The 2024 Poetry Contest

01 (FourthWall)
It's been over a decade since I put my degree in bullshit to work, but let's give this the ol' college try.

01

There is an eternity
between 0 and 1

An instant
between one's slings and arrows
and the sleep which gives us pause

The silence of nil
and the shriek of the whole

A race to be won
with no continues

One bet
on one coin
With no prize
but the No-Prize

Of avoiding not to be
for one day
one hour
one second
once more

As one can
and as one must

There is no alternative
 
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Last Rose of Summer (StarSingerBlue)
Last Rose of Summer

A single rose still lies upon the bush
Its sisters have turned into dust
their brown petals stuck onto the branches by rain
It is November the second

The ground is cold and hard
To dig, we must break it with pickaxes
Remove roots and stones
Pile up dirt higher and higher

She has turned stiff like a doll
Cold, her fur soft, still smelling the same as always
Her nose is dry
I was always told a healthy dog's nose was wet

The cats watch me go past
they see me cry and scream
the black one was with her when she died
at least she wasn't alone


There is a dog at the door

I'm glad I was there to bury her

A/N: my grandfather's dog died last month. This is about her. Rest in peace, Holly.
 
Impactful/Impactante - Residing in a Sphere of Thoughts Without Words/Residente em uma Esfera de Pensamentos Sem Palavras - Secret Garden/Jardim Secreto - Hope/Esperança (Anjel)
I have written four poems, both in English and Portuguese, my native language. Each one reflects different aspects of life, such as hope, love, challenges, and the journey of overcoming. In each poem, I aimed to capture the essence of the feelings and experiences that we all face. The choice to write in both languages allows me to share my worldview with a wider audience, offering a deeper connection to my roots while also giving a voice to those who speak English.

It is a way to express my art in a universal manner, while honoring my native language and the beauty of communicating thoughts and emotions poetically.

I hope you enjoy it.

EnglishPortuguês-BR

In the depths of a silent soliloquy,
Battles rage where no one can see.
Cancer creeps, depression weighs,
Yet the will to fight ignites brighter days.

A family's embrace, strong and true,
A lifeline of love to carry you through.
When shadows whisper, "You're alone,"
Let their light remind you—you're never on your own.

Each scar etched is a tale of might,
Each tear shed reflects a soul's fight.
Through pain's mirror, lessons unfold,
In the face of despair, courage takes hold.

The will to endure, the fire to rise,
Breaks through darkness, defying the lies.
Hope glimmers where doubt once reigned,
Proving that strength is always regained.

Though the road feels endless and steep,
With love and resolve, the heart won't sleep.
The silent soliloquy transforms to a roar,
A hymn of resilience, forevermore.

To those in the storm, this is your call:
Stand tall, rise again, even when you fall.
The fight for life is worth the pain,
For through the struggle, glory remains.

So claim each moment, face the fight,
Turn whispers of fear into songs of light.
What starts as a whisper becomes a cry,
Of hope that soars, refusing to die.

- Impactful - Anjel
Nas profundezas de um solilóquio silente,
Batalhas travam-se onde ninguém sente.
O câncer rasteja, a depressão pesa,
Mas a vontade de lutar a alma acesa.

O abraço da família, firme e real,
Amor que carrega, suporte vital.
Quando a escuridão sussurra: "Você está só,"
Lembre-se—no amor há força maior.

Cada cicatriz é um grito de vitória,
Cada lágrima reflete uma alma em glória.
Pelo espelho da dor, verdades surgem,
Na luta interna, as forças convergem.

A vontade de viver, o fogo de persistir,
Rompe a noite, faz a esperança existir.
Onde havia dúvida, renasce a luz,
Mostrando que a força em você reluz.

Embora o caminho pareça sem fim,
Com amor e coragem, tudo tem um sim.
O solilóquio silente vira um grito,
Um hino de vida, jamais esquecido.

