Weekly Contest Winners - May 13, 2019!

Hello everybody! Rania here!

This week the front page will highlight MA's piece of pain & word-power, Mr Darcy's refreshing poem and Walter's tints of sadness, which broke the judges' hearts with its twist.

NOTE: A tie was broken between 'Crossroads' | ' Time ' | & ' I wish I ' - the 3 poems initially received 10 points and a tie breaker judge voted for one of them. The below results are based on the votes and comments of our current FOUR judges and the Tie Breaker.

I would like to extend thanks and appreciation for all the judges & their time, and for everyone else who's reading and nominating. I will post the comments below.

WINNERS:

Achromatic. By Poet on the piano. 21 points
Gallant pines (Triolet). By Mr Darcy. 14 points
I wish I By Walter 10 points + Tie Breaker vote

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COMMENTS

Achromatic. By Poet on the piano. 21 points

I found this to be such a personal piece. The author has chosen the title ‘achromatic’ ( which can be read as gloomy in literary terms, and this is how I read this piece.
The author talks about ‘scars’ and ‘wounds’ and how difficult life can be when working on oneself. This piece struck a chord with myself, and I could really feel the anguish of the author from reading this. There is also a ‘chill’ how the author uses ‘zero degrees nightmares’. A sense of the depths that can be reached when we feel out of control. But then reading on there also is a sense of working through issues. A very well written piece that has subtle but powerful word usage that holds an image in one's mind. Thank you for sharing this piece. Well done (7)

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The poem starts with scars. Perhaps as the result of too much: writing rivers of red her on the skin, or maybe she once tried to leap: “from a waterfall” but they are. But the waterfall knew it was not her (poet’s) intentions,
Though by spiralling between reality and zero degree nightmares, makes the reader think that there were no ‘between’ there because there was no Nightmare: “zero degree nightmares.”
Now the urge to cut herself is gone, the wound is healed only scars remained and wound do not resemble canyons. what a wonderful metaphor! ( I wonder how deep she used to cut herself)
No at the end of the piece you found out why she named this “Achromatic”
The state of no hue, whiteness, that her scars remind her of:
“yet white tends to blind
even those who wear a shield,
reflecting and scattering
all visible hope
of starting anew.”
This poem is great, there is the trace of ingenuity in it. It deserves 10 but there are the part that could be improved, so (7)

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MA writes openly and gut wrenchingly about her struggle to move past what these scars represent. She sees the failure of her actions, she sees the past and feels everyone else sees that too. What she doesn't see is how strong she really is. She's a survivor and needs to be proud of that. It takes great strength to continue moving forward and start anew. Celebrate your accomplishments MA! (7)

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Gallant pines (Triolet). By Mr Darcy. 14 points

Firstly I appreciated the authors meaning of this styled poetry at the end of their piece. A formed piece that looks quite simple in context, however, the rhyme scheme by no means looks easy.

With very little to fit in this style, the author quite simply sets a lovely picture, that has a sense of calm running throughout. Talking of trees and breathing in the freshness of the air. An author whose heart has a place in nature (I feel). I really enjoyed reading this very much. Well done (10)

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It is the first time I came across “Triolet” but to be admitted, it was quite tasteful. Though in the beginning, I felt cheated. Only 8 lines and three of them repeat. It sounds like ready in a very short poem two times. But the sound effect of the repeat sentences are a phenomenon, and they emphasise their meaning and the general meaning of the poem quite colourfully.
The evergreen and gallant pines breathe the effervescent spring. The word effervescent gives live to the tree, remind us that nature is a work in progress and like Vango ‘s night brings the stars to life. The poem does not provide the reason that why the pine tree makes the "Echo of song swim in the poet mind' or why when doves did cry,?it, nourished the poet beneath their wings. . . (4)

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I wish I by Walter 10 points + Tie Breaker vote

Walter's poem started out as what I thought was about a failing relationship. In sorts, it is. This complex relationship is within himself and his acceptance of him being who he is. We fight sometimes on a daily basis to accept ourselves. We fight these demons that make us hate ourselves and want to do harm. The irony is that we are stuck with this person and if we don't learn to co-exist we will destroy ourselves. (10)

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Tie Breaker comment:

It was not easy to choose between the 3 poems to be honest. The 3 pieces were indeed very special. However, the twist in this piece was everything.
It's a very emotional piece, I could not tell at all that there was a twist coming at the end. The surprise factor was harsh and unexpected, it left me in awe.
I would like to suggest minor changes though: breath needs to be changed to 'breathe' and (In a mirror I always see) should be 'the mirror' ? I think.

