The Global Voices Valentine’s Day Poetry Contest – The People’s Choice! · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

OUR CONTEST JUDGE has spoken, and very beautifully too. And now we have the far easier task of announcing the People's Choice winner.
There were 54 votes in all. Leading, with 16 votes, was “l’Amour ‘MoraMora'” by Harinjaka. Congratulations, Harinjaka!
In a close-ish second place, with 13 votes, was Geoffrey Philp's “Bachata”. View the full results of the voting here.
Many thanks to all who participated in the Global Voices Valentine's Day poetry contest!
And here's the winning poem in full:
l’Amour “MoraMora”
le soleil m’a prédit
que je croiserai ta route
mais que si tu n’es pas encore là
il ne faut pas que je m’inquiète
car tu entreras dans ma vie
façon doucement doucement
le vent m’a murmuré
que tu seras raffiné(e)
mais que… si tu n’es pas encore là
il ne faudrait pas que je m’inquiète
car tu entreras dans ma vie
façon doucement doucement
les oiseaux m’ont raconté
que tu seras réservé(e), très très soigné(e),
et surtout cultivé(e)
mais que … si tu n’es pas encore là
il ne faudrait pas que je m’inquiète
car tu entreras dans ma vie
façon doucement doucement
puisque tout est écrit
et puisqu’ils m’ont dèja tous dit
j’ai vraiment envie de croire
et même hâte de te voir
ne prend pas trop ton temps
façon doucement doucement
Hjk
_________
“moramora” est un mot malgache qui signifie : “doucement doucement”. Slowlow en englais. C’est la conception malgache de la vie et du temps. Un art de vivre à Madagascar. On ne se précipite pas, car tout vient à point à qui sait attendre. Je pensais notamment à tous ces célibataires, errant sur la toile, n’ayant pas trouver la personne idéale dans la vrai vie et espérant un jour de la trouver sur le web :)… on ne désespère pas car un jour ça viendra.
Translation of poem by Global Voices editor Alice Backer:
“moramora” love
the sun has told me
that i will cross your path
but that if you’re not yet there
that I need not worry
for you will enter my life
slow-ly slow-ly
the wind has whispered to me
that you will be refined
but that … if you’re not yet there
that I need not worry
for you will enter my life
slow-ly slow-ly
the birds have recounted to me
that you will be reserved, very very neat
and most of all cultured
but that … if you’re not yet there
that I need not worry
for you will enter my life
slow-ly slow-ly
since it was all written
and since they’ve already told me
i really want to believe
and am even dying to see
don’t take too long
though slow-ly slow-ly
Hjk
————-
“moramora” is a malagasy word that means: “slowlyslowly”. It is the Malagasy idea of life and time. A way of life in Madagascar. We do not hurry since good things come to those who wait. I was especially thinking of all singles, erring on the sand, not having found that ideal person in real life but hoping to one day find him/her on the web :)… We don’t despair because one they he/she will show up.