You know that great big one you keep meaning to write?
Here is your excuse.
Any Style.
You need not emulate Ginsbergs style in howl, but the
length is what I'm looking for, 400 lines minimum.
Let, 'er rip, you now have four thousand excuses.
2000 for gold
1000 for silver
1000 for bronze
If nothing worthy arrives I'll give up.
Please don't submit crap in a four thousand point contest.
-To be clear...
I want poetry, not prose.
I expect to extend the deadline and not limit entries.
Not Anonymous - I judge fairly, but probably penalize
my friends a bit to keep it that way.
I will be flexable to plus or minus ten percent on length
but expect that something beyond 400 lines will win.
Yes, I have done this, and will again...
If your offering is not up to a minimum standard, I'll
withdraw it, so leave your ego at the door.
If you have questions about my judging ethics, ask one
of the people from the comments who plans to enter;
chances are they will have been to my contests before,
or look at my past contests.
-Advice
I found stretching something smaller to fail. Think in
terms of taking something larger and paring it down
with the same word economy you would bring to forty
lines.
Read "Howl"
Not so much to "borrow" style or substance, but to
understand that a single line or phrase carries just
as much weight as in a smaller piece.
I wrote my big one in a week, and have now been
editing it for months. The finalists will be re-read
at the last instant, so feel free to edit right up to
the end,
the end, my friends...
MAY FIRST UPDATE
I've been ill and unable to work on judging
but I have a good start now and will finish quite
soon. Everyone entered will get an HM and
I will be adding a number of 500 point awards
in keeping with the scope of these pieces and
the immense task of judging.
Thank you all for your patience and the incredible reading!
Rob
P.S The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated. lol.
Contest is Over
- Contest was judged on May 5, 2007
- Rewards: Gold: 2000, Silver: 1000, Bronze: 1000, Honorable mention: 26 people
- Final notes: What a monumental task!
Thank you all!
Everyone gets an honorable mention.
The top sixteen [finalists] will all receive
a minimum of 500 points and my awe.
My friends were somewhat penalized in the judging, as is my custom.
I'm adding all those 500 point awards because I really feel as if they were all goldworthy. They are in no particular order
after the bronze and I must admit to subjectivity coming into play in the top three,as all sixteen were GREAT and I had to just give in to a personal "wow factor"
Again thanks for your work and patience.
It will likely take me a year to gather
the points for another contest like this.
Peace, Rob
Contest Winners
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by myriad-dark 450 lines, 12 comments, on Mar 7 11:14 PM 2007. In Abuse, Dark, Society, Angst, Personal Tribute to Alan Ginsberg
Gold trophy winner
• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
by Scott Adelmann 374 lines, 72 comments, on Mar 10 7:00 PM 2007. In Adult, Society, Pain, Life, Contemporary, Sad, Spiritual
Honorable winner• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
Life moves is cycles
With cycles in circlesby dp robertson 945 lines, 14 comments, on Mar 30 7:19 PM 2007. In Personal, Society, Thoughts
Honorable winner• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
I've finished it finally. I wish I'd noticed it sooner, It just flew out onto the page, but it took days for it all to get here.• Commented on by judge. [remove]
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by XxGoldenxXDawnxX 401 lines, 4 comments, on Apr 13 7:36 PM 2007. In Adult, Dark, Spiritual, Thoughts, Philosophy, Occult, Weird
Honorable winner• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
UNFINISHEDby UnusedUntitled 361 lines, 1 comment, on Apr 6 10:31 PM 2007
Honorable winner• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
Graffiti encircles the red brick mantras;by Moonshinesuicide 403 lines, 8 comments, on Apr 5 12:52 PM 2007
Honorable winner• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
What is Death?by Diseased Mind 435 lines, 15 comments, on Mar 25 2:56 PM 2007. In Contemporary, Life, Sad
Honorable winner• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
This is a VERY long fantasy epic. 410 lines, not counting spaces.• Commented on by judge. [remove]
Entries [22]
1 - 22 of 22
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She was always searching
For a heart to call her own
Watching faces passing by• Commented on by judge. -
418 lines not counting spacesby thankful4theSuNsEt 588 lines, 24 comments, on Mar 9 3:10 PM 2007. In Dark, Spiritual, Thoughts, Society, REAAAAAALLLY long• Commented on by judge.
