Thank You and an Update on the Poetry Contest Woman: Splendor and Sorrow #poems #reviews

author, bestselling author, Gabriela Marie Milton, Poetry Book, poetry contest 4 Minutes
Photo: Gabriela Marie Milton

To My Wonderful Followers

Thank you to my wonderful followers who have supported my work and showed me love and respect during my almost 4 years of blogging. I am deeply grateful to you and beyond humbled by your kindness.

In this post, special thanks to Joni Caggiano [site link] and to Dave Williams [site link].

Joni is a published poet and author of The Path Toward The Light, available for purchase on Amazon (Paperback and Kindle). She recently posted a wonderful review of my book Woman: Splendor and Sorrow on Amazon. Joni’s gesture touched my heart. Below please find a snippet from her review. You can read the entire review on Amazon, and please do not forget to visit Joni’s blog.

I have discovered [in Woman: Splendor and Sorrow] an amalgamation of emotions that touch on every part of a woman’s existence.

Yet never have I experienced such a strong sense of compassion in every imaginable object as she transcends the physical world and relates to living entities, or nature, in the same way as she does human beings. Some examples that give us a taste of the extensiveness of these writing are as follows:*

“peaches will grow on one side of the moon
Injured lambs will scream on the other”

“I am neither a gift
Nor something you can keep
I am the syllable forgotten on your lip”

Thank you, Joni. I do not know if I would ever be able to repay your kindness.

Dave is a published poet and the author of Nobody Will Like This Book. Yesterday he wrote a review of my first poetry collection Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings stating:

Before I get to the review, Gabriela Marie Milton is holding a poetry contest around her new book Woman: Splendor and Sorrow. Head on over to her blog post for details!

Now on to the review of her previous book…

Let’s say you’ve walked through a few houses with blank walls. Maybe these are show houses in a new development in town. The blankness of the houses reminds you of routines: doing the same things every day, eating the same foods.

Then you enter a house with tapestries hanging on the walls. The tapestries are filled with vibrant images and suggestions of senses. That’s the kind of feeling given by Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings. Each poem is like a tapestry. 

You walk up to each tapestry and absorb the images woven into the fabric. 

The poems are celebrations of language, locations, emotions, and senses.

Thank you, Dave. Repaying your kindness will be hard, but I assure you I will do my best. Everyone, please visit Dave’s blog.

Woman: Splendor and Sorrow Poetry Contest Reminder

The poetry contest Woman: Splendor and Sorrow is now open. This contest honors the literary community that has supported me in my writing journey, and celebrates my becoming a #1 Amazon best-selling author.

To participate, you should write one poem inspired by a piece from my #1 Amazon best-selling poetry collection Woman: Splendor and Sorrow and list the name of the piece that inspired your submission. A number of poems from Woman: Splendor and Sorrow can be found on this blog.

The deadline for submission is September 20, 2021. Please submit your work before September 20 at shortprose12@gmail.com.

Guidelines for submission:

Submit your work before September 20 at shortprose12@gmail.com

Label your submission Poetry Contest Woman: Splendor and Sorrow.

Do not submit more than one poem.

Do not forget to include: the poem from Woman: Splendor and Sorrow that inspired you, your name or pen name, and the email address where you can be contacted.

Please submit your poem in the body of the email. No attachments or links will be open.

Prizes:

First Place: $300

Second Place: $150

Third Place: $75

Funding for the prizes comes from my royalties.

If you do not have a PayPal account, please open one.

All winners will be featured on my blog. So will those who finish in the following places: 4, 5 and 6.

It is my hope that the winners will use part of their prizes to buy two or three books of their favorite fellow poets or novelists in order to help our literary community strive. If you do so, please let us know what you bought.

How the selection will be made?

The selection method is similar to that of a double-blind peer review: the reviewer doesn’t know the identity of the author, and vice-versa.

To achieve that I will do the following:

  • Create a master document with all submissions. Remove the name of the authors and replace them with numbers.
  • Create a second document with the name of the authors and their assigned numbers.
  • I will not participate in the process of determining the winners. Winners will be determined by two of your peers.
  • However, I will disclose a piece of information and deviate a bit from the fully double-blind process:  the editor of Vita Brevis Poetry Magazine, Brian Geiger, will be one of the reviewers. 

