Weekly Contest Results 13 February 2017

First, I'd like to explain the glitch in the contest display. It appears that on the front page the site displays two winners from the current week and one from the past week. We have alerted Janis to the situation. We are keeping track of all three winners each week.

Solitudinous reverie leads to both quiet appreciation of the world around us and introspective appreciation of how far we have traveled in character building. This week the judges found favor in Nicko’s vivid outback campsite observations, c a williams’ colloquial description of a moonshine operation with it’s impact on the locale and Ezrah Jayne’s seaside acceptance of the importance of her life’s mistakes in leading to maturity.

My View by Nicko ..... (10+7+7= 24 points)
Growth by Ezrah Jayne ..... (10+7= 17 points)
Still by c. a. williams ..... (10+7= 17 points)
Eternal Hope by Larry Chamberlin ..... (10+4= 14 points)
An Unexpected Encounter by Hellon ..... (10 points)
Tongue-tied by Aegis ..... (4+4= 8 points)
Leap of Faith by Ren ..... (7 points)
I Miss You by Kyle ..... (4 points)
The Last Strike of Midnight...(Pendulum) by Mr. Darcy ..... (4 points)

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My View by Nicko (10 points)
This work is almost a tone poem from the 19th century musical era. First, your physical description is so immediate that the reader is ensconced in the scene looking out from your eyes. Next, the sensory perception is extended to sounds and tactile impressions. I have heard the kookaburra’s call and there may be no sound more distinctly Aussie than it. In North America you would have to combine at least two birds (kingfisher and titmouse) plus a squirrel to get a similar effect. (Experiment: I'd love to play a kookaburra’s laugh recording to a mockingbird.) The eucalyptus and the "cuppa" also firmly ground the locale.
However, the real life touches amaze me: the fly, the desultory wind, the shimmering hazy horizon, the soot covered kettle whistling. A powerful work Richard Strauss could have set to music.
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My view by Nicko (7 points)
The imagery of the poem is gifted life with the wonderful expression of colour; from the first glance at a new misty summer’s dawn, to the delicate rays reaching through leaves and leaving ‘freckled’ marks on earth/ grass still wet with dew. Then enters the ‘cackle’ of wildlife, like an alarm clock – but this day feels inviting. I like the entrance of the insignificant fly (I love the personification) – I like to think that everything in this world is urging us, inviting us to be part of a wonderful day.
Okay, now we’re up, we notice the tall tips of the trees swaying, wagging with the breath of wind. Perhaps the last before a sweltering day? Then like every day should start, whether gorgeous like this or inclement, a nice hot cuppa. I too have a whistling kettle – I think like this piece of poetry; it shows a nostalgic mind – well done, an enjoyable way to start the day.
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My View by Nicko (7 points)
A sensory treat, raw, full of grammatical errors, beautiful. I particularly enjoyed the stanza describing the wind. A true blue voice from the Australian bush has spoken. And I like his view. Another cuppa?

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Growth by Ezrah Jayne (10 points)
I liked the super sweet alliteration – it really called out to me. The sound of waves are so evocative, so soothing that they’re almost hypnotic. The ‘ebb and flow’ line works really well on its own, allowing this reader to just pause to see the movement of these waves.
Like the salty sea, its human likeness is tears. Here the tears are brought up from the depths of the past; a past that won’t let go. “over and over” this writer tells of unfulfilled love; “over and over” she yearns for acceptance; for someone to love her for who she is, and appreciate her for all that she is. As she sits, contemplating her life, she at last realises that time brings tears, but this time change; change brought on by mistakes.
This is a sad truth – when a person is dealt enough pain, there comes a tipping point when they realise, that swimming with the tide is easier that against it. Good luck!
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Growth by Ezrah Jayne (7 points )
A woman contemplating the miserable episodes of her life may not be original, but in this work the lessons learned are a build up to the subtle but profound True Lesson discerned from her lifetime of false plays.
Growth is valuable, however it is achieved, and the ability to appreciate the outcome makes the pain endured worthwhile, even if not to be repeated.
Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

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Still by c. a. williams (10 points)
Wow. Some stunning writing here. Like Nicko’s nominated poem this week, this poem was also earthy, also described nature, but, most importantly, it spoke from the heart and grit of its author’s individual culture and habitat, some experience profoundly felt. What a voice. There are words in this poem I, as an urban non-American, would never think of using – deadfall, backwood, Bobwhites – beautiful words, used beautifully. I can critique very few points about this poem, and rave about it much more. But I won’t do either. Very excited to have found this poet – makes being a judge worthwhile.
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Still by c. a. williams (7 points)
What a very rich poem, so much depth. I admit I had to read this several times to feel attached to it, but, that's only because it drew me from the very 1st line.
The word choice is smart and well-picked, I made a tour with your verses into this place.
"slow fires eat through the night
and trickle into
handmade jugs set
against the loam "
this was my favorite, very cozy and warm. The best thing about the poem is that I envied the writer for having this place as an inspiration.
The closing verse was nailed.
Goodluck!

