Michael...you are so creative and daring with your writings! I really love that about you, you never play safe and that is how it should be, always!
This verse is unique and I will come back to visit it many times, my sweet friend:)

*hugs you*

5/5 Ingrid

Congrats on the win, Michael!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love this style in conveying beautiful natural imagery with beautiful words placed in just the right order

An amazing piece that I wish I had time to comment on throughly. I will do eventually. One thing, nonetheless, that needs to be stated above everything else; your talent is inmeasureable.

Wow, as I read this, I had myself holding my breath because of what would happen next. The unique style you used in this piece really drew me into it, and I liked reading your style, very diffrent from others but so flawless.

"Buoyant, silent storm, mentally pacing...bracing.
Preened evolution, honed to the muscular bone."

Speechless, one word that you left me. Your word choice is so immense, and creates more then descriptions but real images of the coral reef coming to life before my very eyes.

"the suspense of imminent death on baited breath
threatens to stain waters too clear for fear, perhaps?"

I love how you tagged the question on at the end, creates a nice affect. This had to be one of the most captivating and word-grasping poems I've ever read, really, every word completely consumed me.

"In a cloud of calculation, blood and crustaceans
...nature tears its jagged grin of vice like pearly sin.."

I like how you write about everything little thing that happens, and that isn't just of the same things, but how you tell a story through this, your words just seem to flow perfectly in this piece, nice job. :P

"leaving the coral
concealing
a grin...

..of blackened ice."

Oh my! There is no better way to end this, then what you have written here. It leaves the reader satisfied with what they read. I can definetly tell you used so much of your imagination and creativity through this poem, and it does shine! Trust me, this was such a fun piece to read, like a journey thought the coral. Your talent shines in every word and every line, and I enjoyed this completely. Congrats on this win, very well deserved! Take care, keep writing, always and forever....

I like the way you have broken up the stanzas, as it allows the reader to absorb your words as well as the picture you've drawn with your words. Very well done and congrats..take care.

Oh micheal that was amazing, so creative very good imagery to it as well.

You are one of my Favorite writers and really od enjoy your poems..i do like the way you broke up the stanzas it really did make me want to read more.
Brilliant...Love Ciara..x

Wow!!! I dunno what to say, it's beautiful... one of those poems which you get an unknown odd, yet tingly feeling from. Great work!!!

"...Stillness

Coloured coral concealing, not revealing...yet
Patience endures...un-blinking...barely beating."
`I love the way that this poem is layed out, the style is unique and interesting to say the least.. its something new.
`What a flawless picture to write a poem off of.
`Anyways, your first stanza here was amazing, your words are flawless and everything is well penned. I have no words, its just amazing how your mind works from a simple image.

"...hush

Buoyant, silent storm, mentally pacing...bracing.
Preened evolution, honed to the muscular bone."
`Oh wow. This is almost like a suspenseful poem! Now a storm is coming? Your words here are just mindblowing, like wow.. I'm impressed at the vocabularly.

"...slowly

...ever so carefully, moving, approving
what the eye becomes alive for, survives for.."
`I love how the word "slowly" portrays to the stanzas so perfectly.. also with the words above and theirs tanzas.. Its amazing how you can take a image and write something like this.. I love how this is suspenseful, makes me wnat to know what will happen next for sure.. got me on the edge of my seat!

"...not long now

the suspense of imminent death on baited breath
threatens to stain waters too clear for fear, perhaps?"
`I dont know what it is about your writing but it so unique.. there was something that really stood out to me.. "to stain waters too clear for fear, perhaps?" - just wow, youve left me speechless.. I cant believe you came up with something so clever. I'm amazed.

"...Suspense

...a spectator, a prying rubber aviator.
Shadows akin with quest, investing, no resting"
`Ahh perfect, I can see this from the image, the spectator would be the scuba diver or whatever he is? Am I correct? I'm terrible at interpreting poetry. :/

"Attack!!!

In a cloud of calculation, blood and crustaceans
...nature tears its jagged grin of vice like pearly sin.."
`.. and the suspense is finally over. Your words are so complex and interesting that I think I got lost in them.. the meaning of the poem is probably far from what I'm interpreting.. but nonetheless, a interesting piece.. your imagination is just ... there really isnt a word for it.. but its unlike anyone's imagination I've ever seen.

".....hush

Waters calm the reef like a medicinal balm,
Soothing the fight of natures bite."
`Ohhh.. nature attacked? Okay, wow. This piece was above and beyond my interpretation or comprehension, whatever you wanna call it.. but the way everything was worded was so amazing and how used an image and brought it to life with your own originality was very impressive to say the least.

I love how the word "stillness" and "hush" repeated.. amazingly done.

Well done.
Unique write full of orignality.
Definatly deserved to win & I'm glad to see it did.

5/5.

Absolutely agree with Meena's comment about the effectiveness of the stanza's. This is such a well written piece - the brilliant use of alliteration in the fist stanza captivated me from then on. Superb as usual, and a very deserved win, Michael.
Take care