A quem está na tempestade, ouça esse chamado:
Erga-se, lute, mesmo machucado.
A luta pela vida vale a dor,
Pois através dela, brota o esplendor.

Então tome o dia, encare o confronto,
Transforme o medo em brilho e pronto.
O que começa em silêncio explode em clamor,
De uma esperança que vence, cheia de ardor.

- Impactante - Anjel
In the quiet, wars are fought without sound,
Depression and cancer, twin shadows that surround.
Yet from the dark, a quiet strength ascends,
A mother's love, a father's touch ,
Anchors in the tempest, hearts that never bend.

Whispers claim, "You are alone in this fight,"
But in truth, your light is the brightest of the night.
You are never alone; you are woven in love's embrace.

Every scar a story, each tear a silent cry,
Pain and love dance, as time passes by.
In the depths of suffering, courage is born,
Even in silence, the heart can adorn.

The world may try to break you,
But in faith and compassion, we stand, unshaken,
Through the storm, we rise —
Our spirit unbroken, our soul unchained.

In the quietest whispers, we find our voice,
And from the ashes, we create our choice.
Hope does not fade; it thrives, it grows —
In every breath, a new light glows.
Residing in a Sphere of Thoughts Without Words-Angel
No silêncio, guerras são travadas sem som,
A depressão e o câncer, sombras gêmeas que rondam.
Mas do escuro, uma força silenciosa ascende,
O amor de mãe, o toque de pai —
Âncoras na tempestade, corações que nunca se curvam.

Sussurros dizem, "Você está sozinho nesta luta,"
Mas na verdade, sua luz é a mais brilhante da noite.
Você nunca está sozinho; você está tecido no abraço do amor.

Cada cicatriz é uma história, cada lágrima um grito mudo,
A dor e o amor dançam, enquanto o tempo passa.
Nas profundezas do sofrimento, a coragem nasce,
Mesmo no silêncio, o coração se adorna.

O mundo pode tentar te quebrar,
Mas na fé e na compaixão, nos erguemos, inabaláveis,
Através da tempestade, nos levantamos —
Nosso espírito intacto, nossa alma liberta.

Nos sussurros mais suaves, encontramos nossa voz,
E das cinzas, fazemos nossa escolha.
A esperança não desaparece; ela prospera, cresce —
Em cada respiração, uma nova luz brilha.
Residente em uma Esfera de Pensamentos Sem Palavras- Anjels
In the quiet of a secret garden,
Where whispers of life breathe through the air,
A hidden path winds, unseen by many,
Where love blooms quietly, unaware.

The flowers, gentle in their grace,
Begin to bloom as springtime wakes,
In this garden, where secrets linger,
Love is the seed that each heart makes.

Through the silence, a voice is heard,
A soft susurration, the sweetest word.
It speaks of promises, tender and true,
Of a love that is ever constant, ever new.

A garden where souls are free to roam,
Where every petal finds its home.
Through seasons, the blooms endure,
Each flower a promise, each fragrance pure.

The path is gentle, the journey kind,
In this secret place, the heart is aligned.
With every step, a new bloom appears,
A whisper of love, dispelling fears.

In the secret garden of the soul,
We grow, we heal, we make us whole.
Through the whispers of love, the blooming will show,
As spring unveils its endless glow.

This garden, so quiet, yet so alive,
In its secret world, we learn to thrive.
Love is the path, and the path is clear,
In this garden, every bloom is dear.

Secret Garden- Anjel
No silêncio de um jardim secreto,
Onde sussurros de vida respiram no ar,
Um caminho escondido serpenteia, invisível a muitos,
Onde o amor floresce suavemente, sem se mostrar.

As flores, gentis em sua graça,
Começam a florescer quando a primavera desperta,
Neste jardim, onde segredos persistem,
O amor é a semente que cada coração semeia.

Através do silêncio, uma voz se ouve,
Um suave sussurro, a palavra mais doce.
Fala de promessas, ternas e verdadeiras,
De um amor que é constante, sempre novo.

