[Certain]

ZYG: This probably is the most intimate thing I've read from you, which isn't really saying a whole lot. You took a more traditional approach both to the topic and to the form compared to last week, and the result definitely was a more easily appreciated verse. The clarity of your imagery early on his striking, but you turned to more retractive statements as the verse went on. I think it's a double-edged sword in this case: Your narrator's pain may have been more relatable because of the lack of specificity in cause, but you also kept the reader at arm's length by not fully opening up about the event. Ultimately, that choice is a matter of preference. Mine leans toward specificity to create more fleshed-out characters, but it would have been asking a lot of you to create an event worthy of this level of internal turmoil. There is one technical point I want to make here: Icebergs are not glaciers, and glaciers are land-based and therefore not below the ocean. That definitely cuts into the entire concept of your verse, but I'm not going to be a big stickler here because there's very little chance Raekwon knows the difference and because neither actually is formed by ice but rather by compacted snow. I do wish the introductory stanza had rhymed, though.

ThisisDAM: Based on the two verses I've read, your style reminds me a lot of the most popular one back in the RSTL a decade ago. That's not a negative, just an observation. You use a lot of rhymes and don't particularly force them, but you keep your content hinged to a twist more than I think is ideal. For instance, if the legend of Santa Claus was based on a guy who made toys for kids with a group of people in the Arctic, then how did they keep the legend alive when he died? Do the elves now deliver presents? But that's just me being finicky. What you could have done to elevate this verse was provide crisper imagery and writing in general. A lot of this verse seemed like a vehicle for rhyming and the big twist. That's good enough against 99% of opponents, but you're facing one of the most polished writers on this site, and your focus on lyricism and rhymes over syntax and nuance stands out. Still, your approach was very creative, and your rhymes were significantly better. This was a major improvement over last week.

I don't think ties exist. Inherently, one thing is always better than the other. I've read each verse four times now. I didn't vote last night because I wanted another set of eyes. So what we have is the classic battle where one person is the better writer and the other is the better rhymer. This is going to be a very close battle, and I think Split Eight might end up right in calling it the battle of the week. But I lean toward diction and polish.

Vote: ZYG