Hopeless Romantics ONLY

All right all you Hopelessly Romantic and Romantically Inclined people out there!  This is a contest solely for you and you alone!  In other words, if you aren't in the group, you aren't in this contest!  It's that simple.  I want entries from my fellow Romantics out there.  They've been asking for and so here it is.  As for everyone else, I'm sorry if you still really want to enter, you'll just have to join the group.

..................If you are in this group:
http://allpoetry.com/group/673
then you are accepted for this contest!

Okay, on to the more specific things here.  The order here is quite simple.  1st is the Introduction, 2nd is the Options, 3rd is the Requirements for every work submitted, 4th is the Rules, and 5th is any closing statement.

As of right now, I am working with snooky01 and rushdelivery, but I will be attempting to get a good friend I've IM'd to join up as well, so as soon as I can get his permission.  That means that you will have *three*, possibly *four*, judges and that means you'll have to please all of us (or a greater percentage than the rest) to win!

Okay...on to the *OPTIONS*:

1.   What is this that I feel so great?  All I want is love and romance.  If there is no romance in the write, I don't like.  Give me Romeo and Juliet á la vous, or King Arthur á la improvisé.  Whatever works for you.  It can even be about the most romantic thing you would like or the most romantic thing that's happened to you!

2.  I cannot see past these lights!  All I want is love.  No lust, no revenge, no break ups.  Speak to me of the love you dream of, the love you have, or maybe the love you once had.  Nothing about the other negative factors that sweep in, please.

3.  Love gone, forever stray.  Parting is such sweet sorrow.  This is for all you out there that speak of the sadder things of love.  Revenge, lust, breaking up, unrequited love...even rape or abuse.  This is the only option that I will allow any sort of erotica.

4.  Forgotten in past and future days.  Forgotten loves of all that's passed.  Any love that I missed, this is where you must list.  Whatever type of love it is that I've forgotten, I must apologize, but I've got that covered too.  This is a simple option.  Whatever makes you write, use it for the sake of the topic of love, romance and all such mushy feelings.

*Requirements*
I know that it may seem like a lot at times, but I prefer to make my contests more challenging to the writers out there.  This is for *every* contestant.  These are to be a requirement for all of you.  You don't do it, I won't go through it.  Simple as that.  Sorry if it sounds harsh, but I want good, challenging works that I feel deserve the points I'm putting up for this contest.  I've worked hard to get my points, and I'm not giving any up easily.

1.  Each work must be at least 25 words.  I don't want anything extremely short.  Extremely long isn't good either because I will lose interest.  As swiftly as a flaming twig goes out over a waterfall of tears.

2.  If you have any problems or questions or whatever, IM me, dragondancer for all your concerns.  I will not guarantee and answer, but if you post it as a comment below, I will most likely respond.  I will do my best to help any that request it and I will try to critique the work prior to the dead line.  I cannot say as much for the other judges...provided they agree to this contest.

3.  You must comment on *one* work written by *myself or another contest holder*.

*Rules*
I know nobody seems to like, let alone read the rules, so here's your warning: *I will not accept anything that does not fit the option, all the requirements and all of the rules!*

1.  \Erotica or Adult stuff please read this\!  Whilst I will accept it in the second option, any other such will not be accepted for this.  I have younger brothers that look at this stuff all the time and I don't want them learning any such things...it's far too disturbing.  If you do have even the slightest inclination to either of these topics, please post so either in your title, the beginning of your work, or the Writer's Comment.  You can remove it when this contest closes for all I care, but it must be present until then.

2.  \No sticky caps\.  Titles, names, and such things are good to capitalize.  Any more than that and it just makes it hard for me to read.

3.  \Cursing\.  I know that this can be a great way to get a point across.  While I can understand this, there are a few guidelines on that subject.  I don't want excessive cursing (more than 20% of the whole poem) and I don't want it used uselessly.  It must be there to accentuate the poem or not there at all.

4.  *Prewrites as of right now are accepted*.

5.  Though I want the complete raw energy of poetry here, I also want a \good sense of grammar and spelling\.  If I can't understand what you're saying, there's no way that you're point is going to get across.  Simply put, stick to the basic rules of grammar, like having verbs and nouns and such and keep the spelling as something at least remotely close to what you mean.  While I am working on an English Major, that does not state that I am such a stickler to the grammatical sense of every work I or anyone else makes.  I will try to assist, but there is no guarantee that I am right on anything.  Please do not take the time to comment on a work for the mere purpose of complaining that I (or someone else) am a hypocritical judge (or contestant) because of statements of grammar.  This may very well stop your work from be eligible for this contest.

6.  To prove without a possible doubt that you truly have read this through, there is a sentence in on this page that speaks of a burning twig.  I want you to write that complete sentence either in the \title, \in the \poem\, or in the \author comments\.

7.  Anything else goes.  If I must limit this in some other form, I will notify only those that have filled all the guidelines above.  If you haven't, then I will not notify you if there are any changes to this page.

Okay, that's everything. Remember, everyone here must follow these things I've requested.  Though I cannot delete your work from this, I will (and can) delete the entire contest.  If I feel there are too many of you that are breaking the rules (meaning more than the repented one or two) then I am erasing this entire thing and I won't start a new one.  I'm sorry if this sounds harsh or self-righteous, but as I said before, these are my points and I've worked hard for them.  You have to earn them, regardless that it's a small amount for a contest!

IF you want to join the Hopeless Romantics that this contest is for, here's the link:
http://allpoetry.com/board/700

Good luck and may love and romance guide your pens, pencils and keyboards in the right direction!