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Home » Poems & Poetry » Blogs » ON JUDGING WINNING POEMS

ON JUDGING WINNING POEMS - Nette Onclaud's Blog

About Nette Onclaud
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BIO SKETCHES:

Location: north node of pisces in past lives

Characteristics: moon-angel, summer gypsy

Philosophy: in life and love, don’t settle for less than 100%

Greatest sin: can do nothing for a day and stay in the “ now”

Education: a student of life on earth and outbound

Style: blend of classic and eclectic

Strengths and weaknesses: shadows chasing light; light chasing shadows

Luxuries:  inner spirit dancer, theater actress, educator, painter, poet, interior designer

Addictions: diet coke, rare collections, travels around the world

Unforgettable scene: pathways of Prague in Czechoslovakia around dusk

Claim to fame: the world's worst typist

ON JUDGING WINNING POEMS

Blog Posted:4/7/2014 3:33:00 PM

all sponsors have their  unique way of judging winners for a contest.. some specifically define what they need from entrants when a challenge opens.. others simply let us loose with 1 or 2 rules.. a few provide not a clue except the theme.. these are all acceptable since the sponsor has his own style of running a contest…personally, I would set my criteria for judging, like creativity of substance, flow , emotional appeal…

for my ‘take two’ contest,  i included basic parameters for judging entries with rules... though i wanted to give more slots, poets missed the requirements ( adding name,  title of contest, others)… more so, a lot entered wonderful pieces that were not in sync with the dynamics of a poetic form, e.g., an ottava rima or dizain’s pattern was not followed… still, I’d like to say, I received superb works!.. i grade each poem based on my guidelines and assign percentages for winning entries …

the final outcome is finalized after two or three readings… tough but fun!... oh, I also take into consideration if English is the second language of a participant.. most of all, the poem must slay me, move me, even assault my senses!

how do you judge your contests, dear soupers?.. we would love to learn from you!..

as for entrants, what instructions would help you understand better the principles of a contest?…

 share!.. huggs!




