Meet Soulcist: A Georgia Poet who Loves His Home and Family

 

Yusemi and Soulcist

Yusemi and Soulcist

Soulcist has been on the site for close to a year now, and he has certainly made his presence felt with over 54,000 contributions. He’s a Senior Mentor, a Vandal Patrol Generalist, a Community Outreach WikiGuide and a Category Supervisor in six categories! He is most active in Teen Dating and Xbox Live. In his free time he teaches himself to build software-based webites. He is devoted to a few very special people, including Yusemi and his grandmother, but get to know him and you will see he is sensitive and considerate of everyone in his life and on our site. To find out more about Soulcist, visit his profile where he shares some of his own beautiful poetry and more. We are lucky to have such a genuine person as a member of our community and we can only wish him the best. Continue reading

Meet C.Hainsaw: He’s out of this world!

Meet C.Hainsaw. He’s one of the most cherished and longstanding members of our Community. In trust points alone he’s over the 2600 mark. Overall, C.Hainsaw has almost 248,000 contributions! His knowledge is broad which qualifies him to supervise many categories, especially those related to the US Military, Law and Legal Issues, and Jobs and Education. He participates enthusiastically in our contests and programs, and has won many awards. Among them, he was the top Mentor for the Most Outstanding Performance Overall in the 2011 WAmmy and he won the Best How-To in the 2010 WAmmy. Read more to learn about this wise and thoughtful member of Answers.com who is also, by the way, passionate about his family! Continue reading

Meet Fixit895: Crossover from Scotland!

Born on the other side of the Atlantic in Scotland, he now makes his home in Canada. This very week Fixit895 (aka Charlie) reached 10,000 answers on the site! He supervises the Glue and Adhesives and Manufactured and Mobile Homes categories (a clue to his username) and he is also a WikiGuide for Community Outreach and a TIP member. He can figure out how to fix anything and loves to answer questions on the site. On a personal note, he has an admirable military background. We are proud to have him with us! Read on to learn more about this well-travelled and seasoned Supervisor. Continue reading

Meet Norvell Wisdom: Fan of Springsteen, Dylan and Joel and passionate about comfort!

Traveling Man

NorvellWisdom has been around the block and then some!  He has lived in at least different 14 places throughout the United States.  As a chemical patent attorney he has more than 350 US patents!  We are privileged to have this knowledgeable and seasoned contributor on the site.  We can just imagine him listening to “Jungleland,” his favorite song, while answering questions about stoichiometry!  Read on to learn more about Norvell.

What is your first name?  Norvell

What is your occupation?

I am currently retired but acting as an unpaid officer of a small company that some of my friends founded. My last full time job was as a chemical patent attorney.

What is your Answers.com username and how did it come about?

It’s just my first and last name run together: NorvellWisdom.

Where in the world do you hail from and what makes this place special?

I have lived in many places: Oklahoma City, Muskogee, and Nowata, Oklahoma; Palestine (Texas), Houston, Harleton, Austin, and, most recently, Longview, Texas; Elizabeth, New Jersey; Watervliet and Albany, New York; Horsham and Blue Bell, Pennsylvania; and Warren, Michigan.

How did you discover Answers.com?

I discovered the site when I was doing a Google® search.

What enticed you to join our community?

I liked the idea of having an opportunity to review some things I am in danger of forgetting for lack of use.

What is your favorite thing to do on Answers.com?

I like to answer questions about stoichiometry.

What life accomplishments are you proud of?

I have written more than 350 U. S. Patents!

What is your favorite type of music?  What is your favorite band or artist?  

I listen to folk or rock and roll with socially conscious lyrics: Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and Billy Joel are all good.

What is your favorite song?images

My favorite song is “Jungleland”, by Springsteen.

Who is your favorite poet?  

Shakespeare, Robert Frost, and Edwin Arlington Robinson are all very good.

Do you view the glass ‘half full’ or ‘half empty’?  Why?

I view it as “half empty,” because in the words of some medieval poet, “Indeed the world contains much good, yet still more ill than good” and of Edward Gibbon, “History is largely the record of the vices, crimes, and follies of mankind.”

What do you find most challenging as an Answers.com contributor?

It is challenging to guess the intention behind a poorly phrased question.

What are you most passionate about in your life?

Comfort. (I am 75 years old now!)

What is one quirky or interesting random fact about you that most people may not know?Railroad

I am very interested in the schedules of passenger railroads, especially US ones before 1960.

A 2010 Year in Review… in poetry.