The winners will be announced in mid-October. I will update you periodically.

Thank you to everyone who already submitted.

To the future winners: please remember to spread love in our community and buy some books written by your WP favorite authors.

A Snippet from Woman: Splendor and Sorrow

In the evening, the sky stretches itself from blue to dark violet. The silk of the gloves hugs my fingers. I feed my iguana with cookies soaked in champagne. She hisses at me. I open a package of silk stockings. The door opens by itself, and you step in. Then it closes. I stare at you. You are in by your own volition.  One kiss, and you borrow my tears. One touch, and I borrow your pain. A passage rite. I keep a coffin adorned with lilies in my bedroom. I sleep besides death like Sarah Bernhardt.

Did you hear that noise? A rosary fell from the Spanish chest.

The wind slips between the petals of a rose and opens it.

Who am I? If I knew, I would tell you.

Did you say you love me? The twenty-four hours are up. Nobody is facing in the direction of the sea anymore.

There is no me.

@Gabriela Marie Milton

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Published by Gabriela Marie Milton

Gabriela Marie Milton #1 Amazon Best-Selling Author, 2019 Author of the Year at Spillwords Press NYC; internationally published poet; poetry collections Woman: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis Pres, July 27, 2021); Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis Press, April, 2020)

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67 thoughts on “Thank You and an Update on the Poetry Contest Woman: Splendor and Sorrow #poems #reviews”

  1. You are so welcome. My review was my truth and therefore easy to write. It is such a magnificent book as was your first. I also loved reading this new review and how beautifully descriptive it is of your books. An excellent analogy with the tapestry. Lovely and so true. Sending my love to you dearest Button. ❤️🤗🦋😘

    Reply

    1. Honeybun, you are a sweetheart. I really feel I am in debt to you. Your wonderful words and your support are incredible.
      Sending you love and blessings. Have a great weekend hon.
      xoxo

      Reply

      2. No, we are not. We are back in session and I have a lot of work to do. What about you? Any cooking?

      3. I just grilled a whole bunch of chicken thighs that will go into enchiladas and salads. I also grilled a whole bunch of Italian sausages that will go into a variety of dishes. We’ll be making a big batch of green chile chicken enchiladas tomorrow.

      4. You are something else. Good on you (Do you like my Australian? 🙂 ) I am sure everyone enjoys your cooking. Have a wonderful time! Sending love.
        I sat in from of the computer at 5am. I am still in front of the computer switching between different tasks and Skype meetings. Multitasking is my name. I am going to get up and go on the treadmill soon. I will have to work during the entire weekend. In terms of food I am thinking Italian. But I am not doing the cooking 🙂

      5. I love your Assie. Do you have a workstation on your treadmill? We do. It’s kind of masochistic in a way to work while you tread, but sometimes that’s the way to deal with excecies and work.

        Oh! Oh! The reality of being a professora. A lot of hard work that is not necessarily recognised. Laurie has a lot of prep she has to do over the weekend. She is grading homework right now. She gave her English class an assignment to write poems using alliteration. Some of her students came up with some amazing poems. It warms my heart to see young students do amazing work.

      6. ” Do you have a workstation on your treadmill? ” I do and it really helps.

        “She gave her English class an assignment to write poems using alliteration. Some of her students came up with some amazing poems. It warms my heart to see young students do amazing work.”

        That is really cool. I suspect Laurie cannot share any of those poems. Please tell her I would be in heaven if I could read some. I am trying to understand Gen Z (my students are older, in some cases, much older). When it comes to Gen Z all I see on social media (perhaps I am looking in the wrong places) are variations of “don’t worry, things will be fine,” “look at the bright side of things” and/or “if he left you he did not deserve you” (of course there are exceptions and those exceptions warm my heart too). I am learning a lot about the psychology of Gen Z. Yet, I am highly unconvinced when it comes to poetry. I could be wrong and that’s why I would love to read what Laurie reads.

        My respect and love to Laurie for her work. It’s hard work. I know.

        Again, I am aware that are exceptions when it comes to Gen Z. I do not intend to hurt anybody that belongs to Gen Z. I am trying to understand. That’s all. If anyone who belongs to Gen Z wants to comment on this I would be happy to entertain any comment.

