Poem of the Month - October 2024
Poetry Contest Description
Three weeks to nominate your favorite poems!
You have THREE weeks to nominate no more than THREE of your favorite poems from another DUP poet!
Please note the following guidelines when making nominations:
The voting for this competition is anonymous; therefore, spoken word nominations will be disqualified.
1. Self-nominations are not accepted. The great majority of the competitions here are about spotlighting one's own work on a particular topic or theme. This is a chance to nominate that poem that you wish you had written but some other great talent here beat you to it.
2. You may nominate only THREE poems from THREE different DU members.
3. No DUPLICATE NOMINATIONS. If you nominate a poem that has already been nominated you will be asked to replace the nomination.
4. Any genre except erotica or pornography. This is a Facebook feature and we must adhere to their guidelines.
5. Any member who is banned or disables their account PRIOR to winning will be automatically disqualified.
6. One win per member per calendar year, beginning with the month they win.
7. Please notify your nominee they have been nominated. Please make sure your nominee has not won within the last 12 months.
Current Poem of the Month Hall of Famers:
2024:
January - Styxian
February - Confluence
March - Thor_Azine
April - Indie
May - LjDynamic
June - WillowsWhimsies
July - Nixprty
August - Shilohverse
September - Her
2023:
January - Styxian
February - Daniel Christensen
March - Betty
April - DaisyGrace
May - Northern_Soul
June - Neves
July - Razzerleaf
August - _feral
September - Adelphina
October - Cipher_O
November - no comp
December - sophos
2022:
January - Luna Greyhawk
February - AspergerPoet
March - Relic-54
April - Alan-S-Jeeves
May - _feral
June - Nevermindthegaps
July - Indie
August - inechoingsilence
September - Rianne
October - Bluevelvete
November - Honoria
December - KristinaX
2021:
January - brokentitanium (k.)
February - SatinUgal
March - X
April - RiAN
May - DaisyGrace
June - Bluevelvete
July - Jemac
August - Northern_Soul (-Missy-)
September - Joshsam
October - cold_fusion
November - Buddhakitty
December - Particles_of_HerII
2020
January - New Beginnings
February - Edible Words
March - Madame Lavender
APRIL - Monkeyman
MAY - Timagination543
JUNE - Lepperochan ( Craic-Dealer
JULY - Strangeways_Rob
August - Daniel Christensen
September - Aspergerpoet
October - Lunagreyhawk
November - Kristinax
December - Ahavati
2019
January - Daniel Christensen
February - Sophie_Ericson
March - AudioHarleea
April - From the Ash
May - Miss_Sub
June - Naajir
July - Layla
August - Ahavati
September - Miss_Sub
October - Howling_Whelms
November - Johnny Blaze
December - Rachel_Lauren
2018
January - Lady_of_the_Quill
February - ( Craic in a box )
March - Tinabubuya ( Tee Mali )
April - Crowfly
May - AtomicBomb
June - Miss_Sub (Missy)
July - Meadowsweet
August - Layla
September - Cold Fusion
October - Todski28
November - TheMuse22
December - Bender
2017
January - Vee
February - Crimsin
March - Onefiftysix
April - Daniel Christensen
May - Alexander Case
June - Aemelia564
July - The Silly Sibyl (Jack Thomas Heslop)
August - Quietusquill
September - Shadoe
October - Poetsrevenge
November - Naajir
December - Poetspeak
2016
November - John Feddeler
December - Ahavati
Please note the following guidelines when making nominations:
The voting for this competition is anonymous; therefore, spoken word nominations will be disqualified.
1. Self-nominations are not accepted. The great majority of the competitions here are about spotlighting one's own work on a particular topic or theme. This is a chance to nominate that poem that you wish you had written but some other great talent here beat you to it.
2. You may nominate only THREE poems from THREE different DU members.
3. No DUPLICATE NOMINATIONS. If you nominate a poem that has already been nominated you will be asked to replace the nomination.
4. Any genre except erotica or pornography. This is a Facebook feature and we must adhere to their guidelines.
5. Any member who is banned or disables their account PRIOR to winning will be automatically disqualified.
6. One win per member per calendar year, beginning with the month they win.
7. Please notify your nominee they have been nominated. Please make sure your nominee has not won within the last 12 months.
