It's the 1st Monthly Literotica Contest final results!

[The Poets]

 

The moment you have all been waiting for!

The winner of the 1st Monthly Literotica Contest and the $25 gift certificate from Amazon.com awarded by Laurel and Manu, with a total of 8 points in the final poll, and with the favourable vote from 4 of his 5 fellow finalists, is:


poem #01
Old Girl Winter
by PatCarrington

It’s here too late again, the bride’s
lace veil. Gowned in milky roses, she
spreads her train of diamond doves
and primps. Unthinking,
busy being white.

Tonight she just appeared.
Curtain wide, we caught her cold
in her dressing room. Dusk
always finds a matron waiting
to be touched and taken, but

they only script sad ceremony
on chilly April nights. When
morning comes the boot-heeled
rain of everyman leaves her pure
dress in disarray, her maids’ tiaras
crying in the trees, so little left
of what was her.

Far from autumn’s altar, no one
but the sun willing to kiss her
in daylight, her name the same.

Young spring seduces
her groom green.

 

[The Poets]

We would have liked to have some honorable mentions but, as it turned out, all the other five finalists ended in a joint second place, tied for points!

Here they are:


~


poem #06
drifting
by impressive

captivatingly cruel
she draws my eye
frigid yet frail

sun-drenched distraction
oblivious to her
blinding beauty

perilously pristine
peppermint pane-cicles
drip drop from frozen lips

crystal blood
from an icy heart
on ivory eaves

so like my hope
melting in the winter
of passion's promise


~


poem #10
walk the path
by annaswirls

winter bites my ass with
icicle point canines
-- a rabid beast that knocks me down
asphalt burned, gravity bruised

numb palms shy away from the thaw
that will bring throb and sting
along with the melted neurons
rapid fire requests for spring.

concrete torn gloves quick brush
powder from blood soaked knees
as I walk the down the icy path
towards more sensible shoes.


~


poem #11
Premiere
by Liar

January passed
without postcard scenery.

No rosy cheeks on children
rolling growing orbs
down white hills
sparkling in northern wind's
clarity sunshine.

Only runny noses
and rainy gutters,
an eternal damp clinging
almost but only almost frozen
to ankles and ambitions.

Not tearing like
the sub Celsius bite
draws tears with every gust,
but sinking stealthily inside,
sucking mere will out of marrow.

But now,
tiny chandeliers fall
thousandfold, tumbling
through sodium arcs
penetrating the night.

They drift, dance,

stick to my window,
surrender their beauty
to the warmth of glass
in vertical puddles,
distorting the view
of still soaring brothers
outside.

Soon they will
roll in descent
or freeze solid.
Which it will be
is neither my choice,
nor theirs.

But one for the winter,
finally here,
to decide.


~


poem #17
The Drifts of Her
by jthserra

It was a chill wind that whispered her name
and I felt her, hiding there, somewhere
perhaps in the trees, strolling a distant path
sitting peacefully on a weathered bench
feeding squirrels from odd scraps found in pockets.

With a coaxing voice, the same voice
that inspired a grandchild’s first steps
or encouraged small acts of bravery from us all
she talked to the squirrels and soon
they ate from her swollen fingers.

She was a winter night, the warm hug
and mug of hot chocolate you came home to
the Christmas lights on a tree, shining in the dark
the gentle song that promised a Silent Night
and a kiss with the milk and cookies left for Santa.

In the morning she was the snow
not unexpected, but a wonderful surprise
the pure white drifting in otherwise gray skies
a sled dashing down a hillside, a snow angel,
the smile, as snowflakes melted on your tongue.

Now, as my breath freezes in wispy clouds
I can see her in each word I speak
and as I look to the north, I wish for those snows
the drifts of her at the tree line, remembering
her light in the darkness, the warmth of her home.


~


poem #20
Within
by *Catbabe*

Winter is the naked season
when solitude falls
from smoky skies and coats
the world in frozen reflection.

Past the frosted panes,
a fruitless look for flesh rests
on wind- flayed bones
before it sinks into the snowy hush.

And still the gardens sleep.

