My Dear Readers,
The Judges have spoken. Here are the winners of the Poetry Contest Woman: Splendor and Sorrow: | Love Poems and Poetic Prose. Congratulations to those who won prizes and to those who won Honorable Mentions. Your poems are fabulous. I am beyond grateful you entered the contest. In my heart you are all winners. Thank you!
This post features only the poems of the winners.
My Friday post will feature the poems of those who received Honorable Mentions.
The Winners of The Poetry Contest Woman: Splendor and Sorrow: | Love Poems and Poetic Prose are:
First Place
Virginia Mateias
Second Place
Ingrid Wilson
Eric Daniel Clarke
Third place
D. Wallace Peach
Timothy Price
Honorable Mentions [in no particular order]
Joni Caggiano
Cindy Georgakas
Jeff Flesch
Karima Hoisan
Carrie Yang
The Poems of the Winners:
Virginia Mateias, Crystals from the absurd
[Inspired by Moonlight love]
I couldn’t see the dawn.
The bed was too far away
from the sky.
Fallen angels
had covered the window with forlorn crystals
absurdly beautiful.
Out of them
our own feelings
were watching us askance.
The air was talking to me somewhere:
Wait, he’ll be coming!
But, you see,
your arm locked me in
like an arch
and I fell asleep
to the earth’s heavy core.
I couldn’t see the dawn.
In the murky moonlight
fallen angels crystallized in silence
are keeping vigil.
Only the razor-smile
of the Seller of Time
taunts me from crystals.
It is always midnight now.
Ingrid Wilson, Event Horizon
[Inspired by You in Other Life]
In another life
we were lovers:
don’t you feel it?
Somewhere beyond the limits of the sea
we set sail hard for the horizon,
hard to tell if we should sink or fall
over the precipice
for sure, we fell
past the event horizon
infatuated light
obliterated
in the black hole of each other’s lover’s eyes
annihilated, sucked in, then spat out
into another world
another life
where we were lovers:
don’t you remember?
Eric Daniel Clarke, Somewhere Stations
[Inspired by The Train to Vienna]
Night train to Verona,
somewhere, stations,
border crossings, awake,
shadow form, arrival.
By road, Lake Garda,
old walls, Sirmione,
gelato, street walking,
poolside, English tea.
Took to water, Malcesine,
close-packed, cable sway,
Monte Baldo, chilled view,
ant-like British queue.
First class, rail to Venice,
memories, prior arrival,
duckboards, rain walking,
sweat-soaked crowds today.
Retrace, platformed faces,
Paris, twilight until morning,
steep-stepped, Sacre Coeur,
vows in silence, understood.
D. Wallace Peach, Eclipsed
[Inspired by The Moon and I]
The moon and I trade glances beneath the light of ages
reflections of our phases, we traverse boundaries of shadow
the birth and death of stars adorns our voyage
my course uncharted on a shoreless sea.
She is the sand-dollar storyteller of sirens and undertows
hidden caves beneath blooms of coral, troves of stolen gold
a moon-faced child unblemished by the salt of tears she weaves
tales of faithfulness sung to the sea’s rhythmic strum.
A seductress, she trades in the caress of madness and liquid kisses
when a timorous heart flares and passion burns by torchlight
skin and wings consumed, I surrender to the mariner’s lure
drown in the tide’s curling crush and gull’s lonesome cry.
She is the gibbous years, molding castles of compromise
sand towers dripping through faults in cupped hands
I comb the half-moon beach for luminous abalone
craft a chime of common jingle shells, all that I find.
She is the windborne balloon of my daughter’s dream awakening
a boy fishes upon the crescent of her smile
sea-smoothed glass tumbles at their feet for sorting, for choosing
for all my devotion, iron ships founder like paper-sailed toys.
She whispers a harmony of waxing and waning
an old crone’s serenade in her waves’ refrain
when sea thrift and violets yield petals to sheer bluffs
she chants from the conch cupped to my ear:
You are the nautilus spinning outward
eternal feminine on a string of pearls
iridescent ’til the sun succumbs to midnight deep
when a silken wind sweeps over lunar dunes
erasing your footprints
rolls you into darkness
eclipsed.
Timothy Price, One Side Sacred The Other Side Profane
[inspired by Between Sacred and Profane]
Quicksilver shimmers, dances — it’s mesmerizing, mad
Stealthily slithered made its way slowly to the bay
Dumped in fact for many years
A disease so mysterious, unexplained
One side sacred. The other side profane
Shoulders bare in her bath of darkened waters stilled
Quicksilver’s spawn crippled lies in darkness no free will
Mother cuddles her loved, her badly damaged daughter
A mystery in her mother’s arms distorted from the pain
Industry is sacred, her life made profane
A man of vision documented, published all the strife
For his efforts he was beaten to within inches of his life
Trying to enlighten the world he gave up his sight
He died for the cause, was his martyrdom in vain?