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Eternal Hope by Larry Chamberlin (10 points)
What a mind-blowing piece. It's like a little book of calm joy. I enjoyed the scene in my head, I enjoyed the real and virtual meaning that wandered in my head.
The message that could be grasped from it is very sweet but very well written. It's so elegant that I want to print it out and hang it in front of me on my desk (if the poet, Larry, approves the permission ?)
Those 12 words are honestly mesmerizing.
A front page poem, no joke.
Well done.
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Eternal Hope by Larry Chamberlin (4 points)
Good thing the site’s minimum is 50 characters WITH spaces, or this little beauty would never have made it. Seems completely unforced, great use of enjambment within the form.

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An Unexpected Encounter by Hellon (10 points)
No more fly swatters. No more fly nets and no more love-quelling blue lights that attract those cupids in disguise and ruin our chances of happiness forever more!
Who would have thought those pesky little irritants that ruin our summers could bring such romance into somebody's life? Well, it seems in this case - even if fictional - one has!
This is an excellent piece from a very varied and capable poet who always excites me when she posts something new.
I have to say, comedy aside, that purely from a poetic point of view, I loved this part:
and...
as our smiles collided,
somewhere between
strangers and friends
A thoroughly engaging write that I really enjoyed quite a few times.

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Tongue-tied by Aegis (4 points)
‘Tongue-tied had me voting for the one word that made this piece work, “unscrupulous” not only did it successfully deliver a satisfying end, it also brought the previous simile full and complete context. An admission that this writer, like many others, myself included spout un-truths much of the time; we fabricate realities, we bend, break and even reinvent the truth – basically we tell lies. So, as our mouths/ note books/ laptops open it is like the clouds emptying a load of lies to readers and listeners. Now if you believe any of this nonsense, you’ll believe anything!
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Tongue-tied by Aegis (4 points)
I believe so many people will relate to this. Other than seeing myself in your shoes, I also found myself with a slightly-sarcastic, simply worded and yet powerful little piece.
The fact that you listed your 1st 5 lines before you precise the " descriptive" part, gave the poem it's impact.
Maybe if worded differently it wouldn't have been as powerful, so hats off for your clever word order.

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Leap of Faith by Ren (7 points)
A short but very sweet little piece from Ren that I found inspiring.
Because of its brevity, the end is all the more effective and striking: first we have the two protagonists of the piece 'standing on the edge of new beginnings' with 'heads held high' and almost as quickly as the write 'ascends' we are left with an ellipsis printed in our minds at the end...
Did they jump? I hope so - too many of us never do.

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I Miss You by Kyle (4 points)
Severe loss is mind stopping, physically disabling and emotionally crippling. There is no aspect of one's being that is not harmed almost beyond recovery. In fact, just to survive is by itself a victory, albeit, a meager one. To seek to understand, to place the loss in perspective, some people turn to expression. Your poetry, in particular in this poem, shows an intense grasp of life-affirmation. It is not to say you have accepted the loss of your son. Rather, you have begun to appreciate the depths of the loss, putting it into true pieces of a puzzle that may never be solved or finished. Nonetheless, you have grounded yourself in reality. There is much more to be overcome, but I am not clever enough to pretend to know what. I do believe you are headed to where you need to become.

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The last strike of midnight...(Pendulum) (4 points)
Poetry like this fascinates me because it is quite beyond me. If words and art are going to be pushed a little further, then it's writers like this - with this way of thinking - that will more than help the cause.
The format is original, the tale is well told (in very brief lines, which isn't easy) and - if the author's note is followed - the write as a whole is magnified tenfold. Well done; I wish I had more points on hand this week!

Congratulations to all the front page winners and HM's! Well done!

Wow there were lots of interesting pieces this week. Nicely done everyone!

Congratulations everyone, awesome poems this week and nice to see some people i've not read before up here, great job!

PNQ rocks \m/

Oh hey, I didn't realize that my poem was up here. Glitches are lame.

Anyway, thank you Larry for posting and the Judges for the wonderful comments! Congrats to the other winners and hms. ^^

Great to see some new poets up there; congratulations to all involved this week.

Thanks to the judges for the hard work they put in and thanks to the other poets.. hard to believe it's 4 years since I last posted one

Congrats to the winners and HMs...glad to see that Janis has updated the 'real' winners this week....a big SHOUT OUT for Janis!

Thank you judge for your comment...just a little tongue and cheek thing that happened to me a very long time ago :)