all i did was fail today

— 

“won’t you grow your hair out,” mother says,

and last-year’s girl on the barber’s chair

spins in circles until she falls.

less? and less? are you sure? is that

what you want to be? the hunching walls

gleam like a model’s smile.

toy streets, false homeland, parked cars

sing: “won't you change, because i love you?”

squares of light on concrete—

window-bright boxes parceling footsteps into halves: light and dark.

conversation runs like smoke down steepled fingers.

your breath blows pockets of steam into the air.

oh, keep talking, for ghosts cannot.

as i’m fading away

who was beside you stands apart.

snip. snip. snip. snip.

i think you’d be better off

alone.

Are you going to judge soon? Thanks!

Hi, I'm late again, but I have your results! Before I start rattling them off however, I'd just like to say good job everyone! All of these poems were so good, I wish I could've put all of you in first! I also tend to criticize a lot, so please know that it doesn't mean your work is worse than it was last time, just that I'm a more cynical judge. It just means that you all got me thinking. I had to sit and read all of them out loud to myself before I could even start deciding.  Well done!

HONORABLE MENTION: KITTEN

I really liked this poem-- expecially the way it seemed to tell a story, and the way the nature of the poem seemed to follow its subject. At first the egg was static and unchanging, rigid and hard, and so were the lines of your poem. As the creature hatched, the poem changed, deviating from the original lines, and the pacing sped up-- I found myself reading faster out loud in excitement. It could have benefitted from some more different metaphors and word choice in a few places, but overall it was a wonderful little piece.

THIRD PLACE: TWIRLGIRL

I liked the imagery and the way you used second person in this poem to make it reflect back at the reader. I could see the dancers in my mind's eye, and I liked the overall narrative arc of your poem, even if it was a little cliche. I was a little distracted by a few inconsistencies, but the overall metaphor was beautifully clear. I especially liked the lines, "For darling you are/ Real/ Have you finally realized/ That life/ Isn’t practiced?/ that life/ Isn’t paced?/ that life/ Isn’t choreographed?/ That life/ Isn’t contained?" It was wonderfullu rhythmic and awakening

SECOND PLACE: BLUE MOON

The staccato rhythm of your poem really helped complete the mood, reading it really felt like something wasn't quite fitting right, an elusive glitch in our human programming-- and I mean that in the best possible way. At the end the rhythm clears up, falling into a wonderful beat I always wish I could figure out how to make words roll off the tongue in my poetry, and you've acheived it! It fits with the arc of the poem so well, too-- we're confused, something or someone is interfering, but it's okay, we locked them away. This poem, despite its short length, packs a wonderful punch, with delightfully creepy undertones and its decidedly mournful ending. My favorite lines were the last ones, "i can't, i can't, i can't, but that's the price i pay-/ i throw you in a cage/ and lock us all away"

Aaand... drum role please... *Stardust making weird drum roll noises*

Bumbudumbudumbudumdudumdumbubumdudududum....

FIRST PLACE: ABIGAIL!

The imagery in this poem was spectacular, and I loved every metaphor. I could see the partitioned out footsteps, every inch of the barbershop, the memory, the puffs of steam in the air like they were right in front of me. I especially loved the "smoke over steepled fingers." I liked the way you so completely applied the metaphor of a haircut to so many different aspects of life and change. A lot of people in my friend group (including myself) have been cutting their hair short this year, so it's also directly relatable to me. Each line seemed to tell it's own story, another strand in this amazing bejeweled web of a poem. The fateful "snip"s at the end ring almost thunderous in my head and the end makes for a gloriously downcast and touching finale.

Sorry again for being late, hope it was worth the wait! 

AHHHH oh my gosh, thank you so much! <333 Everyone's poems were wonderful, I don't know how you possibly decided!

The next theme is belief. Is it naive or powerful? Cowardly or brave? Whether it be in religion, yourself, or in lies people tell you, how does belief shape— for better or for worse— the way you view the world? Write a poem exploring this idea. 

I'm going to New York with my orchestra for all of next week, so I'll probably judge after I get home... let's say around the 16th. If anyone wants more time, let me know! Happy writing!

Belief

Doubt

Bodiless laughter

Tangible inaction

What is it that keeps us in the dark?

Or is it the light?

One never can tell.

In our belief we rely on blind faith

In doubt we find we are safe

From the innocent messes

Of gold and silk dresses

Fit for royals who deny that

Their kingdom is dying.

But they are happy

For now,

Maybe forever.

It's kill or be killed here,

Doubt or believe all.

So what will you choose?

Will you choose to stand tall

In the faith you have placed

Over your eyes and your face?

Or guard yourself well

With the hard, cold facts

You use as a shield?

Because, believe me,

That's quite the battlefield.

~~

I think I did rather... Oddly with this poem, if it can even be called that. *No self confidence* 

Ok here's my poem!

~

Belief is the thing that lets you tap into 

Unimagined worlds

To create them and color them with life

Yet it is also the thing that confines you

Tells you magic isn't real,

Stop dreaming of places beyond the rainbow 

Belief is the light you cling to

When the whole world seems too dark to endure  

The thing that convinces you the future can be brighter and lighter 

But still

It can be the thing that flips the switch

Turns the light off 

Causes hope to dim

Why, who knew

Belief could be so

Two-faced.

I don't know what you've been told,

but diamonds are just shiny coal.

I look up to the stars at night,

diamonds don't shine half as bright.

*bows*  

Belief~ 

Happy eyes

Hold your tongue

Pink dress

Cross your legs 

Innocent face

There is nothing for you here. 

There never was any

magic

any

hope

Don’t speak unless spoken too

Pushed away

pushed down

Belived the authority of her world.

Confused.

Why are you so quiet? 

Afraid.

Dont you ever speak? 

Seeking approval far out of reach. 

Goody toe-shoes.

Questioned the authority,

of her world.

Sad eyes.

Embarrassing. 

Old clothes.

Smile more, dear. 

Blind faith.

We love you, daughter.

Dont question the authority

you were raised to trust.

Fake smiles.

How are you always so happy? 

Numb heart.

How can you stay so calm? 

Empty bottles.

We will always love you, daughter. 

Belief kills.  

smiley face poster outside the sixth-grade room

(gone too early, lost too soon)

block letters lit up in golden and red

(i don't believe it. they can't be dead.)

"believe in yourself!"

(like that's something easy to find)

it's so perfect, everything shines-

i rip it off the wall. 

(try harder next time)