I reckon we are all familiar with odes to such high minded things as love or loyalty. This month we're gonna write an ode to something common like a lawn mower or old jacket or such. Still want to maintain a high language use level. So trim the quilt and get to writing . PS don't forget to use contest tab and put (April contest) next to title..

Please join me in congratulating the winner of the March contest. It is Cloudthing's poem "PHENYLETHYLAMINE"...A very close runner up was Lowell Mark's "For Patricia". Here is the winning poem:
Phenylethylamine
by Cloudthings
Love is not a pretty ride
A fairground fantasy
Love is never careless flowers
Or just saying those words to me

"you lookin' so fine today," I said
as she sashayed passed me on 42 street

That got me sent up river for my first stint in the big house,
stuck with a bunch of ugly thugs
who happened to appreciate beauty the same way I did.
All I choose to remember is passing around an old calendar
with Bettie Page pics as a surrogate fix.
For what is life without beauty?

Description: The phrase 'cellar door' is purportedly the most euphonious phrase in the English language. This will be a super quicky workshop starting immediately. Just write a short poem including that phrase or variations thereof with the emphasis on pleasing sounding English.

Leaders: Jess (weirdelf) and Guy (Geezer)

Please join me in congratulating Rula for winning the Feb. contest for her poem "a Pristine Day"
A Pristine Day (February Contest)
Submitted by Rula
As darkness prints down with its claw,
they would share the same room, the same
bed and the same pillow- the dame
and her poisonous fellow.

Every night, the snake would crawl in
with its bold, green shiny eyes
while twitching along with its tail.
It starts the hissing, spitting
and growling then tightly twists
around to torque the frightened lady.

Alright everybody we're going to try something different. For this month's contest we can either write a new poem or submit a poem you've already written. Subject is love and form is free verse or western classic. Try to keep it under 24 lines and have fun.........stan PS Don't forget to put (March Contest) next to title

I awake early before the sun begin to shine bright
I always been more of a creature in the night
Nothing I do feels the same or right Nothing left to even make me want to fight
Good things have never been so easy to order
Good times have gone like the Mexican border
Left it all alone all behind
Left everyone too, not like there's a friend to go find
So I vaguely make it day by day
So I'm quiet these days I have nothing to say
What's wrong with the world we know

I see many new people here at the site and I think that this is a good thing! However, there are not enough people that are critiquing and commenting on other people's work! When you join the site, we know that most people are a little shy about trying to critique someone else's work. But when you have been here a while and have gotten some of your own work commented on or critiqued, we expect that you will reciprocate and tell others what you think about their work.

OK, we have all had difficulties in our lives. And if we're still here we overcame them. So this month we are going to write about overcoming difficulties. Doesn't have to be autobiographic. Must be in free verse and although there is no limit on length please have sympathy for the judge and don't get Too long winded.......don't want to mention who this might apply to,,,,,Stan! lol. So trim those quills and have fun

Please join me in congratulating the January contest winner for her poem :
ROSES IN BLOOM (Contest: Changed Perspective)
Submitted by April Dawn

I feel myself begin to dream
of all the friends who’ve come and been.
So many of them still alive
within the corners of my shadowed mind.

The relatives crowd in there too
as if the afterlife has nothing much to do.
Many are unknown to me
Just names in our troubled family history.