Current Poem of the Month Hall of Famers:
2024:
January - Styxian
February - Confluence
March - Thor_Azine
April - Indie
May - LjDynamic
June - WillowsWhimsies
July - Nixprty
August - Shilohverse
September - Her
2023:
January - Styxian
February - Daniel Christensen
March - Betty
April - DaisyGrace
May - Northern_Soul
June - Neves
July - Razzerleaf
August - _feral
September - Adelphina
October - Cipher_O
November - no comp
December - sophos
2022:
January - Luna Greyhawk
February - AspergerPoet
March - Relic-54
April - Alan-S-Jeeves
May - _feral
June - Nevermindthegaps
July - Indie
August - inechoingsilence
September - Rianne
October - Bluevelvete
November - Honoria
December - KristinaX
2021:
January - brokentitanium (k.)
February - SatinUgal
March - X
April - RiAN
May - DaisyGrace
June - Bluevelvete
July - Jemac
August - Northern_Soul (-Missy-)
September - Joshsam
October - cold_fusion
November - Buddhakitty
December - Particles_of_HerII
2020
January - New Beginnings
February - Edible Words
March - Madame Lavender
APRIL - Monkeyman
MAY - Timagination543
JUNE - Lepperochan ( Craic-Dealer
JULY - Strangeways_Rob
August - Daniel Christensen
September - Aspergerpoet
October - Lunagreyhawk
November - Kristinax
December - Ahavati
2019
January - Daniel Christensen
February - Sophie_Ericson
March - AudioHarleea
April - From the Ash
May - Miss_Sub
June - Naajir
July - Layla
August - Ahavati
September - Miss_Sub
October - Howling_Whelms
November - Johnny Blaze
December - Rachel_Lauren
2018
January - Lady_of_the_Quill
February - ( Craic in a box )
March - Tinabubuya ( Tee Mali )
April - Crowfly
May - AtomicBomb
June - Miss_Sub (Missy)
July - Meadowsweet
August - Layla
September - Cold Fusion
October - Todski28
November - TheMuse22
December - Bender
2017
January - Vee
February - Crimsin
March - Onefiftysix
April - Daniel Christensen
May - Alexander Case
June - Aemelia564
July - The Silly Sibyl (Jack Thomas Heslop)
August - Quietusquill
September - Shadoe
October - Poetsrevenge
November - Naajir
December - Poetspeak
2016
November - John Feddeler
December - Ahavati
PAR
PAULO ACACIO RAMOS
Forum Posts: 307
PAULO ACACIO RAMOS
Dangerous Mind
20
Joined 26th May 2022Forum Posts: 307
In love with an image
I'm sitting here waiting for you
You said you were coming over at 7 PM
No show...again
When will I wake up and tell myself, this isn't right?
When will I stop stressing over you?
You're not that great, but I still want you
Why is that?
Why am I so attracted to you?
I need to move on
When you would look at me, I'd get goosebumps and become nervous
I would want to show you how dedicated & in love I am with you
You know that, but you never accept it
I'm dancing around my own wants and desires for you but fall flat on my two left feet
It's bothering me
I'm embarrassed and distraught
C'mon!
Show your face & talk to me
Make it happen!
RIGHT FUCKING NOW!
Oh...wait
Yeah... there you are
I saw you peeking
Why are you looking all shy & timid?
Bring yourself closer
Ok good
Are we gonna talk?
Are we gonna talk about our relationship?
Silence again huh?!
Look at me!
LOOK AT ME!!
As he looks directly into the mirror he sees a person he thought he knew
Looking back at him was someone he believes is another identity, another person
He stands there dressed as a woman
This woman was someone he created in his mind
He had numerous conversations with her
He mentioned to friends, family & even co workers that this was the girl of his dreams
He would spend countless hours in front of the mirror talking to himself, believing that his reflection was the female he was in love with
Today was different
Something deep inside, gave him a sense that this wasn't something that made sense
He began to figure out that he was her and that what he conjured up in his mind was all a farce
He began to panic
He started to become much more agitated and violent towards himself & his reflection
He went to the dresser and pulled out a gun
He kept whispering and mumbling words together
Kept on by saying she's not real, I'm not real
He then pointed the gun at his image in the mirror
Looking deep through the mirror, angered and upset
He shot the mirror twice, shattering his other existence
He fell down to his knees crying, as though he committed murder
Realizing just minutes before that "she wasn't real"
He wasn't sure on why he did what he did
As he was emotionally unhinged, shaking terribly
He turned the gun upon himself
He fired once directly into his temple
He was dead
You said you were coming over at 7 PM
No show...again
When will I wake up and tell myself, this isn't right?
