Weekly Contest Results, 24 Oct 2016

Love in politics and the politics of love. The judges were drawn to the human condition as set forth in bleak and sometimes dangerous situations. From Thelma's love in the ruins, to Mahal's love of his country's ruins to Jane's firm eschewing of a ruined relationship, the poems are each magnificent. On the balance each front page story conveys a certain strength that transports the reader (and the author) to a new place along with the vigor to carry on.

Front Page:
A regular day at his place by Thelma 10+10+10+7 = 37 points
What Breaks Your Heart, Manila? by Mahal Ko Kuya Ko 10+7 = 17 points
Fragility by silvershoes 4+4+4+4 = 16 points

Honorable Mentions:
They Call me the Scribbler by Maple Tree 7+7 = 14 points
Promise by Naughtymouse - 10 points
In These Streets Where We Walked (Quatern) by Larry Chamberlin 7 points
Apologies to Mother - Ben Pickard - 4 points

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A regular day at his place by Thelma 10 points
Such a deep and beautiful piece. It's so raw and honest. The details are mesmerizing and somewhat hypnotizing!
Excellent visuals and word choice. The opening got me connected with the poem directly, with how detailed it was, as tho as a reader I am familiar with these settings.
The closing, is just nailed. This is one of the best poems written lately, in accordance with my own biased taste.

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A regular day at his place by Thelma 10 points
Planned rolling blackouts, love in the midst of despair, the inability to experience true intimacy due to catastrophic events and yet the self-revealing angst that fights against communal doom. This poem is so powerful I quit reading the others for a good thirty minutes just to brood on it.

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A regular day at his place by Thelma 10 points
This was a unique and fun formatted poem by Thelma!
I truly adore and admire unique poems and this piece grabbed me from start to finish!
This visual display was incredible, the eyes can see far more than words can express!
The ending is what really got me the most, to grab that powerful moment and make due with what you have and where you are at that very moment! Powerful poem! (10)

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A regular day at his place by Thelma (7 pts)
An absolutely wonderfully written poem that rehashes the idea of love in a really unique way. I've often seen the theme of darkness be utilized to incorporate a sense of horror, this reverses that by using it as the context for love. It flows so naturally and paints a magnificent image of beauty in something ugly.

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What Breaks Your Heart, Manila? by MHKK 10 points
This is a political piece that just demands your attention with every verse that grows more and more morose. It's an absolute shame about what's unfolding in the Philippines, Duterte is acting more like a dictator rather than a democratic leader, with the extrajudicial killings of 'drug dealers', the announcement that the country will be severing ties with the United States, which places the country in a delicate area due to this allowing China to be more aggressive with the country. This is a beautiful piece that provokes thought; I'd even liken it to a Banksy piece for its brutal honesty.

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What Breaks Your Heart, Manila? by Mahal Ko Kuya Ko 7 points
The title is more like a poem or a song you know. Just loved the question, the comma, and the name..
The predictions in the intro, a poem message, thoughts..these materials played an attraction role, being something anyone could relate to.
This was my favorite part
"But with this mug
you always had your coffee on,
you're breaking my heart...
I've no time for sad news
and a president who feigns ignorance"
followed with your last four lines, I had goosebumps.. Very touching poem!

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Fragility by Silvershoes 4 points
I imagine a strong woman turning her back on an unworthy suitor. No remorse, tears or flailing of her arms; just a level-eye statement of fact: "you blew it, buddy. I've moved on." Best send-off since Baez to Dylan with "Diamonds & Rust"

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Fragility by silvershoes (4 pts)
Let me preface this comment, with the fact that I think all of the poems I voted for, were worthy of a 10 vote; I selected the votes arbitrarily (had them all open in new tabs and just reordered the order of the poems and stopped and went left to right, lol). The brutal honesty in this poem appealed to me; it wasn't even dressed as saccharine or bittersweet. Left me wondering about how truly fragile life is, and it reminded me a lot of this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvdtKK-UaE0

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Fragility by silvershoes 4 points
I love it when Jane writes small and yet powerful poems... she rocks in my opinion!
A heart is fragile and nobody loves forever.... this poem has a statement that is gripping for the reader and powerful all in its own... wonderful!! (4)

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Fragility by Silvershoes 4 points
I love poems that are so direct and then slam the door in faces of both the reader and the 2nd person/character in the piece.
I admired the fact that every line held a certain impact, this SLAP effect.
The closing was harsh and honest. A poem that makes you feel it came naturally in few minutes.
Loved it!

