FEBRUARY - Sol Magazine © 2003
Membership Information and Submission Guidelines are posted at:
http://sol-magazine-projects.org/prodigy/sol.magazine/rqmts.htm
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FEATURED ARTICLES

CONTENTS:

• LETTERS
• HEARTS OF PAPER
• WRAPPED IN RED:  ONE CHOCOLATE ROSE
• WINTER RAIN
• SPECIAL EDITION:  AD ASTRA - COLUMBIA
• FREEZING WIND
• SWEET DARK CHOCOLATE AND BITTER THOUGHTS OF YOU
• EDITORS' CHOICE
• Staff info

Back to contents

FIRST PLACE - Winner of a $15.00 Electronic Book Gift Certificate.

The Shape of Love

Heart shapes
left in paper,
the valentines are gone.
Sometimes, in love, even the scraps
are kept.

Kathy Lippard Cobb, Bradenton, FL, USA

Be My Valentine

Spiteful
I thrust a card
In Emily's mailbox
Such sweet revenge to know it is
Unsigned

SJ Baldock, Lancaster, TX, USA

Severing the Vows

Our names
on dotted lines,
a paper once bound us --
hearts broken, we reach for our pens
again.

Deborah P. Kolodji, Temple City, CA, USA

Young Love

I was
in grade seven
when I first fell in love
with boys.  I've drawn a thousand hearts
since then.

Tanya Ruth Larson, Kamloops, BC, CAN
COMMENTS:  Sounds as though the search for "The One" goes on. There is a mysterious ambiguity to the final sentence.
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HONORABLE MENTION

Desperately Seeking

Finders
keepers, losers
weepers.  I found your heart
in yesterday's paper, and now
I'm lost.

Elizabeth Barrette, Charleston, IL, USA
COMMENTS:  In the first sentence, this poet makes good use of the well-known children's' taunt. The final sentence is heart rending. Nicely done Cinquain.
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EDITOR'S CHOICE
Contents

Private
thoughts saved on sheets -
emotionless paper
where a heart's purposeful beats are
expressed.

Brady Riddle, Galveston, TX, USA
COMMENTS:  Marks on sheets of paper are nothing until read. Then the power flows.  Much said in a few brief lines.  Strong writing in this interesting Cinquain.
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OTHER CINQUAIN COMMENTED UPON BY OUR JUDGE
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First Grade

Nan was
absent.  I brought
her paper doily hearts
Starting our sixty-seven year
Friendship.

Lois Lay Castiglioni, Galveston, TX, USA
COMMENTS:  Nice story of a very long friendship.
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Stuck

You sketched
black-lined hollow
hearts on sticky labels
then pulled away slowly, causing
more pain.

Betty Dobson, Halifax, NS, CAN
COMMENTS:  This is a well-done piece: oh, the pain of letting go slowly!
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Kenmore Art

Our fridge
was hungry for
primitive paper hearts.
Until our grandchild slathered it
with love.

Kay Lay Earnest, Smyrna, GA,  USA
COMMENTS:  All grandparents recognize this refrigerator.  Personification an unexpectedly nice turn.
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My Valentine...

Fire
in my heart burns
only for you my sweet.
A paper card cannot express
my love.

Tim Floto, Scotts Valley, Ca, USA
COMMENTS:  A heated message indeed!
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What You Said

You wrote
Down on paper
How you felt about us.
Your words broke my heart, turned it to
Paper.

Mary E. Gray, Newport News, VA, USA
COMMENTS:  Nice commentary on the power of the written word - and the fragility of the human heart.  Simply said, but strongly felt.  Well done.
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From Afar

So far
we're paper, still
dreams unfold like new leaves;
dewdrops soften the parchment of
my heart.

Avonne Griffin, Greer, SC, USA
COMMENTS:  Long distance romance beginning to go from bud to bloom.
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The Other Hand

Lovely,
her green eyes said.
A red paper heart in
one hand, while the other hand held
my love.

Maryann Hazen Stearns, Ellenville, NY, USA
COMMENTS:  Nice imagery. Ambiguity lends a pleasant air of mystery.
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Instant Recall

Tissue
white and crinkly
brings a gasp of delight.
A memory is captured in
her eyes.

Nancy Gail Hecko, Roswell, GA, USA
COMMENTS:  We never expect them yet seem to have many of these moments over the years.
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Buried Past

Interred
Eternally--
Forgotten memories.
Doily-covered casket entombs
School hearts.

