Most Influential Poet Award

[GuiltyPleasure]

I voted for Chippy. She works hard, is a good poet and all round decent human. She contributes.

Chip's was my choice too.

 

[butters]

it's not just me, then, seeing better poets from our forum than some being nominated by non-forumees...

if i could nom more than one, i would, but have to go with greenmountaineer this time. so much to his work that keeps me thinking and seeing from new angles.

 

[greenmountaineer]

it's not just me, then, seeing better poets from our forum than some being nominated by non-forumees...

if i could nom more than one, i would, but have to go with greenmountaineer this time. so much to his work that keeps me thinking and seeing from new angles.

Thanks. I don't think much about awards, one way or another, but that comment is rewarding.

 

[serpentwrap]

I'm yet to read many of the poems, but from what little I have read, I would nominate chipbutty... her Imprint is a classic IMHO...

 

[Angeline]

Aw, geez.

How about five billion marks

http://www.winecommonsewer.com/.a/6a00d8341cbb0453ef01156e3fd4b0970c-320wi

and an introduction to a corrupt African offical? Hell, I'll even throw in an excellent counterfeit 1909 Honus Wagner baseball card:

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2010/1027/mlb_a_hwagner_200.jpg

I mean, it's not exactly 100 trillion Zimbabwean Dollars, but damn it's a lot of zeros.

Should count for something, hey?

Oh I'd do it just for the Honus Wagner card. You know me and bessaball.

So poets what I've heard is that a group of people who want one of their friends to win will be getting behind one person as a block so that their numbers will be greater than ours, as we'll split between a few poets. And there's nothing wrong with that except that the person they've chosen wrote all of six poems last year and if you read them...well you can draw your own conclusions.

I like Tess's idea, to have our own award, but with a twist. How's about if we do a poll of our nominees and then all vote for whoever is the winner here? Just a thought but it would be one way of ensuring that someone who was here writing and being influential for real and for most of 2010 has a real chance of winning the award. Whaddaya think?


PS I hope you all realize this ain't about me and if anyone were to nominate me I'd have my name removed from any poll. I wasn't around or being especially helpful at all in 2010. I just hate to see the award go to someone who doesn't deserve it.

 

[Angeline]

So this is the nominations? And then the vote comes later? Is that how it works?

Is it a blind ballot or...?

I think there are some good nominations, and I will vote, but I would prefer a secret ballot.

Hi Palba.

What you just did when you voted was nominate someone. The people with the most nominations will go on the official ballot and then there will be a month of voting among those who make it onto the ballot. Hope this info helps.

 

[bronzeage]

I am still trying to see the connection between poets and influence.

 

[Angeline]

I am still trying to see the connection between poets and influence.

You strike me as a man who has been influenced by a poem or two.

 

[bronzeage]

You strike me as a man who has been influenced by a poem or two.

Probably more that two, but as I am a poet as well, which explains most of it.

It's only my pet peeve, come to the surface.

Where ever I go, I find the only people interested in poetry, are other poets. It would be as if Tom Clancy published a new book and the only people who bought a copy were John Grisham and Stephen King.

I am sure there are influential poets in our time, but the sphere of influence seems very small.

 

[Angeline]

Probably more that two, but as I am a poet as well, which explains most of it.

It's only my pet peeve, come to the surface.

Where ever I go, I find the only people interested in poetry, are other poets. It would be as if Tom Clancy published a new book and the only people who bought a copy were John Grisham and Stephen King.

I am sure there are influential poets in our time, but the sphere of influence seems very small.

Yes, I understand. Kind of how I feel about the fact that one of the very few things I am really good at is something no one is willing to pay much, if anything, to read. And many people wouldn't be willing to read even if I paid them. One's of god's little cosmic jokes, I suppose.

 

[Liar]

I am still trying to see the connection between poets and influence.

I've written one or two under the influence.

And re-written them proper the morning after.

 

[bronzeage]

Yes, I understand. Kind of how I feel about the fact that one of the very few things I am really good at is something no one is willing to pay much, if anything, to read. And many people wouldn't be willing to read even if I paid them. One's of god's little cosmic jokes, I suppose.

I've written one or two under the influence.

And re-written them proper the morning after.

I blame modern education, especially elementary education. Poetry is offered as the alternative to rigid grammar imposed on prose and text. Poetry is taught as an unlimited form of self expression. What is lost in this process is the reader. The young poet is told their work only has to satisfy themselves and communication is secondary.

Right after elementary school, a young man suddenly has enough emotional turmoil in his life to inspire some poetry from him and he's crippled. He finds obscure metaphors for the simplest things and no one has any idea what he means. Years ago, I had a fifteen year old working for me during the summer. He read some of my stuff and asked me to read one of his poems.

There was a line something like, "the creature rose from the abyss." That was the only clear image in the piece. He finally tells me, this is about the time he saw a girl climb out of a swimming pool and her bathing suit top came loose. She saw him looking at him and smiled while she rearranged herself. It's a sweet little scene and worthy of a poem. I told him it was a great idea and could be a good poem, but he started with a nipple and ended up with a sea monster.

This is a quote I ran across when I was very young. It has stayed with me all these years. I am not sure if we are the philosophers or the plumbers.

The society which scorns excellence in plumbing because plumbing
is a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because
philosophy is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing
nor good philosophy. Neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water.
-- John W. Gardner

 

[Angeline]

I blame modern education, especially elementary education. Poetry is offered as the alternative to rigid grammar imposed on prose and text. Poetry is taught as an unlimited form of self expression. What is lost in this process is the reader. The young poet is told their work only has to satisfy themselves and communication is secondary.