I stare within the frame
until the life in me clouds
the vacant canvas stretched
before my eyes. I watch

newly opaque glass morph
into a mirror that refracts
vision and moves me outside
looking in, searching

my sides for man-made holes
and hidden sprouts of spring.

 

[The Poets]

The other contest entries, all of them very good poems, were:


~


poem #02
A Squirrel Died
by sack

A squirrel died
I saw it through the picture window
Running, leaping, full of life
Making exquisite footprints in the snow
Oblivious to the cold and wind

Then, suddenly
Something went terribly wrong
A misstep perhaps?
Streak of gray dropping to the ground
Limp form among the falling snow

I saw it twitch
It wasn't dead
Squirrels don't trip and fall
How silly of me
I went back to my mundane business

Washing dishes
Vacuuming floors
Dusting shelves
Hardening my arteries
But I had to look

It was getting dark
My new friend was still moving
as the snow buried
the exquisite form
Only the head and tail remained

But in that half lit glimpse
A sudden burst of wind fed snow
enveloped the creature in white
and then...oh my!
took it away in the night forever

I am very old now
and my eyes are dim
But when I looked through the window one last time
I saw the squirrel, and myself
Safe in the hands of God


~


poem #03
January Framed
by Tathagata

Snowflakes melt
with an imperceptible hiss,
making my reflection cry
phantom tears.

Streetlights top
swarming pyramids of white,
while cars styrofoam squeak low,
humming like lunatics,
dark muffled passings.

In the morning
there will be traces of
nocturnal life,
and I imagine I've woken up
on the moon.


~


poem #04
The Color of Absence
by The Mutt

The white of a newborn snow’s an illusion;
winter’s true color’s the dead gray of smoke,
in ominous plumes over black ice on highways,
of cigarette nights spent in longing’s cold bed.

The pale white of winter’s the color of absence;
a bone white square on an empty gray wall,
a diary’s page on her desk by my window,
the white of her lips where red kisses once played.

The year’s longest night heralds winter’s arrival;
the sun flees in tears from her frost-covered grave,
the moon veils its sorrow in clouds thick as woodsmoke,
as red embers fade to the still gray of ashes

and snow palls the earth in a shroud of white linen
and turns hearts to marble, cold-blooded as thieves.


~


poem #05
Sting of Equality
by foehn

Bare branches of a blackjack oak,
twigs seeming to mutter among themselves, reach
into the cold dead air as though for some arborescent
epiphany, some hint of promise, some reason to draw
more life from deep and warmer soil.

Nodes of readiness adorn filaments of hope,
thin wisps of tree, almost indistinguishable
from the amorphous gray of the sky, which
mills about restlessly in altostratus clumps.

Glass, I have read, is a slow liquid:
over decades, the bottoms of windows will grow thicker.
I go to the window and touch the single pane,
which accepts my finger with just
a tiny sting of frigid surprise and a small, quick halo
of fog.

We all want something
we cannot have right now: sky, tree,
air, window and I. And now a cardinal
is suddenly swaying unremarkably
on a thin branch. She faces me
with resplendent dullness.

I am fraught with formless desires.
I starve, hungry for faith and growth.
I grow weary.

In our winters, we are equal.


~


poem #07
Why I'm Never Warm
by sandspike

long leaving footprints,
she left by choice
love wrenches stepping out
at three foot intervals,
size sevens crushing snow
freezing me in time

never heard a horn
draperies left open...no note,
just twelve footprints
vanishing at tire tracks,
she never looked back
I can only look out

frozen to this window
eternity is now,
etched in my mind
framed in double pane,
long leaving footprints...
at three foot intervals


~


poem #08
Thoughts On A Winter's Morn
by champagne1982

Today, my world is gray.
Not that it matters.
Gray matter, I think
therefore I am,
or do I just happen
to look out the window
and see a vision of a world
gone foggy as a brain,
on too few hours of sleep?

The atmosphere is thick --
frozen water thick.
It hangs suspended
like the exhaust
from a million gas furnaces
trying to keep up
with the chill.

Colder now, since water
hangs, gelled, in the air,
than last week, when ice
blossoms grew on everything.