Kathy Kehrli, Factoryville, PA, USA
COMMENTS:  Sometimes those old school hearts are best left to rest in peace.  Unforgettable imagery!
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Transition

too soon
the paper heart
folded by a child
becomes a tiny paper plane
to fly

Janet Parker, Leesburg, FL, USA
COMMENTS:  We want them never to change, never to grow up. They always do.  Memorable imagery.
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Hand Crafted

Red, pink,
and white paper
in cut out shapes of love.
Valentines pasting together
our hearts.

Kathy Paupore, Kingsford, MI, USA
COMMENTS: Aren't handcrafted valentines always the best?  Lovely writing.
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Valentine's Day Rites

Just days
before parties,
my daughter cuts red, blue
and purple hearts, shyly signs them
"with love..."

Terrie Leigh Relf, San Diego, CA, USA
COMMENTS:  Next year not so shy!  Loving portrait of a child.
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Valentine Business

Lovers
rush out to buy
in mid-February
gushy valentines of red, pink
and white.

Eileen Sateriale, Bowie, MD, USA
COMMENTS:  Pointed commentary on the commercialization of this February occasion.  Nicely done.
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After the Dance

Colored
red, paper hearts
drift from the balcony
like leaves, gather at my feet--pools
of love.

Judith Schiele, Brandon, MS, USA
COMMENTS:  Strong imagery with very nice closing words.
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Torn Valentine

Moments
Of emotion
Etched in pink paper tears.
Shredded bits of red and white flesh
Torn off.

Marsha Steed, Roseville, CA, USA
COMMENTS: A strong piece with good use of metaphor.
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Valentine Box

Teacher's
orders: each gave
one to everyone. No
hurt feelings, no heartache, just plain
paper.

Katherine Swarts, Houston, TX, USA
COMMENTS:  At last!  Democracy for sweethearts.  Well-remembered universal experience.
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Teaching Fact

scissors
cut white paper
red glitter and gluesticks
paste feelings of second graders
young love

Tony A. Thompson, Lufkin, TX, USA
COMMENTS:  Good use of alliteration to remind us most second-graders love everyone.
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Tearing and Repairing

With a
careless word she
tore my paper heart.  When
she saw my pain, with a kiss she
mended.

Gary Wade, Williston, VT, USA
COMMENTS:  Nice depiction of the roller coaster ride from despair to bliss - and probably back again.
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I Write

I write
From my soul's depths
On the paper of my heart
For all to see, in my eyes
Reflected

Daisy Autry Worrock, Abingdon, VA, USA
COMMENTS:  Reminds us the eyes are windows of the soul.  Lovely phrasing.
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Delicate

Affairs
are easily
marred by deception's grasp.
Candor protects paper hearts from
the rain.

M. E. Wood, Belleville, ON, CAN
COMMENTS:  An argument for honesty being the best policy.  Nice word choice.
 

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FIRST PLACE - Winner of a $20.00 electronic book gift certificate.

Devotion

I bought you this box of chocolates,
Rich and brown as your beautiful eyes,
Wrapped in crimson and sculpted like flowers,
For a Valentine's Day surprise.

I know it's a few days early,
But I don't dare keep this on my shelf.
I love you even more than dark chocolate--
But I still might eat it myself!

Katherine Swarts, Houston, TX, USA

February Bonbon

Red and gold-foiled confections
chocolate tokens of love,
Cupid's arrows in February
arch ardor through the air,

you take my hand and smile
and my heart wrapped
in a kiss of chocolate
melts in your breast pocket.

Kathy Paupore, Kingsford, MI, USA

Trifling with Truffles

I send them, I send them not,
I send them, I send them not . . . .
What a daisy-like dilemma;
this has got to stop!

They say there's something in chocolate
that makes you feel in love.
Shall I wait and trust in fate --
or give it a little shove?

Avonne Griffin, Greer, SC, USA

Is it more noble that I love myself more than he?
Or perhaps it's a genetic proclivity, a flaw of character?
Some say that the bliss-filled freedom I enjoy
is proof that I'm possessed by the famous naked Lady.

Condemn me if you must, but I will not be denied
the treasures found in downtown candy shops, where
the scent of chocolate truffles a l'orange is more enticing
--and fulfilling--than a dalliance with my Lord.

Terrie Leigh Relf, San Diego, CA, USA
COMMENTS:  Delightfully illustrated, with an interesting closing.  The detail work in this poem is well put together.
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HONORABLE MENTION
Another V-Day Massacree' *

I tried "Death by Chocolate," **
but it didn't take.  Unless perhaps
it's a slow, lingering death, somehow
involving pimples and cholesterol.

Doubtless I'll never know; I can tell you
that to die because of love
has really quite little to do
with the availability of roses.

