I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Spillwords Press NYC, Dagmara, and staff for the honor of being nominated for Publication of the Year for 2025 for “Worn Slap Out.” Thank you to all those who voted for me in June. This is a piece written in the North Carolina dialect from the perspective of a young girl. To read the original post in its entirety please click here:
Worn Slap Out
If you believe my poem worthy of your vote, please go to Spillwords Press NYC and vote for “Worn Slap Out” under Publication of the Year. I am honored to be nominated along with so many other talented artists.
Featured Image by Joni Caggiano
Congratulations, Joni, and best of luck in the voting. Your poem is a wonderful piece of writing, dear friend. 😊
Congratulations to you my dear friend and brilliant writer. I so appreciate your friendship and knowing such a brilliant writer. Thank you and congratulations on your nomination for your most amazing piece of work. There is no way this can not touch the heart of those that read it in the most profound way. I won’t say best of luck because it is really about the beauty of your writing, my friend.
Congrats on the nomination, Joni. 🥰🥰
Thank you so much, dear Nigel I really appreciate your kind comment. It means a lot. Sending you lots of love and hugs from both of us. There are some amazing writers of course, and many of which of our friends and very talented. Love from Scott and I. ❤️🙏❤️
Great for you.
Dear John, thank you. I think this has been an-award that opens door and I am truly grateful to be alongside of some brilliant writers that I admire and care about but I love some of these talented people and that makes it hard. Big hugs and thank you John. ❤️🙏❤️
You are very graciously welcome. It is great to be around great people.
Sending big hugs and many blessings my friend. Love Joni 🙏❤️🙏
Thank you. I enjoy your big hugs.
haha John, if you were here, you would get the biggest warm Southern hug. We have been buddies now for five years. That means something to me. I never pass a railroad station or train or watch a movie with a train in it that I don’t either say something about you or think about you. As you know, there are trains in VA, and you have seen some of them. Sending more hugs – you are right, I am a hugger – it is a southern thing and not one of those one-armed hugs either. You are a strong man, so you might have to squeeze kind of gently. You made me smile John – thank you my friend. Love Joni
You are very welcome. I have seen trains in VA.
I know I have seen some of those posts. If you haven’t watched American Primeval on Netflix, I think you might enjoy it, my friend. More railroad history is based on a true story. We both did. We are fascinated by any railroad history. Big hugs, Joni – you will have to let me know if you enjoyed it. Warning: It is kind of brutal at times and hard to watch but then somehow I don’t think that will scare you off. Have an amazing week John.
I will have to look for it. You have an amazing week too.
Yes, I think you would enjoy it. Sending some love your way.
Awww that’s wonderful Joni…you just got my vote!! Good luck…that poem is amazing..pure Joni:)
How funny, I did not think this would be out until tomorrow and I have been thinking about you today. You have been very prolific again and I have missed a lot of your work. I appreciate very much you voting for me. It is hard to be along such talented writers, but more importantly people that I love and care about. I know in the past when you have been up for big awards you have taken yourself out of the running all together thank you sweetie. It makes it hard to participate when you love and respect the other nominees. I look forward to seeing you in Mich’s project. ❤️🙏❤️
Congratulations, Joni! It’s exhilarating and a little stressful being nominated for these things. There are so many wonderful authors, poems, and stories, anyone could win and be deserving. I am happy for whomever is chosen!
Congratulations on your nomination Melissa. I feel the same way, so much talent out there and it makes it hard when it is such a supportive community. When there is mutual respect for talented friends. ❤️
Congratulations on your nomination, Joni! It doesn’t surprise me that your fantastic poem is nominated.
Thank you Timothy. That is so kind of you. It is a big honor to be nominated for an annual award and I would love to have one, I would be lying if I did not admit that. However it is hard too because I know and love some of the other nominees. Know I appreciate your comment Timothy it means a lot. I prayed about it and now it is up to God. Sending you and your family my blessings for this Sunday and everyday my friend. ❤️🙏❤️
Blessings to you and yours, Joni. 🙏❤️
Congratulations!
How very kind of you. I appreciate your congratulations. There are some amazing pieces nominated and some are very dear friends. Have an amazing Sunday and week. Blessings
Your poem is lovely, Joni, and I happily voted. Congratulations.