~


poem #09
Stone Cold
by My Erotic Tale

"I've been looking out this window
for now on ... Nine years."
the minute draws nearer
entranced by thoughts and flurries
rocking chair ride, staring outside

"The blizzard blurs my vision
but I can still make out its form."
sideways sleet, pelting frozen rain
snow clusters then mounds
smothering everything

"A chill run down my spine
as the Grandfather clock chimed,"
rocking, sitting and dwelling
on the web of would have been
and the memories and grins

"My image reflected in the window's pane
like a tear falling, on this side of the glass."
condensation and watery eyes
"Nine years ago ... you were still alive."
the rocking subsides

"The arctic chill that blows out-doors
ain't got nothin' on this cold cold heart inside,"
the chest of a man looking out the window
at a winter storm and a frozen
snow covered tombstone

"In the spring the flowers will come,
and then the bright summer sun,"
encouraging words to a missed loved one
gazing out a window,
Stone Cold


~


poem #12
Poem for a winter contest
by Reltne

Winter is old
and cold
to the bone

That ancient word hoar frost cackled
as his old man's fire crackled
snapped alone
on a farm of a wintry night

White in black is swirls and wind cry
black ice and wreck T fry
red through the window
icicles flicker from the abyss
of winter's dark Abbess

If you are lucky enough
a popsicle is still possible


~


poem #13
Seasoned Strategy
by tungtied2u

Winter’s sharp claws
screech across the window,
squeeze between double panes
placed in it’s path

crystalline fingers spread
delicately across glass
belie slithering chill
which winds inward

seeps with shivering delight
through what I thought to be
sealed cracks

rises from the floorboards biting
at cotton clothed toes
in an impudent manner as if
how dare I try to resist the inevitable

creeps closer and closer
backs me against a wall
of white grey river rock
my sanctuary against this piercing menace

the black iron womb
set in this wall
emanates an ancient guardian
whose blazing tongues flick out
fueled to blue hot fierceness

scourge the bitter nemesis
into hot retreat, defeated
a whimpering penitent
the victim of it’s own poor planning


~


poem #14
At the window
Remec

walking from car to house
and back again
has left a solemn trail
through the whiteness
that once was a green-brown
lawn,
I sit just inside the door,
thick wooden barrier
to the crisp chill that lurks
outside,
rattling shutter and glass alike,
buried beneath blankets and
watching through the crystal-coated pane
as across the glistening stream
and its automotive banks,
small armies wrapped in nylon-encased
down,
heads and hands bound in wool,
both homemade and store bought,
wage war with wintry weapons
until their numbed limbs
demand
cocoa.


~


poem #15
freezerburn
by princess rayann

your tongue
with its biting remarks
and cold tone
set me shivering
like ice-laden branches
being disciplined by the wind

the fangs of your
winter storm eyes
pierce the soft porcelain
that cowers helplessly
beneath your scrutiny

mirrored sapphire windows
voluntarily overlook
your raging blizzard
of dagger sharp icicles
and stinging flurries

desperately watching the spirals form
on a glass heart that is foreign now
in a place where the only beat you hear
is the dropping of the temperature


~


poem #16
Frosted Pain
by Miss Oatlash

Icicles cling to my passionless heart.
Crystalline stalactites.

The frosted pane
obscures my view.
Black ice covers the path
that leads to my future.
I dare not venture forth
until it thaws
and I no longer fear
that I might fall.

This is the winter of my soul.


~


poem #18
Winter Night
by The_Fool

Gauzy moonlight filters through the clouds,
The latest dust of snow twinkles in reply.
Skeleton trees tremble in the cold,
Chilled by white blankets spread upon the ground.

Seeming silence fills the night,
Broken only by mournful melancholy moans
From gusting winds rooted deeply in the north,
Sometimes frantic in their rattling of the window.

The lifeless night is still, motionless,
Till gusts of snow twinkle in the night
And whirlwind leaves, not knowing they are dead,
Dance and twirl in and out of sight.

Surreal night speaks through frost touched window.
Peering eyes seek to pierce the icy lace.
Desire to witness duels with heated breath,
Offering a fogging haze, translucent glaze.

January’s winter steals away at life.
Quiet stillness dampening spirits
With days perpetual dark and stark,
Offset only by cherished dreams of spring.


