AW Poetry Contest "Space" Discussion Thread

I too will
space out
my readings, and render results via methods similar to some mentioned in the posts above, including a wanton requirement
for visceral thrills.

Salute to the buzz
of AW bees!!

I'm just snippy because I have no dogs, and I don't smoke anymore - nor drink. All I got is black coffee and a fourteen-hour time difference.

So, William, I apologise - fully and frankly - for the influence my post may have had in chilling discussion or posts being deleted.

Now then.

I have to read each poem at least twice, and not all at once. I agree with Cassandra - I can't address poems as job lots.

I believe in first impressions, but I also believe in emerging qualities. I don't really like choosing 'best' or 'favorite' in anything. But contests demand winners, and I try to separate that from the notion of value of each poem.

Does the order of the poems make any difference to you? I did mix up the order of the poems - they're not alphabetical by title or author, and they're not listed in order they were submitted.

My plan is not really mine. Ok, sort of, but only in its application.

I intend to critique from two to three poems a day till done using Ursula T' Gibson's ten point scheme I found on Poetry Soup.

I realize not everyone is going to have the time that us old retired folk have to do this, but I also want to learn to do better work at critiquing than I have been. This is a golden opportunity to do that. I should also be able to do a better job of awarding place to the final best.

I too am really happy with the turn out and quality. Best of luck to all those who entered!

I've decided I'm going to copy and paste them into Microsoft Word, on separate pages, and then print them out.

Possibly I am pathetic and old-school, but I think it will help me focus and do a better job assessing them.

I've invented a ridiculously complicated x y this that axis and some calculus algebraic ranking thing. Oddly enough, the higher the negative number you score the more beer I have to drink to figure it all out. Weird, huh? Anyway, I'm looking forward to making my selections.

I think we should all skip straight to the swimsuit competition and the threeways.

Cass, you are not the only one who likes to read works on paper. I would have to borrow the printer to do that, but I imagine my co-author wouldn't scream too loudly if I printed them out.

I already know which poem is my #1 choice, do to the chills I received when reading it. Unless that changes drastically in the coming days while I work on what my #2 and #3 choices are, then I have one poem down. I doubt it will, though. Usually my initial shiver factor is pretty accurate.

Rob, the order of the poems makes no difference at all to me. If I get the poems printed out, they won't stay in that order anyway because I will chop them up into individual pieces and move them around as I read through them. But whether that happens or not, the order doesn't affect me one way or another.

I was blessed to have the time to do a complete read of all the poems at once. I won't say that is a normal way for me to proceed, but I was glad to be able to do it this time as it gave me an overview of what the poems offered. Now I will take my time to slowly go through each one and reflect on it and judge it against the one criteria that I have set. I hope by the end of that process, however long that takes, to have a lesser field to choose from. I have to narrow it down to be able to find just three.

It is always a problem for me in these contests because so many good poems are submitted. Choosing just three is torture, really. I'm glad for the time we have to read and reflect on them before voting begins.

CassandraW said:

I think we should all skip straight to the swimsuit competition and the threeways.

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I'm in.

poetinahat said:

So, William, I apologise - fully and frankly - for the influence my post may have had in chilling discussion or posts being deleted.

Click to expand...

absolutely not necessary. i lobbied for a clean thread then proceeded to do what i do, leave cup rings on the furniture and chips in the carpet and make long-distance calls without permission.

besides my dogs and cats reminded me that they are not my property and that their privacy is not something that should be compromised for my perpetual comedy routine.

so i will apologize and endeavor to offset my frequent idiocy with an occasional worthwhile insight.

Instructions for voting:

Print out the poems.

After printing them out, fold each into a tiny origami figure of one of the U.S. Presidents. Do not duplicate your Presidents, but use a different one for each poem.

Then, place each President carefully, so as not to muss his hair, in an empty and thoroughly washed SPAM can, of which 26 have been provided by mysterious forces.

Each can is sealed with a melted wax blend made of ancient Crayolas and Turtle Wax. This you should have on hand.

Blindfolded, you must take each can up, hold it aloft, and hurl it out a window to the ground. Though there will not be 26 windows available in most dwellings, you must rotate through all available windows, until each can is hurled.

Sit down on the floor. Do not bother to assume full lotus. Feel free to remove the blindfold. Wait for one of the cans to return to you. In case this takes a while, you may provision yourself with a packet of Nabs.

If, after three days, no can has returned, deploy the dogs. They will begin to bring cans to you, and the order in which the cans return is the order of your votes. Reversed, of course.

What's a "long distance" phone call?

a way to touch a butt or heart from very far away via companies that prey on fear of technology and lack of common sense.

Kylabelle said:

Instructions for voting:

Print out the poems.

After printing them out, fold each into a tiny origami figure of one of the U.S. Presidents. Do not duplicate your Presidents, but use a different one for each poem.

Then, place each President carefully, so as not to muss his hair, in an empty and thoroughly washed SPAM can, of which 26 have been provided by mysterious forces.

Each can is sealed with a melted wax blend made of ancient Crayolas and Turtle Wax. This you should have on hand.

Blindfolded, you must take each can up, hold it aloft, and hurl it out a window to the ground. Though there will not be 26 windows available in most dwellings, you must rotate through all available windows, until each can is hurled.

Sit down on the floor. Do not bother to assume full lotus. Feel free to remove the blindfold. Wait for one of the cans to return to you. In case this takes a while, you may provision yourself with a packet of Nabs.

If, after three days, no can has returned, deploy the dogs. They will begin to bring cans to you, and the order in which the cans return is the order of your votes. Reversed, of course.

Click to expand...

yeah but without the human sacrifice, it's really only homage.

I'd pay extra for the touching butts from a distance part, fear of technology notwithstanding. But you probably already knew that.

William Haskins said:

yeah but without the human sacrifice, it's really only homage.

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Ladies and gentlemen, we have a volunteer.

skelly said:

I'd pay extra for the touching butts from a distance part, fear of technology notwithstanding. But you probably already knew that.

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i am painfully aware.

William Haskins said:

absolutely not necessary.
i lobbied for
a clean thread then proceeded
to do what
i do,

leave cup rings on the
furniture and chips
in the carpet and make
long-distance calls
without
permission.

Click to expand...

What I forgot: That's why we're here. No coasters, no doilies.

Oh, thank god. I fucking hate doilies.

Rob, I did appreciate that the order of entries was randomized or at least, jumbled.

Since you asked.

poetinahat said:

What I forgot: That's why we're here. No coasters, no doilies.

Click to expand...

CassandraW said:

Oh, thank god. I fucking hate doilies.

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well, maybe this one

CassandraW said:

Oh, thank god. I fucking hate doilies.

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These are A.I. doilies, though. The ones we don't have.

I'm fine with the ones in piah's link. And perhaps I'll knit some exciting underwear for later.

some people don't know the difference between doilies and lingerie.

Kylabelle said:

some people don't know the difference between doilies and lingerie.

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Both tend to end up under the coffee table by the end of the night.