Weekly Contest Winners - March 4!!

Hello March! Rania here.

We started an exciting new term, with a variety of poems making it hard for the judges to make up their minds, with Rusalka winning an-almost-all-unanimous vote by the judges.

While Michael's night also won a seat, we had a tie between Bob's farewell poem, Ken's Weary soul, and Wilson's Bright hill; each had a (10) from our dedicated judges. However, our tie-breaker hero chose to take Bob's poem to the front page. Which leaves us with the below results.

*Thank you everyone for your votes and nominations. Thank you judges for your time! I will leave you with the votes and comments!*

VOTES :

Rusalka (The Water Nymph) by Daniel: 34 points

That night by Micheal: 11 points

Farewell to Baaba by BOB GALLO: 10 + tie breaker vote = 14 points

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COMMENTS

Rusalka (The Water Nymph) By Daniel 34 points

The introduction of this piece was the most intriguing introduction I've read all week (and not even just on the site!) Also, this feels like an amazing way to celebrate Tuesday (National Fairy Tale Day) because it had a very well thought out and almost effortless fantasy tone to it while still accomplishing an overall tale. I really enjoyed this piece! (7)

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I absolutely love this poem! I was aware of Sirens but not these woodland nymphs. I was engaged throughout this entire write. I have traveled many a wooded area and slogged through my share of swamps and thankfully I have never come across one of these creatures. Daniel's poem is a cautionary tale of what lurks about out there. A solid 10 points from this judge! (10)

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One of the first thoughts I got after reading this is, what horrendous things happened to make this a part of mythology (Slavic Mythology as I found on the web), which made me liking the poem dwindle. But then Daniel’s style of writing served the topic well. The desperate pleas, lured by her melodies her beautiful songs, and then ended with “come, soon, release.”
This was the exact opposite of the calm before the storm. (7)

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When I come across a unique write like this I pause and smile. Poems, especially formed ones can bleach into the mist, but this freeform poem with its captivating imagery, theme and formatting made it, for me, special. It is clear that Daniel has poured carefully over each word, line and stanza until it became a honed piece of art. Love is seldom free of pain, it can present itself a lure so strong that one would walk blindly into the cold cackling depths. Well done – (10)

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Farewell to Baaba by BOB GALLO Points: 10 + TIE BREAKER VOTE (4)= 14

In my opinion BOB GALLO has succeeded transferring the chill to the reader(to me). Although we could see tremendous sadness for the loss, I could also feel the ease. Since we are living (obviously), we will never know how the chill coma feels. But!!! As I read this few times, I though it may resemble the state people fall on before closing their eyes when put on anesthesia, or even when one is extremely tired and slowly fall into the first state of sleeping, when the body is still slightly conscious. (10)

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TIE BREAKER COMMET:

I found this poem quite fascinating because I was led down a different pathway right until the very end and only realized what the poem was about when I read the author's footnote, then I became even more intrigued and read over it again where it took on a whole new meaning and, I think that's what makes for good poetry.

I noticed a couple of minor errors which I hope the author will edit out. (+4)

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That night by Micheal Points: 11 points

If I were asked to give a color to this poem, it would be turquoise. Why? It is a color that falls between blue and green, and it has a special meaning of serenity, wisdom, love, friendship and loyalty which where all carried within the poem. Sitting on the grass at night also is the marriage of green and blue, to form the turquoise. I also personally like the form of the poem how it is cut down into small sections, and the ease while punctuating. The three dots at the beginning of the poem made it sound like it was written at the moment. (4)

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This is such a romantic well thought of, flawless poem. If it was not a repeat genre from the poet I would chose this as my first choice. Here poet as always, shows his mastery in writing romantic poems, through elegant descriptions of the nature, the moments, the moon, ( evidently most of romances happen under the moon):
“everything felt unconditional; palpable in texture the only words we spoke were in kisses”

The sway from unconditional to palpable texture, really zooms on the elegant, yet spontaneous feeling by the punch the line: “the only words we spoke were in kisses” It is perfection, you cannot add or take anything neither from the poem or the moment, because they’ve met in pinnacle.
The black and white contrast of the moon and the night is cleverly implemented, intelligently and soulfully put against one another. I saw in another poem on the same topic this week. I think all the real mind work the same ( in the marriage of true mind). (7)

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Bright Hill by Dagmar Wilson 10 points

For being a shorter piece this write has a lot of heart and merit that fully embraces the writer's voice and storytelling surrounding a particular thought. I love the contrast between factual storytelling throughout the piece and then the one vivid image at the end - not only tying everything together but also balancing out the tone. Which had the author not been careful of, is a tone that would have been easily forgettable. But perhaps my favorite bit of this piece (as a whole) was the second stanza. The transition was flawlessly penned and the voice was a little more clear. All in all, well written and I'm so glad to have come across this piece.

