Each nominee will receive a handmade dragonfly card from Cha. The cards are made by a former contributor.
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*Voting is now closed.
Cha co-editors Tammy Ho & Jeff Zroback will nominate the following poems for the Pushcart Prize 2010.There is one more slot: we have several pieces in mind but would love to know your thoughts. Which piece from issue 10, issue 11 and issue 12 of the journal do you recommend?
Cha co-editors Tammy Ho & Jeff Zroback will nominate the following poems for the Pushcart Prize 2010.
1) Eddie Tay, “Night Thoughts” Read “A Cup of Fine Tea: Eddie Tay’s “Night Thoughts”” here. (issue #12, September 2010) .
2) Phill Provance, “St. Petersburg Has Many Churches” Read “A Cup of Fine Tea: Phill Provance’s “St.Petersburg Has Many Churches”” here. (Issue #12, September 2010)
3) Rosanna Oh, “Etude” (issue #11, May 2010)
4) Anuradha Vijayakrishnan, “Suicide Note” Read “A Cup of Fine Tea: Anuradha Vijayakrishnan’s “Suicide Note”” here. (issue #10, February 2010)
5) Papa Osumbal, “A Bum’s Demise” Read “A Cup of Fine Tea: Papa Osumbal’s “A Bum’s Demise” here. (issue #10, February 2010)
6) The sixth nominee is revealed in this post
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Congratulations to all the nominees. We wish you the best of luck and thank you for letting us publish your wonderful work.
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Cha 
The more I keep re-reading Bones, the more I like it. The last two lines in particular put the whole poem into a new light, as the reader gets a glimpse of the relationship between the narrator and her mother.
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From a reader:
Tammy, these are all very strong poems you and Jeff are nominating. I enjoyed discussing them with you immensely.
After re-reading the recent issues, I'm going to give my 'vote' to “Bones” by Rumjhum Biswas.
This is my interpretation of the poem: the persona and her mother had a strenuous relationship. The daughter never did anything sincerely and she did not respect her mother. But after the latter's death, she picks those memories of her that she despised, that made her mother so disrespectable. She lets them sink into the Ganges, in a way to forgive her mother and her misgivings.
This is of course inspired by your own interpretation, which is succinct and insightful.
Thank you for this wonderful new issue.
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Dear Tammy,
I consider Papa Osmubal's “A Bum's Demise”, published in your Sept. 2010 issue, as a true winner. The simplicty of the words used blends well with the deep and meaningful message it conveys powerfully narrated with scenarios and images that a reader could easily identify him or herself with. The piece got my vote.
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Trevor Barnes told us: “I would like to cast my vote for your sixth Pushcart nomination slot: Daniel Bowman Jr’s “April Poem,” with its understated clarity and subtle magical realism, is easily one of the most beautiful pieces I have read this year. I have been a fan of Bowman’s work for a while now, having discovered his poems in several of my favorite journals (including your own). It would be wonderful to see such a deserving poet gain some further recognition.”
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I loved Daniel Bowman's poem, “April.” The speaking through images reminds me of haiku. The form itself, the references to the cycling of the seasons, reinforces one of the themes of the poem.
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Nick told us he likes Papa's “A Bum's Demise” best.
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I enjoyed reading “Suicide Note,” “A Bum's Demise,” and “Stone Fruit.” Congratulations to the nominees and I look forward to reading more of their poetry.
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Jonathan told us: “Phill Provance's “What I Said to Her Was Not a Lie,” one of the poem in your latest issue of Cha, is stunning. Some striking imagery. Just left him a note on his site. But thanks for sharing. You guys rock!”
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A reader told us: “Of all the poems mentioned here, I vote for Rumijhum Biswas's “Bones” and Ocean Vuong's “Paramour”. “Bones” is beautifully written and the ending prompts you to re-read the entire piece. “Paramour” – just because of the stanza from the poem singled out by Tammy.”
