BEAUTY
The May judge was Caroline Johnson, President of Poets and Patrons of Chicago. She selected first, second and third place poems. It is interesting that the first and third place poems had the same abstract title. They are very different, though. The first place poem is a Pantoum; the second and third place poems are both free verse. Here is the first place winner:
Appreciation
Sunlight on spring
day promises something new.
Whisper of warm wind
chases memories of snow,
leaving bird song to
console
calls for life to
begin.
Whisper of warm wind
chases memories of snow.
buds of green and
blossoming leaves
call for life to
console,
graced by light, a
new day.
Buds of green and
blossoming trees
color the land around
me green
graced by light, a
new day,
with great joy I
recall.
Color the land around
me green
enriches weary
visions.
With great joy I
recall
the many seasons I’ve
known.
Enriches weary
visions I’ve known
I call this spring a
time of my own,
the many seasons I’ve
known
when warm winds
touch my soul.
~ Mike Bayles
The judge commented
that “the
title is abstract, yet the poem itself doesn’t tell us, it “shows” us
appreciation through rich imagery and concrete details such as “buds of green
and blossoming trees.” The content works well as a Pantoum.
Second place went to the following poem:
Beauty
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put beauty on the map.
Beauty is truth and truth is beauty.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
All men seek beauty—
It is said the two words most said by men before making love
is:
“You’re beautiful,”
And yet no one knows what it is.
The destroyer of strong men and their horses,
The fields of flowers go on
But the men and their horses are gone,
Until the next trip.
Julianne Carlile
The judge found this poem intriguing, and said, “I love the
concept.”
The third place poem is about gardening:
Appreciation
Cold wet knees on knobby ground
The irritating whine of a mosquito
Thick smear of mud on my cheek
From my missed swipe at the flying demon
When did gardening become painful?
An aching back; tight shoulders
Knowing it will be less painful to stay put
Than to rise
Then…. in one moment……
A slanting flash of brilliant sun
Illuminates my tulips
Into dancing flames of red and yellow
I see their beauty against the sapphire sky
I smell the earth
I feel the sun
And smile
~ Mary Cohutt
The judge said, “"Wonderful
concrete details to describe the art of gardening, and good abstract word for
the title. You do a good job of “showing” the reader what you are trying
to convey without “telling” him or her. Love the line “dancing flames of
red and yellow.” I can
also feel your pain (and I don’t really garden!).”
Bios
of the winners:
Mike Bayles, a lifelong Midwest
resident, writes about different kinds of human connections, including
connections with nature. His poetry publishing credits include The Rockford Review, Lyrical Iowa and Coffee-Ground Breakfast. Threshold
his first book of poetry, was the 2013 Book of the Year for Rockford Writers Guild. See Mike's website at www.authorsden.com/mikebayles.
Julianne Carlile
is a poet, author, and screenwriter who lives with her long-haired Chihuahua,
Nicky, in Wisconsin. See her poetry at www.juliannecarlile.com
Mary
Cohutt is a Leasing Consultant from Western Massachusetts. She
also has her own business, "The Good Daughter," which provides
business assistance to older people. She has two adult children and two
grandchildren.
Thank you to Caroline Johnson for judging the May
submissions and congratulations to the winners.
Check the blog on June 1 for a new challenge.
© Wilda Morris
