Weekly Contest, 3 September 2018

We suffer death in many ways before that final departure from the realm. The judges were drawn to it this week: Em’s death of her unborn child, a nameless death of relationship and his decision to rebel and Andrea’s long, painful impending loss of her daughter, whose strength yet inspires all on PnQ who know of her. Congratulations to these able poets and to those whose poems are honorably mentioned.

Front Page:
My biggest heartbreak by Em (marmite) 27 Points
refrigerator magnets by nameless 15 Points
A year of darkness, a date with death by Maple tree 14 Points

Honorable Mentions:
Grief (acrostic) by Em (marmite) 10 Points
Milestone by Michael 10 Points
The colour Of Goodbye (by trampled angel) 10 Points
Lockers 26, 27 and 28 by Maple Tree 7 Points
An Irresistible Sin (by Ya--Na) 4 Points
In the garden (Haiku) by Hellon 4 Points
Rough cut edges of truth by Ya----Na 4 Points

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
My Biggest Heartbreak by Em. 10 Points
When I read the first verse of this poem, I could feel in (this particular read) a woman with awaited news of something so special- the significance of ‘two blue lines’ in fact as in the title the ‘biggest’ and happiest occasion for them.
As I read on, this was far from the case!
A very sad picture unfolded, as the writer revealed such damning ‘heartbreak’. Having not only the games of another played, but enduring the trauma of a loss. The writer has set her poem out with such raw and anguished content, and so much beyond, within this short piece. This poem hit my heart with a thump, and there really are no words to sum up such a sad story. Some times its not how much is written, or even use of elaborate words, just worded how it is, however delivers so much personal insight to the reader.
A very sad piece of writing, and one cannot comprehend a poet (in this case a lady) has gone through, probably the toughest time of their life. I am sorry to hear such news. Thank you for sharing this with me and many others.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My biggest heartbreak by Em (marmite) 10 Points
Few pains are as great as the loss of a child not yet quickened. A miscarriage puts both parents into inescapable grief for the life not even allowed to take that first breath. However, for the cause of the loss to be the cruelty and deliberate rejection by the father is unbearable and an abomination. The poet captures both the grief and the betrayal in most exquisite agony here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Biggest Heartbreak (by Em) 7 points.
This was a rather harrowing piece to read, and it tells of an ordeal many will have had to endure.
Something like this takes courage to write, let alone post so that everyone can see.
To convey an experience like this in such a captivating way is a credit to the author.
I only hope that life has or will become easier.
A very poignant poem with a defiant and strong ending.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
refrigerator magnets by nameless 4 Points
Genius lies in imbuing great significance into small, almost trivial objects and then convincing the reader of this understanding. Who does not forget the magnets on their own refrigerator, passing them by each day, yet, if you have a call for nostalgia, who cannot find it there in droves? Taking her magnet, he retains a piece of “her.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

refrigerator magnets by nameless 7 points
Nameless grabbed my attention this week with a crafty, metaphor “Magnets”
I really admired how he designed and wove his emotions of a broken relationship within the kitchen magnets- just wonderful!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

