[Rhina P. Espaillat]

Having just learned that the 'Sphere website is working again, I'm putting up the poem titles that have been burning a hole in my thoughts for days, and will then run for a look at the rest of this exciting thread to see what's happened since yesterday. Here are my choices, made with great difficulty because there were so many good poems,
and freely admitting the effect of several temperamental, personal and aesthetic biases, including a preference for the individual voice, the lyrical and low-key, as opposed to the public and rhetorical, and a delight in the newly-discovered:

#1: Talking to Lord Newborough

#2: Smoke Signals

#3: Visiting the Surgical Ward

HM: Serenading the Neighbors

Now, off to see what my fellow 'Sphereans have to say!

[Tim Murphy]

Having seen the first two sonnet bakeoffs swept by the women, i.e. Aliki, Rhina, Catherine, etc., I despaired of any male shining on my board. Hope sprang to my breast this year when our USMC and CIA alum, Robert Crawford, cleaned house with his poem about Coolidge's swearing-in. Now, chauvinist that I am, I congratulate David and Jamie for holding their own against the fair sex. Rose, had I had one vote to cast, it would have been in your favor. Maz and Julie, warmest congratulations. I'll step into the wings now, like Rhina, to hear what others have to say. But I'll have some final reflections about this exercise and the lariat board later.

[Rose Kelleher]

Congratulations, David, Julie, Maz and Jim! Awesome poems, all worthy choices.

[Carol Taylor]

Congratulations to the winners! You won fair and square, and can be justifiably proud of being selected from among some heavy competition. I'm happy just to have had my poem included in the also rans in this group!

Rhina, are you surprised to learn who the other 15 poets are?

Carol

[Janet Kenny]

Congratulations David, Julie, Maz and Jim. Just great and everyone liked the poems so no poets were harmed during the making of this contest.

All of these poems were jostling to get on my list but my mood took me elsewhere although I wavered and wavered.

Janet

[Kevin Andrew Murphy]

Congratulations David, Julie, Maz and Jim. A fine honor for fine poems by fine poets.

Truly stiff competition, which is as it should be.

[Wild Bill]

Good selections. Congratulations, all.

Bill

[wendy v]

Cheers to all the winners ! Wonderful poems. Rhina, you've been a real gem all the way through.

David, that unpretentious and reflective voice of yours is a genuine gift. A beautiful poem. Julie and Maz, here's to the fair sex...clink clink, and Jim, here's to little Albert, who deserves a nod and a wink, himself.

I'm thrilled to have been included in these festivities. Here's to poetry, and to the small corners and homes away from home in which we celebrate it !

wendy

[Susan McLean]

Congratulations to David, Julie, Maz, and Jim. I think everyone who was able to participate was a winner, in that we all benefited from Rhina's insightful commentary and the chance to get additional suggestions from readers. Many thanks to Rhina, Tim,
Sharon, and Carol for all the time and effort it took.

Susan

[This message has been edited by Susan McLean (edited December 09, 2004).]

[Joseph Bottum]

What fun. Thanks, Rhina, for the great comments on each of the poems.

Jody