Weekly Results 24 August 2020

Winners
Ode to Bipolar by nourayasmine (10)
Burrows by Poet on the Piano (7)
I dream to know by Everlasting (4)

No honorably mentioned (only one judge)

Ode to Bipolar by nourayasmine (10)
"Mental health is no strange topic to noura, yet every time she pens a poem about it, it's something new. No phrases are recycled, and that is even more notable given her inspiration of every-day imagery. It's most likely because of her unique phrasings: "last crumble of summer" immediately says so much to me... it kind of reminds me of picnics with cookies and pies. The thought of this being the "last crumble" immediately sets the tone for the rest of the poem: the stark, positive screams from the universe versus a darker inner world.
The most heart-wrenching part to me was the stanza starting with "I'm a misfortune". All the examples are things most humans would sympathise with if they happened to someone: a car accident, an earthquake, a tumor... to identify with these misfortunes speaks volumes of sadness.

I could probably talk forever about the phrasings of so many stanzas. This is such a clever poem."

Burrows by Poet on the Piano (7)
"There was something cosy and calm about the poem, probably due to how casual the scenery felt like... just eating breakfast on a forgotten rug... and what struck me was the peace that was felt upon 1 AM. There was something re-assuring about this poem, almost mindful even. As if the recognition of a dull, perhaps bleak life is something that's okay to live with. That if you're living in this silent centre of a house, it's possible to feel "undomesticated" yet okay with it. I think the true wake-up call came in the morning, where the author started to question whether she could truly call this home. This pang of realisation was hard-hitting and effective. It suddenly coloured the scenery in much more melancholic shades, making me want to read the poem again with this new filter on."

I dream to know by Everlasting (4)
"I can't unhear the word "dream" anymore after reading this poem. Its melody reminds me of a poem that could very well be written by Edgar Allan Poe. If you look at Everlasting's poem, you will notice that not a wide variety of words is used. The variations of the word "dream" were almost used hypnotically. In a way, it made the poem surreal... making me question the meaning of every sentence over and over again... spurring me to read it again, and therefore continuing the echoes of the word "dream" in my head. I like how near the end, the reader snaps out of it with the repetition of "I dream to know, I dream to know" because it had such a different tone compared to the rest. It was almost desperate, whilst the other stanzas felt more eerie and philosophical. Interesting write."

Well done to those highlighted and thank you to the judge.
As for the men on this site, it seems we will have to up our game. Weeks have gone by now with only a very few wins in comparison with the ladies.

Congratulations ladies! Beautiful writing all around! Thank you to our lone judge for their hard work. Larry, thank you for hosting. Happy writing everyone!

Thank you judge for your time!
Congratulations to the ladies.. well done!
Thank you for hosting Sir L

Thank you so much for the comment. It means a lot.