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Overly Particular Judges

Overly Particular Judges: What to submit Only Sonnet form accepted. Must be a sonnet ( 14 lines - 10 syllables per line. Rhyme scheme : ABAB CDCD EFEF GG) Must include all 3 lines as below: Ginger Beer is a tonic Flotsam and jetsam are marked on the ship The imp skipped merrily. These three phrases MUST be included in your sonnet. Please bold them to be easily seen when judging. I am looking for intellectual thought waves throughout the poem, particularly on your consideration of what causes tides to come in and go out. Fresh ideas will be rewarded. Tired descriptions that have been over used will not be rewarded. Think of new ways to describe things. The title of your poem is your choice. Add SV to the end of the title. Have fun. 35 poems will be accepted and my time limit will be one week from today. Once your poem is entered it cannot be seen by other poets until judging has been completed. First Prize, trophy Second to tenth, Glory Preparing Your Entry Submit one copy of your poem online. Format your poem. Please make your entry easy to read — no illustrations or fancy fonts. English Language Poems should be in English. Poems translated from other languages are not eligible unless you wrote both the original poem and the translation. A Note to Poetry Contestants You are welcome to enter this contest, whether or not you won a prize in one of my previous contests.

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Karen Jones

Date: 3/8/2024 10:06:00 PM

Unique! Congratulations on your win!

Speaks Volumes
Date: 3/8/2024 11:11:00 PM

Thanks so much Karen

Robert Sidwell

Date: 3/8/2024 9:43:00 AM

I loved your approach to this! So original and funny! Congratulations on the win!

Speaks Volumes
Date: 3/8/2024 7:27:00 PM

Thank you so much Robert.

Eve Roper

Date: 3/7/2024 8:31:00 PM

Congratulations on your win.

Speaks Volumes
Date: 3/8/2024 7:26:00 PM

Thank you so much EVe

Jcb Brul

Date: 3/7/2024 6:27:00 PM

This is so cute haha. I love the originality of this entry. Congratulations on your awesome win! A fave for me!

Speaks Volumes
Date: 3/7/2024 7:57:00 PM

Thank you JCB, the contest lent itself to having fun. your comment is really appreciated. Keep smiling. Wen

Matt Caliri

Date: 3/7/2024 3:30:00 PM

Congrats on 6th place out of 30! Loved the freeform exploration of this piece. Fragmented, wild, and lovely. Right up my alley. Super props.

Speaks Volumes
Date: 3/7/2024 3:34:00 PM

Thanks heaps Matt ! :)

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 3/7/2024 3:20:00 PM

Haha. Congrats, my friends

Speaks Volumes
Date: 3/7/2024 3:34:00 PM

Thanks dear Andrea, it was a fun write.

Hilo Poet

Date: 2/10/2024 4:07:00 AM

A 'High-Five' on ingenuity, SV. Yours were the ONLY poem bearing Matt's entitlement. I thought that websites such as PoetrySoup, will allow artisans to hone their skills for the better and not be choked off in the pass by sponsors subjectivities and particulars [as you've outlined] BREATHE no suffucation. There's an extreme opt, but it's for TPS TLC Aloha, William

Speaks Volumes
Date: 2/10/2024 5:41:00 AM

Well so long as everyone realizes that this was NOT a skit on any one or group of sponsors. I admire people who take the time to hold contests, they offer an added interest to just writing poems for the sake of it. They give inspiration and the challenge is also an incentive. So Kudos to all you sponsors! And thanks Hilo for your welcomed comment.

I Am Anaya

Date: 2/9/2024 12:45:00 PM

Rules are rules SV, now get to it! Haha this is so amazing, like you my dear, I laughed as soon as I saw that it was a contest entry "What To Submit" thingamajig. I agree with Shane on the peticulars in what the sponsor is looking for. Still smiling, good one Wen.

