I'm in the process... :')

'Ello, this round was so hard to judge again because of the sheer variety of directions you all took the theme in. Before the winners are announce I just want to congratulate everybody for the amazing work!

*drumroll*

Now for the actual judging--

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Honourable mentions: 

> Pancake! I liked how there was sort of a rhyme-scheme, but it was always a little 'off,' which set this looming uneasiness, which was reinforced by the ambiguity, and especially mystery/unsureness of the end. It was fun to read and had this cool mysterious vibe. Nice job!

> Phantasmogoria! Again, I was impressed by the way it rhymed most of the way through, as well as the theme of duality in your language; plus I loved the message of freewill and importance of choice that it holds central to. It's also really clever how the first couple lines are sprinkled throughout the other stanzas. You're a really creative poet! Fabulous work this round!

> Periwinkle! I absolutely loved the opening lines/stanza,  "Light, / Flickering, / Fighting the darkness, / But even the brightest candle / Couldn’t make a perfect promise." I'm not really sure how to explain it, but it really set the scene and 'colours' for the rest of the poem. Overall, your imagery was probably the strongest element, and the mysterious, but certain tone was super interesting throughout. However, the struggle/inner conflict is a pretty strong point, too. Beautiful entry!

Second place: Lumi! I cannot tell you how uncanny some of your poems are. I rather recently experienced* something really similar and had been considering writing something based off of it for catharsis' sake, but you really nailed the psychology of the person in the position I personally question the most. I always find this kind of exploration fascinating, and you get a bonus for practically telling a short-story in an interesting and efficient way, with the choice of including some delicious angst on the side! It's also cool to consider how the speaker's choice takes away the choice of someone they presumably care a lot about. Absolutely riveting~

First Place: Spellbound!!! I think your focus on the lack of choice was intriguing, and the inner turmoil and frustration with the parent-figure very gripping. The humanity and desperation only painted a more poignant picture, and it was generally just so relatable. Assuming this is indeed as personal as it seems, I hope everything improves a little(or better yet a lot), soon. You're an awesome poet, and we wish you the best!

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Anyway, great job everybody! You all did super well this round, and I hope to see you all with new poems in the next!

Ciao~ 

Sorry, I forgot to congrudulate you! Congrats! Also, could we have the next theme soon? Or do you not pick? This is confusing.

I rode the dragons

For years

They said

You are a fool

Too brave

No sense

But dragons are my friends

My allies

My family

I will not abandon them

Just because of real fools

And their corrosive words

My dragons are beautiful

Majestic

Fierce

Loyal

I love them

They love me

We belong with each other

Why can no one see?

And then

I stumbled 

I fell

I made a mistake

My dragons flew too high

No air; they plummeted

All survived

All are damaged

My fault

My decision

Caused all this pain

Maybe those I called fools

Were right

I should have stayed away

I would have protected them

I stumbled

I fell

I made a mistake

My fault

No turning back time

No going backward

My problem to fix

My pain to heal 

Protect the dragons

With my life

With my spirit

Vowed I

They will be safe

The only mistakes 

Will be their own

Doubts linger

Is is mine?

My decision?

The family, the friendship, the alliance

Shattered

No more

Is it 

Another stumble?

Another fall?

Another mistake?

No, it isn't

I sound unconvinced

I linger

I deliberate

Over my dilemma 

I stumbled 

I fell

I made a mistake

My decision will protect

My dragons 

Not my choice

Is my choice

No 

Yes

Is it mine or not?

I ask them

The fools, the dragons

Fools want a clean break

Dragons want to see me still

I can't choose

Hurt family or severed friends

And then

The dragons acted

They made the choice

They want me

No lonliness for them

They said

I love them

I will be with them

But

I always worry

Whether this will be the last time 

I stumbled across something one day,

I never imagined it to turn out this way.

It was a gold necklace, shining bright,

I sold it and tried to make the world right.

The money that I tried to use,

Did not save the world, I did not lose,

Except I gave up

And stumbled on something new.

It was beautiful and kind,

It made my mind

So different.

It was family.

I never realized before

That when I ended up on their door,

We were family.

ANd I was not in a multifamily.

We were happy,

I never knew it.

Until I stumbled across that happiness

I didn't know that this is my home.

I hope you liked it! I wasn't sure what to do, so I went with the rhymes. 

How many times is it now?

13, 24, who knows

But I’ve fallen so many times

I’ve lost count

And you know what I do?

I clench my fist

And get back up

You can keep pushing me

Down, down, down,

But I will stand tall

I will brush the dirt off of my legs

And keep walking

I will stumble and I will fall

But I will keep on going

My life will not crumble

Nor will my soul

And sometimes I might

Stay down longer

Than others

But I will always get back up

And now listen to me, friend

When I say,

“You can get back up again,”

Hmmm....I wrote a poem, but it seemed to be more about fall than stumble...the dictionary says a stumble is an 'almost fall.' Does that count?