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Winning Is Everything

Winning Is Everything I pace the floors frantically in anticipation for my reward I know my contest poem is perfect! Perfect you hear me! Perfect! “NA” is the response I get so I clap my hands and then collapse Left for hours, weeks and months in my puddle of tears And I’m not paranoid or worried for a minute, no anxiety, no sir I told my tick, my twitching eye, my monsters in the dark Please hold me monsters, hold me to your heart! Forgive me for doubting your existence I will never leave you again or the spies on my balcony They need new equipment and binoculars you see To see me clearly and my soiled soul It is a little dirty at this time I have (NA) on my mind Maybe next time I’ll rhyme a little better in my poem And the spirits of poetry will nurture me With the Soup of truth If I even get an “HM” I won’t have to cry or die or pay my spies (They are becoming a liability) At least I tried So I rowed on down the river of tears The river of my misery for years With my “NA” by my side.... maybe next time Created on 12/22/14 for “The Contest”- Poetry Contest - Sponsored by Jerry Curtis

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Poet Destroyer A

Date: 1/15/2015 11:36:00 PM

once again, thank you for the reply

Dr. Upma A. Sharma

Date: 1/15/2015 2:03:00 AM

Brilliant n witty Earl! Loved the way u tuk it,, congrats on top place win!

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/15/2015 8:31:00 AM

Hi Dr. Sharma. Thank you so much. I appreciate your comments and glad you enjoyed it. Have a sunny day. Earl

Poet Destroyer A

Date: 1/11/2015 10:14:00 PM

:) :) :) I smile at every entry in this contest, contest is The Bomb... Congratulations, on your #1 placement. Always & Forever *LINDA*

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/12/2015 6:47:00 AM

Hi Linda, Thank you so much. I appreciate your commenting. I hope you have a pleasant day. Earl

Kayod5 Kayode

Date: 1/11/2015 3:22:00 PM

Nothing could be more factual Earl,you just spelt it out as it is,congrats on this win...huggs

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/11/2015 4:43:00 PM

Hi KAYOD5, Thank you for your comments. I'm glad you found some merit in my poem. Have a great day. Earl

Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser

Date: 1/11/2015 3:24:00 AM

CONGRATULATIONS IN EVERY WAY!... :D! thabks much for dropping by my poems.. :D!..olive eloisa

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/11/2015 6:51:00 AM

Hi Olive, Thank you so. I like the new photo of you. I really enjoyed your poem as you know. I hope you have a wonderful day. Earl

Eileen Manassian

Date: 1/10/2015 11:09:00 PM

WOW! :) I really liked this. It's...intense. My kind of poetry. Although it's probably tongue in cheek...I like the wallowing. I feel this way when I don't place or get an N/A. I kid you not. I'm super sensitive, so...this really is me. Congrats on winning with this superb write.

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/11/2015 7:09:00 AM

Hi Eileen. Thank you so much. I'm glad you liked it. I actually treat the contests as the absurdities that they are. I honestly don't care if I win. The important thing is that the poems get read. I like to entertain people and I like to write...no more...no less. I really enjoyed reading your poem for this contest and I liked your pictures too. Congratulations to you for your excellent poem and your excellent win. Take care. Earl

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 1/10/2015 10:25:00 PM

I think there is not a person here who does not hate those damn N/A's!! May your cup runneth over with big wins!! And congrats for this one. i loved the humor.

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/11/2015 7:27:00 AM

Hi Andrea, Thank you very much for your kind words. I thought N/A meant "Natural Abilities" or "Noble "A" or "Noteworthy And Ambitious" I can't imagine what else it could be. I enjoyed reading your unique poem for the contest. Great job. Congratulations to you too for your excellent win. Have a pleasant day. Take care. Earl

Maurice Yvonne

Date: 1/10/2015 5:14:00 PM

Congratulations your in the clear this time you were the first of all the firsts. It doesn't get better than this. I suggest a Vodka Martini very dry!

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/10/2015 7:21:00 PM

Hi Maurice, Thank you! I appreciate your comments. A vodka martini is the best idea I have heard today. It is late so maybe tomorrow. Have a great week end. Earl

Connie Marcum Wong

Date: 1/10/2015 4:04:00 PM

Being totally ignored with an N/A after you have put so much time and effort into a creation really burns. I wrote about the same subject. I loved your take Earl. Congrats on your first place win!

Connie Marcum Wong
Date: 1/10/2015 10:46:00 PM

Thank you very much Earl.

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/10/2015 7:35:00 PM

Hi Connie, Thank you. You shed crystal clear light on the subject in a very intelligent poetic manner with your poem. Congratulations to you too on your excellent poem and great win. Have a pleasant week end. Earl

Debbie Guzzi

Date: 1/10/2015 2:43:00 PM

Winning may not be the most important thing in the world but for writers 'normally' you either win or don't get read, so it's not as odd as it seems aye? Congrad's on your win. Light & Love

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/10/2015 3:23:00 PM

Hi Debbie, Thank you so much. You are absolutely right. Contests are a ways and means to be seen. Have a great week end. Take care. Earl

Robert Stoner Jr

Date: 1/10/2015 12:38:00 PM

congratulations Earl on your top tier win,well done

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/10/2015 12:50:00 PM

Hi Robert, Thank you so much. Congratulations to you to on your excellent poem and great win. Earl