Speaks Volumes
Date: 2/10/2024 2:49:00 AM

Seems I made every one happy with this one ! Those that is, that I didn't confuse the heck out of !! I don't think satire is meant to be funny is it ? But then its better than being accused of having a dig at folk and being mean minded ..lol Thanx for your great comment Anaya. I always know I can have a laugh with you and Laf. My crazy humor escapes most. best wishes Wen.

Yann Rolland

Date: 2/9/2024 12:39:00 AM

this is excellent and fun reading, at first .i took it seriously, but after a while i was really laughing, you ahev a wondeful imagination, i would like to participate to the concours, thanks poet

Speaks Volumes
Date: 2/9/2024 1:40:00 AM

Thanx so much Yann. I hope I don't get accused of plagiarizing the conditions of entry!! After all they are a direct copy from Soup pages. Glad you liked it my friend. Its nice to know that you made people happy. Best wishes from Wen :)

Shane Thacker

Date: 2/8/2024 5:02:00 PM

SV! I was laughing the entire time I read this. The funniest thing about it is how closely it resembles real contest descriptions. lol But jokes aside, the line "I am looking for intellectual thought waves throughout the poem, particularly on your consideration of what causes tides to come in and go out.", was brilliant. Super clever! Good luck in the contests.

Speaks Volumes
Date: 2/8/2024 11:18:00 PM

Now Now ! Its NOTHING like any of the contests on Soup ! lol .. Glad you liked it !! It caused a bit of confusion, I had people messaging me telling me I made it too difficult to write a good poem or telling me they couldn't work out how to enter their poem cause it didn't show up on a sponsor page. Thanks for your comment Shane. Appreciated. Wen

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 2/8/2024 1:27:00 PM

hahaha, that is a contest I probably would never enter. Clever way to interpret the theme for Matt

Speaks Volumes
Date: 2/8/2024 2:44:00 PM

Thanks Andrea, I made it look too real. I have people messaging me, telling me that I have made it too hard and therefore they wont be entering it. That's why I put my comment up. Best wishes from Wen.

Speaks Volumes

Date: 2/8/2024 1:02:00 PM

MAYBE I SHOULD EXPLAIN.... THIS IS MY ENTRY INTO A CONTEST SPONSORED BY MAT CALIRI.. MY POST IS AN ENTRY PRETENDING TO BE A SPONSORED CONTEST AND ITS DETAILS. ITS MAKE BELIEVE . NOT A CONTEST. JUST A MOCK CONTEST OUTLINING OVERLY PARTICULAR REQUIREMENTS SATIRICALLY. FICTION

I Am Anaya
Date: 2/9/2024 12:53:00 PM

Mock Me If You Must I'm Just A Sponsor Poetry Contest Sponsored by.....JOKE! As you know I only do poems for contests, it's rare that I don't. Well, it's true that some are like what you described. I do love a challenging contest!!! I think you'd make a terrific sponsor, Wen. Although you don't care for poetry that doesn't rhyme. haha

Victor Buhagiar

Date: 2/8/2024 12:28:00 PM

I am at a loss to comment on your reply. Maybe it is true, my mental abilities have lost their sharpness.

Speaks Volumes
Date: 2/11/2024 7:45:00 PM

Darling Victor there is no need to apologize, I will be happy to reply to your comment. Did you mention if you liked it or didn't like it? I get the vibes that you didn't, which is fine, no one likes everything. You are still a very bright penny in the pocket mate, no fear there. Keep smiling my friend.

Victor Buhagiar
Date: 2/8/2024 10:56:00 PM

Mat concocted a contest. You replied with an imitation of another contest. I was confused I am a straightforward person so I expected a reply with Mat's contest in view. I should have chosen another poem of yours. My Apologies.