Right after elementary school, a young man suddenly has enough emotional turmoil in his life to inspire some poetry from him and he's crippled. He finds obscure metaphors for the simplest things and no one has any idea what he means. Years ago, I had a fifteen year old working for me during the summer. He read some of my stuff and asked me to read one of his poems.

There was a line something like, "the creature rose from the abyss." That was the only clear image in the piece. He finally tells me, this is about the time he saw a girl climb out of a swimming pool and her bathing suit top came loose. She saw him looking at him and smiled while she rearranged herself. It's a sweet little scene and worthy of a poem. I told him it was a great idea and could be a good poem, but he started with a nipple and ended up with a sea monster.

This is a quote I ran across when I was very young. It has stayed with me all these years. I am not sure if we are the philosophers or the plumbers.

The society which scorns excellence in plumbing because plumbing
is a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because
philosophy is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing
nor good philosophy. Neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water.
-- John W. Gardner

That is a great quote.

 

[EroticOrogeny]

I like the idea of our own poll, as suggested by Tess and 2nded by Angeline.
And such a poll, if on one of the poetry forums, would be much more likely to be noticed by regulars - the others are in places I don't usually go.

 

[PandoraGlitters]

Chip should totally get most influential. She's doing a fabulous job as a moderator and is also a really valuable member of the forum, giving excellent feedback and general banter. Hope everyone is having a great new year, btw.

xo

Dora

 

[Angeline]

Chip should totally get most influential. She's doing a fabulous job as a moderator and is also a really valuable member of the forum, giving excellent feedback and general banter. Hope everyone is having a great new year, btw.

xo

Dora

Happy New Year sweetheart. Nice to see you! You totally need to do that 52 pick up challange.

 

[UnderYourSpell]

Happy New Year sweetheart. Nice to see you! You totally need to do that 52 pick up challange.

seconded

 

[bulltlr]

Wow!

I did not ask to be nominated
wasn't aware until tweeted
when asked why
they responded "we believe in you"
---------
I don't deserve the noms
I don't deserve the title
just my opinion!
--------
I lurk, I read
I don't comment or vote
unless your poem, story
positively moves me!
--------
I love to write
prose/narration
open/free
thought I'd try
something new
that's why I'm here!
--------
Thanks for the warm welcome!

 

[butters]

hey, bulltlr

we work hard at improving ourselves as writers here, by doing, reading, commenting... we are also free to offer opinions, which will naturally sometimes cause small resentments and possible misunderstandings. i'm sure, as a lurker here, you will have seen this in action already from time to time. However, we are a pretty fair bunch and should people here read something by you they think is well-written, or holds something that they appreciate, they will surely tell you so.

when we make suggestions here about improvements others might make in their work, they are simply as seen through the poster's pov. often these will be of help to the author of the write in question, but not always. please feel free to post your own, join in the forum by reading and commenting on the works of others, and just general board chat about poetry or anything you feel like in the Poets' Hangout.

 

[bulltlr]

....

Thank you chipbutty!

 

[twelveoone]

--------
I lurk, I read
I don't comment or vote
unless your poem, story
positively moves me!
--------

TRY IT!
I DO SOMETIMES FOR YOURS
WHAT PART OF ME YELLING AT YOU DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?
Do you think most of what I read moves me? No.
Two things, it is about growth (yours) and about community.
A vote without comment is less than meaningless, even if the comment is "I liked" at least the writer knows who does.

 

[EroticOrogeny]

TRY IT!
I DO SOMETIMES FOR YOURS
WHAT PART OF ME YELLING AT YOU DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?
Do you think most of what I read moves me? No.
Two things, it is about growth (yours) and about community.
A vote without comment is less than meaningless, even if the comment is "I liked" at least the writer knows who does.

And, in followup, never resort to anonymous, always use your literotica username.

 

[bulltlr]

TRY IT!
I DO SOMETIMES FOR YOURS
WHAT PART OF ME YELLING AT YOU DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?
Do you think most of what I read moves me? No.
Two things, it is about growth (yours) and about community.
A vote without comment is less than meaningless, even if the comment is "I liked" at least the writer knows who does.

Up close, I see quite well
no need to yell!

You commented, my favorite,
"Reading words
formatted
just like this

Makes me feel
like I'm on
Steroids

Taking
a shit

Don't do it"
I responded with email

Thank you, twelveoone, for
responding
I have read, understood the
suggestions, and will be
putting them to practice.

And, in followup, never resort to anonymous, always use your literotica username.

Thank you , EroticOrogeny, for responding
Everything I do here
is done in the name bulltlr

 

[twelveoone]

Up close, I see quite well
no need to yell!

You commented, my favorite,
"Reading words
formatted
just like this

Makes me feel
like I'm on
Steroids

Taking
a shit

Don't do it"
I responded with email

Thank you, twelveoone, for
responding
I have read, understood the
suggestions, and will be
putting them to practice.



Thank you , EroticOrogeny, for responding
Everything I do here
is done in the name bulltlr

I do have a way with words
the reason I recommend reading what DOESN'T APPEAL to you, is it will at least give you another view on things, sometimes (rarely) it will open a door of discovery, and in my less than humble opin that is what poetry is about.
I wish you luck.
Two things to be wary of, regarding comments.
The wildly favorable without specifics.
And the unfavorable with the specifics.
Consider everything with healthy skepticism.
Nobody is Right all the time.
Again I wish you luck.

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

When does the voting begin?