Greetings, Earthlings!
So it turns out this week’s ultimate question (“Where does it hurt?”) was more apropos than I even intended. I sat in the doctor’s office today, gritting my teeth as she checked my shoulder and neck, fretting about the grid and how I hadn’t yet voted. “How’s this?” she asked, and, “Tell me where it hurts.” An hour later I learned I likely tore my rotator cuff in last week’s little bike mishap. By the time I got home, the votes were already in. Another kind of pain — an opportunity lost to make my own choices.
This week we were graced by three gargleblaster virgins and six hitchhikers. Welcome, everyone! We hope you find something to love here in our little community.
Crowd favorite
Where my attention was focused on one particular ache, your stories poked and prodded at all kinds of sore spots. From the pain of a broken foot to the sharp agony of grief, you covered it all. This week’s winning entry is grief-filled, but it’s a sad, quiet kind of pain. Jo-Anne from Going for Coffee packs this tiny poem with a lifetime’s worth of details – more than enough to draw us into little Lizabeth’s story. We don’t know what brought her to this point, but we know that she was looking for peace. Here is Towards Eternity:
Down the path
Around a bend
In the froth of waves
Stands Lizabeth
Without an ‘e’ or shoes
Small heart empty of tomorrows.
Cool ocean sand swirls
Beneath curled toes and wishes
She hesitates
Then floats away
Towards eternity
Amongst the fishes.
Lovely work, Jo-Anne. Congratulations! Pick up your winner’s badge there at the left.
Editor’s pick
This week, I’m awarding the editor’s pick to one of our three gargleblaster virgins. Veronica (Charlottesville Winter) swept in here with this amazingly painful and timely piece inspired by the tragedy of the missing schoolgirls in Nigeria. She treats the subject with such gentleness, but the message is clear: never forget that somebody is Missing:
you’re a twelve dollar
soldier’s bride.
saying you’re beyond price
reflects you as commodity.
saying you’re my sister
removes you.
saying you’re missed
redeems me.
we understand
each other through wide eye
terrors and welcome home hugs.
my arms are empty.
Congratulations, Veronica. This was a fantastic debut! There’s a gargleblaster editor’s pick badge waiting for you over there in the sidebar.
Top row seven*
In addition to Jo-Anne, these folks walk away with a top row seven badge: Lisa from Priscilla Queen of the Dessert for Good Girl; Karen at Fat Girl in Boxing Gloves for Creation Myth; Suzanne at Apoplectic Apostrophes for Lost Girl; Rach at The Pigments of Life for The Produce Isle; Susan at The Wizard’s Word for Accept No Imitations; and CC at Conscious Cacophony for That Morning Moment. Grab your badge, and be proud of your work!
The gargleblaster grid is now sorted in order of votes from most to fewest. It’s always a tight race and a wonderful opportunity to learn from your fellow grid-mates. In the case of a tie, InLinkz gives precedence to the post with the highest number of clicks.
* I realize that your browser may not display the grid in neat rows of seven, but mine does. Therefore, the Top Row 7.
There’s more to life than gargleblasters
Hard as it is to believe, there are other challenges out there at yeah write! Go ahead — take a few minutes to check out this week’s challenge grid (for personal essays and traditional blog anecdotes) and the speakeasy (for fiction). Read, comment, get to know the community. And if the mood strikes you, submit your own post: the challenge grid and speakeasy are open until 10:00 PM Eastern on Wednesday. We know you won’t all make the grid every week, but don’t panic! The moonshine grid opens on Friday and we’d love to see you there.
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Congratulations to all of the winners!! I absolutely loved Jo-Anne’s take on the prompt. I apologize for missing wonderful comments on my entry. A friend is going through something, and that of course effects me too. I’m looking forward to reading everyone’s post and voting next week.
Congratulations to Jo-Anne, Susan, Karen, Lisa, Suzanne, Rach, and Veronica. This week I read every single entry and was blown away by how amazing the writing was, so I am incredibly humbled (astonished!) to be in the top seven. Wow, thanks!
I read most of the stunning entries. Congrats to all of you!
I wish my computer’s camera had been on while I was reading all of the fantastic posts this week. You would seen the full gamut of emotions: laughing, crying, grieving, snide. Congrats Jo-Anne, CC, Susan, Karen, Lisa, Suzanne, Rach, and Veronica. A badge well earned!
Congrats to all the winners! These are getting more tough to vote for every week!
Wow, I am honored to be in top seven. Stellar entries, like always. Congrats to Jo-Anne, Veronica and top row. Thank you.
Congrats Jo-Anne, Virginia and the “seven”! Given the intensity of this challenge, and all the pain, it’s amazing how elegant the writing is. I enjoyed it all : )
And a good time was had by all. Well, perhaps I should not be so bold to profess that I speak for all so… And a good time was had by me.
Thanks everyone – Thanks Yeah Write!
Big applause to EVERYONE for being so adept at taking 42 words and shocking the h*ll out of me with your ingenuity and heart. I am honored to have made the top row seven and to stand among you. It was SO hard to pick just 3! Peace, y’all.
Absolutely amazing entries this week – I’m humbled to be included. I think this prompt brought out many emotions for each of us; thank you for the opportunity to explore them.
Congrats to the winners. Slight hope that I might make it this time. Guess not 😀
I loved your post so much that it was one of the three I voted for 🙂
That makes me very happy, C.C. Thank you!
It was so, so hard to choose… Congrats to everyone!
Congratulations Jo-Anne, Veronica and top row seven. Jo-Anne, I love the way you handled the prompt!
Congrats, all! Stiff competition this week — so many great pieces!
Back to the drawing board…lol 🙂
Paul, I really enjoyed your piece. Don’t be discouraged! Keep pushing those boundaries. 🙂
Heh, don’t worry Christine. Whatever happens I will leave this earth as a former Gargleblaster Crowd Fave. Not many of us can say that…lol. See you next week 🙂