Winners of ‘Unrequited’ Love Poetry Contest

/ Penny L Howe

Unrequited Love Poetry Challenge

I am very pleased to present the winners of the “Unrequited Love” Poetry Challenge. The challenge: write a poem/prose/free-verse that best portrayed unrequited love. My thanks to all of you who entered. There were many excellent responses. This was how I ‘reviewed’ the entries.

I am not concerned with any specific type of style or meter. What does interest me is the ease with which each word leads into the next. Some very great poets had their very own individual style but in each case there was a “flow” that the reader connected with. Finally I don’t critique, as such (there are plenty out there who do already),  I enjoy or I don’t. For the judging process I considered the following things:

  1. Is it specific to the topic being addressed “Unrequited Love”, and does it ellicit those emotions anticipated by the topic.
  2. Did the poem flow, is there a natural rhythm that carries the reader smoothly throughout.
  3. The third item I included was Unique. Did the writer approach ‘unrequited love’ from a fresh perspective.

There were more than a few who found a fresh approach. I found that fascinating. There were also well written classic examples. It was difficult to choose from so many. I narrowed it down to three but then realized these final 3 were all winners. Therefore, there are three winners.

LuAnn

LuAnn started out writing an RV (Recreational Vehicle) blog. She and her husband, Terry travel the highways exploring the country of USA. She posts of their adventures. Somewhere along this journey she began to explore the virtual online world as well. She discovered the blogging community, and kindred spirits. Warmly received, she has begun her own creative endeavors with the written word. I for one look forward to her next creations.

Alastair

A single father of two teenagers, Alastair has been blogging for several years while he deals with the daily complications of life, He takes photos each day for his posts. Recently he has been introducing his beautiful poetry (it had been inside him, way too long and was past time to make an entrance, I think). On a more personal note he has dropped his pseudonym and is now using his real name to post. Alastair and his family live in England. 
 

anelephantcant

This writer is clever, witty, humorous, insightful and in some cases (to coin a phrase) “bloody brilliant” with his artistry, his poetry, his narratives and his photography. Take your pick, they’re all good! In the far off craggy lands (if you’re not from around there that is) of Scotland is where he makes his home.

Please take the time to visit each of them at their “Blog” homes. You will not regret it!

LuAnn’s Winning Entry: Unrequited Love I, LuAnn has recently “found” her talent. And I for one am very pleased to see her make her debut here. Her talent presents itself for all to read in each written word. Her poem is so very poignant and rich. No one can mistake the meaning in these very piercing words.

Alastair’s Winning Entry: Unrequited Love II I felt Alastair’s Prose to be cleverly accomplished with his use of the back and forth quality of online conversations. We bloggers can certainly, at the very least, understand this virtual adaptation of unrequited love. Very well done indeed.

Brian’s Winning Entry: Unrequited Love III, The minute I read this poem I knew it would be one of the finalists. It’s message (so very well executed) is timeless. There will always be the predator and there will always be the somewhat naive and foolish who believe there is “something better” out there. To me the true individual (in this poem) that ends with unrequited love is the female’s husband! Very sadly.

While I enjoyed everyone’s entry, there were a few that if space were permitting they would be winners as well in alphabetical order they are:

boomiebol

readinpleasure Celestine

Brother Jon Johnathon

lenwilliamscarver

Books & Art – Spirit & Soul – Lesley Fletcher

strawberryindigo ,Nancy

nightlake Padmini K

RoSy

Be sure and check out their blog homes. Excellent places to visit and follow! For all of you who entered this Challenge I thank you! Your words delighted and inspired me, as always.

Thank You ~ Brava and Bravo!
 ♥ Penny
Copyright © 2012 by Penny l Howe

 

57 thoughts on “Winners of ‘Unrequited’ Love Poetry Contest”

  2. Thank you for the honourable mention, Penny. I am so glad for Alastair.:-) His poem is great and I loved LuAnn’s own. 🙂 Brian’s is fantastic.:-) Keep up the good works, guys and Congratulations to you all. 🙂

    Reply

    • Yes Celestine I agree with you about the winners but yours was so good too. I don’t think I want to judge anymore, I just wanted to included everyone, there is just so much talent out there my friend! 🙂