~


poem #19
Forgiveness
by seranade

Dare I taunt the Winters dance
toasty toes on a window seal
out the window with a second glance

Okay, so I took off my pants!

The snow was collecting in rather large mounds
wind was blowing so I made moaning howls
I was warm and dancing around

I wasn't gonna let winter get me down!

Stood at the window and shook my ass bare
I may have even raised a middle finger there
at Winter's virgin white spreading vale

That's when it happened without fail

The power went out all through the Valley
in darkness I sat at a window peering out
asking winter for forgiveness with plea

I was eight days without electricity


~


poem #21
"I’m watching someone turn my world upside down..."
by HomerPindar

============================================
I’m watching someone turn my world upside down
outside my window
I can see it all fall away,
then pause
as my world is now turned right side up again,

and everything begins to drift back down,
or float,
hold
stare back at me in my little bubble
wondering how to get in
where the world isn’t being turned upside down quite so often
pressuring me to open up,
banging against the window so softly
in a vain attempt to find peace
before once again,
someone out there turns the world upside down.
=============================================


~


poem #22
"Let's Tuck In"
by neonurotic

Lazy stretch and roll.
Look out at winter;
there is a certain chill.

The view is liquid ice.

Freezing rain falls
onto tree limbs,
making crystals at twilight.

Snap! go the blinds.

“It's cold out, let's tuck in
for the night;
steam up the windows.”

Then surely, love past noon.

 

[The Poets]

To all the readers, what did you think of the experience of reading these poems without knowing their authors? Which names were you surprised to see? How many did you guess right?

To all poets, congratulations on a truly magnificent batch of poems. I hope you decide to post them to the site, now, in a way to show your appreciation for Laurel and Manu and the wonderful little corner they keep for us.

 

[Guest]

Oh! Congratulations! What a great collection. I was impressed when I voted and, no, dear Poets, I didn't have a clue. I just read and enjoyed every one.

Congrats Pat and all of you chilly winter poets, hot chocolate all round.

 

[WickedEve]

I was really amazed by all the entries. They were all good!

Congrats, Pat.

 

[Liar]

Congrats to Pat. Great poem.

I did guess five of the poems' authors right. Neo and Reltne were no-brainers. They have very distinct styles. Impressive also has a special voice, as does anna. I also spotted Fool's poem, but I was far from sure.

Some major surprises too, I had a competely different view of some of the poet's style than what they displayed here. Interresting.

Can't wait ntil we do this again.

 

[*Catbabe*]

Congratulations to Patrick and to all the other entries in the contest.

 

[Angeline]

Congrats to all--Pat, the finalists, and everyone who participated. I agree with Eve, this is a stunning group of poems. I read them all several times and thought it was a pretty hard choice.

And I want to especially thank Lauren Hynde, who came up with this contest idea and made it all happen. She really is the best, y'know?

 

[Maria2394]

To all the readers, what did you think of the experience of reading these poems without knowing their authors? Which names were you surprised to see? How many did you guess right?

To all poets, congratulations on a truly magnificent batch of poems. I hope you decide to post them to the site, now, in a way to show your appreciation for Laurel and Manu and the wonderful little corner they keep for us.

Congrats to Everyone!!

I will admit, I did a terrible job at guessing who wrote which poem. I loved them all

 

[jthserra]

Congratulations...

Pat and all other finalists and participants. It was an interesting and fun experience. It will be fun to try again...


jim : )

 

[impressive]

Congratulations, Patrick! You had my vote from the start.

 

[impressive]

I did guess five of the poems' authors right.

Show off!

 

[Guest]

Congratulations, Pat

Dayum. Well, I was way off on a few of my guesses to whom each poem belonged to and I didn't realize my stuff was so recognizable.

Oh well, I guess no hidey nicknames for me.

The contest was fun and am proud to be in such good company.


- neo

 

[impressive]

I hope you decide to post them to the site ...

Just did.

Thanks for a great contest. Looking forward to the next one!

 

[annaswirls]

Congratulations Patrick!

I knew it was you.



I guessed a few of them correctly, but I thought Maria did the one with the garden in it.