When will I stop stressing over you?
You're not that great, but I still want you
Why is that?
Why am I so attracted to you?
I need to move on
When you would look at me, I'd get goosebumps and become nervous
I would want to show you how dedicated & in love I am with you
You know that, but you never accept it
I'm dancing around my own wants and desires for you but fall flat on my two left feet
It's bothering me
I'm embarrassed and distraught
C'mon!
Show your face & talk to me
Make it happen!
RIGHT FUCKING NOW!
Oh...wait
Yeah... there you are
I saw you peeking
Why are you looking all shy & timid?
Bring yourself closer
Ok good
Are we gonna talk?
Are we gonna talk about our relationship?
Silence again huh?!
Look at me!
LOOK AT ME!!
As he looks directly into the mirror he sees a person he thought he knew
Looking back at him was someone he believes is another identity, another person
He stands there dressed as a woman
This woman was someone he created in his mind
He had numerous conversations with her
He mentioned to friends, family & even co workers that this was the girl of his dreams
He would spend countless hours in front of the mirror talking to himself, believing that his reflection was the female he was in love with
Today was different
Something deep inside, gave him a sense that this wasn't something that made sense
He began to figure out that he was her and that what he conjured up in his mind was all a farce
He began to panic
He started to become much more agitated and violent towards himself & his reflection
He went to the dresser and pulled out a gun
He kept whispering and mumbling words together
Kept on by saying she's not real, I'm not real
He then pointed the gun at his image in the mirror
Looking deep through the mirror, angered and upset
He shot the mirror twice, shattering his other existence
He fell down to his knees crying, as though he committed murder
Realizing just minutes before that "she wasn't real"
He wasn't sure on why he did what he did
As he was emotionally unhinged, shaking terribly
He turned the gun upon himself
He fired once directly into his temple
He was dead
Written by Vision_of_insanity
Go To Page
N.I.C.E. Guys Do Finish Last
Since we're bastardizing words
Thru the warped lens of revisionist history
Allow me to throw my entry into the
Reimagined Social Contract
^^^^^
Because I've made a conscious decision long ago to
Keep Love in my Heart and God in my Spirit
I did my Human best to stay close to my Original self
Learned how to forgive myself
Make an accord with my Deamons
And cultivate a true Love for what it is to be
Alive
I've been thru the depths of depression
Tired of living scared of dying...trying new coping mechanisms
Drinking myself to sleep hoping I can just pass out
And Drift thru the NetherRealm
Without another Nightmare
But
There came a time
When God whispered in the dark...injected me with the
All-Spark as that Universal reminder
I am Worthy
No longer anyone's victim
I Total Recalled all of my Victories
...all of my accomplishments when I purposefully
Chose...
Will To Power
No longer Will I cower in the shadows
Of my former self...that [guy] was just a learning Lesson
A steppingstone...a Blessing in disguise
Teaching me how to atone on my own...hone my Gifts
Own my shit...put an H on my back and handle it
Become a Traveler with my Traumas neatly compartmentalized
Instead of a straggler with emotional baggage
Spilling all over the place...
Struggling with Truth
So here Eye am...2024
The Elephant Man back on tour
Using Remembrance as the Skeleton Key to open new Doors
Rock Steadied in Sankofa
Divining while re-defining what it is to be
A nice guy
Nuanced...nurturing....naturally Me
Intelligent...intuitive...instinctually a Man
Creative...charismatic...Conscious of my Humanity
Esoteric...enigmatic...a Walking Epiphany
...and yes
Nice guys do finish last...because we Last
We understood the Assignment...