      Reply

  6. All three winners were truly deserving and I enjoyed reading each and everyone of them. What a wonderful contest and all the talented bloggers out there participated have such a gift! 🙂

    Reply

    • Thank you Nancy. I did want it to be more of than just a mention for you. Your poem was beautiful. So very well written. Again the choices were so hard for me. I don’t think I want to put myself in a judging position again. Your metaphor with cold rain – brilliant. Thank you for your entry, please keep writing, you are extremely talented my friend, Sending you warm wishes and hugs of course, Penny xx 🙂

      Reply

  8. As I read each and every poem, I was moved by them all and feel so honored to be part of this beautiful blogging community. Penny, thank you so much for choosing mine out of so many amazing pieces. Words cannot express my gratitude for what you have done to bring so many together, to allow many of us to feel we are in a safe environment to tell our stories, to pour out our hearts. I feel like a delicate flower just beginning to open her petals in the sun and I owe so much of that to you. I thought after many years of work that I done the healing needed to move on but I am finding that writing about some of my life is very cathartic and what I will probably need to get me there. I feel so blessed to be a part of something so wonderful and can feel the support from so many across the globe. Blessings to each of you for a life filled with beauty and love and where dreams are fulfilled. Thank you so much Penny. You are truly a godsend my friend. 🙂

    Reply

    • LuAnn I am very moved and touched by the sincerity of your words of thanks. For some, words are an easy thing to write, but it is the pure meaning that is felt by the writer and the recipient that is the truly important thing. Your gift for writing is clear and obvious to not just me but to all who have begun following you and reading you (the beautiful and expressive you inside). All who are artistic feel a kindredship to those who want to create. Welcome my friend, you do belong here. Congratulations, all my love, Penny 🙂

      Reply

  10. I was excited to see this post!
    Great picks. Congrats to LuAnn, Alastair & Brian!
    🙂 THANK YOU – for the mention 🙂
    I enjoyed participating in the challenge.
    xx

    Reply

    • Thank you Rosy, yours was very good. A singular and specific type of unrequited love, I have had that one msyself before. My pleasure and thank you so much for entering. I appreciate you very much my friend! Sending lots of hugs your way tonight! xxxxx

      Reply

  11. Hi Penny, enjoyed all the three entries, especially the one by Brian Cairduff..yes, very painful for the victim’s husband and the predator’s wife..so well-expressed..and thank you so much for the mention, Penny

    Reply

    • You’re very welcome Padmini, it was difficult. You are all so talented. I don’t think I like being a judge, I did love reading your and everyone elses entries though. Thank you very much for entering the competition my friend, and keep writing, you are very gifted! Penny 🙂

      Reply

  13. These were terrific Penny — All uniquely wonderful too. Great picks – and so exciting to see the comradery here! You may need to run these contests on a regular basis my brilliant friend… Lovely outcome!!! Much Love and Hugs ~ Robyn

    Reply

    • Thank you Robyn. Reading was fun, picking winners fairly hard, doing all the connectivity stuff, graphics and so on to make the post look good and work…priceless! I could have used another word … but, it was worth it! I’m thinking on some things, will keep you posted my wonderful friend that inspires me so much! Keep taking care of you, tons of love your way, Sleep well! Penny 🙂

      Reply

  14. Pingback: Lookout « Recovery Thru My Lens

  15. Congratulations to everyone that won in this wonderful venue. Penny thank you so much for the Honorable Mention I am truly honored and humbled that you enjoyed my poem and you continue to support my blog. thank you my dear friend God Bless You and yours! 🙂

    Reply

  16. The girls wouldn’t let me comment lol( we are battling a juicy piece of chicken). I thoroughly enjoyed the poems you chose…LuAnn’s poem was uniquely beautiful and the other two were so well written.

    Thanks for the mention, thanks for the challenge.

    Reply

  17. Penny,
    I’ve been emotionally hijacked the last few weeks so I missed the Challenge here.
    But I love the theme, so I’m going to work on it for my next post. In fact, perhaps,
    I will work on the idea of being hijacked…it seems to have a lot to do with what
    recently happened to me and I just realized it has to do with “unrequited love.”
    Thanks….this will hopefully get my creative juices going again…so keep a lookout:
    🙂

    Reply

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