My second contest is all about countries and their attributes.
Through your poetry I want you to describe either the country as a whole, or a specific aspect of the country. This could be its society, its history, its literature, its geography, etc. Whatever you see fit.
I ask that a maximum of two entries per country are submitted, so if someone's got there before you with your preferred choice, sorry!
It would be nice to see as many countries represented as possible, especially some less obvious ones.
If the name of the country isn't mentioned elsewhere, please let me know which country it is in your author's comments, thanks.
Rules & Guidelines:
1. Do not overuse the name or adjective of the country being described. In fact, I'd be pleased if neither appeared in your poem at all, though inclusion in the title is fine.
2. I'm not a fan of rhyming poetry - if you really can pull it off, then go for it, if not don't.
3. Typing errors are excusable (though obviously poems are better without them - please spellcheck), grammatical errors are not.
4. Gold will receive three hundred and one points. Silver and Bronze will receive their trophies and maybe some points if I earn more before the closing date .
5. Pre-writes are allowed only to encourage more entries, however I would much prefer something fresh.
6. DO NOT under any circumstances add pictures to your poems. This is a poetry site and if you can't say it in words then you can't say it at all.
7. Choose a background/font colour combination that enables legibility.
I will attempt to comment on every entry to this contest.
Good luck...
Through your poetry I want you to describe either the country as a whole, or a specific aspect of the country. This could be its society, its history, its literature, its geography, etc. Whatever you see fit.
I ask that a maximum of two entries per country are submitted, so if someone's got there before you with your preferred choice, sorry!
It would be nice to see as many countries represented as possible, especially some less obvious ones.
If the name of the country isn't mentioned elsewhere, please let me know which country it is in your author's comments, thanks.
Rules & Guidelines:
1. Do not overuse the name or adjective of the country being described. In fact, I'd be pleased if neither appeared in your poem at all, though inclusion in the title is fine.
2. I'm not a fan of rhyming poetry - if you really can pull it off, then go for it, if not don't.
3. Typing errors are excusable (though obviously poems are better without them - please spellcheck), grammatical errors are not.
4. Gold will receive three hundred and one points. Silver and Bronze will receive their trophies and maybe some points if I earn more before the closing date .
5. Pre-writes are allowed only to encourage more entries, however I would much prefer something fresh.
6. DO NOT under any circumstances add pictures to your poems. This is a poetry site and if you can't say it in words then you can't say it at all.
7. Choose a background/font colour combination that enables legibility.
I will attempt to comment on every entry to this contest.
Good luck...
Contest is Over
- Contest was judged on January 27, 2007
- Rewards: Gold: 301
- Final notes: Thanks to all who entered.
The winners:
1. Gold. Daemmerung. (Germany)
I didn't especially want to choose a non-English language poem as winner and I REALLY didn't want to pick a pre-write, but I felt 'Daemmerung' was clearly better than anything else submitted. It was one of the few contest entries that actually said something, that had a message. Poetry is not just a bunch of adjectives.
2. Silver. Russia, my home. (Russia)
Ok, so maybe I was a little biased in choosing this one, as Russia is my home. It didn't win due a couple of inaccuracies. Well done on being the best non-pre-write.
3. Bronze. Pietermaritzburg (Ahinsa). (South Africa)
There were a host of South Africa entries (well done for reading the rules people - more on that in a minute...). It took one event and created an image of a country, I liked the Ghandhi reference. Was loathe to make two out of three winners pre-writes, but I allowed them, so my fault...
Honourable Mentions:
4. The Oppressed (Iraq)
5. 360 Degree View (USA)
6. Easter in Rome 1976 (Italy)
Sorry I don't have prizes for you guys...
General comments.
I was disappointed how few entrants' poems actually said anything. I like poems which have a meaning, that you have to work with and that are more than simple descriptions. There were precious few of these.
Disappointed too to see so long commentary or politics outside of the predictable isn't America evil (mainly Americans to be fair), and the even more predictable aren't 21st century Brits bastards for the deeds of Brits centuries ago (inferiority-ridden pseudo-Celts).
The number of pre-writes was not good either, especially as several were nothing to do with what the contest was about. Do people just see a contest title, think oh, I have something that tenuously relates to that, I'll just spatchcock it in regardless??
[Eventually] the contest did attract entries about a number of places, not just Australia and South Africa - despite me clearly stating the maximum number of countries in the rules.
