What's our next poetry contest?

poetinahat · Aug 22, 2007

So, I've been frequenting this used bookstore lately, enriching my library with other folks' cast-off gems. And I've been thinking that we haven't had a poetry contest in a long while.

I'm looking for ideas for the next one. Anything come to mind? I'm keen to give away a few books.

ETA: Past contests have included:
- Valentine's Day
- Mother's Day
- Christmas
- Anti-Christmas
- Odes to Poets

We haven't imposed form requirements up to now. I've wondered whether people would go for, say, a sonnet contest. Anyway, have at it!

A. Hamilton · Aug 23, 2007

What a coincidence. I was just today thinking that it was time for another contest. (And that I could maybe finally enter one

)
I also think maybe the entrants should contribute something towards the prize... would a small entrance fee be a do-able thing? Seems like a burden to expect the host/moderator to always bear the cost of the prizes.
As for a theme, I'm thinking lately alot about the unrest in the world. Wars and economic instability and natural disasters and distrust of politicians and weirdos claiming to be both Christ and anti-christ and teen angst and all that stuff that makes me wish I was nine where chaos didn't exsist and I was secure in my world again.
I don't know how to sum all that up into a simple theme, but surely it would be a doozie of a contest.
An anti-chaos theme?

poetprncess · Aug 23, 2007

Hmmmm, how about a dualing views - Some members at my home site write poems that emphasize a contrasting or opposite point of view. It's too late for me to get permission right now to post an example, but here is a link ... Like this one - Mrs Hobbit or Lover's Meet Again

It could be 2 stanzas,
the first presenting 1 point of view, the 2nd the other-
although any form, including free verse would be used,
each stanza should probably mirror the other, and be a contrast of the other ...
a quick example

Dog:

You're always sleeping in my spot
as lazy as can be,
I cannot fathom such a lot
still you own the family....

Cat:
I can't believe you took my spot
this isn't how it should be
you jump and play, you drool a lot-
you stole away my family.

Or Free verse ...

Grandpa:
I use to walk ten miles
up hill, when I was young
and didn't own a pair of shoes
without any holes...

Grandson ...

I can't believe you made me walk two miles,
how cruel, don't you realize I am too young
and I was wearing my new shoes ...
ah, all your stories have holes...

Ok it's a poor examples...

Anyway ... it's an idea!

Best Regards, Liz

Paint · Aug 23, 2007

Halloween?

davids · Aug 23, 2007

Gay rights in Texas

talkwrite · Aug 23, 2007

davids said:
Gay rights in Texas

Puhleeze....oh crusty one.
I like the contrasting viewpoints idea.
To add to the pot, if I may, this may be a silly suggestion but I have been creating personalized rhyming telephone answering machine messages for myself and friends. They have to be short, reflect the place or persons you are calling and mine always make a comment about solicitors. A radio station and a newlywed couple have asked for their own. Maybe we could find a company or business that would be the judge and the recipient and they could pay prize money ?
Just a thought.

poetprncess · Aug 23, 2007

talkwrite said:
Puhleeze....oh crusty one.
I like the contrasting viewpoints idea.
To add to the pot, if I may, this may be a silly suggestion but I have been creating personalized rhyming telephone answering machine messages for myself and friends. They have to be short, reflect the place or persons you are calling and mine always make a comment about solicitors. A radio station and a newlywed couple have asked for their own. Maybe we could find a company or business that would be the judge and the recipient and they could pay prize money ?
Just a thought.

This is quite creative!

kdnxdr · Aug 26, 2007

I've been reading........

How about some instructional poetry that covers the basics? That might not be exciting to the more mature and established poets here in AW but I think a project like that would be very helpful to myself and others.

In the book, Three Genres:Writing of Poetry, Fiction and Drama, author/teacher Stephen Minot progressively lays out the devices used in poetry.

An example for a contest:

Write four stanzas using alliteration, assonance,consonance and onomatopoeia applied in each successive stanza; one device per stanza.

Through a project like this, we would create a great resource for aspiring poets.

kid

JLCwrites · Aug 27, 2007

Or we could do a poem that reads like a personal ad.

Single white male,
Loves long, solitary walks,
Enjoys cuddling,
And seafood.
No dogs please.
-Mr. Furball

(ok, not the best example, but you get my drift.)

poetinahat · Aug 27, 2007

Keep them coming -- I'm enjoying this!

Paint said:
Halloween?