George Matthew Stateson, Grand Prairie, TX, USA
COMMENTS:  Beautifully written, ironic and wry, with a hint of wonderfully dry humor seeping through every phrase.

*EDITORS' NOTE ONE:  The "Massacree'" mentioned in the title refers to how Arlo Guthrie pronounces the word "massacre" in his song, "Alice's Restaurant."  The 1967 lyrics, which may be read at http://www.arlo.net/lyrics/alices.shtml were written as a protest against the war in Vietnam.

**EDITORS' NOTE TWO:  While you may know that "Death by Chocolate," is a reference to a very rich chocolate dessert, you may be interested to know that it's also the name of an English rock band.  In addition, there are several books by that name, including a 1997 cookbook by Marcel Desaulniers, and a mystery novel by G. A. McKevett.
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OTHER POEMS COMMENTED UPON BY OUR JUDGES
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Cocoa Amore

Why is it that when I look at you,
My tongue hides behind my teeth
Like a turtle in his shell, so that
I cannot say how much I love you?

But I know you like hot chocolate,
So I give you a big tin of it for
Valentine's Day, hoping you can
Divine my meaning from the brand.

Elizabeth Barrette, Charleston, IL, USA
COMMENTS:  Exquisitely put together, this poem is both original and delicious.  This poet shares her intimate thoughts and conjectures in a very engaging way.  Wonderfully demure and passionate all at once.  Thought provoking as well as provocative, charming.
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UT Austin

On Valentine's Day
Kay watched stoically
As streams of chocolate trickled
Through the freshman dorm.

Until flowers came for her
Bearing a card signed
"To my yellow rose of Texas
From your ever-loving brother."

Lois Lay Castiglioni, Galveston, TX, USA
COMMENTS:  Tender familial thoughts explain that universal bond between siblings.  A very sweet ending to a potentially sad day for Kay!  Were this written in one paragraph, with no line or stanza breaks, it would qualify as a prose poem.  Nice metaphor:  "stream of chocolate."
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Bon Bons

I knew it must be love
For the sailor always came
With Stover chocolates
Tucked under his arm

At the arrival of our first born
I was not surprised
When he suggested, "Let's name
The little fellow Russell."

Kay Lay Earnest, Smyrna, GA, USA
COMMENTS:  Russell Stover Chocolates are famous the world round.  Using that reference makes this succinct piece shine.  Think of how this could have ended had he brought home Fannie Mae chocolates!
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Sense and Sensual

Would chocolate entice you into my arms?
Would fragrant roses entwine our hearts?
Is red the color of our love?
Are there words you long to hear?

I taste your silken skin.
I inhale the bouquet of your smile.
I see light inside you shine.
I ask, "Will you be mine?"

Tim Floto, Scotts Valley, Ca, USA
COMMENTS:  Love poetry in all its sensual richness.  Well done.  Powerfully romantic, full of pure devotion and love.  Good use of repetition in final stanza and a final rhyme to seal it with a poetic kiss.  Excellent use of repetitive sounds though out, epitome of
romance.
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Sweet Rapture

With love and chocolate,
open wide the senses
resigned to the parable
that has you mesmerized.

Each savored moment
tumbled and tossed sweetly on the tongue
prolonged by the slow melt of a
wrapped kiss.

Roz Garay, Riverside, CA, USA
COMMENTS:  Careful phrasing permeates this poem, and ends in the sweet "slow melt of a wrapped kiss."   Yummy!  Sensuous sounds echo in this terrific poem.
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ValenTiny

I had expected red foil-covered roses,
perhaps an ornate card emblazoned
with multi-cloned sentiments
penned by someone who's never met me.

Then, that morning I awoke to find
a red velvet-lined box that held
a large red bow and ribbon which held
a tan and chocolate Chihuahua pup to love.

Maryann Hazen Stearns, Ellenville, NY, USA
COMMENTS:  Puppy love tumbles the commercial world right off the map - well done.  Lower expectations, this poet explains, can sometimes be shredded by the reality of a very dear and caring loved one.  A  tender "tail," indeed!  Surprise endings like this encourage the reader to enjoy the poem again and again.
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Moments to Savor

Cream-filled confections ornately boxed
Heralded Valentine's Day.
Pastel crosses and milk chocolate sleighs
Filled stockings and baskets alike.

Like hugs and kissed you lavished us
With edible holiday love,
Each nibble a moment to savor
As too brief memories of you.

Kathy Kehrli, Factoryville, PA, USA
COMMENTS:  Lavish in life, the beloved is remembered sweetly afterwards.  Poignant and tender.  Touching tribute.
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Housewife's Guilty Pleasure

Chocolate!  It is my clandestine love.
Am I cheating on my husband?
I must be for I will not share
my secret stash with anyone.

