MM's IBPC Nomination Poll for Jun (Jul comp), Poll Closes on Jun 28th Options

[AMETHYST]

Hollowed Ground by Nada Lott

Along an eon-charted course
the river flows relentlessly
to carve a way through massive rock.
Its steady passage humbles me.

From rim to rim, these depths are but
a speck beneath the firmament
and I, beside them, apperceive
my smallness to its full extent.

For no appraiser stands prepared
to grasp the fathomless. Time wrought
a canyon; its Creator's mind
encompasses perfected thought.

I search my vocal repertoire,
superlatives exhausted. Now,
from parted lips that drip with awe
escapes a feeble, whispered, "Wow."

[AMETHYST]

Stimulus: A fragment from Kit Smart's Jubilate Agno:

"For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry.
For he is the servant of the Living God duly and daily serving him.
For at the first glance of the glory of God in the East he worships in his way.
For this is done by wreathing his body seven times round with elegant quickness.
For then he leaps up to catch the musk, which is the blessing of God upon his prayer.
For he rolls upon prank to work it in...."



Jeoffry

He is sleek unto himself,
blending onyx and brilliance.

Seven - that magic number -
seven times he wreaths
his agile frame to the East,
ascends on haunch hopes;
no more, no less.

Toward latent stars he arcs
in complementary prayer,
and sheaths his domain with
spindrifts of nature’s musk.

Friends frolic in the grassy knoll
to mark their place in society
then yield to his presence: exercising
their position in his kingdom.

He crouches low and slowly
advances amongst his
camouflaged backdrop;
a transient salutation
that shadows pranks of the day…

then quietly sneaks back
to the comfort of a cushy couch
and moons himself to sleep.

A god made unto himself,
he blends onyx and brilliance.

Copyright © Lorraine M Kanter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you very much Liz.

I've just edited my revision here - hoping to receive more crits in the next few days. Permission is granted!

How exciting!

Cheers
~Cleo

[AMETHYST]

The Flag ... by Judi

The air is still, as though the earth has held its breath;
the tears that flow are triggered by the sound of guns.
Two soldiers fold a flag, for war has claimed a life,
which like a budding tree had barely just begun.

As parents hear the bugler play his final note,
the mother sighs, a grieving father holds her hand.
Nothing soothes the pain his loved ones still must reap,
a shiny medal in a box, his last command.

Friends shake their hands, not knowing what do or say,
The parents nod their heads and shake each hand in turn,
So difficult to leave him there, an only son,
who chose this life, and knew that he might not return.

Tomorrow, they will fold another flag up tight;
salute with guns that echo with staccato sound.
The Taps will play for one who'll walk the earth no more.
When will they see no victories are found in war?


Judith Labriola

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks so much for selecting my poem to be considered...it means a lot to me. I pull this one out every June, since I was born on "Flag Day" That flag stands for so much! Judi

This post has been edited by Cleo_Serapis: Jul 29 07, 08:06

Reason for edit: Revision posted

[Mary Boren]

Permission granted. Thanks for the heads-up in Hermes, Lori.

Thank you, Liz! I didn't get a PM, but hereby give you carte blanche license to do anything you deem appropriate with anything I write. I've never entered contests or sought publication, so it's all fair game. This is the final version.

Mary

[Cleo_Serapis]

The time has arrived to choose the three poems that we'd like to represent MM in the July IBPC competition. I've set the poll up to allow you three votes (as separate questions) - the numbering rank does not matter in this POLL as we we net all cumulative votes from the three questions.

Please click on the reply that has the url's in the poem titles to re-read them all and then kindly select your three choices. PLEASE DO NOT CHOOSE THE SAME POEM THREE TIMES - please choose three different poems.

The three poems with the highest cumulative number of votes will be chosen. In the case of a tie, the staff of MM will break it with a separate poll.

Just a reminder that in all our POLLS, your votes will remain anonymous so PLEASE, DO cast your votes today! This poll will close on June 28th.