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Teach me to strive for succes; challenge me
Let fantasy bacome realityby sportsgal 2007 13 lines, 5 comments, on Mar 28 8:13 PM 2007• Viewed by judge. -
My love,
With every stroke ofby jejune 405 lines, 6 comments, on Apr 1 9:11 PM 2007• Commented on by judge. -
An Epic so be prepared!!!• Commented on by judge.
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only 133 lines, but i thought i'd throw it in.by dictaudi 177 lines, 3 comments, on Apr 5 6:40 PM 2007• Commented on by judge.
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Under the noose
of the millions of dazzling wiresby Raazi 402 lines, 3 comments, on Apr 6 9:27 AM 2007• Commented on by judge.
Add a comment
Comments
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OMG
THANK YOU
WONDERFUL CONTEST
I AM SO ENTERING -
I'll definitely have a shot at this one, just give me a bit of time. All the best,
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finally! an excuse to write something substantial. those 10 line contests arent posing much of a challenge...
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< In the
tradition of Jack I will protect the guilty and decline to comment on any chemical assistance I may have had with mine.
I will look forward to an electrifying entry from my droogie.
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wow, nows this is a contest. I'll be sure to enter this one.
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Holy shit!!!
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Holy Shit
would be great. Allen did it once so it would really need to be over the top...
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You will definitely have your work cut out for you with the entries you receive. I'm still procrastinating my short stories, so I know I will miss this opportunity to write a lengthy poem. Good luck hosting this one.
Ted E -
400 lines?
Damn Rob!
I've done 105 lines, don't know if I can pull off 400 though. -
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Hee Hee
I asked myself what it would take to make me do another.
This would have done it.
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OMG . . . a contest with some meat . . . I so look forward to the many entries you will receive, I'm sure. Only 13 days . . . that's gonna be a little tough, got no time and my muse has blown a fuse!!!!
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I'm Sure
I will be extending this one, count on having twenty days.
I would love it if you find an excuse to let 'er rip!
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I lack talent to write long
winded......at least I dont think so.....I may also lack time too...If I did...Id probably bore you to death....
Mal -
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Somehow
I doubt that you would bore me...
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Hey. I am all for this, very, very cool. But I may need a bit more time, is that an option if needed?
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and wait, can i make a place holder so no one takes my spot?!
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Yep,
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and
yep
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Yikes!! I'm with Victory on this..lol..tough one.
But great idea. Can't wait to see what happens with this.
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ARE YOU SERIOUS!?!?!?!?!
Ok....so as we speak I'm working on a piece, are you 100% serious about the 400 line minimum, 'cause I'd like to enter it, and I don't honestly know how long I can "drag it out" but I'd like to get it as close as possible to your expectations, lol.
~Agony -
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I may bend
it a bit for a piece with longer lines, but I expect entries over four hundred will win. -
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haha, you may bend, well thats good to know...
Ta
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Man, I'm coming back here just to read
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I have a somewhat strange question. I've been working an a really long story poem for a while now. The first half I have already posted on allpoetry but not the second half which is still unwritten. If I was to finish it for this contest would that count as a prewrite? The first half is already up which is about 200 lines and the second half will probably be at least that long. I like to know before I finish it if that could count as a new poem.
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Yeah,
that's okay, I can bend that far.
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bugger me!!! that's alot of wonga Rob!!!
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This one's been brewing since you posted, well at least I have a title thanks to Clapton
Strange Brew
see ya in a week...lol
peace bro -
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Very Cool,
can't wait to read it. Good luck bro. -
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hey I only have 399 lines to go....anyways cool idea
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Good lord..That's a whole lot of lines..yowsers...
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I had always been known to write in a lengthy style, but Rob... even for me this seems a little extravagant. 400 lines? How many words are to be in each line? I'd give you 4,000 if my muse were at its prime, although I can't say for the life of me that it is at this moment... (that sounds like a novel...which I am working on, over 95,000 words and still two more chapters to fill...) I will see if I have the energy and what I can come up with.
I hope all goes will with your contest. It will be a valiant effort.
Many blessings,
Raven Aurora
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wow, I would try this, but the harsh judgement you stated 'don't write crap', will keep me and a million others away. It's actually a contradiction- a howel is whatever 'crap' is in your heart - and all the groans coming from the soul are eloquent- in fact the more you struggle to speak what comes from the soul, but can't (because who can't), the more raw- in my mind, the more moving, the more beautiful, when it's honest, and true.