Jobs are sacred, his life’s end profane
Thousands fell from Quicksilver’s seeds inside their mothers’ wombs
Those children grew up oh so numb, fell blinded, deaf and dumb
Ostracized, outcasts convulsing from their awful curse
It was “cat dance fever” so many said that made them go insane
Society is Sacred. Their lives were profane
Announcements:
- To all winners: please send your PayPal accounts to shortprose12@gmail.com. Vita Brevis Press will disburse the prizes from my royalties no later than the end of the week.
- The selection of the winners was a very difficult task. My deepest thanks to the judges.
- Please remember to help our literary community and buy a book or two. If you do so please save this post and leave in the comment area the Amazon link of the book(s) you bought.
- The Honorable Mention poems will post on Friday. Please read my Friday post. The poetry of those who received Honorable Mentions is also stunning.
- Next Tuesday I will announce another initiative to help our community strive more.
- Please do not forget to visit MasticadoresUsa.
@Gabriela Marie Milton
Congratulations to Virginia Mateias, Ingrid Wilson, Eric Daniel Clarke, and
D. Wallace Peach. All really excellent poems. I’m honored to share third place with D. Wallace Peach. Thank you so much for allowing everyone to participate.
Congratulations to you Timothy and thank you from the bottom of my heart for entering the contest. I loved reading all poems. It felt wonderful. I felt lucky and honored.
I think you contest was brilliant. It was really fun to participate.
Thank you Timothy. I was touched by your support all along.
Thank you Timothy and congratulations to you as well! It was a pleasure reading your powerful poem. “Poetry is language at its most distilled and most powerful”. Truly.
Virginia, I am moved by your generosity and your beautiful words.
xoxo
Many congratulations to all the winners & honorable mentions…
I am sure they will be honest by your congrats. Thank you for your support Navin.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the prize. I am humbled and honoured! Congratulations to everyone else. It’s great to be in such fabulous company. For me, this was such a wonderful initiative that enriched my days.
Merci du fond de mon cœur pour le prix et Félicitations à tous les autres!
Virginia, congratulations to you my dear. Thank you for entering the contest and thank you for your beautiful poem.
Merci pour votre beau poème. Félicitations!
Congratulations to all the winners and honorary mentions. I am happy to be included in those mentions. Thank you Gabriela for sponsoring this wonderfully creative contest and to all the judges and everyone involved, my heartfelt appreciation.
My dearest Karima. Congratulations from the bottom of my heart. You and all the other participants made this happening. The beauty of the poems made the selection very difficult. Thank you hon. Sending you love and hugs and I hope to see you on Friday.
Awww thank you so much Gabriela…and inshAllah I will be there:)🌹
InshAllah love. Looking forward to having you.
xoxo
Well I wrote a long response but I was too excited and I wasn’t logged into WordPress. I want to thank you very much for this honor. I am thrilled for all those who are the winners, a big congratulations to each and every one of you. I want to thank Gabriela (Button) for all her kindness and for the enormous love I have for her poetry. I have learned so much from reading her writing and have never been so completely amazed at anyone’s imagination or so in love with the words that another person has written before. Yes, I know what I am saying and I mean it. I have studied the greats, not as much as many who have literary degrees, but Button’s work transports me to another world and I think that is a rare gift. I was honored to be among the thirteen finalist and I am extremely grateful to now be among the honorable mentions. I appreciate every one of my readers and am grateful for the love I have been shown in this community. Thank you for this gracious honor. I will be taking my time with each piece and will get back to the winners on their sites. Thank you again for this great honor and for the judges who were kind enough to read all the poetry and make the selection. Love Joni xoxoxxo
My dearest honeybun, you are an angel. First, congratulations from the bottom of my heart. Second, I am humbled by your words. I am lucky to have you in my life.
Every time you write about my work you take my breath way. There are no words to thank you for that.
I am honored by your submission and tantalized by the beauty of your poem. I can’t wait to feature it on Friday.
Everyone : Joni is writing a poetry book. Let’s get ready to support her.
Thank you!!!
xoxo
Thank you so very much. The honor is all mine. Love ❤️ you Button. ❤️Honeybun 🤗🥰💕🌹
Love you too hon 🌺🌸❤️🌹
❤️🤗🥰🎉
🎉 Mazal tov! 🎉
Thank you David. I am sure everyone appreciates you being here.
