Weekly Contest Winners - Feb 4, 2019!

Congratulations Michael, Daniel and Ben for your top 3 poems this week. Thank you everyone for writing and sharing your amazing work with everyone else. Your highlighted poems are splendid. Thank you judges for your commitment. Highly appreciated! Enjoy reading your comments!

Lady of the moon. by Michael 24 points

A perfectly rhymed poem with a almost ghostly magical feel. It reminded me of walking across the moors at night when you can imagine ghostly forms or in this case a wistful, illusive lady of the moon. (10)

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She made the sound which I have heard
Will I forget these beautiful words?
I gave it seven; it deserves a ten
To this masterpiece of a poet's pen... (7)

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Nice Fairy-Tale like poem, with unforced rhyming (7)

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I write by Daniel 17 points

I think Daniel's poem is something we can all relate to, especially on this site. All of us write for so many different things. To be able to pour out our hurt, our happiness, the guilt of choices we've made without being judged harshly is indeed a freeing feeling. To be able to take the world's woes and express how we feel onto paper allows us expel these thoughts swirling about our heads and our hearts. Writing for myself is a cathartic release. It helps me deal with another day, to take all that sadness and release it from my soul. As others commented, it's also this need to create and feeling accomplished when that creation comes to fruition. I thank Daniel for his honesty and openness with this poem. He questions his abilities and the reasons behind his writing, which I think a lot of us do. In reality he really is a gifted writer and has earned a solid 10 with this.(10)
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I believe I have mentioned this in a past comment, but in free verse, I love to see good use of metaphor/imagery/alliteration/personification etc to raise it clearly above prose. In truth, I feel this one borders the line between the two but the formatting and the throwing in of the stanza that ends "...how their blood reddened and diluted our seas" swung it for me in the end, simply because of the power, clarity and innocence that children so often have in their thoughts and comments, as is evident here. But more than that, the brute honesty of the piece is something we would all do well to address: why do we write? Oh, we can all kid ourselves and pretend it doesn't matter what others think, but why, then, do we post here at all? Why not squirrel our work away in a loft somewhere where it is safe from prying eyes? After all, we don't care what others think at all! Or do we? I suppose we can only hope things are written with passion and love and that the content is genuine - then we can post because we are proud of a genuine product. Anyway.. (7)

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A Dragon's Love (English Sonnet) by Ben Pickard 17 points

Sonnets are the jewel in the crown of poetry for many. A Dragons Love transported me back to times of knights and dragons with the drama of all the old fantasy saga's. An epic tragic tale of love and death that got my blood and imagination racing. (7)

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Love his combining of metaphors and rhyme (10)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*HONORABLE MENTIONS~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Feather's in the Wind by Maple Tree 10 points

I had decayed before my fall;
When the nests weren't empty and tears hadn't said good-byes. There were memories in my roots and rain used to bring the song of hope. The moon didn't gone dark in sadness.
Yes, it's true I had decayed before my fall to be born in the spring of your words again.
My voice is gone; however, in poetry, you have kept me alive.

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Distant Shores by Soulful Ensemble - 10 points

Technically speaking, this perhaps is not the most accomplished piece of rhyming poetry this week, although it does have a neat little rhyme scheme of abab with some clever half rhyme thrown in too. Why, then, do I award this poem a 10? Honestly? Because this poet's work is new to me and it charmed me. It is an unashamedly sweet love poem that I needed to read today: it lifted my spirits and made me smile. So I believe I have every right to award it my top vote. Lovely work.

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Defeat me by Poet on the Piano 7 points

Mary Anne has written a sadly beautiful poem this week. From the first stanza about making grave mistakes and waking with fistfuls of dirt, I was drawn in. Winter is a hard time. Short days, gray skies and cold can make even the happiest of us morose. Even forgiving people aren't enough to erase that self doubt swirling in our heads. It is so very difficult to get out of these feelings, nothing seems to work. She writes these feelings beautifully and I hope she knows we are all here for her.

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Discarded by S.T.A.R. 4 points

S.T.A.R. has taken this poem and really opened it up to interpretation of what exactly it means. My first thought was a car accident and you are lying on the pavement as your life slowly leaves your body. My other thought was someone leaving you and causing so much anguish that your body just shuts down. However one may interpret this it is a visually stunning write.

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Layers of the Ocean by M.U. 4 points

You tried well to cover it with layers and layers of water, but I heard the melodies you sang. Just keep on singing them from time to time, because no wave is powerful enough to wash away your dreams.

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Abyss by Guilty by Design 4 points

Good write, a lot of emotions packed into few words

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Spider by CJ Maleney: 4 points

This poem spins a tale of spying eyes, a friends betrayal and lost confidence in one once trusted. Twisted games played out in an effort to cause evil. Trust betrayed and the ultimate blasphemy, betrayal of friendship now revealed.

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Babble by Crafty Ken - 4 points

This author delights me frequently, I have to say. He chooses everyday topics that we all understand (but few would dream of writing about) and presents them in a rhyming style very particular to him.
There is often no clear format to his rhyme, ie, end of line, but that's what adds to the humour somehow: his rhymes leap at you from nowhere; you know they are coming but you're not quite sure when. I believe this man may have been 'babbling' rhyme when his mother gave birth to him!
Funny little piece, Ken.

Congratulations to all the front page winners and HM's! So many amazing and diverse writes. It's always such a treat to read these. Rania , thank you for hosting and you judges for your time and choices.

Whoops double post

Firstly I shall apologise

I've taken a few weeks out to gather thoughts and concentrate on things at home. I'll admit I've not read one single poem as I was too involved in my own little world. I also wrote nothing as inspiration would not come

I'm not saying it was a bad thing, in fact I've had a blast running through the woods with my dogs. The new pup is awesome. I just found me again I guess

I think I needed some me time!

Yet I do feel like I've neglected my duties somewhat, I feel that my lack of reading and my lack of nominations makes me look like a self centred twerp.

However I'm not.

Anyway I need to say thanks to the judge who awarded me a vote. Thanks also to
Ben and Mr Darcy for their comments, despite my absence of late.

massive thanks to Michael for popping this in to the fray

Love everyone here so much.

To my fellow H'Ms and all winners, I'm trying to catch up with you.

Respect to all

Craig

^ Hey, Craig! I wanted to say, as someone who spent all of yesterday outside with their dog, that's awesome you're enjoying your time and running in the woods with them. So cool you've found "you" again and I'm happy that you have this new pup.

We all need some time to ourselves (not excluding the dogs obviously lol) but a break from other things. Nothing wrong with that :)

Many thanks to Rania for posting and all of our judges. Congrats to everyone! Thank you especially to the judge who read my piece and gave support/ understanding.

Well done to everyone and thank you to the two judges who deemed my sonnet worthy of their points; it genuinely means a lot to me.
Also, may I just say thank you to Hellon for nominating it, especially as sonnets are not usually her cup of tea!

I’ve been a bit inactive lately - really busy at work and I’m trying to find some more time to catch up on all of your writing.

Thank you so much judges for the wonderful, insightful comments, and Ben for nominating. It was a really personal piece, and I really didn’t expect it to win! A nice surprise. :) Appreciate all of your time as always. X

Really amazing poems this week
Thank you so much for the HM, it really males me happy!!!
Congrats everyone :)

Hi All :)

Thank you Rania for hosting.
Congratulations to Ben and Daniel, nice to share front page with two fine poets.
Thank you to the judges for their time, and to the judges for their votes and comments on my poem, much appreciated
Thank you to Andrea for my nomination

Much love, M :)x

Well done one and all. It's nice to see a trio of British gents on the front page.
Bravo