Weekly contest, 18 December 2017

Weekly Contest Results, 18 December 2017
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What is it that holds us in place? Is it the love of a woman or perhaps the need to belong to a life we have chosen? It keeps one man from forsaking all that he knows to become a wandering recluse. It is for another man the need to be there for the return of his wife who is away much of the time for her job. For Ben (welcome home) it is the pledge to cleave to his mate even if all the world is lost. Whatever you may think it is, the judges were captivated by it this week.

Front Page Winners:
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I Am That Man by Ben Pickard 17 Points
The Flight Attendant’s Husband by Larry Chamberlin 11 Points
A Man and a Woman by Ben * 10 Points

Honorably Mentioned:
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speaking in parallels by Sai * 10 Points
This is how I unfold our love by Amrita Singh * 10 Points
This is who I am by Deeply Disturbed * 10 Points
A Mice Christmas by Milly Hayward 7 Points
I am a child of Darkness by Dagmar Wilson 7 Points
Sandy Christmas by Tony 7 Points
Crossroads by Walter 4 Points
Flight and Flutter (Rhyming Ode To Jim The Darkest of Jedi's) by Ben 4 Points
Oceans don't Chase the Moon (I'm not in Love with you) by Milo 4 Points
Twas the Night before Christmas By Scott Cole 4 Points
*(Tied for Third)

Front Page Winners:
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I Am That Man by Ben Pickard 10 Points
As we all know Ben usually writes rhyming poetry which is always good though when he delves into other types they are equally as good and this raw, honest, personal piece is no exception. We can all relate in some quality because none of us feel we are good enough to be here and those that do well I think they're lying but it reminds me of a quote I read somewhere "life is the stage and we are the actors" or words to those affect. Anyway I digress this piece felt like I was watching a show about a person with depression questioning their own being every waking second which was painful to read but most certainly relatable.

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I Am That Man by Ben Pickard 7 Points
The depth, despair and complex humanity in this touches my soul. I think it is when we can open that part of ourselves, the dirty part that still searches to be redeemed somehow, to find some answers, it is then we can be able to walk on and move from where we were standing. There is that innate desire to grow from what was corrupt, from what has become molded and useless. We as humans long to thrive and be the creators of something meaningful.
Thought-provoking piece to say the least!

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The Flight Attendant’s Husband by Larry Chamberlin 4 Points
I must say this is the sweetest love poem I’ve read so far! Its filled with the aches of missing a loved one and remembering what its like to have that person close especially during special occasions. The rhymes and the wording took this read from start to end with a smooth and tender flow…and its so nice to read a poem when a husband writes about his wife…its just so very sweet and touching!

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The Flight Attendant’s Husband by Larry Chamberlin 7 Points
This was an absolutely fantastic yet emotional write which was done so delicately with a superb, unforced rhyme that made the read in my humble opinion stand out this week and it goes to show that Christmas isn't all joyful and that we all celebrate Christmas differently some with full bellies and a full table and some with nothing but a yearning in their hearts. Hat well and truly taken off to you Larry for such a profound, emotional and thought provoking write.

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A Man and a Woman By Ben 10 Points
I love the subtle expression of love in this piece. This piece has a certain beauty and calmness to it which touched me deeply as a reader. And the form is admirable, and even more recognition worthy because it is a nonet and a reverse nonet in one. The thematic cohesion is just amazing reading it from top to bottom and bottom to top. A truly splendid work that deserves my top vote!

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Honorably mentioned:

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speaking in parallels by Sai 10 Points
I love how candid this piece is and how it almost comes across as unapologetic. There is that ambiguous person or "you" you are referencing, while you caution against artificial people and their contrived intentions. The last image packed so much power and truth. You mentioned the 70s and though I was not even alive then, I can all too easily imagine the kind of shame-induced fear and the 'hush hush' of having a child out of wedlock even in today's society. I remember growing up and hearing the gossip, sadly, of people in our neighborhood who, based on religion/societal expectations, etc, we deemed to be immoral or in need of forgiveness. And this was in the early 200os. It also reminded me of a couple who were family friends of ours that were denied marriage by a specific priest simply because they were living together at the time.
What caused me to really stop and think several times when coming back to read your piece, was that it applies to a plethora of situations. The naiveté of humanity, the conditioning of our parents, of how we were raised, if we were indoctrinated into a certain belief system or faith, etc... The silence you speak of in this piece relates to a certain level of protection and defense in my mind. There's always a story behind the silence, and it's a matter of taking the risk for fear of being judged or hiding deeper into yourself.
Powerful piece!

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This is how I unfold our love by Amrita Singh 10 Points
I’ve read poems which describes what love is about and how it works. This though is different. I like the usage of language, the metaphors and the simplicity of it. We all have different views about love and this speaks how love can be nurtured and perhaps healed…a very nice read!

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This is who I am - Deeply Disturbed 10 Points
nicely rhymed piece that is confident, bold and refreshing honest. The punchy attitude and decision not to change who you are to conform to what is socially accepted. It raises mental images of a rebel without a cause. Although I have no idea what the writer looks like I could see clearly a defiant woman saying it as it is and having the strength to accept herself just the way she is no matter what. A powerful confident voice in poetic form and for me a refreshingly different approach to perceptions about drinking. I'm not condoning drinking but recognizing and admiring the person who makes a choice to be who he or she is without compromise. The message that you can be who you want to be and people can accept you as you are or not is a powerful one. Loved it...

