Absolutely beautiful and nominated. All the very best and stay safe.

Hello Ben,

The weight of grief in this is well-nigh unbearable such is the power of your poetry. 'Your beruffled tresses are lank', is the poetic embodiment of sorrow. A heart-wrenching masterpiece.

Do take care now, Tony.

This is one of those poems that gives the emotion, with just a taste of the story. They always leave me and my curious mind with 1,000 questions that I am to imagine myself. The weight of the last line, "You have left me" was a perfect way to drive the feeling home, and ask me, as the reader, to go and read again.

Dang it Ben! It's like a punch in the gut at the end! Beautiful! You slay me sir....

Oh what a beautiful and yet sad poem. The second half is so powerful and bold. The closing line so touching. So much emotions here.

Thank you for writing

Such beauty in your piece Ben, as always beauty can be blighted with a woeful story. Nicely done fella

M:)

"As
the
caramel-coloured
clouds
bleed the moon of life,"

- Never would have thought of this phrasing. Brilliant, especially with the use of "bleed".

"lifeless lagoons"
- This flows so well, and I feel like you've used lagoons before or some alliteration similar? The metaphor further outpours this sadness, this despair. The despair that is never-ending, a chasm. Death, something that one cannot escape, but can make us wonder where the soul goes. If the sorrow continues. What it means.

Those last three lines are gut-wrenching, really no other words. Remembering someone, remembering what their presence felt like, and knowing how tortuous it is to have witness their spirit in life but also see them passing on and the final moments...

Such an emotional write, Ben.

Deep stuff Ben, glad it was nominated, added to my favorites.

This is chillingly beautiful. Can't say more as I'm simply in awe. Congrats on the win!

This is really beautifully worded! It was such a joy to read this! A gem! Congrats on the win!

Best regards,
Mr. Rious

Congrats Ben.

Exemplary ???? well done, sir.

Why do you have a problem with your free verse?
I think they’re great :)
Congratulations!!

Wonderful poem. Such a well-deserved win. :)

Just wow... X