Okay, it's time for the much ballyhooed contest du jour
spontaneous vs. contrived
battle of the will or will not survive the meticulous eyes
of those who contest for the thrill of victory
the agony of my feet.
In other words...
This contest will take part in two segments
the first segment...and please take your time with it
Jot down, when the right moment hits, a spontaneous flow poem in its raw form. By raw I mean without ready made stanzas and centering, etcetera. Save that sort of thing for your edited piece.
Post it here and leave it sit for all to read and simmer in.
Then, while we all stew over, savor and grasp the flavoring...
you begin the contrived bit, which is merely the editing process.
Once the piece is edited to your liking then please submit this as your second segment.
Voila, the end.
Well, not quite, what I would then ask of you all, or any (because I'm not sure at all any will enter herein) who drop by to enter or simply read is that you leave your critique of both segments of all the participants, taking into account effectiveness, beauty, and most of all which sampling you prefer from a completely neutral aspect. Trust me I will be taking it all into account, as my judgment skills are probably rather suspect.
Shall we have at her?
This isn't too complicated is it?
I reckon it's a lot of work, but there are points at stake
300 for gold
200 for silver
100 for bronze
and a big plate of liver and onions for all the entrants to dine in or take out.
Thank you. Let the games begin.
There's no rush, I will allow plenty of time for each contestant to do their thing by moving the finish date as it too fast approaches.
Oh, and not too long eh? I tend to get overwhelmed by the overly longish pieces.
This is meant to be fun and a learning thing so let's not get all defensive and such. Well,
unless you must.
Edit added November 16: Please don't worry about remaining anonymous, the nature of the contest is such that I would like to encourage much commenting back and forth on each others submissions. Is that crazy or what?
spontaneous vs. contrived
battle of the will or will not survive the meticulous eyes
of those who contest for the thrill of victory
the agony of my feet.
In other words...
This contest will take part in two segments
the first segment...and please take your time with it
Jot down, when the right moment hits, a spontaneous flow poem in its raw form. By raw I mean without ready made stanzas and centering, etcetera. Save that sort of thing for your edited piece.
Post it here and leave it sit for all to read and simmer in.
Then, while we all stew over, savor and grasp the flavoring...
you begin the contrived bit, which is merely the editing process.
Once the piece is edited to your liking then please submit this as your second segment.
Voila, the end.
Well, not quite, what I would then ask of you all, or any (because I'm not sure at all any will enter herein) who drop by to enter or simply read is that you leave your critique of both segments of all the participants, taking into account effectiveness, beauty, and most of all which sampling you prefer from a completely neutral aspect. Trust me I will be taking it all into account, as my judgment skills are probably rather suspect.
Shall we have at her?
This isn't too complicated is it?
I reckon it's a lot of work, but there are points at stake
300 for gold
200 for silver
100 for bronze
and a big plate of liver and onions for all the entrants to dine in or take out.
Thank you. Let the games begin.
There's no rush, I will allow plenty of time for each contestant to do their thing by moving the finish date as it too fast approaches.
Oh, and not too long eh? I tend to get overwhelmed by the overly longish pieces.
This is meant to be fun and a learning thing so let's not get all defensive and such. Well,
unless you must.Edit added November 16: Please don't worry about remaining anonymous, the nature of the contest is such that I would like to encourage much commenting back and forth on each others submissions. Is that crazy or what?
Contest is Over
- Contest was judged on February 13, 2008
- Rewards: Gold: 300, Silver: 200, Bronze: 100, Honorable mention: 2 people
- Final notes: Thank you so much for all the entries. I enjoyed reading them all.
It was a difficult choice for me. I tried to weigh and measure all the work and effort that went into each piece. Find a balance for selection. Ultimately, I went with personal tastes. In many cases I preferred the original, spontaneous version to the altered version. It's almost as if the more we try to pin down a feeling or quickly fleeting initial thought, the further away from the first, powerful emotion that prompted us to put 'pen to paper' we risk going.
Strike while the iron is hot is a true adage I think. While sometimes one can return to a poem with added incite and more of an eye to what works and what does not, there is always the risk of over-thinking a thing. Perhaps trying too hard to improve on something and in so doing all but destroying the reason it made it to page in the first place.
Well, I blather. The main thing this contest brought to the fore for me was to trust the initial instinct and then proceed with caution. Baby steps, gentle burping, sure sure, change the little things diaper if needs be, but if the turd is a beauty and in the poet's eye feels worthy, slap your seal on it and call it a keeper. For the poet wannabe can but please himself and if perchance at some point some 'other' reader comes along and enjoys it as well...well...whoop dee doo that is but extra gravy sloshed onto something already delicious on it's own.
ps: when metaphorizing tis probably best not to segue from turd/diaper metaphors to food/eating metaphors! See, I'm learning all the time.
Anyway, thank you one and all for deigning to enter herein and add to the furthering of my paltry knowledge in the wherefores and whys and wither goest I's of poemification!