And just a quick FYI, I finished “One Petal at a Time.” Beautiful, emotional, and vivid. I’m not sure Amazon has posted my review yet, but it’s on Goodreads now. <3 <3 <3
Thank you so much Diana it is such an honor to be nominated with people I care about and admire so deeply. I am so touched that you read my book. How gracious of you to write a review and I cannot wait to read it. I started reading your book out loud and my husband said, “No we have to read this one together.” We are reading “Undaunted Hope,” by Claudia Black and Tale of The Seasons’ Weaver by you. What a gracious gift from an enormously talented woman. Each of my reviews are like a pearl around my neck on a piece of precious silk. I hope you don’t mind if I post it. Please let me know if you would rather I not. This means a lot to me. Thank you again. Have an amazing weekend. ❤️❤️❤️
Of course you can post it. And I hope my interpretation was close. I was so moved and just went for it. I’ll be posting the review on my blog in early-mid February, and hopefully find you some new readers!
And your Spillwords poem is sensational. I just loved it. Congrats and sending you lots of light and love (and votes!).
A very gracious comment. Thank you it is up on WordPress now. Thank you so much. It is a wonderful opportunity to show your beautiful book and to talk of the also talented Mike Utley. You have such an amazing gift, what a wonderful honor. Thank you again, truly.
<3 <3 <3
Thank you so much, Diana. It is a gift to be nominated. Many blessings and much gratitude. Hugs, Joni
Dear Joni — Your work is always beautiful and powerful. Unfortunately, I was only able to glimpse the poem at Spillwords. For some reason, I found that website very difficult to navigate. If you do not receive the number of votes your work deserves, that may be the reason. I thought you should know.
Thank you, Anna, for going in and trying to vote, that’s very kind of you. The link for the Spillwords poem in its entirety is https://spillwords.com/worn-slap-out/ and the link for voting is https://spillwords.com/vote/ Unfortunately, you have to log in to vote. I noticed on some of their posts that you might have to scroll to the right or left because it can show up as just the start of each stanza, four in this case. Hopefully, you’ll be able to vote, but if not, this comment and your words are gift enough and more important than any vote ❤️ Thanks again, Anna, and love you! 🥰
Congratulations, Joni! 🎉🎊🍾🎈
Thank you so much, Barbara, and a big congratulations to you! It is hard to go up against your friends for anything but who doesn’t want to win an annual SpillWords prize? It is a big gift. I feel like whoever deserves the win will get it, and that is what matters. It is a joy to be nominated. A big congratulations to you Barbara! Sending my love and big hugs, Joni
Agreed! It’s all good!
🤗❤️🥰
Congratulations, Joni! I thought I extended my joy for you but can’t find the comment. I’m on the list too. I had forgotten I had a poem that was eligible. How are you doing? Hope all is going well!
Barbara, I appreciate you and your kindness. Yes, I reread your piece. There is a lot of great competition. I would not want to be in SpillWord’s place, having to make those annual decisions. I think I have published 27 poems with SpillWords, and I still remember my first. I was over the moon and danced around the house all day, I was so excited. Really a big congratulations to you, too my friend. Love and hugs, Joni
Same here! I was elated to see my first publication on Spillwords! It’s great to know so many authors there.
It really is Barbara. It is another venue that has connected so many of us together. An enormous congratulations to you always Barbara. You are a wonderful writer and editor. ❤️🙏❤️
Thank you! I admire your blog and writing a great deal, Joni! It’s an honor to be in the line-up with you! Much love!
Barbara, you are very kind. Thank you for this gracious comment. Ditto as well. I also enjoyed writing for MasticadoresUSA for a year. It was the first Masticadores magazine I wrote for, and then I was blessed with writing for many wonderful additional editors on the magazine, and now I have been writing for Mich on Hotel for at least a year. I feel blessed to have been mentored by many prolific and amazing editors. I think Mich will have to throw me out as I feel I will want to continue writing for her at least once a month for as long as she will have me.
You’re welcome to submit to MasticadoresUSA anytime!
Thank you, Barbara.
You’re welcome, Joni!
❤️🦋❤️
It makes me so happy to see you get the acknowledgement you deserve for your truly amazing work, dear Joni, congratulations my friend!😊 ❤
Thank you dear friend and it makes me happy to see you doing showings and selling your work. Congratulations to you and blessings always dear friend. Thank you for your kind words. Love, Joni.
So happy for you, Joni! It’s such a unique and original poem.
Thank you so much Dawn. There are lots of talented folks on this list. I am also very happy for you as what an honor to possibly be Author of The Year. What a prize indeed. Your piece was a great one as well as evoking great emotion.
“Played the instruments of my emotions, and refused to be silent.”
You have to be pulled in with original lines like this one. Many blessings and good luck to you. Lots of talented folks on Spillwords but what an honor to be even nominated and to win an annual prize would be a gift to whomever achieves it. I am happy to see so many possibilities. You have had a busy and productive year my friend and very successful one. Congratulations Dawn.