RESULTS – Microcosms 82

Just in time for Microcosms 83, here are your results for 82!

Thanks to everyone who entered this week. We had 12 awesome entries and amazing participation! Keep it up!

Please keep returning to Microcosms, and retweet / spread the word about this contest among your followers and friends.

Don’t forget that Microcosms exists primarily to provide a platform for the flash fiction community to hone their skills, and secondarily to give entrants a chance of receiving an accolade from that week’s judge. We also have the vote button for anyone – not just fellow entrants – to register their favourite/favorite(s) and thus establish a Community Pick.

Remember, you can reply with a comment to any and all of the entries AT ANY TIME: It’s good to have feedback.

Judging was on me this week, part of the reason for the delay. I haven’t done it in a long time and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it! I’d forgotten what fun it is. Again, I sincerely apologize for the delay. (For those wondering, things are okay. Just busy and overwhelmed with life.)

I was pleasantly surprised by all of the poems this week. Poetry is difficult to do well, but each of the ones submitted were awesome in their own way.

Judging is subjective. Like everyone else, I have my own particular tastes, which will likely be reflected in the outcome. Wish I could give you all trophies!

Thanks for your patience. On the stuff you guys really care about – the results!

KM

 

 Favourite / Favorite Lines

Steph Ellis –
I am the spider
Weaving a web of silken truth
Catching the unwary
In a casual conversion
An opening of eyes
Eloise – The murder had sharpened the cane and played dart with the victim’s body.
Bill Engleson – They skulk away, concerned that my shadow might darken their lives.
Sian Brighal – The hollowed out wares
Ashley Gardana – Jill traced the words, the ink a raised texture against her finger, greeting her in a way that almost mocked because the past was on these pages, and the future was in ashes.
Angelique Pacheco –
Colours swirl in hate
She refuses to stand up
The rose of peace parks.
AJ Walker –
The audience watched in rapt attention.
With no idea of this invention
JK –
This particular foggy day will never be forgotten
Sharpest blade in hand
Dug deep through flesh and organs
Aimed for the heart, if existent
David Allen – I began to look over the scene when I noticed something was off with the blood…
Kaylee Schuler – A furious uproar burst from the crowd as they surged toward the man, becoming a writhing mass that struggled to surpass the barrier.
Patrick Stahl – This time Eloise was siding with the Americans. Even as a bodyshifter, she had a sense of patriotism…
Ell Meadow (late entry)-
The State
sealed his fate
in under an hour
is this
what they call
justice?
 

Honourable / Honorable Mentions

Ashley Gardana – From the Ashes

A lot communicated in a few words with some nice imagery to boot. Well done.

David Allen – A Graves Situation

I love sci-fi and twist endings. I really felt like this was the beginning of a larger story, but it felt complete on its own.

 

 

Runners-up

JK – Crimson Street

Kelly nailed it when she called the piece poignant. Gorgeous words with great world building.

 

Bill Engleson – No Man’s Death Diminishes Me

Although hinted at and not a complete surprise, the end is chilling and definitely stays with you.

 

And now, without further ado, we present the winners of Microcosms 82.

 

(insert drumroll here)

 

 

Community Pick

We have two winners! Bill Engleson and Steph Ellis! Here is Bill’s. You can read Steph’s below. 🙂

Bill Engleson – No Man’s Death Diminishes Me

I already left comments just above, but I will add that it was extremely for me.

300 deaths a drop in the bucket
Assassin / On a Bus / Crime

Some might think I am a man full of dark thoughts. Even those who know me not, who only observe some quality in me that causes their spine to screech and run cold.

They skulk away, concerned that my shadow might darken their lives.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

My thoughts are buoyant, my shadow, the one I permit to freely roam, is a charming little darling.

Why, even the sky pleases me. And the air, ah, the sweet tang of blossoms flowering.

So much delights me.

I am not, nor have I ever been, a man full of dark thoughts.

But, if you think I am a man who has done dark deeds, why, you’d be dead on the money.

I smile as I board the bus. The woman ahead of me is on the larger side. She can barely manage the steps.

She looks behind, down at me. “I’m sorry,” she chatters. “A few too many of Charlotte’s Pecan Pies…”

I forgive her her weighty encumbrance. “Who could resist Charlottes Pecan Pies,” I reply.

She is befuddled, stuck between her lumbering impasse and the thought that I might indeed know Charlotte. “How do…?” but she lets it pass, realizing, I suppose, that I am, at best, some sort of jester, and at worst, well, she will have to think about that. What apparition could I be?

I sit at the back. The view is wide. The bus is full. Children. There are many. Mothers, fathers, a few quite elderly travellers.

What an odd contract. Select a public conveyance. Make sure there is a host of citizens, a smattering of ethnic diversity, many demographics.

I am more accustomed to the single shot. The solo target.

This venture into chaos.

I quite like it.

I tingle.

I do.

 

Judge’s Pick

Steph Ellis – The Fly in the Ointment

Wow, what can I say? Although I like writing poems, I don’t generally enjoy reading them,
oddly. But I found myself enraptured with this one right from the get-go. Lovely imagery and just beautifully written. Nice job!

163 words
Freedom Fighter / During a March/Protest / Poem

I am the fly in the ointment
The one who walks
The one who talks
Of equality and justice
And other fanciful things

I am the fire ant
Burning out bigotry
Breaching the walls
My refusal to die
The sting in the tail

I am the spider
Weaving a web of silken truth
Catching the unwary
In a casual conversion
An opening of eyes

I am the worm
Turning over the lies
Of the dumb and the blind
To reveal the truth
Of the hypocrite’s heart

I am the butterfly
Beating its wings
Bringing the beautiful chaos
Of our diversity
Into the light

I am the one who walks with ghosts
On Freedom’s Road
I am the one
I am the many
And we are swarming

We march and we fall
And we crawl if we have to
To the feet of black-visored puppets
A civilised barricade
Of guns against words
Where we will talk
Of equality and justice
And other fanciful things

 

Congratulations, Steph. I know it’s last minute, but please let us know if you’d like to judge the next go round!