Um jardim onde as almas são livres para andar,
Onde cada pétala encontra seu lar.
Através das estações, as flores resistem,
Cada flor uma promessa, cada fragrância pura.

O caminho é suave, a jornada é gentil,
Neste lugar secreto, o coração se alinha.
A cada passo, uma nova flor brota,
Um sussurro de amor, dissipando os medos.

No jardim secreto da alma,
Crescemos, curamos, nos tornamos inteiros.
Através dos sussurros do amor, o florescer se revela,
Enquanto a primavera revela seu brilho eterno.

Este jardim, tão silencioso, mas tão vivo,
Em seu mundo secreto, aprendemos a florescer.
O amor é o caminho, e o caminho é claro,
Neste jardim, cada flor é querida.

Jardim Secreto- Anjel
In the stillness of waiting, a deep sigh,
Where patience blooms, silent yet strong,
Time passes, and judgment moves slow,
But in calmness, grows the strength that lights the way.

To have hope is to believe without seeing,
To trust in the light that has yet to come,
To believe that every challenge is a test,
And that, in the end, victory will be the heart's reward.

Love, a seed rooted in the soul,
Sustains the darkest and coldest days,
With strength, like the wind that bends the trees,
But never breaks them, only teaches them to rise.

Patience, clothed in time,
Guides us through crooked paths,
In every step, a trial,
In every hesitation, a lesson learned.

In waiting, silence is profound,
But in it, hope echoes loud,
Like a silent cry that carries with it
The promise of better days.

And when the challenge seems insurmountable,
Let us remember that determination is what moves us,
It's what makes us rise from the ground,
And with a heart full of faith, we go on, without looking back.

The judgment of others, like shadow,
Should never obscure our inner light,
For those who have hope, carry within them
The strength of a love that never fails.

In waiting, patience becomes gold,
And hope, radiant like the sun,
Shows us that, even on the darkest days,
The light of a new tomorrow awaits us.

Hope- Anjel
Na quietude da espera, um suspiro profundo,
Onde a paciência floresce, silenciosa, mas firme,
O tempo passa, e o julgamento se faz lento,
Mas na calma, cresce a força que ilumina o caminho.

Ter esperança é crer sem ver,
É confiar na luz que ainda não chegou,
É acreditar que cada desafio é um teste,
E que, no final, a vitória será o prêmio do coração.

O amor, semente enraizada na alma,
Sustenta os dias mais sombrios e frios,
Com força, como o vento que curva as árvores,
Mas não as quebra, apenas as ensina a se erguer.

A paciência, vestida de tempo,
Nos guia por trilhas tortuosas,
Em cada passo, uma prova,
Em cada hesitação, uma lição que se aprende.

Na espera, o silêncio é profundo,
Mas nele, a esperança ecoa forte,
Como um grito mudo que traz consigo
A promessa de dias melhores.

E quando o desafio parece insuperável,
Lembremos que a determinação é o que nos move,
É ela que nos faz erguer do chão,
E com o coração cheio de fé, seguimos, sem olhar para trás.

O julgamento dos outros, como sombra,
Nunca deve obscurecer nossa luz interior,
Pois quem tem esperança, carrega em si
A força de um amor que nunca falha.

Na espera, a paciência se torna ouro,
E a esperança, radiante como o sol,
Mostra-nos que, mesmo no mais escuro dos dias,
A luz de um novo amanhã está a nos esperar.