Entries were submitted on:
The United Kingdom 6 (including: Scotland 2, England 1)
South Africa 4
The United States 3
Australia 2
Japan 2
Ireland 2
Italy 2
Russia 2
Germany
Iraq
Botswana
China
Kenya
France
Indonesia
Vietnam
Hungary
The Netherlands
Luxembourg
The Phillipines
New Zealand
Egypt
Albania
India
The United Arab Emirates
Algeria
Lebanon
Sweden
Panama
Malta
Peru
Belize
Finally, a big well done to the few people who entered with a poem that met all the requirements. For the rest of you, next time you enter a contest - please read the rules.
I'm going through all the poems commenting one each and every one, about one third done so far, bear with me...
Thanks,
up
Contest Winners
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br
Auf dem Marktplatz
brennt ein Feuer.• Commented on by judge. Prewrite [remove] -
St. Basil's chimes it's bells
and people shuffle through the snow,by FlamingoCroquet 13 lines, 3 comments, on Dec 28 1:03 AM 2006. In Contest, Humanity
Silver trophy winner
• Viewed by judge. [remove] -
• Viewed by judge. Prewrite [remove]
Gold trophy winner
Bronze trophy winner
Entries [34]
1 - 34 of 34
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by perfect-cadence 24 lines, 5 comments, on Dec 14 8:14 AM 2006• Viewed by judge.
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The warmth of the sun, will ever remain
And I'd give anything, your song to singby eveningthought 16 lines, 10 comments, on Nov 14 12:53 PM 2006. In Contemporary• Viewed by judge. Prewrite -
I am a growing nation.
With problems and people to feed.• Viewed by judge. -
I traversed through Tokyo
Onlooking Osaka• Viewed by judge. Prewrite -
When God was creating the World,
And he got to my fair land,• Viewed by judge. Prewrite -
There is a place fair south of here down Margaret River way,
Don’t even know the name of it; just happened by one day,by paperparadox 38 lines, 26 comments, on Sep 29 5:13 AM 2006. In Nature• Viewed by judge. Prewrite -
Aron vision..
Whales on backs are lines to cross.by cauchy3 48 lines, 3 comments, on Dec 15 3:04 AM 2006• Commented on by judge. -
Can you love a land you've never known?
But only seen images on a screen?• Viewed by judge. -
They place themselves board tiny boats at sea,
floating alone, hoping for savior's mast.• Viewed by judge. Prewrite -
This poem might provoke some discussion about religion and politics.• Viewed by judge. Prewrite
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Shoulders shrug and faces cast down
A nation without a way.• Viewed by judge. Prewrite -
And, having lapped, return their separate selves
To a waiting, violent world• Viewed by judge. Prewrite -
• Viewed by judge. Prewrite
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The Philippine Land...My home, overflowing with Nature's wondersBohol's CHOCOLATE hills...&nbs• Viewed by judge. Prewrite
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Never been there I said
New Zealand where the sheep are bred• Viewed by judge. Prewrite -
Some people go too far, they eat too much roll appetizer
You can see it in the president, see it in his advisers• Viewed by judge. Prewrite -
while the oppressed of the oppressed
wait behind doors ...• Viewed by judge. -
Looking for treasures long hidden,
In the, “Valley of the Kings.”• Viewed by judge. Prewrite -
Freedom was a bar pet• Viewed by judge. Prewrite
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it's about India really, tho it can relate anywhere i guessby polecat 16 lines, on Jan 5 5:44 PM 2007• Viewed by judge.
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• Viewed by judge. Prewrite
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The streets are paved with gold
and stained with blood• Viewed by judge. Prewrite -
Castle in Lebanon
The guide points through swirling cloud• Viewed by judge. Prewrite -
"we are people
who should be ashamed to say
i am American• Viewed by judge. -
I've always wonderd
why love a country• Viewed by judge. -
On a cold dark afternoon of two thousand two,
I said good bye to Great Britain and London too.by Sabir Abdus Samee 9 lines, on Jan 21 4:56 AM 2007• Viewed by judge. -
Icy pops sold at a penny a piece
down on the dusty corner
Rasberry blue mixes with sweat• Viewed by judge.
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Comments
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Read the Rules!
It seems people just see a contest's title and no more when deciding whether to enter or not. Please read them. I already have I think four entries about Australia and three about South Africa. While I decide what to do about the extra poems, please note that no more submissions on South Africa, Australia or England will be accepted. Try and be more imaginative - we have entries about Botswana and Montenegro. Try and think like that!
Thanks, unknownpleasure -
Thank you for silver!
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