The giant disco ball is set up in Times Square,
Wind gusts and sniffles abound everywhere.
The last calendar page is ready to tear,
And Uggs are officially the preferred footwear!
So as 2010 gets buried in snow
(Or actually not, if you’re in the hemisphere below)
This is the time to reflect, create a New Year’s vow or two,
It’s the Answers.com 2010 Year in Review!
We’ll travel month by month, so sit back and enjoy
Horrible, wonderful, and insane; this is the real McCoy…

January

Haiti was hit by an earthquake, Richter measured 7.0
Strongest magnitude recorded there, from tectonic plates below.
With donations from celebrities like Giselle and Sean Penn,
The Red Cross, FIMA and even the U.N.
Help came swiftly and people opened up their hearts
We are the World was re-sung and topped all the charts.
JD Salinger was finally caught, by that Catcher in the Rye,
You were a recluse but a genius; it’s sad to say goodbye.
The longest annular eclipse of this millennium was hot,
So was Senator Scott Brown, winning Ted Kennedy’s spot.
Jay Leno retired from The Tonight Show, Conan took his place
Six months later he was ousted – ouch, slap in the face!

February

Steve Jobs announced the release of the stylish iPad,
The competition from Tampax could’ve hurt just a tad.
After 44 years the Saints finally reached into their soul
Beating the Colts at NFL’s 44th Super Bowl.
Beyonce’s a winner too, six awards on Grammy night,
First time for a woman – you go girl! Pretty tight!
Toyota wasn’t so lucky, recalling nine million cars,
For sticky accelerators that were not up to par.
Luger Nodar Kumaritashvili dies while training,
Olympics ban the Canadian luge for the athletes remaining.
Obama wants to finally end Don’t ask, Don’t tell
The Supreme Court is iffy; California says ‘swell.’

March

Tiger Woods finally admits to cheating on his wife,
It wasn’t a car accident after all, that threatened his life.
Gatorade didn’t buy it, nor did AT&T,
They dumped him as sponsors; everyone but Nike.
Chile is smacked with an earthquake, a tsunami then rises,
While the southern U.S. gets hit with blizzards of monstrous sizes.
At Sea World, Tilikum kills a trainer named Dawn
He’s an orca after all, you can’t blame his brawn.
Apolo Ohno speed-skated to his eighth Olympic win,
Ends up on a Wheaties box; then you know you’re truly in!
GM announces it will stop making the Hummer,
Tree-huggers cheer while manly men grunt ‘bummer.’
The 82nd Academy Awards were lively and fun,
Sandra Bullock scored ‘Best Actress,’ then adopted a son.
Up and Avatar were movies that globally sold,
If you’re blue and cartoony, you bring home the gold.

April

The lava erupted out of Mt. Eyjafjallajökull, headed south
Which was faster than the name could escape from our mouth.
Air travel was halted, Europe was distressed,
In Arizona, the Anti-Immigration Bill was the mess.
The BP oil rig explosion kills 11 in the Gulf,
Nobody could cap it, not even Gandalf.
Pelicans were dying, sea turtles were in strife,
Gas prices were the concern – but at what cost to life?
Duke wins the NCAA championship, they’re now the best
Russia signs an arms reduction treaty with the U.S.
Obama’s health care reform bill officially makes the cut,
Democrats are joyed, Republicans go nuts.
Polish president Kaczynski and his wife die in a plane,
Lindsay Lohan’s ankle bracelet falls out of its range.
In China and West Virginia there are explosions in mines.
NFL drafts begin – yup, it’s come to be that time.

May

The Afriqiyah A330 airbus crashed near the sea
Coming up from South Africa, bound for Tripoli.
The aftermath was scary, just shrapnel and fire,
But miraculously emerged one lone Dutch survivor.
‘Lookin at Lucky’ and ‘First Dude’ are names of horses
That placed 1st and 2nd at the Preakness courses.
Gary Coleman laid to rest, (child star from Diff’rent Strokes),
He had a tough life from the media, his wife, his folks.
Faisal Shahzad parked his car conveniently in Times Square,
Fully equipped with a bomb, including an ignition flare.
A vigilant pedestrian called in and he was forced to abort,
Don’t think you can mess with the people of New York!
Speaking of justice… Elena Kagan was appointed
As Obama’s first pick; hope he won’t be disappointed.