I see his headlights and lick my hands
clean of any evidence.  Washing my sin in dishsoap, I...
Uh-oh!  He's mad!  The door slams!  He yells,
"Hon, I brought your favorite chocolates home!"

Tanya Ruth Larson, Kamloops, BC, CAN
COMMENTS:  Domestic drama, indeed!  Clever writing makes the reader wonder:  Is the love of chocolate "cheating"?  Nicely done.  Great ending for this guilt-ridden lady.
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Counting on Telepathy

Two days before cupid's day
I send him telepathic messages
no roses, please, just chocolate
and more chocolate.

On cupid's day he arrives
with love in his eyes
and hands me a box
with a chocolate corsage.

Janet Parker, Leesburg, FL, USA
COMMENTS:  The best of both worlds!  Careful repetition of the word "chocolate" throughout shows the depth of this writer's feeling. Clever work, e-mail/cell phones not needed, right on theme.
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In the park, alone

chocolate petals
dropping down
from tainted stems
onto the ground

drowned by emotion
melted away
love's dissolution
led them astray.

Brady Riddle, Galveston, TX, USA
COMMENTS:  Fine writing by a skilled poet leads us to the vivid scene of this "so sad" crime.  Concise yet brimming with sentiment.
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Postal Valentine

Just in time for Valentines Day,
the mailman brings me a delicate box.
I open it up and see one chocolate rose
and a fancy floral card, signed by you.

The red wrapper so shiny and bright
envelopes the sweet brown confection.
It perks me up because you don't live near
but then, I smile, thinking, next year, love.

Eileen Sateriale, Bowie, MD, USA
COMMENTS:  Serious and universal plaint about the distance between lovers.  It's a simple story, one repeated many times by many lovers, but warm, and touching.  Wonderful reminder that love thrives on a box of hope.
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Giving and Keeping

A funny thing happened the other day,
I was given two roses.  Each exquisite.
Carefully wrapped in a plastic
Allowing only the bud open to the air.

One, I unwrapped, taking off the plastic,
The next day, that flower drooped, head bent, wilted.
The other stood erect, firm, moist and lovely,
I love chocolate.

Marsha Steed, Roseville, CA, USA
COMMENTS:   Interesting twist on the "chocolate and roses" theme.
Wonderful ending.  This poem has many elements worth noting:  Careful word choice, comparison/contrast, and an element of surprise.  Nicely done, poet.  Witty observation, good description.
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Prismatic Aura

After eight hours of watching stocks
rise, fall, rise, and finally fall for the day
I loosen my tie while standing in line at Wal-Mart,
a box of chocolate and a troubled mind.

I arrive home, later than usual.
She has dinner in the oven, one place mat at the table.
I give her the candy. She doesn't speak.
Love glitters in the last rays of sunlight.

Tony A. Thompson, Lufkin, TX, USA
COMMENTS:  Tension builds in each line of this piece, but the final line dissolves it all in happiness.  Excellent story telling.  This writer sets the scene with many excellently described moments, then ends exquisitely.  The thoughtful detailing makes this piece memorable.  Mysterious ending.
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No Valentine

No chocolate kisses of love
Melting bittersweet tears
Love forsaken in the time of roses
My heart can not tell of joy

The sugar has congealed
Sealing my heart from pain
Rejection is not a taste I like
But was fed it just the same

Daisy Autry Worrock, Abingdon, VA, USA
COMMENTS:  Conveys the heart-felt pain of unfulfilled love.  The non-conversational phrasing lends the tone of memory, rather than recent experience.  Strong, succinct.

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FIRST PLACE - Winner of a $20.00 electronic book gift certificate.
 

gusts of chill cut deep
clouds pile north to south
drops turn to diamonds

Katherine Swarts, Houston, TX, USA

cold earth coverlet
dormant daffodils await
awakening rain

SJ Baldock, Lancaster, TX, USA

ice drops beat down trees
wind hammers cold through wet air
birds shiver complaints

