Poems for Persons of Interest

This one isn't strictly from the contest, because it's mine, but it fits the theme. Carol of the Shades Fear and fleeing autumn brings – Blow! Blow! Rain and snow! Creeping, crawling, cruel things – Blow! Blow! Blow!   Blow! Blow! Winds all blow! Bad times come and good times go! Blow! Blow! Winds all blow! Blow! Blow! Blow!   Tears and terror autumn brings Blow! Blow! Tears and snow! Devils dance and Satan sings – Blow! Blow! Blow!   Blow! Blow! Winds all blow! Mourning comes and joy must go! Blow! Blow! Winds all blow! Blow! Blow! Blow!   Death and dolor autumn brings – Blow! Blow! Blood and snow! Killing prophets, priests, and kings – Blow! Blow! Blow!   Blow! Blow! Winds all blow! Funerals come and families go! Blow! Blow! Winds all blow! Blow! Blow! Blow!   Man’s damnation autumn brings – Blow! Blow! Hell and snow! Trapped inside infernal rings – Blow! Blow! Blow!   Blow! Blow...

  Jeffrey Rensch has been writing poetry for 50 years.  He is not a big fan of free verse. Carol of disarray Birds in the temple fly and their catchers elude – they are too beautiful to buy but all their twittering is free. Their song is loud and good. The chaos does feel good. The virgin feels the world release disorganized and full of peace – the chaos is like peace. The sexton charges in dismay, his kingdom is in disarray. The Lord rings loud and good. His message is for good.

Ben Morgan is a writer based in London, UK. His sequence  Medea in Corinth: Poems, Prayers, Letters, and a Curse ,  is published by Poetry Salzburg. It retells the myth through poems, spells and songs. He has also published poems at The High Window, Oxford Poetry, Alchemy Spoon, One Hand Clapping, Stand and elsewhere.  Let Us Praise the Autumn Birds   Praise The boring autumn birds Of Regent's Park. Their beaks like spoons Scoop honey light From sepia lawns at dawn. Their quiet cannot be drowned out By Baker Street. Their wings - fieldfare, mistle thrush, sparrow, tern - Never - barely - glow nor burn, Would win no medals From Paris, but praise, Now, their glamorous subtlety, Whose bashful glories Nest like jealousy By Chester Terrace. The same intensities Riot in their breasts As in the eagle's, So commend their wise restraint, To leave those glassy lakes A bloodless grey. Winged September peonies! Bob-headed ambassado...

Liv is an urban monk, a poet, a storyteller, and a student of Christian spirituality. When she’s not writing, Liv practices gardening, pipe-smoking, leather-working, and mischief. A Contested Carol ‘Twas a day of whimsy when My friend sent forth his call— ‘Send me your poems. Twelve hours, my friends, I’ll read them one and all!’ Light-heartedly, I typed and tapped And words spilled ‘cross the screen. A poem to keep the judges rapt. The best they’ve ever seen!   But I’ve only twelve hours to write My magnum opus poem. And forty lines is kind of tight To bring this whole thing home. ‘Send me your poems. Twelve hours, my friends, I’ll read them one and all!’ Perhaps after my dinner, then I’ll have something to call   A carol for that is the theme. Oh, muses, meet me here! Bring meter and a rhyming scheme, Something to bring good cheer! No music though, for I am no Composer, I’m afraid. But these words still sing, I hope, And aren...

I am pleased to announce that the winner of the 12-Hour Carol Contest is D.W. Baker, for "Alchemists' Hymn."  D.W. Baker is a poet, father, and teacher from St. Petersburg, Florida. His work appears in Identity Theory, The Pierian,  and  Voidspace Zine , and has been nominated for Best of the Net. He reads for several mastheads including  Variant Lit . See more of his work at  www.dwbakerpoetry.com .