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CHA's Pushcart Nominations for 2010
Because every year we do this!
“April Poem” from Issue 10
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Ocean's 'Paramour' all the way!!
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Eddie Tay's “Country” has just received a vote.
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Paramour gets my vote!
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Eddie Tay's “Country” is my favorite one from here, the last 2 lines do it for me.
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A reader told us: “Eddie Tay's “Country” is pitch perfect; assertive but not deliberately reaching for poetry. I find that the toughest part of writing a poem – achieving that window.”
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Bones by Rumjhum Biswas and Dera Ghazi Khan, 1925 by Nabina Das are my favourites for the Pushcart
Amitabh Mitra
http://www.hudsonview.us
http://www.amitabhmitra.com
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I am hoping Rumjhum Biswas' 'Bones' is nominated. A poem that says much sparsely but very evocatively and effectively. In the narration of one life, one death, it speaks for many others. Its very starkness makes it even more memorable.
Thanks for this space, I am glad I could write this about a poem a liked immensely!
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Bones by Rumjhum Biswas is a poem that goes beyond poetry- it becomes your own experience. I relived my emotions and feelings that had flooded through me when my mother died, and every Hindu who goes through the cremation rites for a beloved parent automatically becomes the speaker in the poem- such is the power and strength of this poem that speaks with a low and quiet voice and yet resonates in our hearts. My nomination is Bones by Rumjhum Biswas
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A reader told us: “I think “Bones” by Rumjhum Biswas fills the slot perfectly.
Mothers are hard to put into words, especially when they are gone. This somehow captures those bittersweet feelings. I fell in love with it, or rather it haunted me.”
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I'd vote for Dera Ghazi Khan, 1925 by Nabina Das
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My vote is for Bones by Rumjhum Biswas, loved it absolutely
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Bones by Rumjhum Biswas is beautiful and deeply moving.It deserves to be nominated.
Hema
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Ocean Vuong's Paramour, Annie Zaidi's work and many, many other poems that Cha has brought to light
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It is a difficult choice; the two poems that speak most to me though are “Country” and “What I Said to Her Was Not a Lie”. Both also have a great last two lines (as does “Bones”).
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A reader told us: ““I hope he doesn’t say them quite so well / or that I continue to say them better.” gets me every single time!”
Those lines are from Phill's “What I said to her was not a lie”.
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“Harvest” by Kim-An Lieberman earns my vote ;-p
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Read all the entries and they are all pretty good! But of all the entries “Bones” by Rumjhum Biswas really intrigued me and it deserves a lot of votes.
Gurleen
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We received this message from a reader: “Hmm… tough call. I guess I'll vote for “Bones”. Very well constructed!”
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Bones by Rumjhum Biswas is the best
Very powerful and evocative narration!
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My vote goes to “Suicide Note”. I like it's simplicity and the mood the author has created. It's incompleteness is a wise device to illustrate the theme “suicide”. I like it!
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Ooops, I made a mistake above – My vote for this year's poems goes to “Bones”.
What usually reminds us of our departed and beloved relatives? Usually it's the remains of their bodies, i.e. their bones. The poet has captured a very wise device (just as Anuradha Vijayakrishnan used various addresses in “Suicide Note”) to enhance the power of death.
I really like how the poet uses her nostalgia to influence her readers. Nice poem!
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Tammy,
My vote is for Ocean Vuong's “Paramour”.
If it matters, Eddie Tay's “Night Thoughts” is a close second.
Surajit
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Bob's further remark on “Bones” by Rumjhum Biswas: “One of the finest poems that I have read in some time….it’s concise and troubling and touching all at once… beautiful job!”
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So many great poems! I'll have to give three cheers to:
“Dera Ghazi Khan, 1925” by Nabina Das
“After Ten Years” by Kim-An Lieberman
“April Poem” by Daniel Bowman Jr
p.s. the link to “Diaphragm” doesn't appear to be working.
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