DREAMS/VISIONS/NIGHTMARES CONTEST - Discussion Thread

Ambrosia

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Update on the vote count, for those who are paying attention:



125!!!


:D
 
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poetinahat

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That is utterly wonderful. What a brilliant result!

Congratulations, Patty. And hearty thanks to Kelly and everyone who's playing and getting the word out.
 

sparnols

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I also found it very hard to pick only three. It was very nice work by all involved. good job and good luck. My vote is in.
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to participate in the contest.
 

poetinahat

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Heh... I understand the 'poet' vs 'wrote a poem' thing.

I ask myself: If I tell a lie, does that make me a liar? If I get drunk, have I become I a drunkard?

On the other hand, there's the scene from Repo Man, where Otto (Emilio Estevez) helps Oly (Harry Dean Stanton) get a car out of "this bad area":

Otto Maddox: "Hey, wait - you guys are repo men! I ain't no repo man..."

Marlene (handing him the cash): "It's too late. You already are."

I guess you are if you say you are, but you might be anyway. But you don't have to call yourself one. Or something.
 

HistorySleuth

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I ask myself: If I tell a lie, does that make me a liar? If I get drunk, have I become I a drunkard?
Only if you're very, very good at it. :D

I'm looking forward to discussing the poems when the contest is over. I'm hoping we do.

I have no problem saying I enjoy writing a poem now and then, and go over it a gazillion times til I think it's right, it makes me feel better, like a release, but I am by no means a poet.

It's kind of like some people who say, "Writing a novel is easy. I'm going to write one someday myself." and you think, "Ah huh, right."
Like the people who say, "Writing a poem is easy. Anyone can do that." Well yes, maybe a person can write a poem, the trick is writing a good poem. It's quite the skill to convey so much in so few words.

I don't know enough about all the different styles and beats per line type things to ever call myself a poet, and some poems go right over my head. But I know a poem is great, IMHO, when I think, "Wow. That was intense," or if I can feel or see it. The entries in this contest did that for me. They are outstanding. It was very difficult to pick a top three.

So thanks Ambrosia, for doing this. It opened my eyes to the enjoyment of poetry again. :)
 
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poetinahat

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Only if you're very, very good at it. :D

I'm looking forward to discussing the poems when the contest is over. I'm hoping we do.
So do I!

It's kind of like some people who say, "Writing a novel is easy. I'm going to write one someday myself." and you think, "Ah huh, right."
Like the people who say, "Writing a poem is easy. Anyone can do that." Well yes, maybe a person can write a poem, the trick is writing a good poem. It's quite the skill to convey so much in so few words.

I don't know enough about all the different styles and beats per line type things to ever call myself a poet, and some poems go right over my head. But I know a poem is great, IMHO, when I think, "Wow. That was intense," or if I can feel or see it. The entries in this contest did that for me. They are outstanding. It was very difficult to pick a top three.

So thanks Ambrosia, for doing this. It opened my eyes to the enjoyment of poetry again. :)

Absolutely - well said, all of it. I hope you'll be around this end of town a lot more often!
 

poetinahat

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I could have voted for a lot more poems. It was a very, very tough call.
 

kborsden

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It opened my eyes to the enjoyment of poetry again. :)

I think this is what both Rob and I, and others :), have discussed at length over several threads that question the relevance or actual enjoyment of poetry--in building on your previous comments and those of others--good poetry will rope you in no matter how complex or simple the poem; if it's good, it's accessible, it sticks with you, you want to read it again, enjoy it again... maybe even seek out the author/poet of it and read some of them, right? What alienates people is bad poetry--poetry written for the sake of it; poetry that is poetry only because the author says it is... mindless crap and intellectual wank slapped onto a page/screen to be a poem without the poet ever wanting to know or understand a thing about what poetry is or can be.

I could go on but my face is turning blue...

ETA: but WOW 125 votes!!? Makes me happy and proud to call myself a poet. Even if no one voted for mine, at least 125 people on this forum read it :)
 

robjvargas

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Wait. Writers sleep?

Who sent *that* memo? I didn't get it.
 

Ambrosia

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Ohhhhh Kelly!!!!!

:e2thud::yessmiley


Update on vote tally--for those who are paying attention:



126!!!

:PartySmil :hooray: :snoopy: :Thumbs: :Clap: :Trophy: :e2cheer: :e2bear: :e2dance: :fistpump :PartySmil




:Sun:And the place of honor for the 126th vote goes to Rob (poetinahat). Thank you, and the 125 before you who voted. And everyone who has supported us along the way and advertised this contest, such as History Sleuth, who is a doll for all the work she has done. :thankyou:


But you know what? It's only Tuesday morning here in the East U.S.. We still have over a day and a half. Know anyone who hasn't voted yet? Give 'em a prod. 26 poets (and yes, everyone who entered this contest is a poet, whether they feel like it or not!) poured their dreams, visions, or nightmares into these poems for you to enjoy. For their efforts, keep going. Tell people so more and more folks can wake up to the wonder of poetry. And prove once and for all, POETRY IS NOT DEAD! :D
 

Ambrosia

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And the count goes on. We are now up to 128. :)


Keep sending the votes in, folks. And I will keep counting them! :D