June

Roy Halladay earns MLB honor and fame,
The true-blue Philly threw his 20th perfect game.
The Indianapolis 500 is won by a Scotty,
Dario Franchitti, whose dad owns a chain of gelati.
FIFA took over full force; Shakira Wakka Wakkas,
Beckham was injured, but we still had our Kaká.
Vuvuzelas were blasted; the sound is annoying ‘like whoa’!
But hotties Ronaldo and Cruz were able to soften the blow.
Eclipse was released, fans are spreading the love,
Which team do you play for: Edward or Jacob?
After 25 years, Larry King leaves CNN,
The first phone-in TV talk show has come to an end.
Japan’s Prime minister resigns, Hatoyama can’t pass the test,
While England drinks itself silly at a summer beer fest.
China ends ties to the dollar, which could prove quite tragic
Hogwarts is no longer exclusive to wizards with magic -
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter finally opens its doors,
So muggles can actually play quidditch and even the score.

July

Hurricane Alex hit Mexico, but was quickly silenced,
Hurricane Mel Gibson was charged with domestic violence.
Paul the Octopus is a sports fan, psychic and gifted,
Each Mundial team that he chose won just as predicted.
Spain beat Holland 1-0; Red is the clear winner,
No Leffes now, just Sangria en el victory dinner.
When George Steinbrenner died, the Yankees lost their dad
Giuliani, Yogi Berra and New York City were ever so sad.
Justin Bieber’s video Baby became the most YouTubed ever,
His hair might be silly, but what’s behind it is clever.
BP caps the gushing oil well after 86 days,
The fish high-five with their fins, jump up, do the wave.
Serena Williams takes Wimbledon, LeBron signs with the Heat,
The U.S. and Russia swap spies as soon as they meet.
Chelsea Clinton marries Mezvinsky, clad in Vera Wang,
It’s interfaith so lechaim and amen they sang.

August

The 62nd Emmy Awards boasts Jimmy Fallon host,
Mad Men was the series that took home the most.
In the Arizona state primaries, the winner’s John McCain,
He may not be president, but as Senator he reigns.
Kaymer won the PGA Championship, took home the purse,
But on PlayStations everywhere, he doesn’t come first.
Debates ensue on Ground Zero, where the Twins Towers stood,
On whether a mosque should be built near this precious ‘hood.
The owners contend it’s freedom of expression,
Families object; it’s more than a constitutional question.
Proposition 8 was struck down, overturned – then appealed
(I’m gonna need some Pepto by the time this case is sealed.)
Former Senator Ted Stevens died in a crash from the air,
The WHO declared the end of the H1N1 scare.

September

Tragedy turned happy when Antoine Dodson made the news,
He fights off a Bed Intruder and then tops off iTunes.
Keenan Cahill is self-made, lip-syncing ‘teenage dream,’
He looks younger than his age, but he really is 15.
Sesame Street is in trouble – parents give a tough time
Over Katy Perry’s cleavage (though Elmo didn’t mind).
The sheep are running wild; the Kiwis don’t know where to perch,
A 7.2 earthquake hit New Zealand, out there in Christchurch.
Reggie Bush returns the Heisman; he was a steroid-taking man,
Sarah Shourd is the hiker who gets released from Iran.
Terry Jones decides for everyone that it’s Quran Burning Day,
Pastor, to spread God’s word, this just ain’t the right way!
British Police arrest five men over a threat to the Pope,
Lady Gaga wore a meat dress, while PETA tried to cope.
Continental merged with United – it’s the only way to fly
Kenny McKinley of the Broncos has finally said goodbye.

October

A cholera outbreak in Haiti hits the region wide and far,
Rehydration is the key to make the disease say au revoir.
A record was broken by the international space station -
For the longest time humans lived in galactic habitation.
The Social Network was released, every Facebook fan attends.
Is Mark Zuckerberg the good guy, or did he screw over his friends?
33 miners were trapped in Chile in the San Jose mine,
Just as the town gave up hope, they got a note – ‘hey, we’re fine.’
Food and water were sent daily through a pulley in the ground
69 days later, all emerge – without a single frown.
Halloween is finally here and the costumes that all score
Involve The Situation and the whole cast of Jersey Shore.
Indonesia has three disasters; Mother Earth can be so mean
The Nobel Prize in physics was awarded for Graphene.

