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OPPOSITES CONTEST: DISCUSSION THREAD
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RSCDoug
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This was the first contest I participated in, and even if no one votes for mine, it was fun....It's great to see what everyone else comes up with and how differently we all perceived opposites.
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I see, above Poet's avatar, that serfs are up. I always knew this day would come, that the serfs would rise up and revolt. Let the serfin' safari begin.
Back on topic . . . I loved this notion of Opposites. I'm sure I did a crummy job on mine, but what matters for me is the inspiration these little contests give me, and the opportunity they present for me to try without criticism. In high school, when I got my (to me) infamous and hurtful F in Poetry, I was slashed to pieces every day in front of the class by our Poetry instructor, who when I look back on it from an adult standpoint was probably also going home and beating his wife. So I have it in perspective. But until finding this forum, I hadn't tried, not even one word privately on a scrap of paper, in 35 years. That teacher left a 35-year mark, which this corner of the world is now erasing. So, for me, just the simple freedom to try is huge.
Anyway. Blah blah blah. I got carried away here.
The other thing is, these contests and the diversity of the entries are a thing to behold. Excellent, day-brightening stuff.
Back on topic . . . I loved this notion of Opposites. I'm sure I did a crummy job on mine, but what matters for me is the inspiration these little contests give me, and the opportunity they present for me to try without criticism. In high school, when I got my (to me) infamous and hurtful F in Poetry, I was slashed to pieces every day in front of the class by our Poetry instructor, who when I look back on it from an adult standpoint was probably also going home and beating his wife. So I have it in perspective. But until finding this forum, I hadn't tried, not even one word privately on a scrap of paper, in 35 years. That teacher left a 35-year mark, which this corner of the world is now erasing. So, for me, just the simple freedom to try is huge.
Anyway. Blah blah blah. I got carried away here.
The other thing is, these contests and the diversity of the entries are a thing to behold. Excellent, day-brightening stuff.
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I think I also know who wrote several of them, although I can only say with certainty that I know one. And, sad to say, it's not one of the ones I thought in the top three (yeah, I mean mine).
These are some good poems!
These are some good poems!
kdnxdr
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I guess I don't see myself as such a distinctive writer, at least in the sense that someone could determine blindly which is my poem. But, hey, probably my abuse of punction or the lack thereof is a dead give away!
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My votes are in ... too many great poems to choose from, but like you Dobiwon, I didn't think mine was in the top three. I love to see the extreme differences in how the contest had been angled by so many...
I love to see the extreme differences in how the contest had been angled by so many...
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My apologies to the author of Poem #2 -- the title is Rhyme, Thyme, and Wildebeest. Not "Time", as I'd typed. I've made the correction.
It was much harder choosing how to vote in this, rather than in our (Australian) election. On the other hand, at least I didn't have to queue in the hot sun to cast my ballot. Congrats to everyone who entered - I enjoyed reading all the poems
RSCDoug
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Entering this one simple contest has gotten my pen moving again, so no matter the results I am a better writer today than I was before I submitted, if only for the fact that now I have more words on the page...
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That's a win, Doug. I hope we see some of those words in this forum.
SIX MORE DAYS TO VOTE!
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Come on, folks. Three days left to vote.
There are still more poems than votes. What's up with that? There are three prizes in this contest; I'd have thought the poets would at least vote for themselves....
There are still more poems than votes. What's up with that? There are three prizes in this contest; I'd have thought the poets would at least vote for themselves....
Tsk, tsk, tsk ... I know it is difficult to pick three from the long list of poems that are so well done, but eenie, meenie, miney moe still works ...
I was out of town late last week and over the weekend--at a writers conference, and I've been busy with post-conference tasks.
I'll tend to voting tomorrow.
NDG
I'll tend to voting tomorrow.
NDG
I just did my part. I guess this was hard for me because I just didn't completely get the concept. Some seemed to miss the criteria for me and I had to figure out why the poet thought they were contrasting? Anyway...I just cast my vote.
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Good point, Kevin. In hindsight, perhaps an author's note on how the poem addresses the topic would've been a good requirement.
Meanwhile,
ONE DAY LEFT to vote!
Meanwhile,
ONE DAY LEFT to vote!
You know what the prison guard says, people. Vote 'em if ya got 'em. Er...or something like that anyway...VOTE NOW!
When making my votes, I tried to see how each poem was making use of the alternating views ... some were subtle in the difference, while others showed how one subject perceived things and the other subject's perception shows how different things really are - whlie some I couldn't find a contrast either in perception or content ... I liked those that showed a conflict in thought or belief and then show resolution of some sort...
Either way, it is interesting how differently most entries are ...
Within these contest discussion threads, is it also to speak of the individual poems; their meanings, and what we based our voting merits (such as points that were positive and those that pulled away from choosing a particular poem?) ...
Just wondering ...
Best wishes, Liz
Either way, it is interesting how differently most entries are ...
Within these contest discussion threads, is it also to speak of the individual poems; their meanings, and what we based our voting merits (such as points that were positive and those that pulled away from choosing a particular poem?) ...
Just wondering ...
Best wishes, Liz
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