May 1999 Winner's Edition

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Sol Magazine © 1999
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NOTE:  The offices of Sol Magazine will be closed during June for upgrades to our computer and web page.  Please note:  our e-mail and web-site addresses may change in July.
Sol Magazine will hold no contests in June, but will instead send out two special issues; first, the winners of the Sol Magazine-sponsored Nerinx Hall High School Waltz Poetry Awards; second, our June Spotlight will be on poet Shelley Crabtree, Enid Writer's Club, Oklahoma.
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Twice a month, Sol Magazine sponsors poetry contests, and from the results, produces an electronic poetry magazine, published on the last day of each month.  The winners are posted to our website at:
http://pages.prodigy.com/sol_magazine

Our topics are on a variety of subjects about nature and the nature of humanity.  Our purpose: to foster the reading and writing of short poetry, and the education of poets.
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As a free service to our readers and poets, we are starting a new web page with listings of books that are available from our poets.   If you wish to have yours listed, please send us an e-mail note describing your book, and we'll let you know the details of our offer.  Books may be bound in hard or soft cover.  Anthologies and calendars are acceptable.  To be eligible, you must have been published in Sol Magazine, have judged one of our contests, or be a current sponsor.
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Welcome:  Mary Lorenz, Alison Quinn, Ashley Michalek, all students at Duchense High School in Houston, TX.  We also extend a warm welcome to Steve Carr and Renee' K. Driscoll.

We also welcome two part-time volunteers to our staff:  Jean McAllister, who has written several wonderful book reviews for Sol Magazine, and Paula White.  Thanks for all your help.
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Congratulations:  Betty Ann Whitney, one of Sol Magazine's Assistant Editors, will be published in the next issue of "The Aurorean," a poetic quarterly.  Betty Ann has offered to share her poem with us, so we'll not only post a copy of "Breath of Life" on our June web page, but also more information about "The Aurorean."

We also congratulate R.T. Castleberry, of the Flying Dutchman Poetry Troupe for his first place win in the "Houston Press" poetry contest with his poem "A Texas Blues."
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JUDGE:  This month's judge is Pamela Wilfinger, Editor of Inscriptions, the weekly e-zine for professional writers.  Check out her great web page: http://come.to/Inscriptions

Pamela was honored in April by having her web site added to the Writer's Digest list of "Top 101 Sites for Writers Online".
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SPONSORS:  Our sponsors this month are all members of the same family of poets:

Jim Lay wishes to make a dedication to Henry Grady Lay, who died March 25th, 1998.

Don Castiglioni wants to honor his Uncle Jim Lay on his 65th May 7th birthday.  In his words, "When I was a child, he took me panning for gold in the hills of North Georgia.  As I grew older, I discovered the finest gold was buried in my uncle's heart."

Milton and Kay Lay Earnest wish to honor her father, Henry Grady Lay, Sr, who was born May 1st.  In her words, "He was a father of six, friend to all.  He's been gone forty-four years, yet one can still hear his humor, love of nature and sense of fair play in the writing of his children."
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Editor's Note:  The following poem came in too late to be included in our NAME YOUR OWN TOPIC contest, but we liked it so much we've added it here.

Fried

When trouble came my mama
groaned, "Out the skillet,
right into the fire."
Plans can jump from pan
to scorching flames of grief,
make that chick of joy
charred and bitter dust.

Roberta Pipes Bowman, Fort Worth, TX
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NOTE:  bgc = book gift certificate


TOPIC ONE: Plays and Poets
We asked our readers to do a little research and name as many plays or musicals as they could that were based on poetry.

Example:  "Cats," by Andrew Lloyd Webber, now playing on Broadway in New York City.   Musical was based on T.S. Elliot's cat poetry.  Information found in the "Houston Chronicle's Zest Magazine," May
2nd issue.

Our winner receives a copy of "It's About Time, A Book of Poetry," by Naomi Stroud Simmons, Illustrations by Mary Dinkins.
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The Winner:

Play: The Bells by Ruth Page based on Edgar Allen Poe's poem, "Bells."  Performed Sept. 8, 1946.  Ref: The Burns Mantle Best Plays - 1946-49.

Play: The World of Carl Sandburg adapted by Norman Cowin. Performed Sept. 14, 1960.  Ref. The Best Plays of 1960-61.