November

Obama visited the Far East to promote better trade relations,
Offered to remove Sudan from the list of terror-sponsored nations.
Prince William asks Kate Middleton to be his dear princess,
With Diana’s diamond ring, it shows the love she represents.
In the 106th World Series, the Giants beat the Rangers,
Trader Joe’s recalled cilantro that could cause potential dangers.
Reps took over the House, fulfilling Obama’s fear and dread,
While the Democrats have re-elected Pelosi as their head.
The Deathly Hallows was released, part 1 of the adventures,
When the second half is out, the cast will all be wearing dentures.
Miley Cyrus is now legal, she had her Sweet 18,
Bon Jovi goes on tour, lookin’ good in skinny jeans.
North Korea’s Kim Jung Ill decides to shell Yeonpyeong,
South Korea’s swift response said, ‘We’re ready, bring it on!’
WikiLeaks unveiled a collection of top secret U.S. files,
On Dancing With The Stars, Bristol Palin was all smiles.

December

Leslie Nielson, we will miss you, you left us way too early,
Call him Dracula or Agent, but please don’t call him Shirley.
Angry Birds is all the rage – kill those pigs, they’re all corrupt,
At Level 3 you get the blackbird; with a tap, it self-destructs.
FIFA’s next World Cup in Russia, in the year twenty-eighteen,
Then it’s on to Qatar, where their plants produce benzene.
In the U.S. once again, Aiden is the most popular boys’ name,
For girls no more Isabella – it’s Sophia that now reigns.
Mark Madoff committed suicide; so sad it makes you steam,
Now he’s the latest victim of his father’s ponzi scheme.
Elizabeth Smart’s kidnapper is guilty, he finally gets his time
Derek Jeter makes more millions, it’s with the Yankees that he signs.
NASA discovered bacteria which on arsenic can thrive,
Replaces it for phosphorous; not the usual, but it’s alive.
WikiLeaks is constantly Googled – in SEO it’s leadin’
But it’s founder Julian Assange is still accused of crimes in Sweden.

Wishing you an excellent 2011

from

An Ode to Answers.com

Answers.comOne of our contributors, Judy Florian, provides an interesting look inside this crazy ride called Answers.com in our featured poem this week. Answers.com has facts about the Battle of Waterloo and it also has the latest reality show gossip. But it all falls into place and we learn from each other while building the world’s leading Q&A site.

We Learn from YOU, by Judy Florian, July 8, 2010

Need quick answers to your problems?
Volunteers will reply to each of them.
From students’ to professionals’ wisdom
We give true answers to all who come.

Answers.com is the place to turn!
For any subject you wish to learn.
Type a question, see what’s there!
Celebrity to chemistry to polar bear.

Are you curious about Lindsay Lohan?
Database design? or the newest band?
Tracing of blood through your heart?
Give us a topic from which to start!

Ask the most trivial, the most obscure.
Ask about what makes you feel unsure.
We’ll do our best to explain it well,
Define, describe, in detail we’ll tell.

Studying the history of Women’s Lib?
Don’t understand parents? problem sibs?
Concerned about how your boyfriend acts?
Want to understand, know, get the facts?

Want help for your relationship stress?
How she could cheat, but not confess?
Are you figuring out personality types?
Want to understand what’s all the hype?

Test questions? Well, that’s not our goal.
Supplies of test answers creates a hole
In learning all that you will need to know.
But by explanation, Answers we’ll show.

Our directions will give you the source.
Show you ways to pass that school course!
And in the process, volunteers learn too.
From Bieber, to NASA, we learn from YOU!

It’s easy to register and to join the site,
Become a contributor, post Answers right.
Newbie to experienced Answers.com pro,
In your contributions, let knowledge show!

Earn Trust Points with answers written well.
Compassion, respect, and your grammar tells
That you’re one who will share all you know
For recent questions, or ones from long ago.

Then work your way up, if that’s what you want.
Consistency makes advancement an easy jaunt!
Come quick to www.answers.com to get it right.
Answers.com, The World’s Leading Q&A Site.

Anku m knows what she is

Anku m is another one of our Answers.com contributors with a penchant for poetry. She enjoys studying science in school (biology in particular). But when school’s out she focuses her energies on more creative pursuits, including digital photography, painting and the written word. This poem of hers is titled “I know what I am.”

I know what I am, by Anku m

Certain things to know
Obstination they show
Still I don’t know
Why they slow…

If I go round ‘n’ round
Earth I may see
Is not what I think
Oh! I remember
There are many things
Out of my know-how

I wondered life
Yes, I know it strides
Learnin’ from episodes
Trials and ordeals
From birth to present time
And to death

Certain things to know
Obstination they show
Still I don’t know
Why they slow…

Not immortal
Or just divine
In this present time
I know
As its very far
A way from my go
Better there are
Many things to know

Life’s so illustrative
But why am I not illustrious
Mind inquisitive
Mind anxious
Nothing I know

Certain things to know
Obstination they show
Still I don’t know
Why they slow…

One cannot know everything
But I know what I am

Bigcatone is loving life

Big catHave you met the Big Cat?  (No, I’m not talking about the famous baseball slugger)   Bigcatone is an Answers.com supervisor who also happens to have been a zoologist in a former life.  You’ll typically find him on the prowl in the Wild Cats category but he can do the History thing too. Rumor has it he can even belt out a song or two on the side!