I will certainly come back though and read all the entries in your contest. I am glad I am not the judge! But a brilliant idea for a contest. -
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Bring the raw
stuff. If the scope fails to intimidate, the "crap" line shouldn't either.lol. It will be a bear to judge. I will be using outside help before it's over. In fact, I will probably make it a bit of a workshop for my local writers group to add input.
Many of the best examples of super long poems are rather free-wheeling in nature. All the better. I would just hate to see someone spend a lot of time on something awful given the caliber of some who have or will enter. No one loses by grabbing the excuse to let that long one fly.
Judging by your response, I hope you will reconsider and think about entering.
P.S Punctuation and spelling can be edited out of good poetry, but it's tough to edit in good poetry where only bad prose exists.
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You're trying to make me go back out after almost 11 years of being clean and smoke me a joint man!
I can't do something like this clean and sober, hell! I'm shaking my head here. What!? Now you've got my heart and mind racing. Let me finish judging my contest that's filled with pretentious crap, and some good stuff too. Remind me to never, ever hold another "Give me your Best (Prewrite) Contest" again! Especially for 1,000 points. I'm dying over here. 
I'll be back!
LOVE YOU ♥
Renee
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Intriguing idea.
I am not wordy enough for this one, but I hope you get many great entries. It's been too long since the 60's and I'm a tad worn down. Anyway, good luck with the contest. -
I made it
didn't have to use any mind-altering substances either...well...maybe chocolate!
Havve fun reading darlin'!
Renee
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some people are friggin gluttons for punishment... brave and worthy of you. With only one day remaining, i'll keep my excuses and spare you the additional trauma, but you deserve to be commended. What ever happened to the ability to clap for contests?
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Don't think all my lines in all my poems tally up to that! I'm brief and to the point, not sure I could create a howl about anything with that many lines. LOL But this is a great contest for those who can, and the rewards are worth the right! Thanks for hosting.
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OK you got me I'll write as soon as my daughter is in bed that leaves me four hours
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Well I am not up for 300+ lines, so best of luck in reading all of this. Maybe 10 lines of brilliance is better than 400 lines of crap!
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Freakin' Ay
It was hard, long and hard,
But I did it,,
400 lines,
quite fun....
Thanks for hosting, and giving me an excuse to piss others off =P -
Hey Rob
I have finally finished Howling is Contagious... I hope that you get the chance to read what I've written. It will go along with my Native American Saga, but it was so much fun to see how much I could write about one subject. Truth is I could have kept writing, but stopped in a good place I think. Thank you for challenging me, Spiritsong -
Thank you for Honorable Mention in this challenge. Indeed it was a challenge to my muse. I enjoyed the time spent to collect all my thought to write this HOWL! What an ingenious idea to hold such a contest in honor of the beat poets of the past. There are many present such poets. I tip my hat to everyone!
Congratulations to all the winners and honorable mentions. Now on to read the winning works! YOU GET SOME REST MAN! Don't make me come over there!
Always ♥
Renee
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First of all & most importantly, ya know I love you, Sweetness. Thank you for hosting such a challenging contest (for me, anyway), for the distinguished Honorable Mention & amazing amount of points...& hell, just for Being, my Friend...Congratulations to everyone that had the...uhhh...intestinal fortitude to enter... A courageous bunch, for sure...Special congratulations to the winners & other honorable mentions, many of whom are my incredibly talented Friends, as well...Hallelujah, we made it through...
Be well, Poets & Scribes...'specially YOU, Sweetness... 
Sweet Pea
"Swansong Unsung Until Now"
http://www.allpoetry.com/poem/2714408
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Rob, thank you so much for the silver, I am incredibly dumbfounded.
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Thanks Rob! And congratulations to everyone - anyone who actually had the tenacity to write 400 lines.
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congrats to the winners and thanks for the mention
but more than that, thanks for pushing us to be better poets...killer contest...probably my favorite thus far at AP
thake care bro
peace Muddy -
wow, am I disappointed I didn't get to be a part of this
I really wanted to. I hope you don't wait a whole nother year for the opportunity. This is definitely one of those opportunities I will regret forever.
So who won the silver?
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