Mary E. Gray, Newport News, VA, USA

low rolling gray clouds
scatter water through cold air
dimples on the pond

Gary Wade, Williston, VT, USA
COMMENTS:  The words used to describe this gray winter scene are well chosen to exemplify that mood.  It is a simple thing, the act of raining, but here, it takes on a newer meaning - one of duality, the clouds so far above the pond, reaching down to scatter the water, only momentarily disturbing the surface of the pond.  Wonderfully introspective.
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HONORABLE MENTION

red cardinal
nestles in holly
January drizzle

Avonne Griffin, Greer, SC, USA
COMMENTS:  This simply elegant Haiku is sparse in language but rich in description.  An entire scene is brightly painted in few words.  Wonderful use of color to set the scene, with the contrast between the vivid red of the cardinal and the wonderful winter green of the holly, with red berries to match the cardinal.  It is excellent how such a detailed mental image can arise from so few words, and a testament to how well chosen those words are.
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OTHER POEMS COMMENTED UPON
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grey sky opens up
raindrops fall like winter days
small and cold and dark

Elizabeth Barrette, Charleston, IL, USA
COMMENTS:  Comments:  Very nice imagery.  The opening line lends a feeling of spaciousness to the scene, which is neatly contrasted by the usage of "small" in the final line.
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winter rain
drumming on tin roofs
competes with woodpeckers

Lois Lay Castiglioni, Galveston, TX, USA
COMMENTS:  Interesting comparison of the rain and woodpeckers, and a very apt one at that.  Nice internal near-rhyme with "winter" and "tin" - the two words form a pleasant tongue-rolling phrase.
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winter drizzle
his old slippers still beneath
my nightstand

Kathy Lippard Cobb, Bradenton, FL, USA
COMMENTS:  Very emotional, well conveyed in so few words.  Bursting with all kinds of translations and interpretations, with such a strong core feeling that almost all else is moot.  Very well done.
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bitter London dawn
horns blare as narrow streets flood
homeless man carols

SuzAnne C. Cole, Houston, TX, USA
COMMENTS:  Nice usage of words to properly convey the time of year - such as "bitter" and "carols."  Good double meaning to "carols," as well.  Here, the other side of winter rain is shown - not the rain itself, but the inconveniences it causes.  Well-portrayed without being too specific.
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prints glaze with moisture
frozen visions of failure
reflect existence

Sharon Rothenfluch Cooper, Portland, OR, USA
COMMENTS:  Interesting in that it could possibly be read two ways - with "prints" being fingerprints, or being actual photographic prints.  Each interpretation has its own appeal, and both are well sketched here.
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gentle winter rain
loosens snow from window screens
warm breath sets flakes free

Betty Dobson, Halifax, NS, CAN
COMMENTS:  Beautiful imagery, so delicate and ethereal.  Of especial note is the nice conceptualization of "setting flakes free" in the final line.  It is particularly nice how the poet approaches such a seemingly mundane topic and brings it to light in a beautiful way.
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icy gales snatch
bobbing umbrellas
pedestrians scurry

Kay Lay Earnest, Smyrna, GA, USA
COMMENTS:  Wonderfully Mary Poppins-esque in the concept of umbrellas being snatched here and there;  this haiku has a feeling of constrained energy, and the word choices are excellent.
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winter rain prevails
perfect opportunities
sailing paper boats

Roz Garay, Riverside, CA, USA
COMMENTS:  Very interesting choice of words to create a scenario that could possibly be interpreted any number of ways.  Particularly nice is the imagery in the final line.
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cupped hands
catching warm breath
icy drops sting cheeks

Julie Hartman, Magnolia, TX, USA
COMMENTS:   Nicely kinetic in the opening lines;  nice image of the hands "catching" the warmth of one's own breath, creating a warm nook (if only in one place!).  Very good contrast between that warmth and the "icy drops" which assail.
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yesterday's snow reincarnates
under today's unexpected rain
ice reborn tomorrow

Maryann Hazen Stearns, Ellenville, NY, USA
COMMENTS:  Very intriguing meteorological haiku, turning something as treacherous and curse-provoking as the formation of ice into something poetic and beautiful.  A true accomplishment!
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pellets lashing cheeks
labored footsteps forge ahead
fighting winter's wrath

Kathy Kehrli, Factoryville, PA, USA
COMMENTS:  Classic Woman versus Nature, in haiku form!  Neatly said, and well sketched.  Word choices are apt, and put the reader in the midst of the storm.
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ice clouds spill over
roads laden with commuters
cars slide through stop signs

Tanya Ruth Larson, Kamloops, BC, CAN
COMMENTS:  Wonderful dual meaning of "spill over" at the end of the first line.  Nice action-filled word choices, as well as clear imagery.
==============

winter rain
passion ebbs
ice bound heart

Ron Miranda, Garland, TX, USA
COMMENTS:  An unusual twist on the topic, but a very well done one.  Nice usage of "ebbs" to continue the water theme of rain, and "ice" to continue the winter theme.  Altogether, a neatly said and painfully felt poem.
=============

freezing rain
backyard
winter wonderland

Janet Parker, Leesburg, FL, USA
COMMENTS:  Sparse commentary sometimes yields the most powerful images, and this is no exception.  It is so easy to imagine what is being seen - the poem truly achieves its goal of creating a vivid mental image.  More "Miku" than "Haiku," this succinct poem is wonderfully done.
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rain drops
deep night
morning tinsel

