DREAMS/VISIONS/NIGHTMARES CONTEST - Discussion Thread

OK, this is really hard. Seriously. I'm so impressed by the descriptive quality. Going back in and reading through again. I have my number 1 choice ... that's as far as I got, still trying to decide on second and third. Some truly talented people here at AW.

Yes, I just posted. I know, I'm talking to myself now. ...Jeezzzz this is so HARD! I can't get past 6, and that was really tough.

Here are my thoughts as I read these:
Wow. Now that's poetry.
God. That was just brilliant.
Boy, wish I could write poetry like that.
How the hell do they do it? Convey so much in so few words?

And one I have no words for, it just about made me cry. I really felt it.

I have to sleep on this and look again at my narrowed list tomorrow.

It was indeed really hard to decide who my top choices would be. I admit I probably made some snap decisions though to spare myself some agonizing! All around wonderful poetry, and I'm glad I stumbled upon this forum in time.

Ambrosia, I let all the writers in the AW kidlit section know about the voting. At least one of them has agreed to do so. Who knows? Maybe I can get more closet poets to come on over!

I hope all the poets remember that you have to vote to win!

Ambrosia will probably poke them with a PM stick if they forget, though.

Thanks, everyone.

Yes, Blarg, I have my poking stick ready. But over half have already voted so I figured I would give them another two days before I began poking.

I have never participated in a contest like this where it was permitted for a contributor to vote for their own work. It was an interesting experience.

My first top three, judged on a vague measure of emotional response, did not include my own. This was disappointing, and it made me examine my confidence. Why, when my own poem was an expression of my own feelings and effort, was I too shy to back it up?

So I took a new approach. If all the entries in the contest were poems I had written myself, which ones would I display to the world before my own?

In the end, there was only one. I look forward to finding out the identity of the poet, so I can give him/her a verbal high five.

Happyburger said:

which ones would I display to the world before my own?

In the end, there was only one.

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Yoiks! I hope yours was as good as you believe it to be so we can all give you a typed high-five

Happyburger said:

I have never participated in a contest like this where it was permitted for a contributor to vote for their own work. It was an interesting experience.

My first top three, judged on a vague measure of emotional response, did not include my own. This was disappointing, and it made me examine my confidence. Why, when my own poem was an expression of my own feelings and effort, was I too shy to back it up?

So I took a new approach. If all the entries in the contest were poems I had written myself, which ones would I display to the world before my own?

In the end, there was only one. I look forward to finding out the identity of the poet, so I can give him/her a verbal high five.

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One of the best things, I think, is seeing which entry belongs to which writer after the end of the contest. On the self-voting front, I'd never vote for myself, but each to their own.

In the meantime, I got the Hoskins' shortlist down from 8 to 5 and I'm pretty sure I have my first place chosen. So that means the other four are vying for two places.

Sounds 50/50 -- but is it?

The problem I'm having -- and I wonder if anyone else is cogitating on the same dilemma -- is a couple of the ones I really, really, liked have one or two lines in them that I really, really dislike!

Them pieces are super damn fantastic, but then one or two lines trip me up. Now, could be that I'm not getting it, or the lines are an ironic trigger, or they could just be not to my taste, but goddamn it's making the silver and bronze places hard to decide because the poems they are against are solid all the way through, though do not reach the heights I see in the others -- I wish I'd paid more attention in poetry class.

All in all, an enjoyable and infuriating problem to have. I've promised myself I'll have a top three tomorrow, in the end, I think, you just gotta choose your faves.

Quick, ain't I.

kborsden said:

Yoiks! I hope yours was as good as you believe it to be so we can all give you a typed high-five

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Me too! But who can judge their own stuff objectively? That's what made it such an interesting process I reckon.

On reflection, all the entries deserve a high five.

High fives all round.

I also didn't vote for myself. Though I can understand those that do. Having at least one vote looks better than none. That said, if I get only one vote, then it will seem as though I voted for myself.

I agree w. everyone, the poems are terrific and even if I don't win, I still win a prize, my poetry book.

I never do the vote for myself thing either. I figure if it ever came down to one vote tipping it over the edge for me winning something I entered, I wouldn't want my own vote to count that makes the tip, ya know? I'm more interested in other's opinion on my work, not my own opinion.

Besides, in this case, I know the other poems in my top five are better than mine for sure. The imagery is amazing. Now I still have to narrow it down to three.

