Weekly Contest Results, 2018 July 2

How do we know who we are? Satish asks that soul searching question in light of seeming failures of moral expectations, Shane believes he will discover the answer if his own lover simply provides fertile ground for beauty to grow in his heart, a mortal poet seems to discover the answer in the delight of his lover to rediscover him. Congratulations to each of them and to the HMs as well.

Thanks to the judges for their wonderful dedication for the past two months. Feel free to disclose your identities, either on this thread or by posting your judging comments on the poems themselves. New terms starts this next week!

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Front Page:
Soaring High by Satish Verma 30 Points
Once the jasmines grow (Rondeau) by Sinners gospel 17 Points
My Place in the World by Mortal Utopia 10 Points

Honorable Mentions:
Purpose by Tanya Southey. Points: 8 Points
Grace by Tanya Southey 7 Points
Heart Left at the Altar by Tony 7 Points
March of Nightmares by Tony 7 Points
We just fell into place by Em (marmite) 7 Points
Embrace The Dark by CJ Maleney 4 Points
I wish you would have told me by ImTheGirl 4 Points
Month of June by Sinners gospel 4 Points

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Soaring high by Satish Verma 10 Points
Oh, another beautiful poem about purpose - one's purpose in life; the ultimate purpose of life; the world's purpose in our own life. I somewhere along the lines, found all these questions in this short and crisp piece. Built on the foundations of sad imagery, the verses take me into a very different world than what the poet himself feels - does poetry only make the poets help realize and put together their thoughts and feelings, or somewhere do we as readers take bits and pieces from them too in our minds, or do they just end up like piled up newspapers - read, abandoned and forgotten in our cupboards. Thank you.

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Soaring high by Satish Verma 10 Points
In just a few stanza a lot has been said not only for the
writer to ponder but for the reader as well. The imagery in
each stanza stands out and it ends with a question for us.
“A jilted lover, like
a broken moon, takes
a jump from the hill.”
^^Really liked this part very much. A well written piece.

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Soaring high by Satish Verma 10 Points
I have mentioned in previous judging comments that I am a big fan of this poet's work and I will say again here that I believe him to be massively underrated on this site in terms of 'likes' and comments which - admittedly - means very little.
So much of his work is purposefully ambiguous - meanings and interpretations hidden behind mesmerizing descriptions and original uses of format and punctuation. Maybe I am wrong, but this one seems a little more straightforward: how can we find the good in ourselves and our own lives when we are surrounded by so much bad? A fully deserved last ten points from me.

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Once the Jasmine's grow by Sinners gospel. Points: 7
A structured writing, that too a rondeau. I do not know much about the technicalities of a rondeau but this piece was very well presented. Many a times, I personally feel, structured poetry is attempted very well, is likeable to read, but tends to be a hit and a miss (I myself have been a victim to these attempts) but this piece was very well done. It was beautiful written in a difficult structure as I have known, and did not let the reader drift apart with mismatched sentences. Full of hope, this piece deserves my full praise. Well done.

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Once the jasmines grow (Rondeau) by Sinners gospel 10 Points
There is nothing more perfect to me than a Jasmine flower. Five white petals with sunshine yellow in the middle. When I rise at five to go to work I trot out into the garden to see them, dew on the petals, caressed by the first light of the new dawn. Their fragrance is like a drug to me (just like your poems). It gives me a high, my brain buzzes happy, serene. I find my centre and I'm ready for the day.
If it can make someone write such beautiful poems, then yes love is an incredible art.

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My Place in the World by Mortal Utopia 10 Points
A true love will refuse the blind self-rejection of the fearful. Beautiful theme well constructed. It is rare to see a self-affirming work that at the same time gives appreciation for the one who generated the seeming unbelievable message of acceptance and devotion.

