Weekly Contest Winners - September 14, 2020!

Hope everyone is doing well! Congrats to Ben, Sai and Satish on their front page wins! Thank you to our two judges as well.
I hope everyone has a wonderful week :)

-MA

WINNERS:

"A Lot Of Nerve" by: Ben Pickard

"There is so many great things in this poem, that it's so difficult for me to elaborate on parts or interpret them. I'll be general, the poem is masterfully written. The flow the rhyme, the rhythm the careful wording everything about it. I know that everything has purpose in Ben's writings, so what had me really intrigued is the punctuation. There are barely any, and most importantly no full stops. The could be for a better flow, but to me it seemed more than that. Although the poem is of hardships in a relationship, the lack of full stops gave me the impression that the voice in this poem is still not ready to let go. Ben never fails to impress with his writing!!" (10)

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"Supper" by: Sai

"There was something raw yet almost celestial about this poem. Supper - seems like such a casual word... an every day activity. I was therefore pleasantly surprised by the mention of stardust in the first line. It makes me wonder what stardust must taste like... and I bet the writer does too! It's enticing how the reader is invited to "taste" this stardust by imagining how it can be chewed, moved around the tongue... to suddenly snap out of this trance and re-focus on this other person in the room. I thought it was so beautiful, how we were first focusing on closeness, then giving space. They're both such rich ways of showing love. The poem quickly turns into something beautifully romantic. Going through the clouds and the rain together, becoming full together." (10)

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"Difficult To Understand" by: Satish Verma

"Assassin Bugs is certainly a proper description for these summer mosquitos that are attacking us every night. Aside from the accurate reality of these bugs in our bedrooms, I'm left to wonder whether there's more to these nights. There's talk of a reclusive mind, becoming vulnerable again... and as a reader this makes me incredibly curious about what this mind is thinking about. Perhaps it's still difficult to put in words.. which is why the ending is about letting out a poem? This stanza wrapped the imagery of vulnerability and bloodsucking insects together very nicely. Very clever to mention a lantern, I assume to attract the bugs so they don't sting us anymore... and perhaps that's what poems do to us as well! They soak up the pain for us." (7)

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HM'S:

"(W)hole" by: Skyfire

"The more I read this, the more I feel like crying I'm not sure why. The use of the moon was so clever, how it changes in shapes and gets smaller but ends up whole again. But the moon isn't changing, how it lights is what changes just like how darkness takes over us and we fall under the shadows. Although the moon is a reassuring light in the dark nights, there are still nights where can't he the light at the end of the tunnel. We only have to believe that we will find that light, just like how the the sliced moon finds its wholeness again. I love the wording of this , like the use of wane to start the final verse. Also the questioning gave me chills! Just amazing!!!!!" (7)

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"Just visiting" by: Michael
"I get a sense of motherly love from this poem. The mentions of being a fledgling beneath protective wings, soothed ears, shrouded youth... Then perhaps the reality of this son/daughter growing older: seeing how even angels are scrubbing the sins from their feathers. Such a strong image! We never really stop and think about how angels may have their hardships too. Perhaps the persona felt just like an angel, that was lost, full of sin... only to be lifted again. Feel peace again. Such a subtle rollercoaster of emotions." (4)

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"Transitory" by: Poet on the Piano

"This week I wish I could give the three poems I chose a 10.Starting the poem with it's raining and almost at the end adding it's raining harder, gives the poem a sense of realness if that makes sense; like the more we live life, the more we face its reality. Even if it's for a brief moment, we want a chance to feel free to dream big and not be afraid of it. This poem is so powerful!" (4)

Congrats to Ben, Sai & Satish and to the HMs as well. Thanks for posting MA & thanks to the lone judges.

Side note: we're going down to one judge this coming week in case anyone wants to volunteer.

Congratulations Sai, Sathish and Ben and to all those who received a HM.
Thank you for hosting MA and thank you judges.

Congratulations to all the front page winners and HM's! So much amazing writes, I don't envy the judges. Thank you Mary Anne for hosting and last but not least, our esteemed judges....thank you!

Well done to Sai and Satish and all those highlighted/nominated. Thank you so much to the judges for their time and comments which are much appreciated.

Congrats to all involved.