This man of many talents is now showcasing his writing talents for us.  This week’s feature in the Poetry Cafe is about love and what it means to the Big Cat.

Untitled, by Bigcatone

To hold you close at dawn’s first light
to kiss those lips at lost midnight
To see the ruins of the dying day
And suppress the love we gave away

To realize the true love story
and live our lives
In true love glory
To breathe the air that swirls about
to whisper when we need to shout

To feel the life we made anew
To see the grass in morning dew
To walk along the beach at dawn
And know you are the only one

To watch the sunrise over the gate
To hear the night as it abates
Feeling love and evermore
A walk along the golden shore

To let you know the way I feel
To let hearts once broken heal
and hold the hand I treasure most
As love grows ‘long the golden coast

Nina567: When it rains it pours.

We’re continuing our tradition of highlighting poets in the Answers.com community this week.  Sadie Huemer, a.k.a. “Nina567,” is one of our newest contributors.  She also happens to be a budding poet.  She stepped forward with this poem about the rain which has a profound effect on her.

[If you would like your original poetry profiled on this blog, please e-mail it to poetry @ wikianswers.com (no spaces) and include your Answers.com username!]

Rain, by Sadie Huemer

Rain patters on the pale glass that is left in my life,
it drains through first my brain then slowly, squeezes through my heart,
it touches me like a red blanket wrapped around in a world full of grasp,
It touches me like a cat in a lake not moving or speaking,
and even though I can feel it, it really isn’t there.
The End

Why we wiki.

Over 10 million people have shared their knowledge on Answers.com.  There’s something magical about typing your thoughts on your keyboard and knowing that they will become part of a permanent information resource that is consulted by millions every day and can benefit generations to come.  As contributors we know we are making a difference when we receive messages of thanks from readers on our message boards.   But one of the top WikiGuides, “Worldwide520,” put things in perspective with a poem about the following encounter he had with a reader of his answer.

Why we Wiki, by Worldwide520
 
A girl just lost her sister,
She had taken her own life.
I don’t know quite how,
I have no idea why,
But this random event
Just changed my life.
One normal day
I was browsing the site
Our amazing Answers.com,
The greatest place on the Web.
I was perusing the boards
And making some merges,
Reorganizing questions
And adding some answers,
Then a few key words did catch my eye
Of a particular question
That I happened to find.
I first thought it ought to be trashed,
But with requisite care
I was not so rash.
Essentially, the question asked:
My sister just leapt from a window high,
How did it end, her precious life?
Using my knowledge of anatomy,
I gave a straight answer,
Though it was hard for me.
For kin of my own
Have encountered death
So I sympathized with this child,
Though we had not met.
The question was touching,
In a unique way,
For she came to us,
To soothe her pain.
When I said the end
Had likely come quick
I received a message
That I did not expect.
The girl was relieved
That her sister
Had not known suffering in the end,
And I was touched,
For look at what I did.
A solemn answer was refuge
To a grieving young girl
Who’d just lost her sibling,
Her closest friend in the world.
And people will often ask
Why we’re so dedicated to our site,
They’ll ask,
What’s the value?
Why do you waste your time?
It may seem insignificant,
Like a trivial little story,
But times like those
Remind me why I contribute.
We believe in knowledge,
And its availability to all;
We love cooperation,
Diversity makes us whole;
This is why I Wiki,
This is who we are.

[If you would like your original poetry profiled on this blog, please e-mail it to poetry @ wikianswers.com (no spaces) and include your Answers.com username!]

An8thg’s Front Porch of Despair

You may know An8thg as the fearless leader of our Vandal Patrol program.  Her dedicated squad removes many thousands of inappropriate answers each week!

The poem below is based on an actual experience she had while wandering the downtown streets of her hometown working on a poetry/photography project.  She had stumbled upon an older home with fantastic architecture that she wanted to photograph for the project.  As she approached the home to take the shot, an entire group of homeless men came crawling out from underneath the house and running past her.   The rest of the story, as it happened, is below.

[If you would like your original poetry profiled on this blog, please e-mail it to poetry @ wikianswers.com (no spaces) and include your WikiAnswers username!]