Lois Lay Castiglioni, Galveston, TX


INSIDE VIEW - IT'S NOT ITS!
by Craig Tigerman, Assistant Editor
http://sol-magazine-projects.org/prodigy/craig_tigerman
It's seen in newspaper headlines, official company memos, even billboards: widespread confusion over when to use "its" and when to use "it's".  Part of the difficulty is easy to understand; in school, we all learned to make a pronoun possessive by adding "apostrophe s".

Example: George's eye is on Rita's new place.

Personal pronouns are the exceptions to the "apostrophe s" rule.
When we make personal pronouns (me, you, him, her, them, it) possessive, we change them into "my, your, his, her, their, its."

Examples:

"My place", "your place", "his place", "her place," "their place," and most importantly, "its place."

"It's" is not correct usage if you're seeking a third person neuter singular possessive.  An easy way to remember: when "it" has an apostrophe, then "it's" is a contraction.  "It's" always means "it is."


TOPIC TWO:  NAME YOUR OWN TOPIC
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ANTICIPATION

I daily check the mailbox of life,
hoping to find perhaps
priority mail from heaven,
a love letter in longhand
a signed thousand dollar check ...
But no!  Only a phone bill stamped:
Payment Overdue.

Ted O. Badger, Eureka Springs, AR
Assistant Editor's Comments:  Cute poem.
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Inheritance

Grandfather sat in a cane-backed chair
Rocking - sipping sweet icy lemonade
Rocking - reading the Saturday Evening Post
Rocking - watching his children chase lightning bugs
Rocking - whistling a whippoorwill's call
Rocking - reminiscing about riding a mule to school
I never saw my grandfather
But I have these stories to ponder
As I sit in his chair on my porch
- Rocking

Don Castiglioni, Austin, TX
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HONORABLE MENTION
Indomitable

Each morning she pulls on bunion-stretched shoes
Each morning she adjusts the hearing-aid
Each morning she combs her thin white hair
Pauses for the mirror's approval
Wheels down the corridor
Rolls into the nursing home cafeteria
With all the dignity and poise
She brought to ninth-grade classrooms
Each morning for forty-four years

Lois Lay Castiglioni, Galveston, TX
Judge's Comments:  Extremely descriptive.  The first line in this poem really pulls the reader in.  Very interesting words used to describe a woman carrying such dignity.
Assistant Editor's Comments:  Vivid imagery.
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Aging

skeleton picked out in white
tracery of veins liquid and sinuous
pricking from a central spine
curves, the white bone of the skull
echoing the cup of the back
ends scrolling under
outside my skin is not-me
inside - a pale golden fire

SuzAnne C. Cole, Houston, TX
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Contentment

Steam rises from my horse on
a chill wintry day, smooth
leather saddle rocking
between my denim thighs
my husband riding before me
my children behind me.

SuzAnne C. Cole, Houston, TX
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Fate

Tornadoes land upon the ground, throwing everything around
Twisted metal, shattered bricks, trees arrayed like pick-up sticks
Cows fly, horses are tossed, dogs are buried, cats are lost!
Now there's utter devastation, news is spread across the nation.
Everyone soon sends supplies; ahead, uncertain future lies.
Time to go pick up the pieces; aunts and uncles, cousins, nieces.
Families gather, helping out, finding things all strewn about.
Furniture, broken plates, clocks, torn-up photos, shoes and socks,
Nothing left, we must start over, whether in Moore or up in Dover.
Oklahomans, one and all; no matter what, we still stand tall.

Shelley L. Crabtree, Enid, OK - Enid Writer's Club
Dedicated to the Oklahoma tornado victims of May 3, 1999.
Assistant Editor's Comments:  descriptive from first line to last.
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THIRD PLACE -  Third place winner - Lucidity subscription.
Naming

I walked along the beach thinking of you
And saw crabs scratching your name in the sand
I heard gulls as they flew overhead
Screaming your name into the salty sea wind
Crashing waves left foamy imprints
Of your name upon the jagged shoreline
Warm breezes caressed my face
Whispering your name in my ear
Your name emblazoned the sunset
Warming my heart with your love

Shelley L. Crabtree, Enid, OK
Enid Writer's Club
Judge's Comments:  T.S. Eliot spent a whole poem writing about the naming of cats, and you've practically outdone him here with such an elegant little poem.  The elements of nature joining in a chorus of a lover's name is a gorgeous image.
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Isolation

Of isolation, I have no fear,
For it's in my nature, solitude love.
This choice is freely taken,
For you see, it's in my nature.
But the day arrives when the phone is out,
The car won't start, and the computer's down.
This choice, no longer mine, I feel forsaken.
For this isolation is not of my making.