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Purpose by Tanya Southey 4 Points
This piece was quite an intense writing. From the very beginning it could be felt as the poet begins by describing the dense atmosphere at the time of her birth and how she remembers it. The very statement that 'her cells remember the moment the spark entering her body' gave me quite the goosebumps as I imaged the picture of a just born baby opening its eyes with the grave feelings of the world instead of beginning its life crying. All in all I have to state, the poet has done very well to express her thoughts and feelings. Might I add, the free structure works very well to freely portray the thoughts, and free structures in itself allow the poet to write which ever way they wish to, but possibly adding a little punctuation would help the reader understand the poem better and help it flow better. But a very good piece altogether. Congratulations.

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Purpose by Tanya Southey 4 Points
The author has created a work that exudes the titular quality of purpose. The confidence expressed is reminiscent of the sea-tales of Sinbad or the hero-boasting of mythology. What sets it apart is the final line: “I am the one I have been waiting for.” More than self-acceptance, this is an affirmation that the destiny of this person has been fulfilled.

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Heart Left at the Altar by Tony (7 points)
As hard as it must be to watch the woman you love walk down the aisle with another, it must be even harder when you realize that it was your own lack of commitment and readiness for that commitment that played such a damning hand in events.
And then you have another chance when you hear the words 'if anyone objects', but still, you are unable to utter a word and so now it feels like two chances have come and been let go of.
A well rhymed and sad piece by Tony this week with a devastating and dramatic last line.

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Grace by Tanya Southey 7 Points
The type of grace described here brings to mind the likes of Katherine Hepburn or Maggie Smith: proper well mannered women with iron backbones and wills to match. Perfect description of the qualities and an aspiration for all to attempt.

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March of Nightmares by Tony 7 Points
First off, I like the rhyme scheme used in this poetry and the
way it shows a soldier’s grim feeling. It starts with a built up
then as it winds down it leaves me as a reader with vivid
imagery...like this is more then what it says...good work.

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We just fell into place by Em (marmite) 7 Points
The most special thing I found about this poem was the flow. It flowed like a river surely to the sea of my heart and I quite simply fell in love with this beautiful poem of yours. I should thank you for rejoicing my heart with my soul.

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Embrace The Dark by CJ Maleney 4 Points
I know what it's like to embrace the dark. There is no harm in embracing a good poem. You rhymed it so well that slowly, silently and steadily my heart glowed with its light. Thank you!

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I wish you would have told me by ImTheGirl 4 Points
By writing about her own regrets concerning the things she was never told of love, the author ends up advising the reader which is rather clever, I think. We are left taking every line into consideration and genuinely feeling a little wiser at the end of it. Whether this is right or wrong is a different matter - after all, she herself was never given the same advice and it sounds like it dawned on her a little too late. Well done and nicely rhymed.

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Month of June by Sinners gospel 4 Points
I like this little poem of a lover’s thoughts /feelings
spilling with tenderness and it reads smoothly with the
right tone of rhymes...a read which warms the heart!

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Hi all :)

thanks Larry for hosting

Congratulations to all the front page poets, and all HMs awarded

To all the judges for their time to go through all nominations no easy task i'm sure.

Much love
M:)X

Congrats to the Winners and HM's!

Thank you for hosting Larry and thank you judges :)

I wasn't going to disclose the fact that I was one of the judges this term, but I changed my mind simply because I wanted to say what a pleasure it has been for me reading such lovely work over the last couple of months and so thank you all and thank you to the moderators for having me.
Congratulations to all the winners and hms this week and thank you to my fellow judges this term. Also, good luck to the new ones going forward.

All the best

Congratulations to all the front page winners and HM's! Wonderful work all of you! Larry, thank you for hosting. All the judges for this term, thank you for your thoughtful comments and time you put in this term. Well done!

Thank you so much judges, Moderators, Larry, crafty Ken, Mark for giving your time. I am grateful to all of you and the whole pnq family.

Sg

Congrats winners and HM's alike!!! fantastic poetry this week!!!! :)

Apologies for my slow response guys. I've not logged in for a little while and wasn't even aware that my poem had been nominated let alone voted on.

That it has I find humbling given the company it keeps and a massive well done to all winners and other Hm's

Massive thank you to whoever nominated it and whoever voted for it.

Thank you also to all who work behind the scenes (unless you're a VAR ref at the world cup) your efforts are greatly appreciated at all

Regards

Craig