Dignity Under the Front Porch of Despair, by An8thg

They feared her
for a split second
her paled skin
clean and sweet

They feared her
gathering what little they had
and running
but she continued on
without a word
just a smile

‘Do you mind if we watch TV here?’ he asked
gathering his dignity
and oversized clothes
both from round his feet

‘I don’t live there.’
she answered
‘I don’t care.’

He stood for a moment
watching her
and she him
two worlds
separated
by just one paycheck
and a bottle of soap

He curled up
back under the porch
scurrying
like roaches to darkness
and she followed him
and she feared him
his dark skin
pasty from long, cold nights
gums bleeding
smile vacant

‘May I take your picture?’ she asked
treading
ever so lightly

‘No ma’am, I’m too dirty.’

Sophie200: My voice

You may have happened across Sophie200‘s last contribution to the Poetry Cafe, Wait for me. It was so great we’re welcoming back Sophie for an encore.

When it comes to answering on Answers.com you’ll often find her in the Hamsters section. Sophie wishes she had an unusual hobby like trainspotting or skydiving but, alas, she does not. But don’t think that makes her easy to understand. She’s complicated to decode, just like the essence of her poems. One of her favorites is published below.

[If you would like your original poetry profiled on this blog, please e-mail it to poetry @ wikianswers.com (no spaces) and include your WikiAnswers username!]

My Voice, by Sophie200

Flood in the light to block out the dark,
break down the walls that guard the heart.

Reveal the secrets to cover the lies,
identity drowning in the tears of my eyes.

Innocence gone at the flick of a switch,
To love or to hate – I can’t decide which.

Imagination glows fiery and alight,
Passion lives in me, gone is the night.

You make me laugh, you make me smile,
time spent with you, seems so worthwhile.

True love kicks the heart and tears at the soul,
Finally motivation, I’m left with a goal.

To live or to die is not a hard choice,
when happiness speaks out love is my only voice.

Timwilson jaxpoet: Slowing down in Winter

One of our newest contributors, Timwilson jaxpoet, makes a contribution to the Poetry Cafe this week.  He explained that the inspiration behind this poem was that Winter always depressed him (and many others too) with the short days and bitter cold.  Everything outside was losing its life.

But after listening to Sting’s new CD “If On A Winter’s Night” he said it finally dawned on him (after 45 years on the planet) that God created it this way for a reason. His belief is that we, as humans, need to slow down once in awhile but that we never do.  “Winter is designed to force us to do just that, turn towards the indoors where it’s warm, by the fire or in the kitchen and to turn inward also, where our warmest thoughts live and dwell, in our hearts and souls” Tim reasons.

Tim is seeking a publisher both for the poems and a series of old-fashioned fairy tales he has written (and continues to write).  You can contact him on his Answers.com message board.

[If you would like your original poetry profiled on this blog, please e-mail it to poetry @ wikianswers.com (no spaces) and include your WikiAnswers username!]

Untitled, by Tim Wilson

Autumn’s twilight gently falls,
as winter whispers, icy breath.

Soft lullaby for earth now calls,
upon the season’s gentle death.

Gone the leaves and harvest moon
As winter brings much needed rest,

Sings her melancholy tune,
lays all to sleep upon Earth’s breast.

Rest good Earth now slumber deep,
Do not be troubled and forlorn.

Dream the promise you must keep,
The flowering of your spring be born.

Smokey420: His girl is with him

Smokey420 is already a bronze contributor on Answers.com after joining only 2 months ago.  He is a 17-year old high school student and wide receiver/free safety for his school football team.  He says he enjoys meeting new people because it is always a surprise to see what new people are about.

But make no bones about it girls…  He is “taken.”  He explains that his girlfriend is “the most amazing and caring girl [he has] ever met.”  She actually wrote the following poem, our spotlighted poem in the Poetry Cafe this week, for him…

[If you would like your original poetry profiled on this blog, please e-mail it to poetry @ wikianswers.com (no spaces) and include your WikiAnswers username!]

Unititled, by Smokey420

Is with him
that I feel alive
I feel light and
everything’s right.

Is with him
that I dream of
the only who stops my heart
and with a kiss make it start.

Is with him
when the world stops,
and when everything is slow
is when I want him more.

Is with him
that I breath deep
taking in
the touch of him.

Is with him
I visualize my life
going on hand by hand
taking steps one by one.

Is with him
that I only laugh,
he is the one that makes me cry
the one I want for my own.