Kathy Paupore, Kingsford, MI, USA
COMMENTS:  Wonderful dual meaning in the opening line with "rain drops," and beautiful phrasings carry breathlessly from one line to the next, arching like the fineness of a single strand of tinsel.  Excellently done.
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gray morning
splotches of wet dust
on cracked brown leaves

Terrie Leigh Relf, San Diego, CA, USA
COMMENTS:  Nicely done Haiku.  Color, or rather, the lack of it, is abundant here.  Excellent imagery in this haiku, and it effectively conveys the cheerlessness of a wintry, rainy morning.
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weight of winter air
leafless trees and fog are one
pressing latticed panes

Brady Riddle, Galveston, TX, USA
COMMENTS:  Simply fine writing, well described scene, with nature totally in control.  Beautifully poetic diction bring a little more life to this haiku than it might normally have, given the subject chosen.  However, the phrasings create an ethereal winter bareness that is, in and of itself, beautiful.  Very nice emphasis on trees and fog becoming one, as so often happens on foggy winter days.
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over icy air
heavy clouds ride low and far
water falls as sleet

Shannon Riggs, Honolulu, HI, USA
COMMENTS:  Nice dual meaning of "water falls."  Wonderful imagery is present here.  Particularly nice is the way the poet conveys - in so few words - the action of scudding clouds scooting across the heavy skies.
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white pellets fly
bare tree branches shiver
frozen icy ponds

Eileen Sateriale, Bowie, MD, USA
COMMENTS:  A sparse scene, sparsely described, but vividly imagined and richly felt.
==============

Frigid droplets fall
Washing along in sheer sheets
Black ice hides on walks

Barbara G. Scroggins, Williston, VT, USA
COMMENTS:  Excellent descriptive writing.  "Sheer sheets" is wonderful to say aloud, as is the double "f" sound in the opening line.  Neatly described icy scene.
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Grey skies and cold rain
Inside fire is flickering
Time to toast marshmallows

George Matthew Stateson, Grand Prairie, TX, USA
COMMENTS:  Wonderful contrast between the icy rain outside and the warm, toasty fire (and marshmallows!) inside.  This haiku effortlessly moves between the two extremes, and manages to unite them in a common, yet special, winter scene.
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meeting dirty glass
icy tears slide down pooling
mourning morning warmth

Marsha Steed, Roseville, CA, USA
COMMENTS:  Wonderful final line, with that glorious double sounding "mourning morning"!  Beautiful portrayal of Winter's emotions when met with warmth, sending her icy tears down to pool (melt).  Excellent depiction of the clash between Winter and coming Spring.
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blackbirds
huddled on branches
storm warning

James M. Thompson, Baytown, TX, USA
COMMENTS:  Interesting haiku depiction of the old wives' tale of huddling blackbirds presaging a coming storm.  Particularly nice is the mental contrast between the blackness of the bird huddle and the whiteness of the landscape and storm-to-come.
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Northern wind
Brown Bermuda blades
Beg moisture

Tony A. Thompson, Lufkin, TX, USA
COMMENTS:  Wonderful alliteration!  Nice contrast between the Northern wind and the "southern" (aka, Bermuda) grass, as well as the white/brown contrast of snow and dead earth.  Very nicely done.
=============

Cold freezing droplets
Fall from heaven's winter sky
Chilling my body

Daisy Autry Worrock, Abingdon, VA, USA
COMMENTS:  Simple, sparse imagery, but a very powerful scene, and one that could possibly be seen two different ways.  Thought provoking, and well-written.
 

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FIRST PLACE - Winner of a $20.00 electronic book gift certificate.
 

February Blush

They say that the air has no hue
But I can prove that isn't true
You can think what you think
But the north wind is pink
It rubs off on your cheeks
And the stain lasts for weeks.
Go outside - you'll get some on you!

Elizabeth Barrette, Charleston, IL, USA

The wind howls, biting my ears.
My eyes sting so bad I feel tears.
To block its attack,
I just turn my back,
Shift into reverse all my gears.

Kathy Kehrli, Factoryville, PA, USA
COMMENTS: Captures a major truth about freezing wind: it turns us around!  The ending metaphor is unexpected, and adds an element of surprise.
============
HONORABLE MENTION
Cold

My nose is cold, my feet are froze
my fingers feel like my numb toes
fog is getting thick
think I'm growing sick
coat's warm, slippers too.
Hope I don't get flu
biting breeze seems intent that I freeze!