HarryHoskins said:

Tonight I cut my short list of 11 down to 8

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Mine's gone up -- I don't think I'm good at judging.

ETA: Oh, look! And now it's gone back to being seven -- except there's another one I really really want to include.

Poets,

I couldn't stop reading your work. I narrowed down to six and then finally to three. I wanted to thank the people that entered. Entry after entry moved me, made me smile, and quite a few tugged at my heart strings. I wish I had half your talent. Good Luck to everyone!

Bay

mccardey said:

Mine's gone up -- I don't think I'm good at judging.

ETA: Oh, look! And now it's gone back to being seven -- except there's another one I really really want to include.

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Isn't this fun?

Voting for myself just feels crass, uncouth. Can't do it. I can understand it in politicians and in cases where one's living is at issue.

But here, in a friendly competition? Eww. It's no big deal in my book, but I couldn't do it.

I really want that poetry magnet, though...

I share the struggle in coming up with a top three. I cast my votes fairly early because I went with the ones that spoke to me first. In retrospect, after rereading them over and over, I found merit in all of them and might have changed my mind if I'd given myself time. This is the first poetry contest I've entered and writing my poem took most all the time given us, because I tweaked it over and over and still wasn't completely satisfied with it when I submitted. I suppose, as writers, we can be our own worst critics - and I believe it should be that way.

As far as voting for one's own work, it reminds me of a lesson a college English professor taught me. Throughout the year I aced her class and I could tell by her feedback she loved my writing - though 'wordy' came up often - and something I still need to work on. Towards the end she had us write a paper on what we thought our grade should be in her class and why. I knew the answer since everything I handed in came back with an 'A', but I didn't want to seem proud so I wrote I'd give myself a 'B' because I didn't feel like I applied myself fully.

When I got the paper back she gave me a 'B' on it, and then went on to explain why. She told me I was a very good writer when I put my mind to it, then she said, 'Writers need to believe in their work. There are always people out there who will criticize what you write and take every opportunity to put you down, if you don't believe in your ability and sell yourself the writing world will eat you up. Though this paper was well-written, I gave you a 'B' so you will remember that you have to be a fan of your own work first. If you don't believe in yourself and your work then don't expect others to - self-depreciation doesn't work in the writing world.' In looking back I see her wisdom in that grade because it's a lesson I still carry with me today.

So for those who voted for their own work, I feel they did so because they wrote what was in their hearts and believed in their work. Then again, I agree with History Sleuth that if it comes down to a single vote and you voted for yourself, then that might tarnish the honor, and with a contest of this caliber it could very well make a difference. If you voted for yourself or not, it's your work that will speak for itself, and it's not within my heart to pass judgment one way or another.

Told you I can be wordy.

Fair points, brad. Just for me, it's about sportsmanship. This isn't for a grade, for pay, nor is it a self-assessment. It's the writing equivalent of an exhibition match.

Is this a time to hype myself, even via secret ballot? I can't fault others for it, but for me, no.

I've narrowed my list to four. So close to getting three but these four are so good it will take several reads to figure which speaks loudest. As for those that vote for their own work, well it is in the rules. I didn't vote for mine though as I was brought up to believe that it is something you shouldn't do as it is big headed. I lnow it's a dumb reason but I never said I was smart, hehehe

You may vote for your own work, or not. It is in the rules so the poets who entered can make the choice, each according to their own reasons.

I am just excited that so many people entered and we are getting votes from those who didn't enter, as well.

Did I mention I am excited?

It's not quite clear, Ambrosia, are you excited or not?

Well my method was to give each poem a number ( bassed on first read merit ) from 1-5. Then taking the top ones and doing that again until I had three left. Some subjective considerations went into it ( don't we all use some ), but finially got what I wanted.

Nice thing about sending your vote in, it's all done except the hollering!

Voted!

I'm still unsure about my third and second places, though. The four below my first place were almost impossible to separate. I dare not look back now until the results are posted just in case I change my mind.

Bloody well done to everyone.

HarryHoskins said:

Voted!

I'm still unsure about my third and second places, though. The four below my first place we're almost impossible to separate. I dare not look back now until the results are posted just in case I change my mind.

Bloody well done to everyone.

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If you do change your mind, it won't change your vote. Once submitted, that's it.

Ambrosia said:

If you do change your mind, it won't change your vote. Once submitted, that's it.

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I'm on message there, Ambrosia.