Hey everyone!

• The new backgrounds have been quite popular, representing 80% of the submitted entries! I'm glad you liked them, hopefully they provide a bit more variation in expressivity.
• People are divided on the wall topic. Some insist they shouldn't be built ("don't start a new wall"), some say they rise, some insist they don't, at least not "near [their] nice camp". Some promote their insulative properties ("mute her kind with spiced walls"), only to be contradicted by a person named Rose who, apparently, can't be muted by any wall. Divisive stuff.
• Then again, in the other entries walls tend to just lay there because they were already built anyway. And in time they can gather psychoactive condiments or abrasive flowers, which apparently is deemed pleasant.
• On that topic, "spice" was used a lot more than I thought it'd be. You guys've seen Dune recently too?
• Kudos to the person who simultaneously managed to dodge the wall subject AND I guess potential lawsuits by inventing a character named "wallly" with three L's. The performance must be saluted.
• Overall, I really like the atmosphere of quietness, almost desolate peace that emerges from the entries as a whole. "wall", "hush", and "blind/mute/deaf" was a great combo in that regard, which has been used in lots of cool ways. Then again, some entries chose instead to enthusiastically play with swans and cut grapes in a very exclamatory manner, which I find very funny.
• I also enjoyed the depiction of the flower game, which wasn't easy with the provided words. "Cut me kindly while we play" is I feel a great verse, highly evocative, bittersweet and with very ear-pleasing alliterations. Congrats!