✨🙏🏻✨ Gabriela ✨🙏🏻✨
🥰 David 🥰
Thank you dearest Button, I believe every word I say about your writing. Your poetry makes me cry, think, reread, and think some more. Someday there will be a Professor just like you teaching doctorate students about your work! Love to everyone! xoxoxoxo
Oh, my God, you are so sweet. Thank you again. Keep me posted. When your book comes out I am throwing a party right here on my blog.
xoxoxoxo
Thank you dearest Button! Celebrate your day I know I will. xoxoxoxo
Thank you hon.
xoxo
❤️
🌹❤️
Congratulations to Virginia and the runners up! I am delighted to be amongst such talented poets 😊🤩😊 and thank you Gabriela for hosting! ❤️
Congratulations to you Ingrid. I am deeply honored by your participation. I love your poem with all my heart. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here.
xoxo
It is my absolute pleasure ❤️
❤️🥰❤️
Beautiful poetry, Gabriela! Congratulations to all the winners!🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
pax, dora
Dora, thank you so much for being here to support everyone. It means a lot to me. Yes, the poetry is beautiful indeed.
xoxo
What a lovely contest, filled with lovely people, and run by lovely people. Congratulations, Virginia, Ingrid, Eric, Diana, and Timothy. Your poetry is stunningly beautiful, moving, and inspiring. Congratulations to all of the honorable-mentions, you are all amazing and talented, and I am honored to be named among you. A big thank you to the team of peers selected to make these difficult decisions; and the biggest thank you possible to you, Gabriela for being a light in the darkness, and for being there for us all. We love you. 🌹💖🌷🙏✨
Jeff, from the bottom of my heart congratulations to you. Thank you for entering the contest. Thank you for writing such a great poem and thank you for your beautiful words. They humble me beyond. I know how much this community loves you and how much it admires your work. I feel the same.
Please come back on Friday when your splendid poem will be featured.
xoxo
Thank you so much, dearest Gabriela. That means everything to me. I am grateful and blessed beyond measure, and love all of you with my entire heart. I will always be back. Always. xoxo
My pleasure Jeff. I am blessed too with your friendship and your beautiful poetry 🌺❤️🌸
Well, I’ve been up in the loft/attic all day renewing/ bulking up insulation, felt quite itchy for a while, couldn’t decide if it was the insulation or anticipation – dusk crept up, 4 o’clock(ish) here in England, down the ladder, cup of tea, logged on, now can’t stop smiling, joint second place with Ingrid, and in such good company with Virginia, Diana and Timothy along with Joni, Cindy, Jeff, Karima and Carrie – to the judges, thank you, I don’t know how you did it, but do know it must have been tough – as you, Gabriela, said, all winners to you, I felt that taking part, it’s always feels good to be close to words with you. All the best and thank you. Eric.
Eric, congratulations and thank you from the bottom of my heart for entering the contest. You poem is splendid. All are. It was a tough call. That is way it took so long to call the winners.
“I’ve been up in the loft/attic all day renewing/ bulking up insulation, felt quite itchy for a while, couldn’t decide if it was the insulation or anticipation –” Oh, I need to do the same 🙂
Enjoy your tea. I am thrilled that the hat is back. I love that hat!
xoxoxo
Ah, that hat, I may have told you, I bought it in Corfu, while on a Greek Island cruise from Venice – a poem within a poem – another story to be told… 🤠
I thought you bought it in Mykonos. Oh, no, I probably saw a picture of you in that hat taken in Mykonos. Was it Mykonos?
Please tell me that story. I can’t wait to find out what happened.
xoxo
You remember well, the photo was taken by my wife in Mykonos – a rail/sea odyssey of somewhere stations/ports to mark our 40th wedding anniversary a few years ago now.
I am glad I remember that.
Are you ever going to tell me the story about Venice? I am dying to find out what happened 🙂
Ah, but which one? You know one day I will. All the best, Gabriela – and thank you once again for giving us all an opportunity to write a poem inspired by yours.
I will wait until you are ready. Thank you again for your beautiful poem.
xoxo
Eric, could you please send your PayPal info in? Thank you.
Congratulations to you all!! Well-deserved! <3
Thank you for being here and for supporting everyone Susi.
xoxo
ALWAYS!! I’m so happy to see so many familiar names!!
I am glad to hear that Susi. Sending love.
<3
Congratulations! to the winners, for making it this far. Thank you Gabriela, for some of us, this contest was a great exposure.
Congratulations to all winners. Gabriela, than you for the contest. It is a first hand experience and a great exposure for me.
