and for highlighting my humble poem. Your interpretations are appreciated <3

Great poems by everyone, as usual, and thank you for organizing and posting this.

Congrats Winners!!

Congrats HM's, thank you judges for your time and thanks MA for hosting :)

Thanks as always judges and Ma for posting.

Congratulations to all winners very deserving and to all HMs too.

Congratulations to three more wonderful poems and to the other hms. I haven't read them all yet, but I will get round to it.
Many thanks to the judges for their continued hard work and for the comment on my poem. I hadn't considered that it may be technically incorrect before, but we'll ignore that and just put it down to a rather fine display of artistic license, as you so kindly pointed out it may have been, lol.

Take care and all the best,
Ben