Life is not a sprint...it's a Marathon filled with teachable Moments
So let's appreciate what it is to Live Learn and Love
As we Grow confident in our own Niceness
Peace
Thru the warped lens of revisionist history
Allow me to throw my entry into the
Reimagined Social Contract
^^^^^
Because I've made a conscious decision long ago to
Keep Love in my Heart and God in my Spirit
I did my Human best to stay close to my Original self
Learned how to forgive myself
Make an accord with my Deamons
And cultivate a true Love for what it is to be
Alive
I've been thru the depths of depression
Tired of living scared of dying...trying new coping mechanisms
Drinking myself to sleep hoping I can just pass out
And Drift thru the NetherRealm
Without another Nightmare
But
There came a time
When God whispered in the dark...injected me with the
All-Spark as that Universal reminder
I am Worthy
No longer anyone's victim
I Total Recalled all of my Victories
...all of my accomplishments when I purposefully
Chose...
Will To Power
No longer Will I cower in the shadows
Of my former self...that [guy] was just a learning Lesson
A steppingstone...a Blessing in disguise
Teaching me how to atone on my own...hone my Gifts
Own my shit...put an H on my back and handle it
Become a Traveler with my Traumas neatly compartmentalized
Instead of a straggler with emotional baggage
Spilling all over the place...
Struggling with Truth
So here Eye am...2024
The Elephant Man back on tour
Using Remembrance as the Skeleton Key to open new Doors
Rock Steadied in Sankofa
Divining while re-defining what it is to be
A nice guy
Nuanced...nurturing....naturally Me
Intelligent...intuitive...instinctually a Man
Creative...charismatic...Conscious of my Humanity
Esoteric...enigmatic...a Walking Epiphany
...and yes
Nice guys do finish last...because we Last
We understood the Assignment...
Life is not a sprint...it's a Marathon filled with teachable Moments
So let's appreciate what it is to Live Learn and Love
As we Grow confident in our own Niceness
Peace
Written by Naajir
Go To Page
wallyroo92
Forum Posts: 1871
Tyrant of Words
154
Joined 11th July 2012Forum Posts: 1871
The dog ate my therapy homework
The dog ate my therapy homework
He chewed it up into bits.
It was spiced with tears and bitter regret
and held all the secrets I’m scared I’ll forget
Now I’m doomed – and my dog has the shits.
The cat ate my therapy homework
She shredded the evidence.
The lessons it taught me were so hard-earned
I’ll mess up again if it isn’t returned
and no one will heed my defense.
My kids burned my therapy homework
They tore it up for kindling.
The progress I’ve made has gone up in smoke
One step up, three steps back, it’s really no joke
‘cause my zeal for this process is dwindling.
The wind took my therapy homework
and blew it right out to sea.
That work yielded insights I’d like to recall
I hope I can get up the next time I fall
I guess I’ll just have to trust me.
He chewed it up into bits.
It was spiced with tears and bitter regret
and held all the secrets I’m scared I’ll forget
Now I’m doomed – and my dog has the shits.
The cat ate my therapy homework
She shredded the evidence.
The lessons it taught me were so hard-earned
I’ll mess up again if it isn’t returned
and no one will heed my defense.
My kids burned my therapy homework
They tore it up for kindling.
The progress I’ve made has gone up in smoke
One step up, three steps back, it’s really no joke
‘cause my zeal for this process is dwindling.
The wind took my therapy homework
and blew it right out to sea.
That work yielded insights I’d like to recall
I hope I can get up the next time I fall
I guess I’ll just have to trust me.
Written by brokentitanium
(k.)
Go To Page
Everavalon
Forum Posts: 89
Fire of Insight
6
Joined 19th Dec 2022 Forum Posts: 89
Retrogenesis
She taught me not to fear death
It’s just part of living
Now every time that I go and visit her
My soul hurts and heart sinks
She’s waiting to cross that bridge
Gone are the stories she used to tell
As far back as 1936
All the great details she could recall
Are now but soft flashbacks of mystery
I kiss her cheeks and forehead
Her smile and childlike eyes know who I am
The skin on her hands is paper thin
Soft and warm under blankets
Fighting the impending cold and darkness
An internal silent battle is raging
For a few minutes in the light and lucidity
She remembers people and places
Glimpses of a past life
Recollections of love and loss
Before they are tossed into an ocean of…of…
…memory drifting
her voice. has diminished to a whisper,
. struggling - to get the words out
like, broken echoes of…history
lost in time
mind slowly declining
.the. familiar.distortEd :
themusic has more_static ' * ``.