      7. However, here are the results of a Pew Research poll:

        “Generation Z considers itself more accepting and open-minded than any generation before it. Almost half of Gen Zs are minorities, compared to 22% of Baby Boomers, and the majority of Gen Z supports social movements such as Black Lives Matter, transgender rights, and feminism.” Long leave GenZ!

        That research, also says that Gen Z is less optimistic than the millennials, so I may have it backwards.

  4. Congrats on the lovely reviews, my dear Gabriela!!!!! Truly well deserved…I’m so happy for you! Keep on shining, you are a star in this community 💫✨🖤🤗

    Reply

    1. Aw… you did make my day beautiful. Thank you for your gorgeous words. Keep shining too. Please know you are a star too.
      xoxo
      Have a beautiful weekend my dear friend.

      Reply

    1. Jeff, thank you so much for your beautiful words. They took my breath away. You are a dear friend and I am most grateful to you.
      Sending lots of love and have a fabulous weekend.
      xoxo

      Reply

      1. Dearest Gabriela, your most welcome. Is always my pleasure. I too am grateful for you. Thank you, and a beautiful weekend to you, my dear friend. xoxo

  7. Wonderful reviews Gabriella and I’m with you with honoring our dearest Joni that is a bundle of love, wisdom and an amazing writer who is such a breath of fresh air. She did sing you praises which are more than deserved and speaks truth! 💖💖💖
    I will check out Dave’s blog. 💖💖💖

    Reply

    1. Thank you for your kind words Cindy. Joni deserves the praise. I hope you do visit Dave’s blog. He is a wonderful writer too.
      Sending you plenty of love. Have a wonderful weekend.
      Sending plenty of love.
      xoxo

      Reply

      1. You’re sooo welcome!!! Joni is THE BEST.. so are you.. I will do!!!
        Thanks for the love Gabriela and you have a wonderful one as well my friend. 💖💖

      2. Oh, my dearest Cindy, so are you. I hope your weekend is filled with love and joy
        xoxoxoxo……

    1. Thank you Rene. You are a gem. I hope everything is ok with you sweetheart 🌹❤️🌸🌹❤️🌸

      Reply

  11. What amazing reviews, Gabriela. Poets write such wonderfully poetic reviews. 🙂 I finished your book last night and will post a review today. It won’t compare to those wordsmith’s wonders, but I do love your work. Now to work on a poem. <3 <3

    Reply

    1. Diana, I am so humbled by your words and your support. They will forever stay with me. You are an exceptional and talented soul. Words coming from you always touch my soul. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being you. I look forward to receiving the poem ❤️🌹🤗🙏

      Reply

    2. My dearest Ishita, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your support and your love are so dear to me hon. I hope everything is ok with you. Sending lots of love ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

      Reply

      2. I am glad to hear that. I am ok too hon. Enjoy your September 🥰❤️🌹

    1. Winnie, I left several comments on your posts. I think they went to spam. I cannot tell you how happy I am you are back. I cannot tell you how much I missed you and your wonderful poetry. I hope everything is well with you hon. Welcome back!!!!!!

      Thank you for the congrats! I am in heaven you are back. Yes, we have a lot to catch up to do.
      xoxoxo…

      Reply

      1. Oh, dear. I apologize. I’ll have to check later on my laptop. I am always using my cell phone since my youngest uses my laptop for online summer classes. I am beyond grateful for your kind words and warm welcome. 🤗 I missed you too. You are one of the few great people here that I missed. I am now okay, thank you for asking. I enjoyed earning money that I forgot my passion. 😁 If I may share, it was hard coming back that I avoid it for a long time but one day it all started coming back. Thank you for believing in me. 🤗❤️🌺 Have a great day! It’s time for me to sleep. 😁

      2. Winnie, thank you so much for your wonderful words. You made me blush. Hon, I know it’s hard to come back. Many things changed. Some of the people whose works and friendship we enjoyed do not blog anymore. I hope some day they will come back too.
        I am glad you are ok and again ecstatic you came back. Sending love. Have a good sleep 🥰❤️🌹

  15. Pingback: Splendor and Sorrow #poems #reviews – Short Prose – Cupids Health

    1. Aw… thank you from the bottom of my heart Rene. It means the world to me you think so 🙏🥰❤️🌹

      Reply

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