Theodore DeSoto, Deer Park, TX
Assistant Editor's Comments:  Rhythmical.
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Nostalgia

I heaved a sigh as I drove by,
My old haunts of yesteryear.
In my early manhood,
And upon these grounds,
My wild oats were sown.
My heart constricts and skips a beat.
My eyes well up, a sob suppressed.
Memories refreshed of friendships lost, now dead.
Ah, what sweet sorrow rends my heart with nostalgia.

Theodore DeSoto, Deer Park, TX
Assistant Editor's Comments:  Clear images.
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Prenuptials

I think not, she said
and saw his shoulders sag
as his face fell.
Then he turned, with his chin to his chest,
and pulled his hat low to hide the tears
in the rain that fell with his heart
into the little black velvet box,
now laying heavy in his breast pocket.

Renee' K. Driscoll, Clearwater, FL
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WAR

Whatever
Aroused
Rage so violent as
People
Everywhere
Allowing
Contemptuous
Extinction?

Renee' K. Driscoll, Clearwater, FL
Assistant Editor's Comments:  Good question.
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HONORABLE MENTION
ETERNAL

I'm part of an old canvas scene.
The generic soul on the beach searching.
Knowing waves watched are eternal.
Tales from Mother Earth's four corners.
These waves now rush me,
Only to tease. . .
Then hurry back to their murky depths.
I sense the sea wants to speak to me
Are her breaking waves parted lips?
Waves, wind overwhelm me. I do not hear.

J C Holland, Ft. Worth, TX
Judge's Comments:  This powerfully gives nature a sense of wisdom, and reminds the reader of how small we all are.
Assistant Editor's Comments:  Good opening line.
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Promises

Tomorrow I'm going to get organized
And get my world in place.
I'll erase all the things I should erase,
I'll do all the things that need doing.
I'll remove my sloth,
Improve my golf,
And laugh at the man in the moon.

James W. Lay, Calhoun, Georgia
Assistant Editor's Comments:  Love the closing line.
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Reflections

Sometimes I feel like I'm an observer of my life.
Standing back, watching, waiting.
You don't get hurt if you don't get involved.
I wonder sometimes if I am afraid of living.

James W. Lay, Calhoun, Georgia
Editor's Comments:  Truly universal feelings expressed beautifully in this succinct poem.
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Me

I smile when I am happy; I frown when I am sad
I cry when I am overwhelmed; I hold it in when I'm mad
I carry heavy burdens without too many cries
I ask my mom to help me when I know I can't survive
I talk too much a lot of times, but I listen the best
I know I am imperfect, but I'm no worse than the rest

Mary Claire "Starr" Lorenz, Houston, TX
Editor's Note:  Starr is 15 years old, a Freshman at Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart.  Welcome to our writing family!
Assistant Editor's Comments:  Lyrical rhythm; flows nicely.
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HONORABLE MENTION
EDITOR'S CHOICE
Infinity

ceaseless swoops of swallows weaving
endless figures
out against a twilight sky
too fast
for eye to follow
winged thought
made visible
infinite possibilities
inchoate pathways fading with the light

Jean McAllister, Bellevue, WA
Editor's Comments:  Rhythm and alliteration, cadence and a lovely woven edge contribute to the strength of this lovely poem.
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FIRST PLACE - $30.00 bgc from B&N
Practicing

In my dreams I practice the useful skill of flying;
Lessons are sprung on me, all unprepared.
Suddenly in the air sans plane, I skim the treetops
not having been briefed about landing.
But sometimes I simply decide to lift off,
proceeding upright as before, but unconnected
to the ground, while others plod mundanely.
Or, I find that many flights of stairs will go more quickly
if I simply glide above them; this skill I have perfected.
Some day I'll try it when awake.