Esperança-Anjel
 
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i'm sitting in the ghost of an airplane (open_sketch)


i'm sitting in the ghost of an airplane
the seat is firm, but there is open air behind me
the yokes are linked now only to each other
throttle locks keep absent engines steady

i run my hands over worn metal
my eyes over still dials
my feet on loose pedals
close my eyes, and wonder

who sat here last, when, why?
what places have you been?
somewhere this plane has a story
a number, a record, flight logs
but i can only imagine

what path did you chart through the sky?
what clouds, what oceans, what lands?
what brought you from the factory doors
to the side of the little runway?

as i sit
the wind picks up around me.
the frame rattles, the windows creak
a plane starts up nearby and
the ground rumbles

it is just a thing
but i imagine
you are dreaming

one more run, somewhere
anywhere
once more over snow-cap peaks
endless seas, still nights
the lights of a great city

i grip the controls
hold her steady

once more
into the air

 
dreamless - builders of the obelisk (Solarstream)
i may add more later, but i wanted to make sure i at least posted something before the deadline. here:

"dreamless"
silence ensnaring
as the night falls
descending into-

-another day,
awoken by calling
lights ascending
and time in motion

endless cycles
and no respite,
over and over again

the spaces where
color should be
echoing brightly
have become empty

"builders of the obelisk"
single pinnacle
majestic principle
ascending route
our path to divinity
at once open and closed

yet the future
in those hands
remains unbuilt

brick by brick
willing hands alone
layer by layer
upwards and upwards
into a new world
 
"O tempora, o mores" (Random Reader)
Amidst the shelves stands a peruser,
encroached upon, day by day,
as time, slipped past
and Christmas drawing nearer,
their morning now thrown - disarray.

An unfortunate gift:
self-bequeathed haste,
as tardiness led to present,
To scour scoured aisles
for a specific wish,
a complication most unpleasant.

Clutched in hand are instructions -
confounding, difficult to parse,
an earnest wish hereunto given
yet instructions overtly sparse.

"O tempora, o mores"
 
And On The Wheel We See That Heart Follows Winter (jelloloaf)
And On The Wheel We See That Heart Follows Winter

have you ever had issues communicating things?
it's a problem that i unfortunately have often.
most people don't see exactly how difficult
immortal, unceasing life could ever be.
yes, very few people understand this.
i speak of the truth quite often but
despite my very best efforts to it
they will not ever understand
the hardships that we face.
i say at every chance how
it is quite simply not fair
how the wider society
doesn't ever want to
glimpse when we
are out dancing.
at every hour
they call us
unnatural.
because
they're
afraid
that
we
w
i
l
l

.

.

.

but i will not speak of that now. this is a rotation for joy. i wish you the best of luck for the future.​
 
Fresher eyes (Dermonster)
Oh, I suppose I can submit the poem I made for Hyphen here.


Fresher eyes
(I guess. Not good at titles.)


They say that time is circular, that all that is has since been done.
There is nothing new to be found, underneath the light of our sun.

I would think it differently, found a world that runs on rhymes.
Time that spins unparalleled, but in themes and paradigms.

So I shall share my thoughts aloud, both retort and reprise,
All that is old is new again, to those with fresher eyes.
 
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True Americans (Young Pyromancer)
True Americans

I melt down ten thousand misconceptions to forge one shining golden truth.
It's self-evident. No need for sources, citations, nor proof.
It fits in neatly with what you believe—
Like a missing puzzle piece, like the blank space in a schematic, like a simplified metaphor—
You begged for escape, so here, come and have it.
I move you to accept it with the force of force of habit.
Life is a desert of suffering, so you have been guided to my oasis of lies.
Rejoice, children.
You are the True Americans, and I am your king.
 
@Havocfett Where do things stand on this?
So @Havocfett is not the one to blame for the delay here, as he was already semi on-leave over Winterfest due to various family-related commitments. Unfortunately this completely slipped under the radar for me due to some family medical drama (all thankfully alright now) in the first couple weeks of this month. My sincere apologies to all participants for the utterly unconscionable delay.

The winner of the 2024 Poetry Contest will be announced Sunday evening tomorrow at 12 PM (GMT).
 