…and it’s skipping .
^ little by little /
slipping... ~
into an abyss …
skipping
...|
fading
...
Written by wallyroo92
Go To Page
Vision_of_insanity
Forum Posts: 92
Tyrant of Words
14
Joined 22nd Jan 2024Forum Posts: 92
Having dinner with some cannibal friends
There are eyes that bite the bodies
and hands that are useful and common
Can you pass me that plate?
everything is done honestly and in a digestive way
everything is brutal instinct and exceptional faith
Do you want a piece of this roast?
everything is a grimace asking for salvation
a redemption and authorization charge
I don't eat metal, a cloud eater, a sort of a sleeper!
a constant feeling of equivocation
a displeasure in the grinding of teeth
I feel like I belong to the lowest caste of bees!
Sadness is once again a form of transcendence
like molecular food and corn porridge
lower my head and see the crumbs on my legs!
I urgently need dental floss
and run to the bathroom and vomit my soul out.
and hands that are useful and common
Can you pass me that plate?
everything is done honestly and in a digestive way
everything is brutal instinct and exceptional faith
Do you want a piece of this roast?
everything is a grimace asking for salvation
a redemption and authorization charge
I don't eat metal, a cloud eater, a sort of a sleeper!
a constant feeling of equivocation
a displeasure in the grinding of teeth
I feel like I belong to the lowest caste of bees!
Sadness is once again a form of transcendence
like molecular food and corn porridge
lower my head and see the crumbs on my legs!
I urgently need dental floss
and run to the bathroom and vomit my soul out.
Written by PAR
(PAULO ACACIO RAMOS)
Go To Page
Vision_of_insanity
Forum Posts: 92
Tyrant of Words
14
Joined 22nd Jan 2024Forum Posts: 92
There I Stood
There I stood, a living statue, among people circuiting
like ants scurrying around in every direction,
except these figures are far immense, drowning my vision
as they passed through me like I was nothing but a phantom.
A cacophony invaded the tunes meant to sedate me,
my time paused, yet they kept tearing me apart,
my body became hypersensitive to everything.
I heard my heart pick up, pumping blood,
like my life depended on it and it did.
I forgot how to breathe, as if it were my first time
my attempts ended up strangling me instead,
shaking like a leaf in a gale, everything was a blur,
my voice quavered, my larynx was no longer useful.
Each contact intensified the war within me,
my senses grew overly aware of my surroundings,
the noise consumed me, paralyzed me.
And there I stood, a statue amidst the crowd.
like ants scurrying around in every direction,
except these figures are far immense, drowning my vision
as they passed through me like I was nothing but a phantom.
A cacophony invaded the tunes meant to sedate me,
my time paused, yet they kept tearing me apart,
my body became hypersensitive to everything.
I heard my heart pick up, pumping blood,
like my life depended on it and it did.
I forgot how to breathe, as if it were my first time
my attempts ended up strangling me instead,
shaking like a leaf in a gale, everything was a blur,
my voice quavered, my larynx was no longer useful.
Each contact intensified the war within me,
my senses grew overly aware of my surroundings,
the noise consumed me, paralyzed me.
And there I stood, a statue amidst the crowd.
Written by Lilliputian
Go To Page
DamianDeadLove
Damian DeadLove
Forum Posts: 70
Damian DeadLove
Dangerous Mind
3
Joined 2nd June 2024Forum Posts: 70
D's Poetry
about the writing
process in here
& how it goes
it usually starts
with music a pic
and concept or
favorite quote
words on paper
left to simmer for
a couple of days
at times weeks
adding pieces &
deleting bits next
is over and over
finetuning lines
it's a nightmare
a perfectionist to
the core the bar
is set high and
the control freak
doesn't make any
concessions to the
content, format & flow
process in here
& how it goes
it usually starts
with music a pic
and concept or
favorite quote
words on paper
left to simmer for
a couple of days
at times weeks
adding pieces &
deleting bits next
is over and over
finetuning lines
it's a nightmare
a perfectionist to
the core the bar
is set high and
the control freak
doesn't make any
concessions to the
content, format & flow
Written by Duende
Go To Page
Lilliputian
Forum Posts: 7
Thought Provoker
1
Joined 16th Feb 2024 Forum Posts: 7
Happy Birthday To Me!