The following poems have been nominated and 'accepted for nomination' by the authors for the July IBPC competition:


Hollowed Ground by Mary Sullivan Boren


Finding My Way by Susan Eckenrode


Faded Layers by Eira Needham


Water Wise by Mary Sullivan Boren


Jeoffry by Lorraine M Kanter


The Flag by Judith Anne Labriola


Yet Unwritten by Cathy Bollhoefer


A Beckoning at Crater Lake by Susan Eckenrode



Best of luck all.
~Cleo

[Guest_Rosemerta_*]

Greetings, Mary,

Between here and New Mexico there is a huge canyon that is absolutely breath taking. The highway winds through it and I've had many a horn honked at me for driving so slowly while traversing this sacred place of beauty. But I think God would be offended if one did not pause even a little to appreciate his work.

You have captured the essence of my feelings while traveling down this road, even if it not the same canyon. Well Done!

[Guest_Rosemerta_*]

(((((Lori)))))

I love this one. What a beautiful interpretation. I especially like the stanza:

Toward latent stars he arcs
in complementary prayer,
and sheaths his domain with
spindrifts of nature’s musk.

Beautifully done!

[Guest_Rosemerta_*]

Greetings Judi,

Saddly there is too much truth to your words. This was beautifully expressed!

[Cleo_Serapis]

Hmmm - the last voter voted for the same poem all 3 times - please folks, do not do that - that isn't fair to the remaining poets.....

[Cleo_Serapis]

This Poll is now closed. With the votes from the 17th voter, "Hollowed Ground" got 11 votes (from 8 previously), so "Hollowed Ground" technically should have 9 votes, not 11 and 2 other poems from the list should have 1 more vote. In any event, the numbers work out so that Hollowed Ground makes the top three anyway and adding one more vote to any other poem wouldn't change the top 3 spot.

Hollowed Ground [ 11 ] should be 9

Finding My Way [ 4 ]

Faded Layers [ 3 ]

Water Wise [ 3 ]

Jeoffry [ 8 ]

The Flag [ 9 ]

Yet Unwritten [ 6 ]

A Beckoning at Crater Lake [ 7 ]

Total Members: 17
Total Votes: 51


Congrats to the following poems and thanks to those who voted!

Hollowed Ground by Nada Lott (Mary)

The Flag by Judi

Jeoffry by Cleo_Serapis (Lori)

Best of luck!

~Cleo

[Cleo_Serapis]

Congrats Mary and good luck in the IBPC comp!

~Cleo

[Cleo_Serapis]

Congrats Judi and best of luck in the IBPC comp!

~Cleo

[Cleo_Serapis]

Thanks so much Jackie!

I'm just thrilled - this one made the cut for going to IBPC this month. Whippee!

Cheers
~Cleo

[Judi]

Congrats Judi and best of luck in the IBPC comp!

~Cleo

Oh Lori, I thank you for the opportunity to have this poem entered, and I also want to Congratulate you and Mary for also being entered too! It is times like this that are so
precious, I can't tell you what it means to me in words! ((((( group hug))))) Judi

PS. This is the final version of this poem...no further revisions!. Judi

[Guest_Cathy_*]

Congratulations Judi!

Good luck in the next round~

Cathy

[Guest_Cathy_*]

Congratulations Lori and good luck with IBPC!

Cathy

[Guest_Cathy_*]

Congratulations Mary and good luck in the next round of competition!

Cathy

[Cleo_Serapis]

Thank you very much Cathy! This was such a fun piece to write (thanks to a flash stimulus)....

~Lori

[AMETHYST]

Congratulations Lori,

I have very good feelings for this poem. As I think the strength in the final line is a winner. It explodes with the possibility of humankind, and is profound and contemplative.

Hugs, and Best of luck ... Liz

[Cleo_Serapis]

Thank you very much Liz!

I'm just coming up for air - - waky waly from a long nap I took when I got home this afternoon. Tomorrow's a BIG day at work. *sigh*

Let the weirdness begin!

You reminded me I've got to put together the IBPC email and send it off!

HUGS
Lori