Is with him
that I feel I don’t need a thing
he makes me feel safe
cause I know he will stay.

Is with him
that my dreams come true,
he is all I need
the only one I pray to be with.

Mike 2: Summing Up the Answers Summit

We welcome Mike 2 back again to write about the Answers Summit.  As you can gather below, a great time was had by all!

[If you would like your original poetry profiled on this blog, please e-mail it to poetry @ wikianswers.com (no spaces) and include your WikiAnswers username!]

The Answers Summit, by Mike 2

The Answers Summit was just brill
To come from England was such a thrill

Pirates and Ninjas were out in force
Wikiholics are we, it was par for the course

Likeminded people who care for the site
The Georgia Aquarium was a brilliant night

Bruce took the mike, he sang Mack the Knife
Better singing I’ve never heard in my life

To get to the Summit, it was such a pleasure
Meeting my friends is something I’ll treasure

Mike 2: The 12 Wiki Days of Christmas

As promised, here’s the second of Mike 2′s trio of poems this holiday. This is his own “wiki” take on an old standby…

[If you would like your original poetry profiled on this blog, please e-mail it to poetry @ wikianswers.com (no spaces) and include your WikiAnswers username!]

The 12 Wiki Days of Christmas, by Mike 2

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me
A question from the wiki category

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Two trust points and a question from the wiki category

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Three new answers, two trust points and a question from the wiki category

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Four new supervisors, three new answers, two trust points
And a question from the wiki category

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Five new users, four new supervisors, three new answers,
Two trust points and a question from the wiki category

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Six questions to merge, five new users, four new supervisors,
Three new answers, two trust points
And a question from the wiki category

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Seven premier answerers, six questions to merge, five new users,
Four new supervisors, three new answers, two trust points
And a question from the wiki category

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Eight questions to split, seven premier answerers, six questions to merge,
Five new users, four new supervisors, three new answers,
Two trust points and a question from the wiki category

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Nine SPAs, eight questions to split, seven premier answerers,
Six questions to merge, five new users, four new supervisors,
Three new answers, two trust points
And a question from the wiki category

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Ten updated answers, nine SPAs, eight questions to split,
Seven premier answerers, six questions to merge, five new users,
Four new supervisors, three new answers, two trust points
And a question from the wiki category

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Eleven brand new mentors, ten updated answers, nine SPAs,
Eight questions to split, seven premier answerers, six questions to merge,
Five new users, four new supervisors, three new answers,
Two trust points and a question from the wiki category

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Twelve vandals to block, eleven brand new mentors, ten updated answers,
Nine SPAs, eight questions to split, seven premier answerers,
Six questions to merge, five new users, four new supervisors,
Three new answers, two trust points

And a question from the wiki category!

Mike 2: Happy Holidays

Mike 2′s last poem brought such a smile to our faces we’re having him back for an encore performance these next three days.  The first poem of this special Poetry Cafe trifecta celebrates the holidays this time of year.

[If you would like your original poetry profiled on this blog, please e-mail it to poetry @ wikianswers.com (no spaces) and include your WikiAnswers username!]

Happy Holidays, by Mike 2

Holidays they come and go
But seem much better with some snow

Rain or shine, snow or hail
Santa’s on the present giving trail

Snow is better for Santa’s sleigh
So much easier for him to get away

He needs the speed to deliver the toys
There’s lots to give out to the girls and boys

Dolls and trains, prams and bikes
Delivering presents is what Santa likes

Have you been good, I hope you have been
Then Santa will visit you, but totally unseen

Holiday, they come and go
Season to be jolly it is so

Season to wish friends lots of cheer
Season for family to be near

Season for giving, that is true
And here’s my wish

Happy Holidays to you.

Aggie80: All about the AnswerThons!

Is Aggie80 competitive?  Nah.  He’s only placed in seven WikiAnswers contests, won one WAmmy award and one Wizards of Wiki award during his tenure as a supervisor on Answers.com.  I was about to greet him at the Answers Summit in Atlanta a couple weeks ago when I noticed he was typing on his laptop.  I inquired about what he was doing.  He was answering questions in the Holiday AnswerThon naturally!  Whatever it takes to keep his winning streak alive…  This week Aggs waxes poetic about his favorite pastime, the AnswerThon, in the Poetry Cafe.

[If you would like your original poetry profiled on this blog, please e-mail it to poetry @ wikianswers.com (no spaces) and include your Answers.com username!]