Jean McAllister, Bellevue, WA

Judge's Comments:  Well-written.  Is this from a child's dream or a superhero's?   Either could easily be described here, yet we all have these dreams.
Assistant Editor's Comments:  Imaginative.
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Friends

Two sides of a coin
They are love - yet hate
They are laughter - yet tears
They make me laugh until my sides hurt
They make me argue and we don't speak for what seems like days
but is only hours
They console me over my grievances
They are my support and solace
They becomes We
We are Together, Forever, Love

Ashley Michalek, Houston, TX
Assistant Editor's Comments:  Realistic metaphor.
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HONORABLE MENTION
Photograph

It caught me off guard
I laughed and grinned
Tried to cover my face
Click! Oh- I'm caught again!
The camera rolls and I flash my smile each time
Posing now,
ONE, TWO, THREE!
Memories are made and set as insurance for this day
Reference to the Past

Ashley Michalek, Houston, TX
Judge's Comments:  A playful poem, very boisterous and snappy.
Editor's Note:  Ashley is 15, and a Freshman at Duchesne Academy.
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Life

The fabric of life
Can be strong or loose
Tightly woven or netted
Lustrous or dull
Vivid or plain
Fine or coarse
Supple or stiff
Generous or a remnant.
What is your loom weaving now?

Lena S. Norman, Saginaw, TX
Editor's Comments:  Thoughtful words for the wise.
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Live It Up!

Deplete your woodpile
Before your days run out
Enjoy the warmth of friendship
That's what life is all about.

Accomplish the tasks
That challenged you
Fly with your dreams
While the sky is still blue.

Lena S Norman, Saginaw, TX
Editor's Comments:  Warm advise from a caring person.
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DREAMING

A world with no guns
A world that is fun
A world with no hatred
A world that is sacred
A world with no political scandals
A world full of sweet smelling candles
A world with no screaming
Too bad that I'm dreaming

Alison Quinn, Houston, TX
Editor's Note:  Alison is a Freshman at Duchesne Academy.
Assistant Editor's Comments:  If only these dreams could come true.
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MORNINGS

A harsh ringing
Breaking the momentary silence
A booming voice
pulling me out of my soft haven
A faithful child's best friend
Tugging my covers away from my cold, tired body
An unnerving thought
It's Monday

Alison Quinn, Houston, TX
Editor's Comments:  A universal comment applicable to everyone I know!
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FOURTH PLACE - $5.00 bgc from B&N.
Tickled

A gust of wind
through the storm damaged maple
sends a blizzard of whirligigs,
like tiny earth-bound angels,
swirling around us -
a delightful May storm.

Patricia A Tabella, Providence, RI
Judge's Comments:  Good use of imagery.  Nice use of leaves as earthbound angels.  Who or what is being tickled?  The sidewalk or the unknown person walking through the swirling leaves?
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FIRST HONORABLE MENTION
Evil

In the dark shadows he looms over us,
Watching and waiting in ghostly silence,
His long crooked fingers ready to snatch,
The souls of the living who had
Being fools to ignore wisdom's advice.
Ominous cloak of death he wears,
Which the gales whip around in all directions.
His face appears gnarled and abhorrent,
And the skin shines red under his garment,
For hell fires roar below the living surface.

Jessie Tsai, Houston, TX
Judge's Comments:  Dark, but full of real imagery.  A strong piece.
Assistant Editor's Comments:  Haunting.
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SECOND PLACE - $15.00 bgc from B&N.
Wind

Rapidly she roams on stormy days,
Singing as loud as the thunder above,
Idly she strolls on sunny days,
Humming a melody just beneath a whisper.

Jessie Tsai, Houston, TX
Judge's Comments:  Great choice of words.  Windy poems tend to fall into cliches.   This piece completely avoids the literary trap by giving the element of blowing wind a personality in female form.
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HONORABLE MENTION
EXCUSE

I am having a bad day, today.
I'll drink to make it go away.
It feels good to be drunk,
And not take any bunk
From the ones that care for me.
I have problems they don't see.
They think it's the drink
That makes me weak,
But see, if I was strong
There'd be no alcohol and we would get along.

