Weekly Contest Winners - April 27, 2020!

Hello! Rania here. I hope everyone is doing well! The front page is embracing Mel with a welcome back WIN tag on her heart-touching piece that reminds us all how writing is a vital part of us. Mel's Absence poem also takes us to Ben who broke our heart with yet another stunning sad poem on someone who's no longer there. Then comes Saerelune's Skyward to teach us a life lesson in such a vivid masterpiece.

Thank you judges for your the stunning picks including HMs and for everyone else for reading and nominating and mostly for writing. Thank you for the comment on my poem, much appreciated.

Kindly read your comments below <3

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Skyward by Saerelune - 17 points

I can’t explain how much this poem resonated with me. It actually took me back to a poem I wrote a month ago, along with what I felt writing that. This for me displayed what I was hoping my poem would better than mine. I love how this poem started with a bold statement, I absolutely love the images in it as well. I have so much to say, yet I can’t find the right words. Very beautiful!! (7)

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This is such a beautiful poem. Our wanting and needing of something or someone that we will never get or achieve. Still chasing it in hopes that one day it will recognize us worthy of joining them. Saerelune writes this in being a child chasing these clouds, her faith never wavering in one day being accepted by them. Worried her sorrow was too much for them, they recognized her true intents, it wasn't them she was after at all. I think a lot of times our dreams we chase aren't something we get rewarded with, it's like the universe knows it's better we don't catch them at all. (10)

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Absence by Melpomene - 14 points

What a beautiful return to writing with an absolutely exquisite write, Mel holds no punches with every carefully measured verse punching above its weight. Her imagery is sublime. There's so much to say about this poem but I urge everyone to read it for themselves! Welcome back, and here's to hoping it's a long stay! (10)

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We write to express ourselves, to share our joys and sorrows. We write to heal from within, things so painful they must be expunged from our souls. When the world gets to be too much sometimes these words are unable to flow forth. This is how this piece read to me. I felt her pain in being unable to express through words how she has or hasn't been coping. Beautiful, sad, heartbreaking are just a few descriptive thoughts I felt reading this. I hope she continues finding her words and shares them with us all here. (4)

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The Crying Light by Ben Pickard 10 points

First of all, I love the shape of this poem it makes it different. The wording is brilliant; how it started with a word in each line then going to the bleeding line has a beautiful effect like the poem is actually bleeding. The words felt like they have been chosen carefully. This poem has a lingering feeling to it. The last line sealed the sadness and despair in this poem, it made it so real. This is so sadly beautiful.

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Napowrimo 18 -Escape by Rania Moallem 7 points

This piece resonated with me a lot. When I finally separated from my ex I felt this peace and I was finally able to breathe. This is what I felt reading this. I was nodding in agreement the entire time. My ex swore I would fail, fall flat on my face, come back. I never did, no matter how hard it was at times. It was hard, I struggled plenty and the sound of my ex's voice still makes me sick to my stomache. But I am free! This is what Rania's poem said to me.

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Classically trained in you by POTP 7 points

Just an absolutely inspired and beautiful write by MA. There's something warm, calming about this piece, it feels like you're getting reacquainted with someone you've held dear to you. A part that really resonated with me is "With you, there's always warmth/found in the crevices, in the drafty lungs/we share, in the forsaken meadows/where I used to beg death/to be my lover". Beautifully written.

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Just Another Poem About You by Mr. Rious 4 points

This poem is just absolutely rich in imagery wrapped in a soft yearning, this poem is incredibly soft, raw, rooted in reality yet imaginative. The play between the two is really well done in grounding the poet from wandering far off.

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Trauma by Skyfire 4 points

I admire you and how you shared such a deep thought with this poem. I find myself so many times, thinking how to mask my thoughts and feeling with words through poetry. So the rawness of this reminded me that it’s ok sometimes to share. This is very moving.

What fantastic pieces! Thank you to Rania, for hosting, and to our judges for their time. Also, thank you for the HM, judge!

Congratulations to all the front page winners and HM's! Stellar writing all of you! I don't envy the judges, tough picks to make with all of the nominated poems. Rania, thank you for hosting and judges, as always, thank you for your time and making the tough choices. I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy.

Good reads and Congrats to the Winners a d HM's. Thank you judges and thank you for hosting Raina...take care everyone

As anyone who has been on the site for any length of time will know, I'm not particularly confident when it comes to free verse but I certainly do understand the appeal of just letting go and writing what's there rather than following any kind of structure. I tried to that with this one, so I'm flattered that a judge found merit enough in it to award it their 10; thank you. And on the same note, it is an honour to share the front page with two such clearly accomplished poets with free verse.
Well done to all those nominated and those awarded hms, too.

Ben