So Havocfett is not the one to blame for the delay here, as he was already semi on-leave due to various family-related commitments. Unfortunately this completely slipped under the radar for me due to some family medical drama (all thankfully alright now) in the first couple weeks of this month. My sincere apologies to all participants for the utterly unconscionable delay

The winner of the 2024 Poetry Contest will be announced Sunday evening tomorrow at 12 PM (GMT).
More importantly, glad all is well with your family! *hugs tight*
 
2024 Poetry Contest Winner & Special Mentions
Thank you all so much for your patience. Reading through these again today and through the comments from our other judges, I was really struck by how many submissions we got, and the quality overall. Some thirty odd contestants and well over fifty poems is a a great turnout, and the submissions run the full gamut from touching, sad, funny, heart warming, or the downright weird and wonderful. Thank you all so much for participating!

We also had many people choosing to submit more than one poem. In our scoring we've tried basically tried to look at people's submissions in aggregate but focus on the best entries for the purposes of final scoring, without disadvantaging anyone who only submitted a single poem. Picking the winner this year was extremely tough, but before we get to that, we'd like to give a few Special Mentions to runners-up that we really enjoyed.

17 Changeling Poems by @Winged Knight
They say that quantity has a quality all of its own, but in this case, each individual poem was a real standout in quality. Each explored a theme or told a story, but there was a real through line of fantasy and bittersweet melancholy.

What the Bowerbirds Do by @Chandagnac
If a segment from a David Attenborough documentary could be rendered in poetic form and combined with a wry meditation on life, love and its pitfalls, this would be the result. Excellent.

Six with One Bullet by @Rakashua
This was one of the entries I personally found the saddest of all the submissions we received. It had a feeling almost of a ballad to it; I could imagine this theme being a rendered as a really good and really sad country or folk song (as all good country or folk songs tend to be).

Apples & Oranges by @Mogrin
A deeply moving meditation on the nature of identity and family, and how difficult it can be to find one's place in the world. Excellent and delicate use of imagery that in other hands might have felt a bit heavy-handed or on the nose; here it worked really well and elevated the whole piece.

(un)earth and And On The Wheel We See That Heart Follows Winter by @jelloloaf
Personally (un)earth was one of my favourite entries of the whole competition, I think it is essentially perfect as a six line poem. And On The Wheel We See That Heart Follows Winter is a fantastic example of how to use form effectively. The inverted pyramid is both visually striking but also adds a strong feeling of gradually building suspense, which works with the slightly ominous tone and notes of menace inflected throughout.

01 by @FourthWall
I enjoyed what you did with this one structurally, it has a really nice cadence. Normally seeing a poem with verses of so many different line and syllable lengths would give me some pause, but this flowed perfectly and felt completely intentional.

And now with no further ado, the Winner of the 2024 Poetry Contest is... i'm sitting in the ghost of an airplane by @open_sketch

Whilst I know that the author of this entry is extremely loath to win more awards, unfortunately this time it was unavoidable as this entry was the unanimous favourite of the judging panel. The use of imagery and language here is lovely, and the blank verse has an almost lyrical quality. Even compared to our other special mentions which all read nicely when spoken aloud, this was my favourite, it flows really well. A beautiful evocation of melancholy and nostalgia for times long past memory, this poem perfectly captures those feelings we all have when we visit lonely, old and forgotten things and imagine for just a moment.



Each of our Special Mentions and the winner will receive three months of Gold Subscription, whilst the Winner will also receive our top prize. Every participant will receive one month of silver subscription as their participation award; these and many other Winterfest participation awards should be going out to everyone over the next few days.

Thank you all so much for taking part and sharing these lovely poems with us! See you all next year!
 
Congratulations to @open_sketch! It's a well deserved win!

And congratulations to everyone else who participated! This was a lot of fun, and it was great to see so much turnout.
 
Six with One Bullet by @Rakashua
This was one of the entries I personally found the saddest of all the submissions we received. It had a feeling almost of a ballad to it; I could imagine this theme being a rendered as a really good and really sad country or folk song (as all good country or folk songs tend to be).

Thank you all so much for taking part and sharing these lovely poems with us! See you all next year!


Glad you all liked it and congrats to open_sketch!
 
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