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A Mice Christmas by Milly Hayward 7 Points
This is a heart warming Christmas poem/story! As I read it I could only imagine Tom and Jerry and his little troops. The rhyme scheme through out the write was simple and perfect. Nothing seemed forced and it cheers the heart. Perhaps it will be a hit among the children! Enjoyed the read.

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I am a child of Darkness by Dagmar Wilson 7 Points
powerfully astute non rhyming poem that captures well the feelings and challenges of someone enduring great emotional pain. That feeling of constricting pain that feels like a growth in the chest and the fact that when you have been in a dark place for a while going back into the light can seem daunting like leaving a safe haven. Dagmar portrays this very well starting the reader onto a dark journey of hurt but then the reveal that noticing others pain helps us with our own and that working with others can help towards recovery leaving the reader with a strong message of hope.

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Sandy Christmas By Tony 7 Points
I love the true to life Christmas story put into rhymes here by Tony. A touching, one of a kind story of inspiration. Tony's rhyming here is stunning as always. This made me want to commend every soldier who spend Christmas protecting his/her country. Yes, I agree with the comment, this would make a beautiful Christmas movie. Lovely work.

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Crossroads by Walter 4 Points
rhyming portrayal of young shy love. It captures exactly those feelings of unsureness, the wanting to take action but not quite being able to muster the confidence. Paralyzed with thoughts of wondering if the other person feels the same way or are you misreading the situation. The panic as they leave before you get a chance to say hello. The ultimate self searching question of what if. For me a nostalgic piece that would appeal to anyone who has ever experienced shyness in a romantic situation and wished they had been more brave. A pleasant and appealing poem.

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Flight and Flutter (Rhyming Ode To Jim The Darkest of Jedi's) by Ben 4 Points
This piece was enchanting, image filled, melodious and it just seemed to slip off the tongue when read out loud which I think makes for an amazing piece. I could imagine being this lady who is sleeping then wakes to the serenading of my beloved what a beautiful image. In my opinion this was the best piece of Ben's that was nominated. Welcome home by the way it's good to have you back.

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Oceans don't Chase the Moon (I'm not in Love with you) by Milo 4 Points
I adore the lyrical tone of this piece, the gentleness of the lines and the way you struggle yet connect with the inner voice of your soul. I like that there's still a bit of mystery in this piece as to your relationship with this person. You make it known that this love you receive holds you up and is constant, yet you are still crashing down. And it's almost as if there's this other element (this other being in your life) pulling you in another direction. Then there is the self-denial, the confusion, the reality of being able to run away. This poem made me evaluate some things, especially because I took it as having two loves in your life, and wondering if there is only one soulmate, or several. The "wrong kind of ocean" illustrated to me not simply the distance or coordinates of that alternate life we could have led, but the promise of something eternal that is not what we first came to expect.
Beautiful write.

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Twas the Night before Christmas By Scott Cole 4 Points
A very fun rhyming piece that is so detailed in its storytelling that the reader gets a good grasp of the scenario at the shopping mall. So in time for the Christmas week. Scott's humor shines in this piece! I think everybody enjoyed the read. Just amazingly done!

By the way, thanks judges for the comments and the win and thanks to Em for nominating my poem. Congrats to the other winners and honorable mentions. Thanks to the sub-judges.

Thank you Larry for collating all the information this week and thanks to the judges taking the time to read, judge and write their lovely comments especially at such a busy time of the year To the nominaters and writers that contribute each week and for the unwavering support of the moderators behind the scenes. It's this wonderful community spirit, dedication and voluntaey contribution that makes p&q the best poetry site and a home from home and inspires such excellent poetry. Well done to the winners and HMs. Milly x

Thank you to the judges for their perceptive comments and finding something of value in what is a rather miserable piece! Congratulations to Ben (great to have you back round these parts) and also to Larry; it's an honour to share the front page with two of the most respected people/poets on site. Also, a massive well done to all the hms this week, too.

All the best

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Huge congratulations to all six winners this week and for the HMs ... fab job and worthy winners :-)
Thanks as always to the judges for their time and to Larry for hosting :-( x
=^.^=

Thankyou so much guys...i've been away for some time and it is nice to be back and not just reading from a far, thank you judges and Larry for posting but I also wanted to thank everyone for such a homecoming, your kind words and support have been nothing short of amazing......very humbling indeed. For those that celebrate it I hope that you all have a fantastic Christmas and new year!

Thanks to mods, the judges, those who nominate the poems and everyone who is making this site better for the beginners.
Congratulations to everyone!

Congratulations to my two favorite Ben's in the world and sweet Larry!

All the poems were wonderful, hugs to all of you

Congrats to the Winners and HM's!
Thank you for hosting Larry and thank you
judges for your time :)

Congratulations to all the front page winners and HM's! It's wonderful to see such a diverse group of writers on the boards. Thank you Larry for hosting and always the judges for their time.

Firstly thank you Larry for posting and to all judges taming out their time to read all the pieces and comment.

Secondly well done and congratulations to all front page winners and HMs