Photo Credit- Wilson Arch by David Meunsch
The idea of the contest is to create a Villanelle Collaboration with an Old Poet of your choice. The collaboration will be a villanelle with the repeating lines taken from your selected poet's works, Cento style.
Here's how:
Select an Old Poet http://oldpoetry.com/
Select three lines or more from their works, one line from each poem is the ideal.
Variation: not more than two** lines from any one poem is allowed, but NOTE: this makes it quite difficult to achieve new meanings in the villanelle, THE TASK SEEMS MUCH HARDER THIS WAY.
Arrange the lines as the first tercet of the villanelle collaboration, and
continue to complete the Villanelle.
The result will be a villanelle, nineteen lines, rhyming
in form:
No meter is required feel free if you wish to set a meter and use it, it will be rewarded in judging as anything else that adds to the expression and beauty of the work.
the requirements for villanelle are :
the Villanelle.
The villanelle is a 19-line poem with repeating lines, composed of five stanzas with a closing set of four lines, last two make a couplet.
The rhyme pattern is aba-aba-aba-aba-aba-abaa.
The measure/beat is metered, or no meter, or a mix your choice.
The villanelle lines 1 and 3 make repeating refrains in the poem as follows:
1*3, **1, **3, **1, **3, **13 (stars are non-repeating lines)
http://www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/villanelle.html
You should enter the name of the Old Poet collab partner in the Author notes, along with the lines and page link for each line you have adopted from the old poems.
Judging will reward the effort to blend with the old poetry and on the use of the Villanelle to bring a message through the repeating lines.
Here is an example:
Midnight
By the pale dull pallor of an old gas light
I have almost forgotten my dream.
And the wind won't wait for midnight
To worthier words in sudden slight
Grace not observed with due esteem
By the pale dull pallor of an old gas light
when day birds roost night owls take to flight
all the skies are as welcome as they seem
And the wind won't wait for midnight
I found love before first sweet good-night
her skin had the soft tone of caramel cream
By the pale dull pallor of an old gas light
I made a tomorrow so full and right
flowed like cool water in a summer stream
And the wind won't wait for midnight
for hopes flicker and fade from sight
or rise and glide in splintered gleams
By the pale dull pallor of an old gas light
And the wind won't wait for midnight
Authors Notes:
Great Old Poet Collaborator - Langston Hughes
Cento Notes:
1.And the wind won't wait for midnight
http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/6484-Langston-Hughes-Cultural-Exchange
2. By the pale dull pallor of an old gas light
http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/8370-Langston-Hughes-The-Weary-Blues
3. I have almost forgotten my dream.
http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/8631-Langston-Hughes-As-I-Grew-Older
FEEL FREE TO RESERVE A PLACE WHILE YOU WORK ON YOUR CREATION
** this was a change from the original... should give more freedom to express
So by all means have fun with this...PK
Contest is Over
- Contest was judged on October 5, 2008
- Rewards: Gold: 1000, Silver: 800, Bronze: 500, Honorable mention: 3 people
- Final notes: The contest Collab with a Great Poet is over. My thanks to all who entered your work was wonderful. You rose to the challenge of writing with the verses and inspiration of the great old poets, and the results were gratifying, and not easy to judge.[ And in this case, I think anyone who reads these entries will quickly agree... this was a hard one to judge].
My choices for the awards are as follows:
Never Again A Dawn - Gold
This is simply beautiful, this collaboration with the selected verses from Robert Frost is excellent in every way. The Cento lines go together to make a wonderful beginning, and each refrain seems to add nuance and meaning to the poem. The voice, the humble and quiet voice…so consistent and well planned. A wonderful entry well deserving of the Gold.
Awakening - Silver
Gibran in collaboration here, short verses, short simple words, and such intrinsic beauty in these rich lines. I think most of poetry which carries a big idea in a small package, and this poem in excellent technical form , does just that and builds to the closing couplet which is the highlight of the poem. A wonderful entry gold worthy, and the word holly, could easily have been "folly", for yet another burst of meaning. Excellent work for the Silver.
Wan Colourings of the Wandering Need - Bronze
I read the Cento poems for this piece to reacquaint myself with Wordsworth, and the baroque- or ornate- stylings of the verses.
A word like purple becomes purpureal, and takes on added rhythm if not meaning in the contexts of refrains, adding a melodic quality and some depth to the thoughts too. I thought the words here were simply arresting, riveting kinds of thoughts, wonderful depth. Excellent work and skills here, and deserving of Bronze or more.
This Plodding Life – Emerald
This is where one begins to realize how good these entries were, when a piece of this quality is not at the very top; a remarkable poem here in this collaboration contest format. So well written and filled with thoughtful ideas, simply beautifully presented. Excellent work so deserving of an award.
What Happens? - Emerald
W.H. Auden’s words carry an unique and thoughtful quality, even among the works on display here they stand out for the sheer brilliance of thought, a remarkable poem here; asking the imponderable but making it all seem so poetic and artistic. Excellent work here deserving of recognition.