Marsha Steed, Roseville, CA, USA
COMMENTS: Personification of the freezing wind gives depth to this limerick.  Something to see and feel adds depth to this cute limerick.
============
OTHER POEMS COMMENTED UPON
============
Snuggle On Your Side of the Bed!

The wind howls -- the cabin is cold
My husband has made it his goal
To seek out and find me
Then sneak in behind me
And touch me with bony cold toes

SJ Baldock, Lancaster, TX, USA
COMMENTS: It's easy to picture this humorous scene.  The visual and auditory elements really add to this funny vignette.
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Icicles on Eaves

This winter brought much snow and hail
And more than once a living gale.
Icicles on eaves,
With too few reprieves;
My feet are freezing,
The cat is sneezing--
What a time for the heat to fail.

Betty Dobson, Halifax, NS, CAN
COMMENTS: It has indeed been a brutal winter for many who are used to much better.  Nice mid-poem phrasing in "Icicles on eaves/With too few reprieves."
============
Winter Burgers

There once was a bloke from Wisconsin
Who claimed to be tough as they come.
Being emboldened,
He grilled burgers in the chill wind.
And now they're thawing his buns.

Tim Floto, Scotts Valley, Ca, USA
COMMENTS: Funny pun at the end completes a hilarious word-picture.
============
Blue Friends

The mountains surrounding my house
protect me and my shivering spouse
from the winds that blow by
from the icy-breath of the sky;
I see my friends turning blue
as they're in love with their view,
I say "enjoy it," but I feel like a louse.

Tanya Ruth Larson, Kamloops, BC, CAN
COMMENTS: What one finds harsh may appeal to a visitor as fresh and invigorating.  The interesting pairing of "spouse/louse" rhyme is a real breath of fresh air.
============
No Parking Here

The wind pushes me on as it blows
I hang tight by my toes
as my hat flies away
I manage to sway
but when I try to stop, I still go.

Janet Parker, Leesburg, FL, USA
COMMENTS: Sometimes there's no chance of winning against a stiff wind.  The very strong visual elements here add to the humor, and literally put the reader into the action.   Well done.
============
Montreal Express

From the north comes the Montreal Express
that makes cold lovers bundle to excess.
Canada's blasting breeze
makes us cough and wheeze.
Into the house we jockey
to watch a game of hockey
and escape the paralyzing brisk mess.

Eileen Sateriale, Bowie, MD, USA
COMMENTS: Thankful to have a house in which to escape the bitter onslaught!  The quick pace of this almost leaves the reader breathless, but still game to re-read the poem.
============
Florida It Isn't

You think Houston winters are mild?
It's true, snow is never high-piled,
But air still turns cold,
The wind still blows bold,
And runny nose still drives us wild!

Katherine Swarts, Houston, TX, USA
COMMENTS:  The near-rhyme of "piled" and "wild" is nice.  Interesting repetitions in the last two lines.
 

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COMMENTS FROM THE MANAGING EDITOR:  I am as unable to resist excellent poetry, as I am unable to resist dark chocolate.  These choice selections from among the wonderful treats our poets entered are simply delectable!
=============
TIE - FIRST PLACE - Winner of a $10.00 electronic book gift certificate.
 

Feast Your Heart

I devour the sweet chocolate of a man,
Knowing you would not approve.
We are fresh, running wild like cupids,
We lay starry-eyed under Valentine's moon.
I have ignited a blaze from the spark that waned
Until romance came calling again.
You ran away on the rocks into a veil of fog,
And an arrow, out of nowhere, pierced my flesh
As your lovelight faded away.
A pile of logs for my new man's fire,
Where chocolate brews, laced with love's liqueur;
He wipes a smudge from my lip and I sizzle
My memories of you in the melting pot.
Our marshmallow smiles bridge the years,
We make up for the nights we missed
By unwrapping our passions in foil,
We play hide-and-seek with our kisses.
Did I mention his red satin-sheets?
He turned me from a woman who would settle
Into a vixen eating chocolates with ruby-lacquered nails
On a Heavenly Bed of rose-petals.
Do you remember me, old Valentine,
From an age that has passed away?
The angels have made me a love-rich lady
And the dark chocolate he and I have created
Is the sweet harmony I have always craved;
I did not know it could exist without you;
I was naive, but now I am blessed
With my very own chocolate-covered god!