Nina Jo Tyler, St. Louis, MO
Editor's Comments:  Strongly expressed, and well written. Our narrator ignores, as do many of us, the fact that a very real physical condition contributes to alcoholism, and seems to blame a character weakness, instead.  Blame is not the answer.  Only action will cure this problem.  We thank the poet for sharing this intimate portrait with us.
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OVERCAST

Cloudy skies, gloomy days.
Some people would say
These are depressing ways.
Not to me, for the sun rays
Are the depressing ways.
Give me the clouds and rain
On any given day,
And my smile will give you warm, sunny rays.

Nina Jo Tyler, St. Louis, MO


ON THE WEB
by Craig Tigerman, Assistant Editor
http://sol-magazine-projects.org/prodigy/craig_tigerman
Award-winning Texas mystery novelist Rick Riordan maintains a tasteful website, http://www.flash.net/~huisache.  In addition to eye-catching presentations about his three highly-acclaimed novels, tour information and his on-line newsletter, Rick offers a "virtual tour" of South Texas via links to many fascinating sites from Austin to San Antonio.

"Mr. Riordan's Class Page" is a great added attraction.  Here he showcases course material and student papers from his English and History classes at St. Mary's Hall in San Antonio.  All together, the various features of Rick Riordan's website add up to a living portrait of a vibrant contemporary literary artist.  It's well worth the visit!

An exclusive interview with Mr. Riordan plus a brief biography may be seen at: http://pages.prodigy.com/sol_magazine/riordan.htm


Woodlands Writers' Guild 1999 Workshop and Conference will be held September 25, in the Woodlands, Texas.  Manuscript submission deadline is June 30, 1999.  For more information, contact Jeff Brackett - (281) 320-0580, or see their website at: http://www.woodlandsonline.com/wwg
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Fort Bend Writer's League announces a workshop, "Adding Drama to Your Writing," to be held Saturday, August 21, Houston, Texas.  Contact Roger Paulding - (281) 498-5025 or e-mail rapdunit@juno.com for more information.  Contest deadline is July 30, 1999.
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Houston Poetry Fest will be held in October of 1999.  Their poetry entry Deadline is June 15th, 1999.   E-mail them through Houston.Poetry.Fest@stcl.edu or TreeFrogX@aol.com for more information.


POETRY WORKS
an editorial by Mary Margaret Carlisle, Managing Editor -
Letter to the Editor - Inadvertent Plagiarism
In April, a reader (let's call her "Abby") said that a poem in one of our issues sounded very much like the lyrics of a famous singer/composer who died in the fifties.  We checked it out.  We agreed.  We asked the poet (let's call him "Harry") who said he was amazed.  Harry had heard the singer when he was young, but didn't remember the lyrics.  Harry apologized.

So be aware folks, when the muse brings the words to you so easily they melt onto the paper as if they've been there all along, then on-the-spot do a thorough rewrite.  Find new words to say your thoughts, for what flows through us is not always the muse, but may instead be the imperfectly recalled words of another poet, or the product of simple cliche.

Thanks, Abby.  We appreciate your help.  Thanks Harry.  We appreciate your honesty and apology.  We look forward to seeing many more of your poems in the future.

Keep writing, folks.  A poet in practice is a published poet.


TOPIC THREE:  WAR OR PEACE
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At Pencil Point

I spin the globe and stop at pencil point.
From childhood years I played this simple game--
exotic places visualized in my mind.
Nations where I stopped, I made remain
alive through books and pictures that define
the countryside and customs people knew.
No warning qualms of war or grief came near
but hours of pleasant dreams I thought were true.
These Edens could be found everywhere.
I whirl the globe and poise my pencil tip
but find no place where total peace is kept.

Roberta Pipes Bowman, Fort Worth, TX
Editor's Comments:  We almost didn't include this poem in this issue because it violated the rules of the contest in several ways.  First, it includes a rhyme, with game/remain (even though it is not a sight-rhyme, it is a sound rhyme.)  Second, the poem is eleven lines long, one line too long for contest rules.  These minor problems aside, this poem is still beautifully written, and is an excellent example of almost-rhyme with: mind/define, near/true, and tip/kept.  Good writing!
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THIRD PLACE
Bridges

When we use words to build bridges
Across this war-torn world
We'll heal the wounds of hatred
And see peace flags unfurl