Hon, thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here to support everyone. Very grateful to you.
xoxoxo
You are welcome 🙏, Great and wonderful woman.
Oh, thank you hon. You are great and and wonderful too.
xoxo
Congratulations to all the winners and honourable mentions! 👏👏👏👏
Many thanks to Gabriela and all the judges involved in the selection process.
Thank you so much Vipul. Thank you for entering the contest. I am beyond honored by your gesture and by your beautiful poem that will be featured here too. I will let you know when.
Vipul, your support of my writings and the help you granted me on Twitter got me far. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will always be grateful to you.
xoxo
It’s always a pleasure to read your incredible poetry, Gabriela! It was indeed a pleasure to be part of this contest with so many talented people.
🙏🌸🌺🌹
Today we just had our first snowfall here in Montreal and it’s a beautiful day to dedicate to poetry. This is a song that reminds me of one of my favourite poems “The train to Vienna” of yours Gabriela and that I simply adore.
https://youtu.be/zSUHkWd44vU
Leonard Cohen 🙂
Snow in Montreal! It happens often 😉 Stay warm sweetheart and indeed let’s dedicate this day to poetry. To all the beautiful poems written here.
Thank you so much for the song. I adore it. Eric wrote a poem inspired by the Train to Vienna.
Virginia: here is for you and congratulations again:
https://youtu.be/fJ1P3LjkE28
It’s the first! We love it and we dread it at the same time. The community here is warm and generous (such beautiful comments and words here). This wonderful experience is keeping me warmer than any sweater could heheh. Thank you for making me part of it.
And yes! Eric’s poem was my favourite. The styles are all so different and such a pleasure to read.
It wouldn’t be a day dedicated to poetry if Leonard wasn’t involved. :))
Sending you hugs my dear Gabriela.
What a lovely answer. I am glad you enjoyed the poems. Yes, the community here is wonderful.
Well.. it’s hard to compete with Leonard Cohen 🙂
Stay warm hon. Enjoy your day. Sending lots of love and hugs.
Congratulations to the winners and honorable mentions! Beautiful poetry here. And Gabriela, this contest was a wonderful idea!
Thank you so much for your support. It means a lot to me and I am sure it means a lot to everyone here. I am glad you liked the poems.
xoxo
Oh Gabriela, What a wonderful surprise. My electricity has been off due to heavy rain storms, and when it came back on this morning, this post and it’s fabulous poetry is what I find. I’m so grateful to the judges, but primarily to you for giving us the opportunity to rise to the challenge and stretch our poetic voices. And of course, your lovely book inspired us all. Many congrats to Virginia, Ingrid, Eric, and Timothy. Their poetry is stunning, and I’m honored to be among them. Hugs, my friend.
Congratulations from the bottom of my heart Diana and thank you for you kind words. I am beyond honored you entered the contest and I am sure everyone is honored to have you with us. Yes, we have stunning poetry here including yours.
I am glad the electricity is back, hon. Have a beautiful day and thank you once again.
xoxo
I’ll share the post on Sunday. I’m over the moon. 🙂
Thank you Diana. I am so glad you are happy 🌹
Diana, please send you PayPal info. Thank you.
Many congrats to you D. Wallace Peach ! I love your poetry and secret magic. Hugs back
I certainly hope Diana reads that. Thank you Virginia. Please do not forget to send your PayPal account 🌹❤️ Have a great evening my dear and congratulations once again.
Thank you so much for the kind comment Virginia, and huge congrats right back at you for your first place win. You poem is exquisite. Hugs.
THANK YOU DIANA!
I’m so delighted you encouraged me to participate Gabriella and even more thrilled to be an honorable mention with so many incredible writers.
Congratulations, Virginia, Ingrid, Eric, Diana, and Timothy! I’m Soooo happy for you! Each of your poems are treasured pieces to savor and grow and learn from! Your writing is exquisite! And to me.. YAAAAY 😂 I am truly thrilled and honored to stand among you as an honorable mention with Joni, Jeff, Karima and Carrie who bless us with their brilliance daily and friendship that is a treasure to me.
I am grateful to all of you who judged the contest and to you Gabriella for making this happen and being a beacon of light to our world and each of us that you support in our vision! And to all of the participants that entered! It takes guts and bravery to enter. I know because I almost didn’t! We must always continue to put ourselves out there win or loose… like Ingrid said.. “we are all winners” and I couldn’t agree more!
💕💗👏🙏
Hello my beautiful Cindy and congratulations! I can’t wait to feature your poem on Friday.