Thank you!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HMs

(Time) Squared by Aegis 10 points

The poem starts like this: “Listless days have played out like endless aeons-” It is like Dali’s painting. Listless despairing in the midst of endless black hole the poet calls it aeons. They are to prove you the listlessness are going to prevail forever.
So with this much hopelessness where are we going from now? The answer is “a perpetual quietus at best.” Perpetual because it is aeon. The angles are sharp, why? Are they sharp because the object pierces the poet's eyes or because the future is uncertain? But evidently sharp making them thinner and more vulnerable to pressure, therefore they’re ‘crisp’

So from that thin angle of course life, days, calendars, would cast a threat you with the most trivial aspects: boxes and numbers. But numbers are empty boxes and the boxes are broken constructs.

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Crossroads by Dayo Points: 10

There are not many none rhymed poems that appeal to me in quite the same way as rhymed prose do. (This is personal taste) However with'Crossroads' Dayo has absolutely nailed it. I can clearly imagine it being read in almost shakespearean tones on stage. It is a powerful write that takes the reader through the feelings and fears of one who has reached a crossroads where he struggles to make an almost impossible choice. More of this choice is made so much more dramatic by the fact that is almost like a gun being held to his head. "Make the choice!" The two choices are as opposite as life and death but are seemingly impossible to make. "To die within but live outside or remain alive within and dead outside?" Certainly a difficult choice for anyone. Thankfully not many of us ever find ourselves in such a position but if we were how could you choose? Captivating and thought provoking throughout.

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I miss you by Dagmar Wilson Points: 7

A short but powerful poem to which many people will instantly relate. How many times have we seen a solitary figure walking the shore by night surrounded by an air of sadness and perhaps have even been that person. Losing a dear friend can be like losing a family member. Dagmar captures this melancholy feel of loss in the solitary night walk along the beach. The exquisite detail of cold foam hitting her feet and the salty breeze on her skin brings the reader immediately to the shore walking long side her. The final line "I miss you dear friend" Pulled at my heart and made me think of my own dear friends and the pain that I would feel if I lost them.

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Roses in heaven. By Scott Cole. 4 Points

The author paints a scene of how something could be different, using ‘roses’ as their vision. The use of certain flowers in a poem has a feel of how the author has some connection with them. But also flowers can resemble many things in life.
I really do like how the author has a vision of ‘heaven’ and how they perceive such a place to hold purity and love in some respect.
A piece I feel, written truly from the author's heart with how things can be different. A beautiful piece of writing. Well done (4)

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The Flower's Secret by [M(/)U] 4 points

The wind can soothe you. It can also set your nerves on edge and bring up way too many things you really wish it didn't. This piece describes this so eloquently. That wind can blow cold and when we are sitting there shivering, alone, all our failures smacking us in the face. Even when the winds blow warm it still finds a way into this poet's deepest secrets. This poet feels no relief and that is truly unfortunate. We all need to give ourselves a chance to truly forgive ourselves for whatever past transgressions we may have done or others have done to us.

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She Awakens by S.T.A.R. Points: 4 points

A short but creative image of the awakening of a new day. So beautifully woven throughout with an imaginative lateral metaphors. The image of the 'Moon whispering his last blessing as the sun lifts the darkness that had hushed her'. Is such an unique way of describing the sunrise. The morning dew quenching her thirst and the imagery around her taking her first steps into the golden land of the new day. It left me definitely thirsting for more.

Wonderful to see such diverse poetry on the front page. Well done to the winners and all the hms and thank you to the judges for making the weekly what it is.

All the best

Congratulations to the winners and HMs. Thanks, Judges & Rania.

The four judges are being joined next week by the fifth judge who has just volunteered.

Congratulations to all the front page winners and HM's! I agree with Ben, so awesome to see such diversity in the poems. It speaks volumes about this site, so many different poets sharing their work and all of us just grooving to the uniqueness that is all of us. Rania, thank you for hosting and our judges for doing the voodoo that you do so well...happy writing everybody!

Hi All :)

Congratulations to all front page poets this week, and all HMs awarded

Thank you to all the judges, for their time and effort each week.

Much love, M :)

I'm so pleased with my win and greatful for all the judges hardwork, comments and votes. Congratulations to my fellow front page neighbours and the HM's. Thanks Rania for hosting and to all readers and supporters of this site. You all Rock!!

Thank you so much for the HM and the amazing comment!!! It made my day :)

Congratulation winners and the HMs!!
Thank you Judges and Rania for your time ^_^

Many thanks to the judges and to Rania, for hosting. Thank you to the judges for reading and for your time and support! It means a lot as someone who has learned how to be vulnerable and knowing that here is a place where I can be honest with myself and others through poetry.

Congrats to all!

A very big thank you to Rania and all the judges for your time, hard work and comments. And for my first win!
Congratulations to the other winners and HM's.
Also many thanks again to Milly for nominating.

Congratulations to all the winners and HMs and big thank you to all the judges, moderators and last minute tie breaker who selflessly gave up their time to make this competition possible. Its lovely to see so much diversity accross the winners and HMs. On a personal note thank you to Poet behind the piano for nominating my poem "A little piece of Zen and for the judge that voted for it. Really glad it shared some peace and tranquillity. Milly x