June 5, 2017 Contest Winners!

Hi, everyone! What an exciting way to enter June :) Congrats to all winners and HM's and I love that we have some news faces here on PnQ as well. Thank you to the judges and hope everyone has a wonderful week!

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WINNERS:

“To float in Nature” by: Aries Rising = 20 points

“Where Aura’s Collide” by: Ben = 17 points

“Inertia” by: Lyical Madness = 14 points

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COMMENTS:

“To float in Nature” by: Aries Rising

“Craig sets up the action in ominous tones of secrecy that made me expect tragedy. The unexpected delight of solitude in nature was a welcome relief and the simplicity of the experience carried far more weight than merely a man alone in a canoe. It is the closest to a Zen koan I've read in ages.” (10)

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“This poem is an open window about the author and his passion which he has penned so effortlessly without having to think much about. It just flowed with perfect rhymes mingled with his feelings and the pleasure blooms as the images simply comes alive. Beautifully penned for any reader to tag along with…enjoyed!” (10 points)

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“Where Aura’s Collide” by: Ben

“You can palpitate the warmth in every verse; it’s amazing, Ben really poured his heart and soul into this piece, and it definitely shows. There’s something ethereal about this piece, Ben captures one of life’s fleeting emotions, to be wholly in love with someone, when everything aligns and to borrow Ben’s idea, when each of your ‘auras’ are magnified by one another. It’s moving in every sense. Well done.” (10)

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“The first stanza welcomes us into the breadth of a burgeoning love story - the moon, always pale and unsparkling, now sparkles when the narrator views it.
The second stanza brings us into a world licked with color and a new sweetness, the love of another causing the surrounding world to appear that much brighter and lovely.

Several sections of the poem feature almost unexpected rhyme, where the first stanza alone carries no rhyme, each of the stanzas that follows envelops a rhyming duo of lines or more -

“Each wave fought, and won with pride
the tide that tried to conquer and divide”

The above is a marvelous feat of end-rhyme and internal rhyme, four words encapsulating the “-ide/ied” schematic.

A dazzling love poem amidst a week that featured a series of quality love poetry.” (7)

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“Inertia” by: Lyical Madness

“I was drawn to this poem that I found so poignant in this mixed up crazy world we live in. Where fear is becoming an everyday occurrence and we are left looking over our shoulders when in a crowded space hoping the unimaginable never happens. I loved the title as we are forced to roll forward whether we want to or not. Having said all that and the category it’s in, my take is probably wrong and it’s about life and the direction we are taking as we get older? But after the last few weeks of terrorism that was my take on it. It’s a compelling piece, well done.” (10)

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“Cracked mosaic pavements” - I’ve never come across pavement described as mosaic, but it works quite fascinatingly with the cracked nature of the earth; black fragments like a congregation of split glass particles. It’s a dark, yet enlightening image.

The rhyming in each stanza feels unforced and the language is well-chosen, driving the sad nature of the poem. The ellipses entrenched in the middle of the final line is an interesting choice, but does not distract from the flow of the poem in any way; a comma may have perhaps fit better visually, but it’s the poet’s stylistic choice, it brings a stop either way.

A sad, but well-written poem. Great work!” (4)

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HM’S:

“A Drop of an Ocean” by: RustySoul 7 + 4 = 11 points

“A View To Make The Snow Melt (tanka)” by: Ben Pickard = 10 points

“She Matters” by: An Old Friend = 7 points

“When Grief Is All There Is (English Sonnet)” by Ben Pickard = 7 points

“Wonderland” by: Honor4saken = 7 points

“Apple” by: Tony = 4 points

“The Ant and the Flea” by: Ken = 4 points

“Family” by: Jamie = 4 points

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COMMENTS:

“A Drop of an Ocean” by: RustySoul

“A very meaningful write. A situation we all undergo every now and then yet it has a touch of inspiration to fill our heart with fire. From start to end the read was smooth and it carried me along with the writer…beautifully penned! (7)

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“I really liked this narrative, and the conclusion at the end; the author might not have been directly hinting at it but it reminded me of the butterfly effect & everything ‘trivial’ still plays a role, and that is extremely comforting for me. Great write.” (4)

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“A View To Make The Snow Melt (tanka)” by: Ben Pickard

“It’s always quite interesting to see poets on P&Q experimenting with different forms - haiku, tanka, sonnet, etc. Ben does a masterful job tangling with the tanka form this week, following in its tradition of being a format for love poems.

“Crispy white mountains” - This description carries a dual-purpose, perhaps, as I see crispy to describe both the white color, a clean whiteness capping the mountain; as well, the crispness of the snow, fresh and crunching beneath footfalls.

A short, sweet love poem, and such a beautiful tribute to one’s partner - the beauty of nature may be something, but fear not that your bare existence outdoes it all. Well done!” (10)

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“She Matters” by: An Old Friend

“Poignant, a touch of concern, but mostly sheer affection in a relationship that is blessed by each of the sharing participants. Nice work, Tara Kay.” (7)

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“When Grief Is All There Is (English Sonnet)” by Ben Pickard

“Ben Pickard delivers another sonnet that is amazing, it may have been inspired by recent events (bombing in Afghanistan, the Manchester attack, etc.) You can definitely feel the candle’s flame flutter and go out. It’s an accurate depiction of the sinking feeling into grief. Life can be cylical, can’t have ups without downs. Great write.” (7)

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“Wonderland” by: Honor4saken

“Great to see a number of new poets nominated this week. You have taken us on a lovely journey through poetry Wonderland aided by good rhyme and meter. As to who you are in Alice’s wonderland I am left wondering, the Grim reaper or a mystical figure starting a new journey? Whatever the case it’s a fascinating prelude and left me wanting more. I think Thay should be they, a minor distraction.” (7)

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“Apple” by: Tony

“On first read and referencing the last two stanza’s I thought this was a tribute to a fallen soldier, but as it’s in the Love romance category I guess not. The rhyme and meter work well making the piece flow nicely. Solice is spelt with an (a), a small distraction. Loves desire always stirs deep emotion, deep emotion can be inspiring and we tend to look inside our soul. Some put what they see down in words, most don’t. Thanks for showing a glimpse of yours. “4)

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“The Ant and the Flea” by: Ken

“Nice little story with lots of meaning related to life. It’s cute and so easy to follow line by line by line and the story made me smile and it would make any child smile too when they read it...liked it!” (4)

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“Family” by: Jamie

“Not merely a nice turn on an old phrase, it also liberates the speaker in a way not conceived in his past.” (4)

Congrats to all the front page winners and HM's-so many excellent writes, I don't envy the judges with having to choose. Well done all!

Congratulations to the winners and HMs.

Morning all. Sorry for the slow response,

Firstly well done to all winners H.M's and to all nominated.

When I see something of mine nominated I feel incredibly humbled and when I see what it stands beside I often think it's not worthy of such. Yet it was and a massive thank you goes out to Em for doing so.

Thank you also to the judges, not just for voting and your insightful comments but also for the work you put in. It is a task I don't envy.

That "to float" actually got a win was something of a shock. It was a very self indulgent write and very simple. So so pleased people enjoyed it though.

Once again thank you all

Craig

Congrats to all the winners and HMs this week! :)

Well done to everyone. Some marvellous poetry this week. And thank you, as ever, to the judges for their precious time.

All the best.

Congratulations all!

Congratulations to the winners and the PM's. Thank you MA for hosting and thank you judges for your diligence.

Congrats to all the Winners and HM's!
Thank you judges for your work and time and thank you MA for hosting!