The real closing date is the 25th or later, but I'll have to remember
So don't be shocked if it Does end early/late.
Options
(1) Write a poem to me about coming of age. 18 is a big age in the UK-age of voting, age of drinking etc- so I'd like poems about that. Alternatively, write about your favourite birthday especially if it was an 18th or another coming of age birthday.
(2) Write a poem about a Greek myth. I love Greek mythology, although I don't know much about it, I'd love to learn more.
(3) Write a poem about freedom and what it means to you. Especially if it's a libertarian political poem
(4) Write a poem making reference to other poetry. I'd love this especially if it involves subtle references to famous texts that I can look up on Old Poetry (please put the names of the poems and which bits relate to what so that I can look them up)
(5) Write a persona poem. I define this as a first person ('I'/'we') poem which does not involve the poet's true life - a bit like acting with poetry
(6) Write a villanelle (sp?). These are very hard to make work, I'd love to see your attempts.
(7)Write a GLBT poem. However, I don't want to focus on the negatives, write about something like relationships, pride in yourself/others, positive relationships, mythology from Greece etc
(8) Write a pastoral poem. I'd like this especially if it was symbolic
(9) Write a poem making references to Ani Difranco's song lyrics/poetry.
(10)Write about animal rights. Only serious poetry, please.
Rules
(1) I will try to comment on every piece. If I haven't commented on yours in the 24 hours that you sent it, it's likely there's a glitch on the site, so IM me.
(2) No erotica. I am well aware that I'm 18 now, but not everyone is. However, subtle references and descriptions of sex are fine, as long as the intent is something other than 'turning the reader on'
(3) No homophobic/racist/sexist poetry.
(4) One Poem per person. No other form will be accepted (sorry, I want to judge like against like) Poems are not: song lyrics, stories or columns.
(5) No sticky caps, all caps, bright backgrounds, spelling errors and/or other things that make the poem hard to read. If you have a genuine language problem or spelling problem ask someone without these difficulties to help you with your work. I don't consider this cheating.
(6) Make your work 'critical reviews invited'. If you don't do this, I won't give suggestions and others will be less likely to, so invite them to make your poems better. Anything which is being contested, I feel is worthy of at least one critique. No poem is perfect.
(7) Don't insult me. I will ignore you, if you write a poem doing it then I will delete it from my contest. Also, don't insult others in the contest. There's a difference between critiques of writer/host and critiques of poem.
(8) No advocation of violence. However, it can be described and written against.
(9) No prewrites. Sorry, but I want to measure like with like
Other Messages/Hints
You are more than welcome to write a poem which covers many of the topics rather than just one topic. I can tell when this is forced and when this comes naturally. If it's hard to tell which one, or if most people would need additional information to understand your poem, please indicate. I will assume it's a persona poem unless stated otherwise- please don't be offended, I'm not good at counselling others but I do feel ready to judge poetry. Please don't use this as a 'therapy' unless you also intend to write your best poetry at the same time. If a friend does win (which is unlikely) then it is because I've not chosen against their winning, not because I've chosen them to win because they're my friends. I don't like either discrimination- the positive or the negative. Any questions- either IM me or post on here, I will respond to IMs with IMs and comments on here with either comments on here, IMs or comments on your work (alongside a proper comment on your work)
My birthday is on the 25th, hence the latest closing date being the 25th.
So don't be shocked if it Does end early/late.Options
(1) Write a poem to me about coming of age. 18 is a big age in the UK-age of voting, age of drinking etc- so I'd like poems about that. Alternatively, write about your favourite birthday especially if it was an 18th or another coming of age birthday.
(2) Write a poem about a Greek myth. I love Greek mythology, although I don't know much about it, I'd love to learn more.
(3) Write a poem about freedom and what it means to you. Especially if it's a libertarian political poem
(4) Write a poem making reference to other poetry. I'd love this especially if it involves subtle references to famous texts that I can look up on Old Poetry (please put the names of the poems and which bits relate to what so that I can look them up)
(5) Write a persona poem. I define this as a first person ('I'/'we') poem which does not involve the poet's true life - a bit like acting with poetry
(6) Write a villanelle (sp?). These are very hard to make work, I'd love to see your attempts.
(7)Write a GLBT poem. However, I don't want to focus on the negatives, write about something like relationships, pride in yourself/others, positive relationships, mythology from Greece etc
(8) Write a pastoral poem. I'd like this especially if it was symbolic
(9) Write a poem making references to Ani Difranco's song lyrics/poetry.