Yeah, Paint... maybe two contests -- one for All Saints, and one for All Souls?

ddgryphon · Aug 27, 2007

poetinahat said:
Keep them coming -- I'm enjoying this!

Yeah, Paint... maybe two contests -- one for All Saints, and one for All Souls?

YES!

talkwrite · Aug 28, 2007

kdnxdr said:
How about some instructional poetry that covers the basics? That might not be exciting to the more mature and established poets here in AW but I think a project like that would be very helpful to myself and others.

I would enjoy regular exercises like this. I don't mean to give our kindly moderator extra work.
The online dating community would probably love our help. That would mean more advertisers for Mac and AW and then maybe the different sites could offer a prize.
I think advertising is enhanced with poetry or prose.

Stew21 · Aug 28, 2007

all saints and all souls.
I like the large lattitude there.

I think that sounds like a good one!

dobiwon · Aug 28, 2007

How about
"Time or Lack Thereof"
"Wasted Youth"
"Through the Eyes of History"

davids · Aug 28, 2007

Debuque or bust-or how I found faith in Lincoln Nebraska-written in tri-spondent Chevrolets

A. Hamilton · Aug 28, 2007

I'm liking the All Saints and All Souls idea.
And I second the suggestion to have a longer submission time. Three weeks or more works for me.

Uncarved · Aug 28, 2007

poetinahat said:
So, I've been frequenting this used bookstore lately, enriching my library with other folks' cast-off gems. And I've been thinking that we haven't had a poetry contest in a long while.

I'm looking for ideas for the next one. Anything come to mind? I'm keen to give away a few books.

ETA: Past contests have included:
- Valentine's Day
- Mother's Day
- Christmas
- Anti-Christmas
- Odes to Poets

We haven't imposed form requirements up to now. I've wondered whether people would go for, say, a sonnet contest. Anyway, have at it!

Ode to Fruit

What's That Smell?

Ode to Tina in Honour of Said Lovely's Birthday (You'll have until 9-29 for THOSE entries

)

rubarbb · Aug 28, 2007

Requirements...free form, anything goes, give us all a chance.

Subject...skylines

davids · Aug 28, 2007

rubarbb said:
Requirements...free form, anything goes, give us all a chance.

Subject...skylines

Prose-etry anyone? Yes I am being silly it is the first marginally serious answer I could come up with-Cheese wiseackers!

I forgot my topic would be tits and bums!

Little Red Barn · Aug 28, 2007

rubarbb said:
Requirements...free form, anything goes, give us all a chance.

Subject...skylines

:raise hand: I'd like to come too-but I don't understand your rules... can we do free verse, I have a poem waiting for that?...locked in critter room

ddgryphon · Aug 28, 2007

How about Synchronicity? You know the one by the Police where two unrelated events build a fearful symmetry and some resonance between them. Something like that would be most challenging.

talkwrite · Aug 29, 2007

kimmi said:
:raise hand: I'd like to come too-but I don't understand your rules... can we do free verse, I have a poem waiting for that?...locked in critter room

No one told me the rules....

CurtisPutnam · Aug 30, 2007

How about a Double POV piece where we each get to write on a topic from perspective of a Woman and a Man? Should be a real challenge for us guys who are supposed to be mind-readers.

mkcbunny · Aug 31, 2007

I like the double-perspective idea, whether it's woman-man, cat-dog, saints-souls [Damn, all my ideas have been used up!]. Fall has various options, generally dour and solemn. I prefer theme-based ideas vs. format-based contests, because I think that opens the field to more participants.

A. Hamilton · Aug 31, 2007

mkcbunny said:
I like the double-perspective idea, whether it's woman-man, cat-dog, saints-souls [Damn, all my ideas have been used up!]. Fall has various options, generally dour and solemn. I prefer theme-based ideas vs. format-based contests, because I think that opens the field to more participants.

oooh yes, theme: VS
or, Ying Yang
or, Opposites Excite (attract-etc...)

(ok folks..if you haven't noticed, i'll agree with anything)

What's our next poetry contest?

Numbers are beautiful

here for a minute...catch me?

Warrior of Truth

Passion in full bloom

One of the most important people in the world

Numbers are beautiful

King of Sloth Town

Passion in full bloom

Planning to retire for the 5th time

here for a minute...catch me?

I aim to misbehave

Serenity

haz own threads

King of Sloth Town

Passion in full bloom

Tuning in on Life

Bufflehead

here for a minute...catch me?