Dear Friends:
I am in the middle of judging the Valentines contest I set. This is proving almost impossible. The contest filled in about three days - although I allowed a month for some post-valentines' thoughts to dribble in!
A very few poems are well polished and I want to make them winners for that reason. Most contain one or two typos - perhaps rushed for the season. I did not specify a form - so I'm really kicking myself I did not narrow it down more.
'Womanity' Needs Humanity - excellent ideas, philosophy & arguments.
Valentine Queen - nice imagery.
A Love to Last a Lifetime - beautiful sentiments about long-lasting love.
A Valentine Gift for Me - such a lovely thought. We all look forward to the lover's return.
Aging Valentines - neatly finished, subject matter exactly what I wanted - the variety of love.
Anticipation - tight form, great capture of those anxious moments...
Because Love Came - polished use of a short form.
Before You - bittersweet to wonderful. I love the feelings portrayed here.
Break of Dawn - also shows a very nice progression of feeling.
Crazy Valentine - great idea, touch of humour, pleasing sound patterns - of course would be a fantastic song.
Dear Love - well I'm a sucker for a love story that started before I went to primary school (just). But I do have to go and check whether couplets are supposed to rhyme. Not only does it not rhyme - it breaks up sentences and thoughts. If it were marked as "modern", "freestlye" or "experimental" I would know what to do here easier.
Eternal Valentine - wonderful description of a long lasting relationship.
Floored - funny limerick. Puzzles me a little. Why was the reciever knocked down? Size of the gift? Was the gift a big jumpy dog? Was the gift unwelcome as well as unexpected? Is it actually ruder than my little mind can handle?
Hi Jack - polished poem - offers the variety I requested. It has been a winner before so is it fair to place it again?
I Want All of You - very passionate. Is it sad enough for Romanticism?
I will never love another - admires beauty, but would also love if the subject were scarred. Where is the rhyme however? Maybe this is free verse?
Intimate Moments - such a nice use of form. Presents quite a nice package.
Just Another Valentine - this is outstanding. Polished, uses formatting & rhyme well. It is a winner - it has won before. So once again - is it fair to choose it again. How many others are actually repeat entries too - but I haven't worked that out?
Lost Love - nice lyricism and Romanticism.
Love - a neat little acrostic. Very nice as a short form.
Love Grows Up - not the most sophisticated - but perhaps the most charmng of all the poems!
Cupid Given Treasure - nicely rhymed. Tim is a lucky person.
My Forever Valentine - Did I see this name somewhere before? No, that was eternal valentine. Perhaps a little polish would make this stand out from among other love poems.
My Imagenary Valentine (sic) - edit this please. I want to make it a winner for it's originality. However, poets who have made less typing/spelling errors would rightfully be offended.
My Only Valentine - what a sad and romantic story. So Wordsworthian. But hasn't there been any happiness in the sixty-three years since?
Night of Love's Remembrance - the beauty and romanticism of love lost.
On Valentines Day - also beautiful and sad. I hope you do have a date on high one day!
Romantic Love - the double spacing definately isn't helping your ideas stick together. A wide variety of metaphors too.
Tears for Spirits Alive, Love's Here - some nice down to earth moments. Yes it's okay to cry.
To Each Other We Belong - nice use of imagery. Worthy of a mention.
Used - is this about domestic violence or just a broken heart, or both? It certainly fulfills the request for something different.
Valentine Card - very nice tanka. Polished. Finished. I really should have specified form because how can long & short be judged together?
Valentines - acrostic. Also so nice, not quite so short form. The short ones hold their own surprisingly well.
What Lovely Interruption - well written and polished. Also a previous winner. What to do?
You Move Me - outstanding love poem, brings some fresh thoughts and phrases to the competition.
Well, now that I have mentioned you all and risked offending you with comments - I have to go and narrow the choice down to ten and risk offending you all over again.