(10)Write about animal rights. Only serious poetry, please.
Rules
(1) I will try to comment on every piece. If I haven't commented on yours in the 24 hours that you sent it, it's likely there's a glitch on the site, so IM me.
(2) No erotica. I am well aware that I'm 18 now, but not everyone is. However, subtle references and descriptions of sex are fine, as long as the intent is something other than 'turning the reader on'
(3) No homophobic/racist/sexist poetry.
(4) One Poem per person. No other form will be accepted (sorry, I want to judge like against like) Poems are not: song lyrics, stories or columns.
(5) No sticky caps, all caps, bright backgrounds, spelling errors and/or other things that make the poem hard to read. If you have a genuine language problem or spelling problem ask someone without these difficulties to help you with your work. I don't consider this cheating.
(6) Make your work 'critical reviews invited'. If you don't do this, I won't give suggestions and others will be less likely to, so invite them to make your poems better. Anything which is being contested, I feel is worthy of at least one critique. No poem is perfect.
(7) Don't insult me. I will ignore you, if you write a poem doing it then I will delete it from my contest. Also, don't insult others in the contest. There's a difference between critiques of writer/host and critiques of poem.
(8) No advocation of violence. However, it can be described and written against.
(9) No prewrites. Sorry, but I want to measure like with like
Other Messages/Hints
You are more than welcome to write a poem which covers many of the topics rather than just one topic. I can tell when this is forced and when this comes naturally. If it's hard to tell which one, or if most people would need additional information to understand your poem, please indicate. I will assume it's a persona poem unless stated otherwise- please don't be offended, I'm not good at counselling others but I do feel ready to judge poetry. Please don't use this as a 'therapy' unless you also intend to write your best poetry at the same time. If a friend does win (which is unlikely) then it is because I've not chosen against their winning, not because I've chosen them to win because they're my friends. I don't like either discrimination- the positive or the negative. Any questions- either IM me or post on here, I will respond to IMs with IMs and comments on here with either comments on here, IMs or comments on your work (alongside a proper comment on your work)
My birthday is on the 25th, hence the latest closing date being the 25th.
Contest is Over
- Contest was judged on May 25, 2006
- Rewards: Gold: 600
- Final notes: Thank you for winning, all of these are good poems
Entries [4]
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I Thank You, and I Wish you a Happy Eighteenth• Commented on by judge.
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It was only a thank you, she tells herself;
It doesn't mean anything, she tells herself.• Commented on by judge.
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Comments
1 - 10 of 10-
happy birthday! 18 is a good year... i had my 18th last summer on vacation in scotland, so that was convenient. this year i suspect my friends will haul me back to my city (where i'm living now, but won't be for the summer) for a party... but yea, 18 is a good year
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Wow, coming up 18, indeed it is big here in the uk. lol 18 feels so far away for me, I'll be 21 in august, I feel so old, lol. Well, happy birthday, and make sure you have a good one, don't get too drunk, or completely ignore me and get waisted, lol. Also, good luck with this contest and good luck to all who enter. I may enter if I can think of something
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Aw. This really isn't my type of contest, but I want to wish you a happy birthday, and I hope you get lots of interesting entries. ^^;
~BtG -
My Entry is in...im sorry for getting personal but hey its your 18th Why not..!!!
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I think I'm gonna do the Greek Myth option, but if you enjoy liberitarian political poetry, then you should check this one out. Not mine, so I get nothing for promoting it, but it's an amazing piece.
allpoetry.com/poem/1044908 -
Happy Eighteen, sounds like a monumnetal year in the UK. You can't drink in the US (legally( till 21. Congrats.
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Wow, this looks like a really cool contest! Some interesting options for sure. I wish I could take part myself but unfortunately I'm going through a bad phase of writer's block at the moment
I hope you enjoy your 18th birthday though. I love being 18 - it's so much fun! 
Good luck with the contest!! -
Just wanted to stop by and say Happy Birthday for the 25th. Hope your dreams all come true. I am not sure that I will enter your contest as I am not that good at poetry yet, but I am trying, honest! Anyways, all the best.
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I'll have a think about this one ,but in the meantime hope you have a great eighteenth birthay, full of poetry!
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Sorry I don't enter comps. My mistake. but I can wish you a happy birthday.. wishing you all good things...Buchan.
1 - 10 of 10
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