2009 Survivor Poetry Challenge: Discussion and Announcements

[Angeline]

*Stomps and whistles for Annie's illustrated poems.*

The tanka is excellent. The haiku is fine, too, but I really like that tanka.

 

[pushkine]

Interesting. Certainly not bad for one of your first illustrated poems. I think, though, you mean splendor, not Splender, though I could be wrong. "Melodic rock bands" are well outside my area of expertise.

I also assume you mean "With awe, quail..." not "With awe quail...". I'm a bit more iffy on that, but without the comma the words seem too joined, and I'm quite unclear what an "awe quail" is.

Just suggestions, of course. Your own judgement (it's not my fault our American dictionaries relegate you English to "Also, especially British, judgement.") is what counts.

 

[UnderYourSpell]

*Stomps and whistles for Annie's illustrated poems.*

The tanka is excellent. The haiku is fine, too, but I really like that tanka.

Thankyou sweetheart now if only I can the damn things accepted .......

Interesting. Certainly not bad for one of your first illustrated poems. I think, though, you mean splendor, not Splender, though I could be wrong. "Melodic rock bands" are well outside my area of expertise.

I also assume you mean "With awe, quail..." not "With awe quail...". I'm a bit more iffy on that, but without the comma the words seem too joined, and I'm quite unclear what an "awe quail" is.

Just suggestions, of course. Your own judgement (it's not my fault our American dictionaries relegate you English to "Also, especially British, judgement.") is what counts.

My English spell check says that neither of us is right lol although you probably are for yours! damn n blast it why didn't I spell check? I always do which is why it is so annoying .... oh well see if it goes through this time if not will change it to 'splendour' .... blowed if I will use a foreign language in my poetry! Good to see you back by the way

 

[pushkine]

My English spell check says that neither of us is right lol although you probably are for yours! damn n blast it why didn't I spell check? I always do which is why it is so annoying .... oh well see if it goes through this time if not will change it to 'splendour' .... blowed if I will use a foreign language in my poetry!

You're probably correct with "splendour." I didn't think to check English spelling. My fault.

ETA: Now that I look again at the definition of splendor, it again clearly points out the variant (from my standpoint; standard from your standpoint) spelling: Also, especially British, splendour.

Sorry. Anti-colonialism, I guess.

 

[Angeline]

Ok, Lauren, here it is.

ETA: This was the one I screwed up. But it's good whatever isn't it, huh? Actually it's an Angenelle that I'm using as a poet's choice. But the terzenelle will be here real soon. Lol.

 

[champagne1982]

I like the poem but where are the repeated lines?

Here's a simple one:

Write a love terzanelle¹, and make sure the word valentine is in there somewhere.
¹ The terzanelle is a poetry form which combines the villanelle and the terza rima. It is nineteen lines total, with five triplets and a concluding quatrain. Each triplet has a rhyme scheme of aba, and the middle line becomes the 3rd line of the next triplet, therefore providing that triplet's rhyme. The closing quatrain has a rhyme scheme of abab, and it repeats the middle line of the last triplet as its 3rd line, as well as the 1st and 3rd lines of the initial triplet as its 2nd and 4th lines. Lines can have any meter, as long as it is maintained consistently throughout.

This is the moment when shadows gather [a]
under the elms, the cornices and eaves.
This is the center of thunderweather. [a]

The birds are quiet among these white leaves
where wind stutters, starts, then moves steadily [c]
under the elms, the cornices, and eaves--

these are our voices speaking guardedly [c]
about the sky, of the sheets of lightning [d]
where wind stutters, starts, then moves steadily [c]

into our lungs, across our lips, tightening [d]
our throats. Our eyes are speaking in the dark [e]
about the sky, of the sheets of lightening [d]

that illuminate moments. In the stark [e]
shades we inhibit, there are no words for [f]
our throats. Our eyes are speaking in the dark [e]

of things we cannot say, cannot ignore. [f]
This is the moment when shadows gather, [a]
shades we inhibit. There are no words, for [f]
this is the center of thunderweather. [a]​

 

[UnderYourSpell]

Awwwwwww Ange it's so beautiful but Champ is right the lines don't repeat

 

[Angeline]

Awwwwwww Ange it's so beautiful but Champ is right the lines don't repeat

Geez she's right. I must have been in a haze lol. And I've written this form many many times. Now you all see how absent minded I can be. Well, I can redo it with repeaters and I'll have two poems. I can only count one for the bonus obviously, but I care more about having two poems anyway.

 

[champagne1982]

Geez she's right. I must have been in a haze lol. And I've written this form many many times. Now you all see how absent minded I can be. Well, I can redo it with repeaters and I'll have two poems. I can only count one for Survivor, but I care more about having two poems anyway.

You've got an excellent start to any of the 3 forms, terzanelle, terza rima or villanelle, with your Valentine, Ange. If it weren't for the challenge I'd call it whatever you wanted me to.

 

[UnderYourSpell]

Can't you put that one in poets choice somewhere?

