Rhina will give us her considered opinion Wednesday night or Thursday morning, but I'd be delighted to hear yours. For my part, I could not make so Solomonic a judgment among such strong contestants. Tried to and failed. The best I could do was divide them into two groups. Ten of these poems struck me as flawless. The other eight were merely very strong. So have at it, Spherians. Rest assured that your opinions won't sway our judge. Poets should also feel free to respond to the many good comments on the work. Here, for the record, are the poems and their authors:

Lady Pu-Abi, Kevin Andrew Murphy
Visiting the Surgical Ward, MA Griffiths, (Maz)
Rays at Hatteras, Rose Kelleher
The Nature of This, Wendy Videlock
Dead of Winter, John Beaton
For Claire, Michael Cantor
Easter Morning, Jody Bottum
After Christmas, Janet Kenny
Serenading the Neighbors, James Hayes
All I Need to Know, Carol Taylor
Smoke Signals, Julie Stoner
Talking to Lord Newborough, David Anthony
The Quick and the Dead, William Daugherty
Dialectic Dance, Ralph La Russa
Homeless in Harvard Square, Marion Shore
Limits of Art, Susan McLean
Stuck Life, Robert Ward
Riderless Horses, Tim Murphy

With so many highly accomplished poems to choose from, I cannot pretend to be voting based on excellence, but merely on personal tastes. So I will just say that my four favorites are "Smoke Signals," "Homeless in Harvard Square," "Rays at Cape Hatteras," and "Visiting the Surgical Ward."

Susan

I like Visiting the Surgical Ward best of all, and the truth is I like all 18. Homeless in Harvard Square and Rays at Cape Hatteras probably come second and third, with Smoke Signals right behind.

Although I had not seen several of the poems before, the only writers I didn't identify were Ralph and Janet.

Carol

Should people whose poems are included vote? I hope the ruling is no, because it would then relieve me of the need to choose between some really excellent poems, all so different.
What a treat it was to read them, and Rhina's discerning comments, which illuminated a couple for me, that I otherwise might not have easily connected with.

Regards, Maz

[This message has been edited by grasshopper (edited December 07, 2004).]

Too late in my day for cerebration, but I've been fascinated by the author list. Had been convinced that Michael Cantor had authored Maz's highly original ward-visiting poem and vaguely wondered whether Carol's beautifully crafted piece was one of Oliver's!!

Rhina has indeed set us a splendid example of close reading.

Rhina,
May I take this opportunity to apologise for absent-mindedly describing your wonderful collection,Rehearsing Absence, in a recent PM as an 'anthology'. One of many senior moments,
Margaret.

I want to add that I am very familiar with the work of all these poets. The poets here for whom I am most pleased are Kevin Murphy and Rose Kelleher. Not because I think theirs are necessarily the best of the offerings. But because these two poems are far and away the best poems I've seen by these writers, breakthrough poems, as it were.

Thanks, Tim.

My favorites are, in order, Easter Morning, Homeless in Harvard Square, and Talking to Lord Newborough, only the second of which I'd seen before this gallery showing.

But I enjoyed reading all the poems. Thanks for picking them.

Kevin

My four favorites, more or less in order, are The Nature of This, Lady Pu-abi, Talking to Lord Newburgh, and Rays at Cape Hatteras.

The Nature of This, For Claire, Rays at Hatteras, Easter Morning are my favorites, but as everyone has pointed out, they're all wonderful. I appreciate the tremendous effort given to this by Tim, Carol, Sharon and, of course, Rhina.

Bill

I'd guessed (or remembered) all but Ralph's, Julie's and Susan's. Dang them and their mysteriousness !

For sheer poetic brilliance and ambition, I choose Easter Morning and Pu-Abi.

For sheer delight and fearless acceptance of Joy: Rays at Cape Hatteras and Serenading.

For gentle or surprising insights and emotion: The Quick and the Dead, Lord Newborough, Riderless Horses

For understated and moving poignancy: Homeless in Harvard Square, All I Need to Know

Best poem to curl up with: For Claire. (What a crooner !)

For compassion and keen observation: The Surgical Ward, The Limits of Art, Newborough, Smoke Signals, After Christmas, Homeless

Best poem to seduce a teacher with: Dialectic Dance (!)

Most emotionally wrenching: Visiting the Surgical Ward, The Quick and the Dead, Pu-Abi, Easter Morning

Most memorable and apt phrase: The Limits of Art (legless with relief)

For imaginative and vivid imagery: Stuck Life

Most musically delicious: To the Dead of Winter, For Claire, Easter Morning.

Best closing lines: (wowza) Smoke Signals, Stuck Life, Hatteras.


Best Hallmark Verse: The Nature of This. ; )

``

And I'm not even a Libra...

I've enjoyed all the poems for different reasons, obviously. My thanks to all for the time, generosity and goodwill which makes these kinds of events possible to take part in or simply watch and learn from: Timothy, Carol, Rhina, Sharon, and our indispensable members !!


wendy