Tanya Ruth Larson, Kamloops, BC, CAN

Addiction

lucid dreams of chocolate-sweet treasures
discovery of power
precise fingers lift the lid to reveal a rich passion -

precious bullion glows deep in the box
sensational heat melts brittle bonds
smooth flow coats the body

stilled blood warms in the chest
parched thirst quenched in the throat
flushed skin stretches taut

sugar-laden bounty expels rumors of darkness
rewards determination
solicits heightened euphoric awakening

temptation to share
bitter-sweet conflict
not with whom

only that satisfaction
is most savored by me

Brady Riddle, Galveston, TX, USA

On The Way To Bill's Budget Foods

I'm traveling at 65 M.P.H. on the interstate
a can of Sprite and a Hershey bar,
listening to Oldies 101.7 play Earth Angel.

You are probably punching numbers in
the computer at 2nd Specialty Bank,
your lunch hour 20 minutes away.

I exit off, glance at my watch, think just
enough time left. An open parking
space across from the main entrance.

I park and wait. At 12:03 p.m. my time
you walk out the side door wearing the blue
outfit I bought you two months before

you decided we were finished. I finish
the Sprite, washing down the last bite
of bitter chocolate, wad the wrapper up,

toss it in the street, watch it disappear
under a truck passing, look up
and you're gone too.

Tony A. Thompson, Lufkin, TX, USA
COMMENTS:  Talk about bitter-sweet!  Great juxtaposition between the consumables (Sprite and chocolate) and the drama of the now-consumed relationship.
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THIRD PLACE:  Winner of a bag of chocolate kisses.

Crushed Red Foil

I will remember this: sweet dark chocolate,
these moments, when all things change,
crushed red foil, these bitter thoughts of you
on the tip of my tongue, and darkness.

These moments, when all things change,
when each morning you and I begin
on the tip of my tongue. And darkness
comes again. We have no way of knowing,

when each morning you and I begin,
what each day may bring. Each hour
comes again. We have no way of knowing
what surprises, what new chance and yet...

what each day may bring... each hour,
crushed red foil, these bitter thoughts of you.
What surprises, what new chance? And yet,
I will remember this - sweet dark chocolate.

Maryann Hazen Stearns, Ellenville, NY, USA
COMMENTS:  Masterfully-crafted modern pantoum contrasts bitter and sweet in love and chocolate.
============
HONORABLE MENTION

Sweet Revenge

A butter cream for every lie.
A caramel each time I cry.
A toffee crunch--You little cheat!
A special dark, bitterly sweet.
Cashew patties, nougatty squares,
Cherry cordials consumed in pairs.
Heartache avenged thanks to Hershey kiss.
Farewell, my love, hello chocolate bliss.

Kathy Kehrli, Factoryville, PA, USA
COMMENTS:  Such wanton carefree indulgence!  Quite humorous to imagine this taking place.  The simple rhythm and aa-bb rhyme scheme enhance the amusement.  Bravo!
============
HONORABLE MENTION

Unopened

Memories
of you, moments
in a box,
dark chocolates,
bittersweet
love promises
unopened, chocolate dust.

Kathy Paupore, Kingsford, MI, USA
COMMENTS:  The candy box becomes a symbol of unfulfilled pledges of commitment in this well-conceived poem.  The form followed in this poem is a Whitney, created by Betty Ann Whitney, Sol Magazine's Poetry Manager.

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Addiction

lucid dreams of chocolate-sweet treasures
discovery of power
precise fingers lift the lid to reveal a rich passion -

precious bullion glows deep in the box
sensational heat melts brittle bonds
smooth flow coats the body

stilled blood warms in the chest
parched thirst quenched in the throat
flushed skin stretches taut

sugar-laden bounty expels rumors of darkness
rewards determination
solicits heightened euphoric awakening

temptation to share
bitter-sweet conflict
not with whom

only that satisfaction
is most savored by me

Brady Riddle, Galveston, TX, USA
COMMENTS:  Highly descriptive diction coats this piece sweetly.  Luscious writing in a delicious poem.
 

There is no immediate prize associated with a poem having been picked as Editor's Choice in a particular month, only the knowledge that our editors picked it over all the other prize winners of that month.  However, all poems chosen for EDITOR'S CHOICE of each month in the year 2003 will be automatically entered in the EDITOR'S CHOICE OF THE YEAR 2003 competition, voted on by Sol Magazine Members at the end of the year.

Questions?  E-mail Mary Margaret Carlisle, Managing Editor: Sol.Editor@prodigy.net
Please refer to this page for Sol Magazine questions & email contacts:
http://sol-magazine-projects.org/prodigy/sol.magazine/question.htm

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