A Life-Changed Poetry Contest

We've all had things happen in our time alive that have forever altered how we live our lives. Sometimes, these things change how we see the world and our place in it. Often, though, the most powerful of these events are those that deeply affect how we see ourselves. The changes resulting from these events needn't be grand, my-life-was-saved changes. Rather, they're usually on a smaller level, but nonetheless profoundly affect us all.

I want to hear about those experiences. Be it a happy day out, spending way too much money on video games or consoling a friend in tears, we each share a number of experiences that, while similar on a large scale, are unique to us all and how each affects us. I'm not looking for generic "my-life-was-this-one-second-and-now-it's-not" nonsense--I want something that's unique to you. Something that deeply affected you in some way, something that you reflect on a great deal as a result later on in life.

It can be something from two days ago or twenty years ago, it doesn't matter.

As always, though, there must be rules:

I. No shit. Though I don't comment much these days, I tend to be rather harsh when I do if I read something I don't like. This is especially true if I'm not already familiar with your work. That said, no, I don't play favorites, because this contest will be an anonymous one and I will not be able to see your author names until the contest is over and judged.

II. Though I'm pretty lenient on capitalization and punctuation, I still expect anyone entering to utilize proper spelling and, at the least, intelligible grammar.

III. No rhyme of any kind is allowed. I don't want it and if I see it, I will boot your entry out.

IV. Prose is fine if you wish.

V. I'm allowing only one entry and no pre-writes, but feel free to write 'til your heart's content. Just don't turn it into some 2000-line rambling pile of dreck.

Edit: New rule--VI. I don't want anything sickeningly religious, and that applies to all religions. It just annoys me after a while.

For now, this contest is running for one week and will close on the 27th. If I get enough entries, I may extend it another week. Points may go up as well, depending on the quality and number of entries, as well.

That said, get to writing.

GO.