Liar
Neo
Pat

were easy for me to spot. I cannot remember what gave Liar away. hmm

This WAS fun!!

I hope we can do it again~

So Pat, you buyin the beer?




Thank you Poets for doing this.

If you want to join in the next contest, please do. I would be willing to gather the poems, do the tallys etc.

With someone else of course, don't want any dimpled chads getting in the way. let alone flapped ones.



SACK YOUR POEM CRACKED ME UP!!!!!! THE TITLE ALONE IS WORTH A GIFT CERTIFICATE!

I am sending you one worth a 5 in the new poems, and I will send it in when you do your submission

Y'all did make it difficult to vote, they were damn good poems

 

[PatCarrington]

thanks, all.

it was a blast to read the poetry and try to match it to the writers. not an easy thing to do.

all the entries were terrific. great reading all around.

 

[foehn]

Congratulations to Pat Carrington!

As others have said, I was proud to be in such good company. And it was extremely difficult to make choices, sometimes just based on a single word or a fantastic whimsy of my own invention, and vote.

One thing I was sure of: whichever poem won the contest, it would be deserving of the prize. I really didn't try to guess authors, but My Erotic Tail's entry was a no-brainer for me. He won't mind: we're both West Texans, and we easily spot one another.

Excellent, excellent works; with the quality heightened, I believe, by the context of the contest. I'm very grateful to our sponsors and those who volunteered, and hope this monthly contest can continue.

I'll revise mine a bit and then submit it. That was the suggested gesture of gratitude, I think.

Excellent poem, Mr. Carrington! ... and everyone else!

I should also mention that I was particularly impressed by the way the voting was handled. I thought that showed high intelligence and integrity.



/foehn

 

[Tathagata]

Man I wasn't close

I was right about Anna's poem
That's about it


Congratulations Pat


( I thought you were Ange)

I enjoyed not knowing who was who

 

[Angeline]

Man I wasn't close

I was right about Anna's poem
That's about it


Congratulations Pat


( I thought you were Ange)

I enjoyed not knowing who was who

I'm flattered.

I think Pat and I have fairly similar styles though, so I see where you might think that.

 

[Angeline]

Congratulations Patrick!

I knew it was you.



I guessed a few of them correctly, but I thought Maria did the one with the garden in it.

Liar
Neo
Pat

were easy for me to spot. I cannot remember what gave Liar away. hmm

This WAS fun!!

I hope we can do it again~

So Pat, you buyin the beer?




Thank you Poets for doing this.

If you want to join in the next contest, please do. I would be willing to gather the poems, do the tallys etc.

With someone else of course, don't want any dimpled chads getting in the way. let alone flapped ones.



SACK YOUR POEM CRACKED ME UP!!!!!! THE TITLE ALONE IS WORTH A GIFT CERTIFICATE!

I am sending you one worth a 5 in the new poems, and I will send it in when you do your submission

Y'all did make it difficult to vote, they were damn good poems

Anna I love your idea. If we end up doing this every month we could have a different trio of referrees. Like next time, maybe you, Pat and Liar could receive the pms and tally the votes. Then the mods could play, too.

 

[PatCarrington]

Anna I love your idea. If we end up doing this every month we could have a different trio of referrees. Like next time, maybe you, Pat and Liar could receive the pms and tally the votes. Then the mods could play, too.

good idea.

i know how you like to play, ange.

 

[minsue]

Congrats, Pat!

I did terribly at guessing who wrote what.

 

[Tathagata]

I'm flattered.

I think Pat and I have fairly similar styles though, so I see where you might think that.

I think it was his legs....

 

[tungtied2u]

Beautiful poem Pat! Congratulations!

Being first in line, your poem set the bar very high....and IMHO although there were many very good poems,(of which mine was not one), very few approached the originality, metaphorical imagery and flow which yours did.

Thank you mods and fellow contestants for giving me an idea where I stand in the pack. This was a very enjoyable and humbling experience....


Ahh, well.....if at first....... ......I look forward to the next go round...

One question to the mods....and you don't have to answer this... but how did you decide the order of the poems in the groups...first come, first served; put "em in a bag and pull out names; throwing darts....? enquiring minds want to know....