An AnswerThon Weekend, by Aggie80 (with apologies to Clement Clark Moore)

’Twas the night before AnswerThon, when all through the house
The only creature stirring was the computer mouse
The keyboard was placed by the monitor with care
Ready for the AnswerThon that soon would be there.

The Super was nestled all snug in his blanket
The WikiAnswers logo more than apparent
And wife in her T-Shirt and I in my cap
Had just settled down to brace for attack.

When up on the screen there arose such a chatter
I checked message boards to see what was the matter
Opened a window, fingers flew in a flash
Popped open more tabs and adobe flash.

Disdainful answers to things you should know
Threw a pall on the knowledge deleted below
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But the Vandal Patrol and their warnings so clear,
With nimble fingers to delete the perverted,
I knew in a moment it would soon be reverted.

They spoke not a word, but went straight to their work,
Reverted the answers and then blocked that jerk.
And laying my finger aside of my mouse,
I comment to no one, “We fixed that louse.”

More rapid then eagles the key strokes they came
They chatted and messaged and typed out by name
Now, Deb, now Brave3, now Ami and Apryl
On Jade, on Bob, on Aggie and Crystal!
To the pages and references that sit by the chair
Looking for answers that soon would be there.

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the screen the answers they flew,
Devoid of the insults and bad spelling too.

Sunday morning came early the answers still flowed
The gleam of the hunt from my eyes still glowed
By afternoon’s light, my fervor had faded,
My answers were terse and some thought  jaded.
The crust of a pizza I held tight in my teeth,
The steam of my coffee round my head like a wreath.

I have a broad face and a little round belly,
That shakes, when I laugh, like a bowlful of jelly.
I was dressed in pajamas, from head to my foot
And my clothes were all wrinkled and crumby to boot.

My eyelids were sagging, my disposition not sunny!
My cheeks were all flush, my nose sort of runny!
My oversized forehead was certainly aglow,
And the chin full of stubble had had three days to grow.

Though chubby and plump, a right jolly old super,
I laughed at the mirror at my own sleepless stupor.
A kink in my neck and an ache in my back
Soon gave me to know I was an aging old hack.

I had given my all, I had done my best,
It was now time for a well deserved rest.
But a moment to post, on my WikiAnswers wall
“To all a good answer and Season’s Greetings to all!”

Mike 2: Why WikiAnswers is so Compelling

Mike 2 is an affable mate of ours.  He happens to be a Senior Supervisor of the Humor & Amusement Corner on WikiAnswers.  That’s when he’s not guarding the site and playing Whack-a-mole with pesky vandals!  For those who won’t be able to meet him at the Answers Summit next month he offers up this lighthearted poem about the greatness of WikiAnswers for this week’s Poetry Cafe.

[If you would like your original poetry profiled on this blog, please e-mail it to poetry @ wikianswers.com (no spaces) and include your WikiAnswers username!]

Untitled, by Mike 2

WikiAnswers is so compelling,
Let your friends know just by yelling.

More members means a better site,
Ask your friends to swell the might.

For answers to questions, it is the best,
Say to your friends “give Wiki a test.”

They won’t be sorry, I’ll bet they come back,
Another one joins the Wikiholics pack.

Yes WikiAnswers is so very addictive,
But time spent on site is not constrictive.

Here on the site is the place to be,
Look at the subjects on our category tree.

A question you might answer, a question you might ask,
But I’m sure it won’t be a boring old task.

A pleasure is assured when being on site,
Come join us here and see the light.

Mike 2 wrote this quite late at night.
He’s hoping to see you here on the site.

JoyceP: A mother is missed

You may remember JoyceP, our 2008 WAmmy Award Winner in two different Best Answer categories.  Yes, that JoyceP!  She had been writing long before she became a supervisor at WikiAnswers.

She endured a troubled childhood marred by the loss of her beloved mother.  Even though it’s been many years since her mother died she still thinks about her every single day and still has days when she cries for her.  On a particularly bad day, when she missed her terribly, she decided to grab a pad and pencil and began scribbling down her thoughts.  Within about ten minutes she had written this week’s featured poem in the “Poetry Cafe.”

[If you would like your original poetry profiled on this blog, please e-mail it to poetry @ wikianswers.com (no spaces) and include your WikiAnswers username!]

Untitled, by JoyceP

Mama, can your hear us
Can you hear our cries?
Mama, can you see us
Can you see our pain?
Oh, what we wouldn’t give
To be with you again.

You never should have left us
But now we’re all alone,
You were all we had
In our humble home.

We know that you were hurting
And now we share your pain.
It seems like all life’s problems
Come back ’round again.