refrigerator magnets by nameless 4 points
This is a very personal, intriguing write which was extremely thought provoking as previously mentioned.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A year of darkness, a date with death by Maple tree 7 Points
Many poems I have read this week, have wrenched my heart and saddened me so!. This piece presents so much powerful, and open language between a distraught mother and the love and constant worry for her daughter. What I say about this poem is not just the incredibly raw content, but the sheer strength and determination from how a mother will fight to the bitter end to protect, love and support her treasure, being her daughter.
The poem carries such darkness and grief, yet also it displays such deep beautiful love found within a family. The author describes in detail the tragedies of drug misuse, cancer and the aftermath.
Again I would like to thank the author for sharing such sad and brutal news, and wish you all the hope with such a difficult time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Year of Darkness; Her Date with Death by Maple Tree 7 points
I have followed maple trees story hoping it was all just a nightmare but in truth it's a horrible reality which all to often people have to go through and this piece leaves me with a heavy heart and wet eyes. Sending hugs to you, Robyn and the rest of your family I know it's not enough but hopefully it will help somewhat.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Grief (acrostic) by Em (marmite) 10 points
I'm highlighting this poem for many reasons-
its just that powerful and beautiful.
Firstly, In my opinion acrostics need to flow
and capture the word in every line; word being “Grief”
that word is one of the most heaviest of words and it holds so much emotion- Em has captured the meaning perfectly, and beautifully in this pieces.
To watch the one you love go and to have all the memories flash in front of you-- My goodness I just cant express the power of this poem.
Just perfect!!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Milestone by Michael 10 points
An extremely hard hitting piece here by Michael and a very relatable one indeed. I think we can all say at least once in lives that we are hit by the darkness of our own minds unfortunately.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The colour Of Goodbye (by trampled angel) 10 points.
As a rhyming piece I found this to be unusually haunting. For me it spoke of love and longing. It also sings of the sadness of parting.
One stanza I found particularly captivating.
“Are we the black of our children’s fur,
soft against our snuggling,
kindling between us five,
the bright light of family loving?”
This conjured up visions of wolf cubs curled up with their mother before the eventual and necessary parting.
A fantastically rhymed and beautiful piece that gains my 10 points without hesitation.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lockers 26, 27 and 28 by Maple Tree 7 Points
Humorous and yet insightful this poet looks back at her separate nature in school and compares it to today, where she has maintained her true identity while her antagonists have maintained their false masks just as strenuously. However, in the long run the similarities they have in heartbreak and aging is outshone by her intact magical spirituality.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
An Irresistible Sin (by Ya–Na) 4 points.
This is a poem that speaks to me of the truth in love.
We have no control over who we love or who love us. It's an undeniable thing. Sometimes it is lasting and sometimes it is oh so fleeting.
I have read this poem a over and over, each time I do, I think something else. I always come back to the same thought.
“That is what love is”Excellent work 4 points

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
In the garden (Haiku) by Hellon 4 Points
I feel that a ‘Haiku’ when written well as this one is, it gives the reader an image of nature and its beauty. The author has painted a quaint picture of a changing season – that of Summer to Autumn.
I can see the rich colour of leaves all piled up, and then the wind sweeping through and scattering them around, only to do the raking and stacking all over again.
A delightful little gem.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Rough cut edges of truth by Ya----Na 4 points
This was beautiful and made me tear up.. It was beautifully written and that ending just blew me away!
“So,
I am going to dance
in the melody of my dreams
before the temptress of death
lay me down
to sleep.”
Mercy, I do admire a gorgeous ending and this one is just magical!

Thank you Larry for hosting.

Amazing and heartbreaking poems. It's a grace for our Frontpage to see such work.

May you all write of joy. <3

Larry, thank you for your kind words and your friendship, support and all that you do for this poetry community, you are a gem <3

To be on the front page with Nameless and his powerful poem, along with sweet and wonderful Em and her heartbreaking and powerful poem-- just melts my heart.

Its always an honor to be on the front page with a poem I write, but when its a poem I have written in regards to Robyn, it truly does send me in an emotional spin. I want to share the darkness we are experiencing in hopes to help others who are going through or have gone through a nightmare as well.

There are days were I dont feel so strong and I can admit I have cried more tears than an ocean can hold- but one of my main places to go for comfort is here within our poetry community.

Thank you to the judges and their touching comments and support- Congratulations to all of the HM's-

and thank you to the judge for my HM as well... *tosses my magic dust in the air* :-)

Happy for the winners
Grateful to the judges
Thanks to our Moderators and to all the beautiful members for the nomination.
Much love for pnq family

S

Congratulations seems an odd word for at least two of this week's winners, but congratulations to them all anyway, with my sympathy, too.
Well done to the hms and thank you to the judges for their time.

Ben

Another week of breath taking results. Well done one and all.

Congrats to all the poets this week. Some heartbreaking pieces indeed but I send all my love and support. Thank you to our judges and Larry, for hosting.

Hi all :)

Thank you Larry for hosting.

Congratulations to all the winners including HMs, such tough, deep and sad pieces, I show my admiration to you all.
Thank to the judges as always and for the comments on my poem I received.

Much love
M:)X

Congratulations to all the front page winners and HM's. Thank you for sharing your lives with all of us. Life is a messy thing, it has so much goodness and so much heartache. In it all there is this group of amazing writers, my hat is off to each of you. Thank you also Larry for hosting and our new group of judges. Hugs all!

Larry thanks so much for hosting.
I would personally like to thank the judges for deeming my poem front page worthy I am so honoured, thank you for you lovely words and for my hm too. Congratulations to the other winners and HMs.. Judges you had your work cut out.