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Freeman Avatar
John
Freeman
Date: 4/21/2014 5:33:00 AM
Hey Nette... How is it going, love your few but broad rules... gives some latitude to the poets. Agape, Moses
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K. Avatar
Kabuteng P.Ink
K.
Date: 4/12/2014 1:13:00 PM
Sori, balik nga ako, lutang naman utak ko? Haha. But yes, thanks for sharing with us what goes into your judging process-- it would definitely differ from judge to judge :) Palaspas na mamaya....
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Tsiluma Avatar
Vicky
Tsiluma
Date: 4/9/2014 12:50:00 AM
Hi Nette, normally I have a bunch of rules for a particular contest. I don't care about the form (I don't care if you have a certain form down to the last period mark - if your poem doesn't resonate and doesn't follow rules it doesn't place). I like judging blind but I don't penalize people for including their names. However, I believe the work you put up for your contest is the complete work so one should be penalized for not following instructions instead of being allowed to make amends.
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Onclaud Avatar
Nette Onclaud
Date: 4/9/2014 9:00:00 AM
thank you for your your incisive reflections.. i'll keep that in mind, vicky and contemplate on it!.. huggs
Ryerson Avatar
Tim
Ryerson
Date: 4/8/2014 8:33:00 PM
Thank you for my placement Nette. Coming from you I consider it to be an honor...
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Onclaud Avatar
Nette Onclaud
Date: 4/9/2014 9:00:00 AM
well-deserved, tim... huggs
K. Avatar
Kabuteng P.Ink
K.
Date: 4/8/2014 2:23:00 PM
I will try to come back here nette, just dropping by to say, ang init!!!
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Onclaud Avatar
Nette Onclaud
Date: 4/8/2014 3:07:00 PM
nikks!.. glad to see you here.. ang eenit!.. hope you can relax this araw ng kagitingan holiday!.. huggs
Paras Avatar
Manny
Paras
Date: 4/8/2014 8:31:00 AM
Good you posted something on this matter, Nette. I'd like to mention how thankful I am to Roy Jerden who gave me a high place in his Japanese-theme contest though I forgot on or two words that made the line seem incomplete. I must have been too excited or was struck by ADHD that time, hah!Later, he commented that I fill this out , which i did. Mr. Roy was not specific about the mood he wanted; in his next acrostic contest he defined his terms -- to go with the feel of the song" In My Life." I like that!
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Onclaud Avatar
Nette Onclaud
Date: 4/8/2014 10:17:00 AM
awhh, that is so encouraging on the part of roy, manny... thanks for your valuable input..calling roy jerden!
Onclaud Avatar
Nette
Onclaud
Date: 4/8/2014 8:09:00 AM
CYN: very substantive insights.. it's true that a poem has to hit us in a heart-not-head way, along with some refined elements of good poetry.. i used to be a stickler for grammar though i have softened my views on this in lieu of poetry that moves me ...besides,. i have learned that most soupers use English as their second language.. between a flat,well- structured piece and one that may have a slight grammatical flaw but has a good flow and emotional layering, i would score the latter much, much higher...
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Macmillan Avatar
Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 4/8/2014 12:19:00 PM
I actually read a post on blogs with someone complaining that I had placed poets who didn't write for the contest YET YET YET they agreed the poem was fantastic and deserved to be read. BAH! LOL! I am the odd man out, I'm okay with that :D
Macmillan Avatar
Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 4/8/2014 12:16:00 PM
It has to be ART for me to place a poem that has nothing to do with the contest because I know I will be drawn and quartered by the other judges (see it's here fault! She encourages the riff raff) so... I give a HM and -even then- I can barely look in the mirror.
Macmillan Avatar
Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 4/8/2014 12:14:00 PM
(cont) I saw the PERFECTION of the poem, couldn't shake it off. So I needed to give it something. AWK. Give it first place and have 34 other soupers shoot arrows into my back!
Macmillan Avatar
Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 4/8/2014 12:14:00 PM
Ah. Well, if I were to be honest... I have given an HM to poems that deserved full attention, but had NOTHING to do with my contest.. like, for example, a free verse about war on a sonnet contest about candles (no not really, but close)
Onclaud Avatar
Nette Onclaud
Date: 4/8/2014 10:07:00 AM
wow, that's pretty cool om the part of CV2, sis.. but on soup, you don't get a point for an HM...mmm.. i wish can do that here, at least give a .5 score for HMs?...
Macmillan Avatar
Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 4/8/2014 9:55:00 AM
And one last one, cause you know me, hon, I never shut up... lol... hon'orable men'tion n. a citation conferred on a contestant, exhibit, etc., having exceptional merit though not winning a top honor.
Macmillan Avatar
Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 4/8/2014 9:53:00 AM
http://www.contemporaryverse2.ca/en/contests/2-day-poem-contest check it out. I was wrong. LOL.. HM's will get paid publication! Now, if you received THIS kind of HM, would you feel it an afterthought? Thousands of entries, only three HMs... I can almost see you smile and hear your laugh!
Macmillan Avatar
Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 4/8/2014 9:50:00 AM
I've just signed up for a contest in a highbrow magazine here in Canada, CV2. Only 3 will get paid. Another 3 will get an HM. If I were to get an HM, I'd probably have a coronary, my heart would explode with joy. All perspective, Soul Sis.
Onclaud Avatar
Nette Onclaud
Date: 4/8/2014 8:10:00 AM
part 2: yeowww, i'm allergic to HMs; i find this to be an afterthought ( no offense, hon).. i never gave anyone an HM.. instead, i created a special citation for those who did not place but were almost there!... yup, this is long... more later, soul sis.. huggs!
Macmillan Avatar
Cyndi
Macmillan
Date: 4/7/2014 7:57:00 PM
For me, I try to balance the richness of a poem, its bone structure, flow, tone and imagery WITH how the poet interpreted the theme and if she/he showed me something new, fresh and original. It is hard to weigh these completely different aspects of a contest-- Poet A writes a stunning rondeau, for example, but Poet B nailed the subject and crafted something memorable, truth in lines, style that stunned. Because spelling/grammar does not usually sway my judging, I'd say that ESL does not come into play with my judging-- there are people born in countries where English IS their first language who write it with less finesse than those who have only been speaking it for a few years, my opinion. I like devices, and those that use them place higher in my contests, but I need to feel an emotional connection to the poem. If a poet has used every device and is flawless in syntax and form, but does not move me in some way, I will place it, but not as high as someone who, as you say Nette, has surprised me with their lines. I'll admit it, I like it when a poem comes full circle or twists unusually. I place all who have tried to meet the challenge in some way. I have given HM's to those who did not seem to write a poem for my contest, but who wrote a good poem all the same. I rarely give rules. I give guidelines. Recently, I had rules and guess what? I failed to place an artist who had entered a contest inspired by her OWN PAINTING. Cause she didn't follow the rules! Ridiculous! It taught me to always follow my instincts and judge SOLELY ON THE BEAUTY OF THE POEM! A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME.. lol.. And I no longer concern myself with how other judges run their contests. I will run them my way, free wheeling and focused on the power of words and strength of each line. xoxoxox Cyndi
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Guzzi Avatar
Debbie
Guzzi
Date: 4/7/2014 7:31:00 PM
The fewer rules the better the results usually the topic alone is enough, I hate it when a judge takes away my ability to title my own work! A title is a VERY important thing to a poem and used to its fullest can give information to the reader that will enrich their enjoyment of the verse.
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Onclaud Avatar
Nette Onclaud
Date: 4/8/2014 9:50:00 AM
i get you, debbie.. somehow,the only downside is that new members may not understand the topic alone is enough... they need ( clues?).. i do at times.. and yes, i like the power of titles; they are the headlines of poems.. huggs
Macmillan Avatar
Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 4/8/2014 7:29:00 AM
I do like one aspect... when a judge asks this, other poets can read all the entries to the contest... I find it inspiring and interesting... still, all I need to do is wait for the contest to be judged and get the same thing. An idea for judges is to have the "WORKING TITLE" set and then the final title can be changed once the contest is judged

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Book: Reflection on the Important Things