No One Is Home - Emerald
Such powerful and moving words here to describe a woman’s state of mind, condition of spirit a collaboration with Dorothy Parker’s verses, so very well done. Depths and heights all the deep emotions on display here in a memorable poem. Excellent work.
Trial of Truth - Judge’s Mention
Sometimes a subject is so compelling one must mention it and recognize it, and war and loss of young lives cannot be passed over lightly anywhere…so it is wonderful that this subject was brought forward in the Kipling verses and collaboration, a wonderful instance of writing well for all of the right reasons too. Excellent work.
Barbed-wire Entanglement - Judge’s Mention
I felt a need to mention the work of Claude McKay and this splendid piece in collaboration. Too many third- world writers and artists fail to receive adequate attention for their work, the quality and importance of their contributions, and this is an opportunity to note that…. More to the point here, this is a wonderful writing full of a rare type of wisdom, so commendable.
I consider every entry in the contest to be a medal worthy poem [with the possible exception of the judge’s entry], and they are each Honorably Mentioned here. The work and effort required to do this special villanelle form is notable of itself.
I have rarely had writing of this consistent quality in a contest of mine, I cannot recall any contest that I thought was better.
I hope every writer in the contest is proud of his/her work, I know that I am, and I am grateful for the opportunity to read and consider these works of art.
I hope everyone enjoyed the challenge of the contest format and using our special resources at Old Poetry.
Until next contest…please be safe and well…PK
Contest Winners
- Error: Unable to find finalist item 4617983, it seems to have been deleted :( [remove]
- Error: Unable to find finalist item 4622595, it seems to have been deleted :( [remove]
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• Commented on by judge. [remove]
- Error: Unable to find finalist item 4643885, it seems to have been deleted :( [remove]
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• Commented on by judge. [remove]
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Once on a time, the ancient legends tell,
She took her place upon the witness stand• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
Picked from this lot are faded souvenirs,
of which with fall of pride I musn't share.• Commented on by judge. [remove]
Honorable mention
Entries [10]
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by Lyndon 29 lines, 12 comments, on Sep 23 11:30 AM 2008. In Villanelle, Cento, Classical, Mythology, Icelandic legend, Nature, Thoughts, I
• Commented on by judge. -
by Idle Mind Wondering 30 lines, 5 comments, on Sep 28 2:35 AM 2008• Commented on by judge.
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Mere puppets they, who come and go
shrouded forms, that start and sigh• Commented on by judge. -
Villanelle with OldPoetry
• Commented on by judge.
Add a comment
Comments
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LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS IDEA!!!!! Very creative and so fun to research and noodle on. Looking forward to it.
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I wish to use a villanelle by Dylan Thomas...would it be at all possible for me to use lines 1 & 3 (the repeats) from the same poem please?
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Yes...since this is the first time doing this it will be interesting to see how it works out...thanks for the suggestion...PK
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Thankyou
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You are welcome-
now dont forget the other idea: to add a line from another poem among the non repeating lines... Cento style...PK
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Not only is this a wonderful idea for a contest, it is also a great suggestion for a creative writing assignment for my students. It requires both the reading of some masterworks and the writing of an original form poem. I love it!!
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hmmm, lucky students I think to have a teacher out looking for ideas to help them learn research and writing skills...PK
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UGH! everyone loves this idea but me ...
It looks hard and I'm lazy ... good luck though and I hope you get a lot of wonderful entries
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Thank you Piccola-
it really isn't so hard as it looks i did one myself..proves can't be very hard
...PK
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I can't get the hang of a villanelle ... if I did, I would choose Yeats and try to just add my own rhyme somehow. I love Yeats.
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Ah ha! I knew the line from "The Weary Blues"
"I heard a Negro play last night
by the pale dull pallor of an old gas light
he did a lazy sway..."
Love that poem! Love this contest idea!
Love YOU ♥
Renee
Bookmarked!
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...PK
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A wonderful idea: bringing the old and the new together.
This is will be a contest worth watching!
Best of luck
Von - Oldpoetry -
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Thank you...It is always a pleasure for me to visit Old Poetry, an important resource for writers...PK
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Are those the final guidelines to the contest, or will come more changes at request?
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Well said... no, no more changes, the idea is to use one line from three different poems, Cento style and make a villanelle collaboration ...I have read some of the entries and commented, so i dont think i will change the contest...h
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A great idea PK and, if there is still space, I shall have a go myself after the weekend.
Good luck with the entry standards and thank you for the Oldpoetry plug.
Jim -
An amazing contest with so many wonderful entries from some truly brilliant poets, and I'm not just talking about the Old Poets. An Excellent contest. Thank you so much for the HM.
~Pamela
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I have to agree, there were some impressive poems here, the writers really stepped up to the challenge. It was very gratifying...PK
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PK, thank-you so very much for this wonderful bronze award! I am truly honored considering the most talented competition involved in this one.
What a tremendous idea and one I may have to mimic in some way. It was a challenge and one that gave
much excitement to me (more than frustration) and
showed me once again learning is never done. Blue
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you had a wonderful entry, but I must agree there were many deserving entries here, far more than medals awarded, also and most important, the satisfaction from a thing done well...all the best...PK
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