My partner recently started working at a residential school for children with autism, as part of her training she has attended lectures from various people who suffer with autism and who have managed to form some sort of 'normal' life because of schools like the one she works in.
Today she showed me a quote from a woman, Ros Blackburn, who is known fairly well in the UK and that quote hit me.
What I would like is poetry that attempts to show what this world seems like to a person with autism, don't describe it, show me it. I expect proper research for this subject (remember I have a person who knows quite a lot about autism helping me judge this) hence the closure date being 1 week from today.
Rules:
No prewrites
1 Entry per person
10 Places, you may reserve but if you fail to enter I WILL ban you from any further contests I run.
Spelling is important, use a spell check.
Please place your user name and any research links in your AN. (I won't remind you, I will DQ you)
Please place the quote prompt (at the bottom) in your AN and credit Ros Blackburn.
There is not line or word limit, no restriction on form (but please no stories)... however if you make it an epic it had better be something amazing.
Be respectfull to each other and about the subject, anyone not doing so will be DQ and banned.
No cutting, swearing I just fon't feel they would fit.
I will judge the poem not the poet, but if you are easily hurt by honest critique then don't enter and if I know you please don't expect a softer critique ... It won't happen.
I want you all to enter the mind of a person with autism, see, hear, touch, taste & smell the world as you think THEY would and make me believe you are that person.
Your prompt is:
"To me the outside world is a totally baffling incomprehensible mayhem which terrifies me. It is a meaningless mass of sights and sounds, noises and movements, coming from nowhere, going nowhere" - Ros Blackburn
If I don't get the quality of entries I expect or more than 3 entries I will delete the contest.
Take your time, if you enter and require more time IM me and I just may add a few days.
Take care and good luck.
**Edit - Extended untill 26th July
Today she showed me a quote from a woman, Ros Blackburn, who is known fairly well in the UK and that quote hit me.
What I would like is poetry that attempts to show what this world seems like to a person with autism, don't describe it, show me it. I expect proper research for this subject (remember I have a person who knows quite a lot about autism helping me judge this) hence the closure date being 1 week from today.
Rules:
No prewrites
1 Entry per person
10 Places, you may reserve but if you fail to enter I WILL ban you from any further contests I run.
Spelling is important, use a spell check.
Please place your user name and any research links in your AN. (I won't remind you, I will DQ you)
Please place the quote prompt (at the bottom) in your AN and credit Ros Blackburn.
There is not line or word limit, no restriction on form (but please no stories)... however if you make it an epic it had better be something amazing.
Be respectfull to each other and about the subject, anyone not doing so will be DQ and banned.
No cutting, swearing I just fon't feel they would fit.
I will judge the poem not the poet, but if you are easily hurt by honest critique then don't enter and if I know you please don't expect a softer critique ... It won't happen.
I want you all to enter the mind of a person with autism, see, hear, touch, taste & smell the world as you think THEY would and make me believe you are that person.
Your prompt is:
"To me the outside world is a totally baffling incomprehensible mayhem which terrifies me. It is a meaningless mass of sights and sounds, noises and movements, coming from nowhere, going nowhere" - Ros Blackburn
If I don't get the quality of entries I expect or more than 3 entries I will delete the contest.
Take your time, if you enter and require more time IM me and I just may add a few days.
Take care and good luck.
**Edit - Extended untill 26th July
Contest is Over
- Contest was judged on August 1, 2008
- Rewards: Gold: 1000, Silver: 500, Bronze: 100, Honorable mention: 2 people
- Final notes: My apologies for not giving full comments to your entries, circumstances have taken away the time I would have liked to do that properly, suffise to say that I thank you all for entering and producing such wonderfull poems.
Gold - This is why I can't comprehend you - A well written piece that flowed throughout and gave such an insight in how autism could effect someone.
Silver - A very descriptive piece that again delved deep into how autism effects someone, add to that the experience of the author with autism and this creates insight, I just felt it lacked a little poetic structure.
Bronze - Well written and structured with some interesting images throughtout
HM's - Both well written and in no particulary order.
Contest Winners
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by Yvette Champ 63 lines, 26 comments, on Jul 20 3:32 PM 2008. In autism, noguest
Gold trophy winner
• Viewed by judge. [remove] -
Accommodation’s refuge denied,
Life’s magnitude, unfiltered,• Viewed by judge. [remove]
Silver trophy winner
Bronze trophy winner
Honorable mention
Entries [4]
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Comments
1 - 16 of 16
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This is an amazing idea for a contest! My brother has a mild form of autism, as does my father, and I was intrigued to see what this was all about. I would enter, but I wouldn't feel comfortable delving too deeply into something so painful (for me). Good luck, however, and again, thank you for such a contest! I hope it goes well!
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thank you for the good wishes, I'm hoping that those that do enter will in turn learn something about autism .. I know I have over the last few months, these people who suffer from it are really quite amazing .. unpredictable but still amazing.
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I agree. It's rare that I see anything in mainstream media that even attempts to speak of it. It seems to be as misunderstood and ignored as schizophrenia and mental retardation once was, but maybe that's just me! I'll have to visit again later to see what your contestants have learned and written!
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I hope you do and I hope you add your commens to each entry, it would be great to see how you feel about the entries, having experience of autism.
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This is a beautiful prompt... I'm not sure I have the talent to enter this contest, but it really made me stop and think. My mom used to work with ESE students.
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I'm sure you have the talent, so please enter
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Hi Bro...My son is Autistic, so when I saw this, it tugged at my heartstrings. I rarely write about him or his condition because I am very sensitive about the subject and not open to abuse which he and I have faced all of our lives....he is 27 now, so when he was very young, Autism was considered to be rare and his behavior and mannerisms were not understood so let's just say that in those days we faced some very painful times and the memories are fresh in my mind...I thank you for hosting this contest and if I can find the strength, I will return...
Lynda
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It would be good to see an entry from you sis, especially with your first hand experiences, and don 't worry any one who tries to abuse ANY entry I will report them straight to a MOD.
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This is interesting, I love the quote. I'm going to see if I can come up with anything.
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I liked the contest. But dislike the threat near end.
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No smiles. lol.
I wanted to enter. -
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So what is stopping you?
Yours would be the third entry which would be enough to judge the contest when it closes -
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No. It's not the chance of it closing. Nor the risk. It is the mere threat that quality upon quantity is not asked for in that one sentence
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I expect quality more than quantity. I'd still like you to enter ... pretty please
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Thankyou very much indeed for the wonderful surprize of the Gold trophy and the points. Congratulations to Silver, Bronze and Honourable Mentions. Also thankyou for the contest and I fully respect its honourable intent, which was to make others not just stop and stare but to slip inside another skin and feel the weight of it. Though there weren't many entries a fruitful round of discussions ensued . Enough of the rambling, thanks again, Yvette
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