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“A weary Soul seeking the River of Peace” by CRAFTY KEN 10 points

The poem starts with the promise of a river coming from some Middle-Eastern lands or maybe the lands of fiery trials. “fiery trials” in place of “ fairy tales”. A poetical marriage between mystical and biblical fancies

In the end it doesn’t really matter which one, because either real, myth or fiery trial, it is real and tangible in the soul
You may get everything you want but everything devil gives you lead: “to much depression and misery”. And submerges you to “A great darkness” that ‘encompass” es...
The discrepancy of the blue Monday and Preacher “named after the day of Sunday” somehow corresponds to the contrast between personal lost and seemingly futile search for the true blessing. The blessing obviously shown, is not going to be achieved in this world, or be given by the devil to the person who “left God at the Altar.” (didn’t we all?)
The poem goes on and on asking for some singe, for evidently, whatever he does and what’s written in the scriptures are not satisfying. There are visual signs needed, something tangible to the eyes as well as the inner peace. But the sign comes in the end, the river’s myth is true! The poet finds it in someone eyes. He becomes convert, or returns to Christianity, to see how he has been “convicted with his own sin,” and realizes the essence of it, that by that realization, one would receive forgiveness.
After “how he has been convicted with his own sin”, the reader realizes why the river was said: is coming from the “land of fiery trials” yet still maintain its river-ness.
A true poetical yet religious journey from darkness to the light.

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My Little Ball of Fur, Jinx by IdTakeABulletForYou 8 points

Our pets are our fur babies and when they are sick or aging it can be devastating to have to deal with the fallout. These sweet creatures are always there for us, they comfort us, listen to our deepest secrets, they are the keeper of our tears. S has written a loving poem for fellow poet Naomi. He has captured her tears and sadness of her beloved Jinx. What a wonderful and thoughtful friend to have! I'm hoping for the best for Naomi's fur baby.

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This Poem is so tender and written so clearly by such simplicity, yet points out the great mystery of the life in the clearest way, poetically. It is about the correspondence between death and life and love. You put all your best to attend, to care, to nurse your beloveds:
and stumble on your steps;
your eyes just look so far away
and now you're eating less.”

yet knowing that they are to die, or may not come back and heal. This oddity, this contradiction of life, is insoluble yet your try your best:
“To know that it is nearing
…and having no control at all
...it's pain felt in my soul.”
… with all my heart,
and yet I know you'll die.”

You put your life force, your love, behind your desperate tries, to guaranty their recovery, knowing that there is no guaranty:
…for what I cannot give:
to heal what ails you, cure the pain,
and ensure that you live.
…so solemn and aware
that I know just what is to come
yet still cannot prepare.”

In this state of contradiction, again life wins, because you do not quit, you keep on giving to the last moment. Even after the death you keep on consuming yourself. First because the love is the syntheses of life and death. Because it is the love, that in the end prevails, in your heart, where your beloved last and will live.

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A Very Colorful Moth by Adreamer 7 points

Maddy's poem struck a chord with me this week. There is a lot of melancholy feelings in this. We have all known a person like this. People that don't always fit the "norm", people whose star is burning so brightly that everyday grind can be too much. Maddy ponders if she had reached out maybe she could have changed the trajectory of this star and they'd still be here today. But alas these moths will forever be attracted to the flame.

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My, brother, my friend (English sonnet) by Michael 7 points

Sonnets are songs that often sing of love and when I read one, I hope that it won’t disappoint. Michael has written his sonnet well; observing the rules and more than that writing of love, love for his lost, for all intents and purpose, brother. Like a caring brother, Michael tells of times when this special man looked after him and shared with him the wisdom that Michael has within him now. Cancer does not discriminate, it takes the bad and the very good. Michael, thank you for sharing an insight of how special this man was.

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A little black spot by Wafaa 4 points

Waffa, has written a love story, but were it just that, I would have read it and moved on. The fact that she has threaded the damage to the back of her retina with her lost love story elevated it enough to make me take notice. Like the ‘black spot’ the memories, bitter and sweet, will never go away. With this poem, I would have liked to have seen more ‘show, don’t tell’, but the ‘little black spot’ gave it pleasing silver lining.

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Convolution and Crooked Compasses by aegis 4 points

The title was amazingly crafted and the entire piece was well thought and dripping with emotion. While pensive in creation this poem also outlined a beautifully laued out story. There was a stunning voice in this piece that added an incredible emphasis to the point of this. Greatly done!

Thank you so much judges for the time and my comments, and host. Thanks also to Mark and Hellon who nominated my works.

Congratulations to all the front page winners and HM's! Another stellar week of writing. Thank you Rania for hosting and always the judges for their time.

Congratulations Michael and Bob, and the HMs. Excellent poetry as ever all around. I’d like to thank the judges for their extremely thoughtful and humbling comments. Big smiles reading them. So much work went into them this week. :)

Congrats to all! A special thank you to our new round of judges, to our tie-breaker and to Rania. Have a good week, everybody :)

Congratulations to the front pagers and the honorably mentioned!
Thanks judges, including the tie breaker, and to Rania for hosting.

We have two persons who are on our “call list” as tie breakers. Please let any mod know if you want to be added.

Congratulations to this weeks winners and to the HMs. Welcome and thanks to this terms judges and for giving their time to make this happen and thanks to Rania for hosting. best wishes Milly x

O yes thanks to the tie breaker too