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They Call me the Scribbler by Maple Tree 7 points
The making of a poet has not been told better. Our educational system has consistently had problems dealing with early signs of genius. Yet, there are those who argue it is the conflict that produces the insight. Keep scribbling, children!

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They Call me the Scribbler - Maple Tree 7 points
I loved this quirky memory invoking piece. Bringing back youthful moments of rebellion, crossing lines, daydreams and the interest in robots that was prevalent back in the 70's and 80's. Being different, reading great but blood thirsty authors. Challenging the social expectations of growing up back then. This piece will tweak the memory of anyone who can remember being young in the 70s. I think the lines....
"A lost child can be found as a teary adult- just wanting answers that they should have answered years ago" is a feeling felt by many of today's adults. A wonderfully insightful and beautiful piece 7 points

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Promise by Naughtymouse - 10 points
A lovely imaginative and technically well written piece
a lovely heart warming poem that could be used by anyone in
love. I love that you can read it from top to bottom and then
reinforce the poetic promise by reading it from bottom to top
a very clever piece 10 points

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In These Streets Where We Walked (Quatern) by Larry Chamberlin 7 points
Quatern's are one of my all time favorite forms. Larry did beautifully of this remake. The repetitive line needs to be catchy to the reader and yet flow, which his repeat line did that and more.
To write of a place where you were born perhaps can be haunting and yet rustic to the eye and soul of the writer and the reader... this was a powerful piece by Larry and I am happy he chose this form to display it with... very nice! (7)

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Apologies to Mother - Ben Pickard - 4 points
An incredibly dynamic piece that depicts the damage that can be
caused by the one person in life who we are conditioned to believe we can trust and love.
They can destroy in a moment what we once saw as beautiful in life. This piece spirals down to where the writer "rots beneath the cruellest of mirages".
A sad, strong message about a subject that isn't often talked about. That mothers often inadvertently or otherwise have the ability to destroy our beliefs and perceptions and how difficult it can be to forgive them. 4 points

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No points but cited as Honorary Mentions:

Magnolia Pages by Maple Tree
This delightful piece with superb visuals and metaphors weave their magic throughout. With such lines as.. "Ravens echo promises from lips of wine" and "Ivy fingers upon a spine that was one broken" this is
a poem that is full of imagery and meaning and definitely worth a mention.

Rain Again by Mr Darcy
A lovely piece that starts the reader on a romantic blissful haze then dramatically takes the reader on a descent into
a dark and stinking pit.
I love the mixture of emotions and imagery that this piece raises and the turn around from
pink and fluffy to dark and gory. Great little write.

Plus, I thank the judge for the comment on "Streets." Very much appreciated.

One more week judges! You all have been so dedicated it is amazing.

Congratulations to all! Huge thank you to the judges. I completely agree, you judges rock :)

Thank you Larry for posting

Congratulations to the three wonderful poems this week, and a thank you from me to the judges for their time.

Ben

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I'm the same as Ben. Wonderful work by all, and thanks to the judges.:)

Thanks to all the judges your work has been amazing and the dedication is brilliant. Thank you Larry for posting, always fantastic comments.

Well done front pagers, all deserving and congratulations to the HMs too, it seems the competition is stepping up as they say.

Congrats everyone!

Congratulations to the Winners and HM's! Thank you, Judges and Mr. Larry!

I'm so happy with the outcome this week. Well done judges, poets, and admin members etc xo

Very similar patterns in the poetry from two of the winning poems this week I felt? Congats to winners and HMs...

Hellon, I agree. Lots of similarities in the stories both poems tell.

Oh wow, I'm honored my poem made it to the front page. Thank you. And on my birthday too! It's not nearly as well written and moving as the other 2 poems up there. Loooove both of them. Gorgeous pieces.

Great poems this week and thankyou for my HM, apologies for the late comment I didn't even know I'd been nominated!! Pnq rocks \m/

Congrats to the winner and HM's