I am honored you entered the competition hon. I am glad you are with us. You brighten our days. Your enthusiasms, talent, and goodness shine. Thank you for congratulating everyone. You are an angel.
Sending you lots of love and hugs. I hope everyone reads what you wrote.
xoxo
Oh thank you sooo much Gabriella!!
Meee too!!!
I actually really loved the process and how it turned out!
Awww thanks and I am too. It’s a joy and honor and I appreciate that. Thank you to for your kind words and heart! Oh of course it is my pleasure.
Sending fairy 🧚🏻♀️ dust to you today for your next endeavor in the making-:)💕❤️🙏
My pleasure and thank you once again hon 🌹🌺🌸
Thanks and to you! 💕🙏
❤️🌸🌹🥰❤️
💕😘😍💗
Congratulations Cindy! Your writing is beautiful!
Oh thanks you sooo much Virginia!
I truly appreciate it and yours is as well!!! 💖🙏
Congratulations to all the winners! It must have been tough to pick a winner, they are all so good. Look forward to the honourable mentions too.
Gabriela, you are truly an inspiration. 🤗❤️🥰
Sweetheart, thank you so much for being here to support everyone. I am beyond grateful to you. They are all wonderful and it was tough indeed to pick the winners.
You are an inspiration too hon. Love you. I hope everything is well.
xoxo
You are welcome, dear. Lots of love to you and best wishes too. ❤️🥰🌷
🌺❤️🌸🌹
Hearty congratulations to all the winners and honorable mentions. Gabriela, I think it is admirable how you encourage other poets. <3
Thank you Cheryl. They are great poets and I am very honored they answered my call 🌺🌹🌸❤️
Congrats to all.
Thank you for everyone Bo. I am glad you are here. When you have time can you please update me? if you can of course. I am thinking about you 🌹
It got worse. Just like that. I went there and we actually said goodbye.
I am so sorry Bo. You are in my thoughts hon. Thinking about you every day. Love you . I do not know what else to say. I am here for you if you need to reach me. ❤️
I haven’t been in the mood for talking lately, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, but thanks anyway. I appreciate it a lot. You’re an angel. ❤️
I noticed Bo. Your silence said I lot. I know how it feels and I understand. Take care of you. Love to you and to the entire family.
Thanks, hon. Back at you.
Congratulations to the winners! In reading the winning entries, I found the same kind of beauty present in your writing unique to each piece. <3
Thank you so much for you wonderful support and contribution Java. It means the world to me and I am sure it means the same to everyone else too. As promised all finalists will be featured so please stay tuned.
xoxo
Congratulations Virginia, Ingrid, Eric, Wallace, Timothy, Joni, Cindy, Jeff and Karima! 🎉
It’s so good to hear from you hon. Congratulations to you too. Everyone will be able to read your beautiful poem on Friday. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for entering the contest ❤️🌹
I feel honored. xoxo
🌺🌸🌹❤️
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for being here to support everyone 🌹
You are very graciously welcome your Gabrielaness.
😊
😊😊😊
Congratulations to all the winners!
Thank you so much my dear 🌺🌸🌹
Congratulations to all the winners. Much deserving 👍🏻
Thank you so much for your support 🙏🌸🌹🌺
💖🙏🤗
Is there another competition and how do we sign up
There are many other poetry contests. You can Google. I hope this help.
That you organise I mean
Not, till next year.
WOnderful poems. Congrats to all winners.
Thank you for your kindness and your support 🌸🌹👏🌺
Truly it is an honor to read such wonderful work.
🙏🌹🌸🌺
My deepest thanks to you!
Ahh, Aww. Amazing. Everyone is a winner here. How spectacular. Congratulations, everyone. And to the host too, wow… Thanks for sharing this. xoxo
Thank you so much for being here to support us. It means a lot to me and I am sure it means a lot to everyone . 🙏🌹🌸🌺
Omedetto (congratulations in Japanese)
🙏🌹
Wonderful! Congratulations to all! So much talent. And a very lovely initiative, Gabriela. 🙂
Thank you sweetheart. I am thrilled you are here with us. It means a lot for me and I am sure it means a lot for everyone else. Sending love and huge hugs 🌺🌸🌹
Thank you so much! Blessings
Many congratulations to all the winner’s 💝👍.
Thank you so much hon. I am grateful for your support 🙏❤️🌸🌹
You’re most welcome ❤️.
Oh, wow congratulations to all the winners….😊😊😉
Thank you for your support sweetheart 🙏🌸🌹🌺
Congratulations to the winners. 🎉 Gorgeous poetry!
Thank you so much Sarah! It was such an amazing experience !
Lovely
Thank you.