Sandra Haight

Date: 1/10/2015 10:44:00 AM

Great poem, Earl, and congrats on your win. Although witty, your words do echo the feelings of many poets for sure. Our writing is a piece of our soul laid out for all to see and rejection does hurt. Glad to see your poem on the winner's list. Sandra

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/10/2015 10:53:00 AM

Hi Sandra, Sorry you got Pandita's response. I was writing to her when your response came in. Thank you Sandra! I appreciate your comments and sentiments. I think of N/A as "Noble Abilities", "Notable "A", "Noteworthy and Ambitious." Have a great week end. Earl

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/10/2015 10:45:00 AM

Hi Pandita, Thank you so much. I'm glad you caught on to the fact that I was reaching for just the right level of paranoia, crazy and silly. I wanted to create the proper flavor and texture to the absurd subject matter. I hope you have a wonderful week end. Thanks again. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Take care. Earl

Pandita Sietesantos

Date: 1/10/2015 10:33:00 AM

Earl, this is such a wonderfully witty write! Congratulations on an excellent winning piece that reflects the anxiety and agony of waiting for a judgment and possible placement in a contest! Best wishes. Pandita

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/10/2015 10:46:00 AM

Barbara Gorelick

Date: 1/10/2015 9:51:00 AM

This is so funny and so true..seems like so many of us have bared our souls in this contest. Were joking, but you know what they say, in any joke there is a piece of the truth. lol. congrats..no "NA" this time.. BG

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/10/2015 10:29:00 AM

Hi Barbara, Thank you so much for your kind words. I have always felt that a poem takes on its own life after creation. It stands or dies on its own merits. Like music, everyone has their own taste. Poetry is the same. Every poem has an audience that will like it or hate it. Maybe N/A stands for "Notable Ability"...or maybe not. Have a great week end. Earl

Edward Ebbs

Date: 1/10/2015 9:46:00 AM

Congrats on your win :)

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/10/2015 10:36:00 AM

Hi Richard. You are too kind. I like to write about absurdities. Being silly, being crazy makes perfect sense on this particular subject. Congratulations to you too on your excellent poem for this contest and excellent win. I enjoyed it very much. Have a great week end. Earl

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/10/2015 10:31:00 AM

Hi Ed. Thank you so much. Congratulations to you too on your excellent poem and great win in the contest. Have a great week end. Earl

Richard Lamoureux

Date: 1/10/2015 9:44:00 AM

Perfect! Congratulations on a fine win.

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/10/2015 10:38:00 AM

Dr.Ram Mehta

Date: 1/10/2015 9:06:00 AM

Congrats on the win, I like your approach on the theme, Earl

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/10/2015 9:30:00 AM

Hi Dr. Mehta, Thank you so much. Crazy and silly are fun, especially with a subject like this. I enjoyed playing with the absurdity of the subject. Congratulations to you too on your excellent win. Have a great week end. Earl

Casarah Nance

Date: 1/10/2015 9:01:00 AM

Grats on your win!!! Yay a first place!!

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/10/2015 9:35:00 AM

Hi Casarah, Thank you! It is interesting to win a contest about being a loser. I am happy to be part of the absurdity. It was a lot of fun. I hope you have a wonderful week end. Take care. Earl

John Lawless

Date: 1/10/2015 6:59:00 AM

Earl, I usually bring a fishing rod when I "row down the river of tears". Love this! Congrats on the top spot.

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/10/2015 7:30:00 AM

Hi John, Thank you so much. Congratulations to you too on your excellent entry and win in the contest. As you can see, I took the silly path. In all honesty, it is not about the score. It is about the game. Have a great week end. Earl

Jan Allison

Date: 1/10/2015 6:49:00 AM

Dropping back with my congrats earl - delighted to share the top step with you:-) Hugs jan xx

Earl Schumacker
Date: 1/10/2015 7:20:00 AM

Hi Jan, Thank you so much. I am so happy for you also. Have a wonderful day. Earl

Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser

Date: 12/23/2014 3:51:00 PM

dramatic in a funny way.. :) mmmmmn there is a tinge of desperation somehow... :) but i like it.. maybe next time..

Earl Schumacker
Date: 12/23/2014 5:27:00 PM

Hi Olive, Thank you so much. I'm glad you enjoyed my crazy poem. I'm reading some of your other responses you posted here. Don't worry about "N/A." In your case, if you should get them, just think of them as meaning "Nice Angel." I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and a very Merry Christmas. Take care. Earl

Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser
Date: 12/23/2014 3:54:00 PM

you not alone to have them but well i didn"t yet crt..:)

Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser
Date: 12/23/2014 3:52:00 PM

i have lots of N/A...

Jan Allison

Date: 12/22/2014 1:10:00 PM

An N/A oh - I've got a list as long as your arm of them - worth as much as an HM LOL but at least with an n/a no one else can see you got it!!! Hugs jan xxx Good luck in the contest:-)

Jan Allison
Date: 12/22/2014 3:31:00 PM

I Think you are a very lovely N/A - I shall think of myself as a naughty angel when I get one LOL :-) Hugs jan xx

Earl Schumacker
Date: 12/22/2014 3:28:00 PM

Hi Jan. Thank you. I hope you enjoyed my off the wall paranoid take on the contest. "N/A" really means "Nice American" and since I'm from the USA I get a lot of them. I already gave you a 7 in the contest for your great entry but no tissues since I used them all up on my tears and loses. Take care. Earl