Don Castiglioni, Austin, TX
Judge's Comments:  This piece seeks to "bridge" the gap between hatred and love or peaceable amicability.
Editor's Comment:  The almost-rhyme of bridges/hatred and world/unfurl and the internal almost-rhyme of torn/world enhances the richness of the writing.
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Harmony

Leaping dolphins and sailing ships
Glide in synchrony
While laughing gulls and honking cranes
Intersperse a random symphony

Lois Lay Castiglioni, Galveston, TX
Judge's Comments:  This piece is musical and light, and the rhythm seems to bounce on wordy waves.
Editor's Comments:  While the topic is clearly not "peace," this sea-scape is a wonderful portrait of the ocean, and a splendid example of almost-rhyme with synchrony/symphony.
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SECOND PLACE
Children No More

Where have all the children gone?
Homes all flattened by NATO bombs,
Parents taken in the night.
They crawl into a hole to hide
Until soldiers pass and silence falls,
then they crawl out of their souls.

Renee' K. Driscoll, Clearwater, FL
Judge's Comments:  Although the almost-rhyme was really a stretch, the reality of children hiding from bombs is a powerful tool.  Children are always the real victims of war.
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HONORABLE MENTION
Bloodless

In a world with mass media
Our strongest weapon is words.
Hurl them at those whose actions we oppose
Listen for hints of compromising echoes.
Then send healing words marching
To fight without swords.

Kay Lay Earnest, Smyrna, GA
Judge's Comments:  This is a powerful message for writers.  A good cause for action.
Editor's Comment:  The almost-rhymes: words/oppose/echoes/swords add to the strong rhythms of this piece.
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Peace

The violence is everywhere..
We see it every day, but do we care?
Aren't we all just humans together?
How do we find peace in our place?
With a world so full of hate,
What will it take?

Sharon Goodwin, Galveston, TX
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Overpowered

Words lie still upon the tongue,
The race of love is won.
Your gift disarmed my rage,
And left me all amazed.

Jean McAllister, Bellevue, WA
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Conflict

Opposing factions
No benediction.

Lena S. Norman, Saginaw, TX
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Harmony

A melding together
Treating stranger as brother.

Lena S. Norman, Saginaw, TX
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HONORABLE MENTION
Destruction

Our bombs hit their land
All this destruction caused by one man!

Alison Quinn, Houston, TX
Judge's Comments:  Very simple, so much truth in two short lines of prose.
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FIRST PLACE
War

The red runs down the soldier's face
Oh how horrible to be in this sickening place
The bombs fly from side to side
Questions in everyone's mind, Why?
The fighters fall all about
Some disappear in a single cloud

Alison Quinn, Houston, TX

Judge's Comments: The color of red falling down the soldier's face is a stark image of war.  Excellent choice of words.
Editor's Note:  Alison is 15, and a Freshman at Duchesne Academy.
Thoughtful commentary.
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Heaven

Meet Him as springtime's rose
climbing your problems close.
Meet Him in a hymn's comfort,
in the Merciful's High court.

Ulf Sundblad, Tumba, Sweden
Editor's Comment:  Again, a work that is clearly not to the topic of "peace," yet still an excellent example of almost-rhyme with rose/close and comfort/court.


GLOSSARY
by Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant Editor
http://pages.prodigy.com/dandelionsoup
At one time figures of speech were defined as either grammatical or rhetorical, whereas metaphor, simile, personification, and similar devices were considered figures of thought.  Current practice has discarded the distinction, and all these devices are now referred to as figures of speech.
From "The Intimate Art of Writing Poetry" by Ottone M. Riccio, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ.  1980

OUTSIDE VIEW:
The Importance of Goals
by Pat Barber
Goals are life's targets, aims of our arrows, prizes for which we strive.  Writing with a goal in mind lends focus to the poet's words, a space to fill with purpose.  Choosing words with care is already ingrained in a writer, but without specific intent, poems might well be scattered in a broad spectrum.  Discipline, the harnessing of the poet's work to a specific end, might seem a dichotomy.  Without goals the poet wanders, meaning often lost in a schism of doubt.  Purpose, tenuous and delicate, is easily lost or torn in the vagaries of daily life.  Objectives tighten the poet's aim and clarify the target.  Make your work better - write with purpose.