 

[Angeline]

You've got an excellent start to any of the 3 forms, terzanelle, terza rima or villanelle, with your Valentine, Ange. If it weren't for the challenge I'd call it whatever you wanted me to.

Thanks love.

I didn't like it at first, thought it was sappy, but it grew on me. I'm not sure what I'll do with it, probably just adapt it for the contest and save the one I did for me. Print it out and give it to T on Saturday.

 

[Angeline]

Can't you put that one in poets choice somewhere?

Maybe. I'm going to check with Lauren. I'm not sure she'll take an adaptation of a poem I use for the bonus round as a poet's choice. If she does, I'll count it that way. ee hasn't seen it yet, so it'll be a nice surprise for him on V-day.

 

[champagne1982]

Thanks love.

I didn't like it at first, thought it was sappy, but it grew on me. I'm not sure what I'll do with it, probably just adapt it for the contest and save the one I did for me. Print it out and give it to T on Saturday.

LOL. You're allowed to be sappy on Valentine's Day.

BTW, that overly discussed blank verse of mine posted.

 

[Angeline]

LOL. You're allowed to be sappy on Valentine's Day.

BTW, that overly discussed blank verse of mine posted.

I'm doing reviews for Evie today (later though--got a doc's appt this morning), so I'll be reading it again. Pushkine did a great review for you--he always does with form. Me, I hate counting syllables and looking for stresses and uns even in my own poems. I do it (and often mishear it), but I don't like doing it!

I am amazed though at the form poetry some of us'ns are producing for this challenge. You and I have written a lot of it and are used to the idea of writing form, if not specific forms. But people like UYS, Anna, others have never written them and are doing a wonderful job. It's fascinating to me to see how each of us adapts our unique voice to the strictures of form.

 

[UnderYourSpell]

I enjoyed doing that one that the Umasked Poet liked ...... who is he? I've a feeling he has a diff name too!

 

[Angeline]

I enjoyed doing that one that the Umasked Poet liked ...... who is he? I've a feeling he has a diff name too!

I don't think he posts as anyone else here, and I've been here almost as long as he has. When I first came here I quaked at his reviews because whoever he is, he really knows his stuff!

 

[UnderYourSpell]

Then I am truly honoured

 

[annaswirls]

I apologize in advance if this is a dumb question.

If I write a Free Choice poem with a given trigger (say, my backyard for instance) and then realize that I cannot figure out a way to do one of the forms with the triggers available, can I un-count the free-choice poem for that trigger and use the trigger for one of the forms?

I am afraid to use the "easy" triggers for free-choice, but just reading the triggers has triggered my natural way of expressing myself.

Or should I just save the free choice poems for later, just in case I need to use their trigger later?

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Yes, you can reshuffle and count what's left for the second round.

 

[UnderYourSpell]

I apologize in advance if this is a dumb question.

If I write a Free Choice poem with a given trigger (say, my backyard for instance) and then realize that I cannot figure out a way to do one of the forms with the triggers available, can I un-count the free-choice poem for that trigger and use the trigger for one of the forms?

I am afraid to use the "easy" triggers for free-choice, but just reading the triggers has triggered my natural way of expressing myself.

Or should I just save the free choice poems for later, just in case I need to use their trigger later?

Well I'm glad Lauren understood what you just said ........ do you have any Irish in your ancestry?

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Well I'm glad Lauren understood what you just said ........ do you have any Irish in your ancestry?

I was going to expand on my response and add an example but halfway through I started confusing myself.

 

[UnderYourSpell]

I was going to expand on my response and add an example but halfway through I started confusing myself.

Rofllllllll

 

[annaswirls]

Yes, you can reshuffle and count what's left for the second round.

Okay, I think I understand your answer, and I think you understood my question hahaha

So if I write a poem about my backyard in poet's choice, submit it and count it as a Survivor poem, I can UN-count it and replace it with a Sestina about my backyard later, if I am stuck for Sestina inspiration


I think the best part about this challenge is reading the forms, really getting a feel for their potential and then seeing which trigger would work best with the form. I did a Tritina last night with a passion post I did last week, after reading over a bunch of passion posts from the beginning of the Survivor timeframe to see which one would best mingle with the form.

I can't believe I am having fun with this contest. I thought it would be more torturous.

Okay I lie. It feels good today. I will be whining again tomorrow.

 

[annaswirls]

Well I'm glad Lauren understood what you just said ........ do you have any Irish in your ancestry?

hahha! I don't understand your ethnic slur! But I do have the following blood in my veins if it helps....

• Polish

• Bohemian

• Silesian

• German

And my mother swears that there is a touch of Genghis Khan in all of us on my Grandmother's side. You can see him in the slight slant of our eyes.... and she thinks his sons came through my Grandmother's families homeland way back then.....gave us our desire to conquer, control, expand.....

 

[UnderYourSpell]

It's a saying over here when someone says something that comes out somewhat garbled then we would say "That sounds a bit Irish." I don't think it is a slur as more like the Irish blarney used to confuse the English. Ron is half Irish and certainly has the gift of the gab!