I will definitely, now that I know of your existences, be dropping onto your pages and checking out your works further.
Thank you and a big to each of you. I do truly appreciate your efforts.
Contest Winners
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poet and the mellow moon
silery shades of wonder• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
• Commented on by judge. [remove]
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From Mental Hives to Love Forever
(almost still in it's spontaneous form, think less smooth and less rhythmic and you're there again)• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
• Commented on by judge. [remove]
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by still.she.waits 19 lines, 5 comments, on Jan 30 10:03 PM 2008. In noguest• Commented on by judge. [remove]
Gold trophy winner
Silver trophy winner
Bronze trophy winner
Honorable mention
Entries [11]
1 - 11 of 11
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• Commented on by judge.
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even if you have the worst life ever, and the pain ia unreal, sometimes just love, the love of someone you crave, can save you from the demby XInsanity-FairX 37 lines, 6 comments, on Nov 8 5:16 PM 2007• Commented on by judge.
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I missed you today. Not the way a child looks at an ice cream truck on those days that asphalt feels sticky on the heels of your feet, it was more like forgetting the smell of sun dried worms. You’ve been in the bby Vickery 3 lines, 5 comments, on Jan 3 3:46 PM 2008• Commented on by judge.
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Lying on a plastic mat,by cafegroundzero 34 lines, 14 comments, on Jan 3 5:31 PM 2008. In Angst, Contemporary, Contest, Hope, Humor, Life, Lyrics• Commented on by judge.
Add a comment
Comments
1 - 21 of 21
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excuse me for being dumb, but do we post our edited version as a new entry...in other words, are multiple writes allowed? *embarrassed*
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Hi, polly. Please don't be embarrassed, what's that they say, there are no dumb questions only dumb answers?
I was thinking each entrant would just add the final version as an edit to their initial poem post. So right beneath your uncut version will be your final piece.
Make sense? -
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perfec'
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this need a bit of promotion, dear Emu---
and I'm waiting with baited breath for (most of) the contrived versions!!! It's been a g e s -
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Promotion? Promotion you say? Does not that go against the grain of this place? To self promote? To self promote a contest? Ah, such treachery!!!
but, seriously...
Well, yes, not much hoped for input yet, but I figured this contest would stretch out a goodly while given the nature and premise of it, which is the spontaneous combustion of the initial inspiration and then the editing/contriving bit to follow. I'm assuming the finding of a suitable spontaneous piece to submit could take awhile and so I will...nay, must allow for that...no matter how long it takes...if I am allowed by the system that be that is.
Well, in plain English...this contest could take awhile, so patience shall be our watch word eh? And then of course if I don't get many or any more entries I may have to chalk this endeavor up to a FIZZLE!
But, there's plenty of time, your breath must, I'm afraid, remain baited for a wee bit longer.
And thanks, polly, you're a grand gal.
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if my breath remains baited too long, it becomes fetid *embarrassed*
I'm off to visit the thread, and bang the drum of interest
and it takes one to know one *simper* -
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Thank you polly for drumming up more business. For beating your breast for the good cause!
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oh, it was no bother---t'would be good to promote properly, but that's not allowed
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I know, it makes no sense, but I guess there would be abuses and we'd all be spammed out of our skulls by everyone vying for some attention.
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I'm not going to wait around to spontaneously combust
I can spontaneously gather branches and twigs
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Yes, Matt, gather those branches and twigs, we shall combust a cosy fire with which to nestle by.
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ack
sorry I haven't been more attentive
I have a christmas deadline -
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That's okay, Matt, deadline away. This contest will move slow anyway, because we have to wait for edits of some of the pieces still.
I think I will check on that.
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looks interesting... will give it a try...PK
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Yes, please do. Hit us with your spontaneoust! We're waiting.
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Hm okay okay okay
hmmmm okay okay okee dokee
let's go. -
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Enthusiasm! Yay!
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a very interesting contest, wish I would have seen it before I began editing this spontaneous piece... I think you'll find that editing sometimes works wonders, and sometimes ruins the freshness... if it wasn't so late I'd start and finish a new one...
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I'm glad you did manage to get in under the limbo wire!
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Fraid to say i dont do "contrived" all of my stuff is spontaneous (probably why most of it's crap).
I am of the opinion of the sixties which said if you give enough monkeys enough time and enough typewriters (yes i'm old fashioned)they will come up with something akin to shakespeare.
Well i'm still bashing away but havn't composed any greatness yet............. -
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I understand completely. Much of my writing (crap also! ) is of the spontaneous variety. I love when a spontaneous poem naturally flows from mind to pen to page then back again to mind then finally to lips.
And here's to monkeys writing Shakespeare...with their little monkey twists.
And here's to 'bashing' away hoping for a hit...in this hit and miss word game we insist to play.
Sorry you didn't feel you could enter. I still will check out your words one soon day. As you do intrigue.
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