No rain tonight
The room is hot, too hot
Still air and the smell of dampness creeps through my window
I'm alone and far away from home
My life is now a chain of broken dream rooms
I like it that way
I can't go backwards, but weary to move forward
Death makes life easier somehow
Less choices
Less masks
Less of everything, except grief
Lot's of grief
Can't get far enough away
The room is hot, too hot
Still air and the smell of dampness creeps through my window
I'm alone and far away from home
My life is now a chain of broken dream rooms
I like it that way
I can't go backwards, but weary to move forward
Death makes life easier somehow
Less choices
Less masks
Less of everything, except grief
Lot's of grief
Can't get far enough away
Written by Vision_of_insanity
Go To Page
Blackdove
Joined 13th July 2020
Forum Posts: 24
Lost Thinker
Forum Posts: 24
The Thread Of Love
i am
but
a thread
hanging
waiting
for the needle
to be
sewn
into your heart
woven
with
love
my thread
is the
best of me
cause its
part of my
tattered heart
pull it
hard
enough
i will
simply
unravel
but
a thread
hanging
waiting
for the needle
to be
sewn
into your heart
woven
with
love
my thread
is the
best of me
cause its
part of my
tattered heart
pull it
hard
enough
i will
simply
unravel
Written by AspergerPoet56
Go To Page
WillowsWhimsies
Forum Posts: 300
Dangerous Mind
19
Joined 8th Mar 2016 Forum Posts: 300
The Effects Of Words
Trying on some different words tonight
Searching for some forgotten intangible
Combinations grow crucial in this fight
A stiff uppercut snaps a glass mandible
Showing off with big words gets boring
It often comes off shallow and pedantic
There are a lot of rules I end up ignoring
File all my work under hopeless romantic
Sometimes I’m quite fond of juicy words
Sexy, seductive, always along for the ride
Lustful breadcrumbs attracts all the birds
Rocking back and forth with a gentle tide
Enlightened words can bring love and hope
Inspiring poets to chronicle about humanity
Holding the real world under a microscope
Sometimes leaves me questioning my sanity
Searching for some forgotten intangible
Combinations grow crucial in this fight
A stiff uppercut snaps a glass mandible
Showing off with big words gets boring
It often comes off shallow and pedantic
There are a lot of rules I end up ignoring
File all my work under hopeless romantic
Sometimes I’m quite fond of juicy words
Sexy, seductive, always along for the ride
Lustful breadcrumbs attracts all the birds
Rocking back and forth with a gentle tide
Enlightened words can bring love and hope
Inspiring poets to chronicle about humanity
Holding the real world under a microscope
Sometimes leaves me questioning my sanity
Written by DamianDeadLove
(Damian DeadLove)
Go To Page
admin
DU Webmistress
DU Webmistress
Mistress of the Underground
1
The winner of this competition and any runners up were decided by public vote.
Thank you to the following members for voting:
Billy_Snagg, MidnightSonneteer, Ahavati, deadwolf, Styxian, DamianDeadLove, dimpy, da_poetic-edifier, AspergerPoet56, Marks, Rew, Phantom2426, Kinkpoet, Duice, Her, LunaGreyhawk, lepperochan, MadameLavender
Thank you to the following members for voting:
Billy_Snagg, MidnightSonneteer, Ahavati, deadwolf, Styxian, DamianDeadLove, dimpy, da_poetic-edifier, AspergerPoet56, Marks, Rew, Phantom2426, Kinkpoet, Duice, Her, LunaGreyhawk, lepperochan, MadameLavender
Billy_Snagg
Rist Jizzmann
Forum Posts: 247
Rist Jizzmann
Tyrant of Words
38
Joined 14th Apr 2018 Forum Posts: 247
Well done, brokentitanium.🥈
brokentitanium
k.
Forum Posts: 1230
k.
Tyrant of Words
12
Joined 18th Nov 2015Forum Posts: 1230
Congrats, Wally! I love that poem.