ALPHA POET - Topic:  May and Men
Winner of "It's About Time", a lovely book of poetry by Naomi Stroud Simmons, one of our poets.  Illustrations by Mary Dinkins.
FIRST PLACE
REUNION

Like shelled turtles, leathery old men come down to the beach,
Winter's hand-wrapped rods at the ready.
Repaired reels, pawls picked and polished, ride the rod seats
coiled, cocked.   "Goin' out!"
One casts, another, then another --
a glistening gossamer thread ties each man to the sea.
Fish or no fish, it doesn't matter.  Seeping terrapin tears,
blinking and squinting at May's morning mist,
the old men cough and spit
and grin at each other.

John Rice, Houston, TX

Editor's Comments:  The comparison of the old men to turtles is excellent:  leathery shells, terrapin tears, blinking.  We know these men, have seen them, and toss the lines with them as we, too, connect with a glistening thread to the sea.

John Rice is Sol Magazine's 1998 Poet Laureate.
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Master Gardener

He weeds out sorrow and pain
And plants rows of contentment and hope
To blossom in my heart's garden
In dark December and sunny May.

Kay Lay Earnest, Smyrna, GA
Editor's Comments:  This is such a positive poem, so full of joy and the breath of spring that, in variance with our long-standing tradition of only printing the winner of this contest, we decided to publish it, too.  Thanks for sharing it with us, Kay.


following from http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/1639/18644

Title:  SOL Magazine's Mary Carlisle: "Write now. Right now!"

Description:  What advice can the managing editor of SOL Magazine offer to freelancers?  "Originality counts for everything.  Never copy anyone else's style, except for practice.  Be truthful. Show your heart.  Don't be afraid to reveal intimate secrets about yourself."  In this article, Mary even reveals some tidbits about herself and her career as a writer/editor.  Come join in and see what she has to say!

LUCIDITY: A poetry journal.  Ted O. Badger, 398 MUNDELL RD, EUREKA SPRINGS AR 72631  Phone 501/253-9351.  E-mail: tbadger@ipa.net
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AUTHORS FOR LITERACY:  The 5th Annual Luncheon for Literacy, sponsored by the Houston Bay Area Chapter of Romance Writers of America.  Write to Sharon Murphy:  SMPT@aol.com or Elizabeth Kelldorf: dawgg@ev1.net for more information.
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Send comments, questions, advice to:
DMHT67B@prodigy.com or Mary_M_Carlisle@prodigy.com
Sol Magazine, P.O. Box 580037, Houston, TX  77258-0037
Phone number:  (281) 333-3741  call week days 8-5 CDT
Website:  http://pages.prodigy.com/sol_magazine
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Write to above address to be added or deleted from this list.
Include the id that needs to be deleted, please.  Some folks have more than one.
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So you want to be judge, guest editor, interviewee?  Tell us.  We may have just the spot for you.  Judges are asked to write a guest editorial on a topic we set before being asked to judge a contest.
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All poetry remains the property of the poet, except Sol Magazine reserves the right to publish all poems (once) at a future date, and/or to post them to a web page.  NONE may be reproduced without permission of Sol Magazine.  Electronic forwarding is permitted as long as no portion of this magazine is changed and all credits are given.
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See our contest website or last contest for current guidelines.
We do not accept entries that make use of graphic language, touch on partisan politics, or support particular religious views.
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Words like "Tis," "Thine," and "Thou" are no longer in common usage, so if you wish to be featured by Sol Magazine, and want to use the language of a Century earlier than the 20th, you must submit proof you were born before 1900, or be one of the four charter members of this organization.
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We correct grammar and spelling errors and sometimes change punctuation without asking for permission or forgiveness.
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Angels in 1999:  Lois Lay Castiglioni, Leo F. Waltz.

Sponsors in 1999:  Don Castiglioni, Emily Katherine Earnest, Kay and Milton Earnest, Sharon Goodwin, Jim Lay, Brad and Mary Millar, Naomi Stroud Simmons, Leo Waltz.

Book donors in 1999:  Joe Blanda, Jim Casey, Guy Le Charles Gonzalez, Sharon Goodwin, Carlyn Luke Reding, Naomi Stroud Simmons, Craig Tigerman.
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New sponsors and angels always welcomed.  Thanks for your support.
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Sol Magazine's Web Site:  http://pages.prodigy.com/sol_magazine
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Sol Magazine © 1999
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