DISCLAIMER - Yes, I know that the Steemit logo has changed, but I like the old one more and do not want to change it :)

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My Greetings To You!

What are you doing to me? I was late with the publication for several days... I couldn't CHOOSE! I re-read about 30 poems from the primary selection... and to exclude more than 20 excellent entries was really not easy! The theme was very interesting thanks for your thoughts and interpretations!

I am really very grateful to you all! Good luck and success to you, friends!

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The theme for Steemit Poetry Contest #14 - Words

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About Prizes:

First Place - 8 SBD

Second Place - 7 SBD

Third Place - 6 SBD

Fourth Place - 5 SBD

Fifth Place - 4 SBD

Sixth Place - 3 SBD

Seventh Place - 2 SBD

Eighth Place - 1 SBD

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Entries will be accepted within five days from the date of publication of an announcement!

Deadline - February 9 3:00 PM UTC

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The winners of the Steemit Poetry Contest #13

1st Place - "The Doll" by @bennettitalia

The one you love most is the last you'd suspect,

but a doll in your likeness, with pins in its neck,

tucked away in the back of a drawer in her vanity's

not a good sign: you question her sanity.

A tickle in your throat makes you cough as you look

through cupboards, closets, boxes, and books...

In the pantry: carved with strange sigils there stands

a broom, made of real wood, polished by hand,

unnoticed before. Now restless, you keep

waking only to search features softened by sleep.

One night, catlike, she'll rise with the moon

and fly to the sky on her polished wood broom!

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2nd Place - "Wrong Party" by @okramer

Some dudes prepare for clubbing with a beer

and suddenly the leader has a great idea:

“I have a plan for getting laid tonight!

We'll sneak into a lady's night!”

Instead of jeans and muscle shirts

they put on wigs and dress in skirts

and when the bouncers let them go inside

they praise themselves for being bright

they toss their wigs and put on pants

and watch the girls begin to dance

but when they see them fly around in capes

it dawns on them they made a big mistake...

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3rd Place - "Everyone's a Witch" by @spellmaker

When the darkness comes and the moon rises

Skeletons come out of closet and fight.

Where is the line between me and the Moses?

How is the darkness turning to light?

Words! They can tell you good night.

Or worse! They can bring out the fire and might.

Spelling - compelling my life!

I'm telling you - words are there to be right.

Write! You're a witch. You're a bright.

Trust in your self. Your body and sight.

Try! More you miss, more you smile.

Answers are here. Just stay for a while.

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4th Place - "Bewitched" by @marcoriccardi

A soothing shroud of silent, sacred night,

When sorrow sleeps and savage dreams flow true.

The sky reverberates a new star’s light,

My soul, alike, vibrates because of you.

Out of the corner of my eye, a ghost,

An evanescent shade of eerie might,

Female, enchanted spell in which I’m lost,

I, clumsy, earthly male with damn poor sight.

You laugh at me, but I’m already deaf.

I’m only a man bewitched just for love.

Your coven plays around me in alto clef,

Your dance is doom for me yet, a hell shove.

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5th Place - "Dance Night" by @carrieallen

We gather together every 13th

Dance in the moonlight and pray to the gods

We call those above and some from beneath

Offerings we bring to favor our odds.

Men in the village provide what we need

Then kiss us sweetly, and we're on our way

With our carriage full, pulled by the best steed

We'll see them again at the break of day.

The path is clear, blanketed in moonglow.

The ritual begins, soon in a trance

Our songs cause the trees to bend and billow

By 'morrow we know nothing but the dance.

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6th Place - "My Sisters and My Daughters" by @chrisroberts

The foulness and the fairness of this thick and frosted night

Arouses demons, devils, dragons' fire.

My sisters and my daughters on the prowl 'til morning's light

Will follow where I wallow in the mire.

Insanity, it beckons as I seek some things for brew:

A monkey's heart, a badger's leg and fang,

A hair from a neglected child, a genius's breakthrough,

The vocal chords of birds that never sang.

So fly my coven mistresses, my sisterhood of sin,

These portions of my potion seek to find.

Then sure enough I'll conjure stuff to make me young again,

To live forever, doing deeds unkind.

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7th Place - "Salem Brooms" by @robhimself1

I cast a spell upon you, to draw you in to see,

Our coven here in Salem, where all we witches be,

Yes Salem town, please walk around, go get yourselves some rooms,

We'll need you here come witching hour, when we ride our Salem Brooms.

Our cauldrons have been bubbling, filled with a foul brew,

A toad, a newt, and owl's eye, it's boiling just for you,

So sit right down, don't move an inch, I promise you'll see soon,

Just why we need you here with us, when we ride our Salem Brooms.

Now take a sip, don't mind the taste, you may find it kind of nice,

The aftertaste won't linger long for our human sacrifice,

For broomsticks can't just fly alone, out of the muck and gloom,

Your blood instills a magic power upon our Salem Brooms.

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8th Place - "To Put Things Straight" by @viraythewitch

We don‘t worship the devil

We wouldn‘t hurt a child

Not one of us is evil

Most are meek and mild

There is this picture painted

From ancient fearful men

That still has not yet fainted

Of old hags in a den

We like nature and kittens

Is that really a sin?

Some knit their own black mittens

But we all have light within

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Rules of The Contest!

• Only one entry is allowed.

• Your entry-post must be tagged both #poetry and #poetrycontest

• The Title must be "SteemitPoetryContest #(with the number of the actual episode)" + the name of your poem.

• You can use any types of rhyme - End rhyme, Cross rhyme, Internal etc.

• The size of the poem - three quatrains (one quatrain = four lines).

• Do not steal! The contest is only original works!

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I wish everyone good luck and creativity!

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Let's make STEEMIT more interesting and varied together!

Sincerely, Terry Craft.