Speaks Volumes
Date: 2/8/2024 12:39:00 PM

Victor which reply are you referring to ? This is the first time you have commented on this post. Please explain. You have confused me. Wen

Christina Bowring

Date: 2/8/2024 11:02:00 AM

Hello my dear humorous friend! How you have brightened my day with this extremely funny, clever poem. I think it’s original to make your entry as a contest for a contest :) and it’s spot on with the theme requirements. I must admit I too have looked at some contests and thought by the time I’ve worked out what I had to do and not do and how long it takes me to write a poem the contest would have been finalised and over : ))) Good to be challenged sometimes though.

Speaks Volumes
Date: 2/8/2024 12:52:00 PM

LOL Well I cant take credit for the idea, Unless I misread it, this is the whole idea of the contest that Mat posed, to create a contest that poets would hesitate to enter because of its over particular requirements. Looks like another affirmation Chris as you would decline to enter my poem, which is the outcome I am striving for THANK YOU. .lol ( All in fun) Really appreciate your comment . with every best wish from Wen.

Christina Bowring
Date: 2/8/2024 11:06:00 AM

The three phrases highlighted in your ‘contest ‘ ;) made me laugh so much. An interesting sonnet indeed! Err, think I might have to skip this one as well! Brilliant dear one. Good luck in the contest - it’s going to make him laugh like we are I’m sure. Hugs from your very amused, smiling friend :):) Xx

Anne-Lise Andresen

Date: 2/8/2024 2:48:00 AM

... there are some contests that I never enter ... it's not because of the theme :)))) ... well done, S.V. :) - hugs

Speaks Volumes
Date: 2/8/2024 3:11:00 AM

I like the challenge they pose, and I learn a lot about the different forms, but there are some I simply cant enter, because I disagree with the topic. Thanks for your honest comment Anne - Lise. Always welcomed.

Ink Empress

Date: 2/7/2024 11:05:00 AM

Lol! You are funny dear SV. I am literally in stitches. Well the thing with rules is that, rules help the judges when judging. As almost all the poems are brilliant in their own way, and to judge will be hard unless rules are set. I do host contests from my community page which i run with silent one. And i used to judge 2 contests a day, Now not so much, and not many are happy with not getting placed. Some say, their poems got most likes and ask why its not placed. its not a popularity contest

Speaks Volumes
Date: 2/7/2024 11:15:00 AM

I think entering this contest Empress, we all will have to be careful not to describe verbatim any rules that actual judges have set. Its supposed to be satire, but NOT ridicule of any particular judges. I know I had to delete a line that was getting too close to the bone of one contest I had read and I didn't want to point the finger at anyone, its all fiction. Thanks for your comment. Cheers Wen.

Ink Empress
Date: 2/7/2024 11:06:00 AM

But anyhow this made me laugh so much and so creative you included soup rules too; i love most the title line “ SV” hahah m dead laughing. BOL

Mystic Rose Rose

Date: 2/7/2024 7:52:00 AM

I don't see the contest in the contest area, is it over ? or just starting

Speaks Volumes
Date: 2/7/2024 9:20:00 AM

Sweet Mystic Rose, this is my entry in a contest run by Mat Caliri. The theme is to create a contest that contestants would not want to go in. Its to be a satire. Still plenty of time for you to make up a contest and submit for his competition. Best wishes from Wen.

Mystic Rose Rose

Date: 2/7/2024 7:13:00 AM

Oh you give us such a challenge lol !

Speaks Volumes
Date: 2/7/2024 9:20:00 AM

Yes quite a challenge it would be. Thanks for your comment.

Valsa George

Date: 2/6/2024 8:52:00 PM

So clever and ingenious, dear SV ! This has brought a broad smile into my lips which I badly needed in my sulky mood ! "I am looking for intellectual thought waves throughout the poem, particularly on your consideration of what causes tides to come in and go out".... this I liked so much ! You are at once clever and 'clowny' ( my coinage) All the Best in the contest, dear one.

Speaks Volumes
Date: 2/6/2024 9:40:00 PM

I read this and took a big sigh, with a great big smile on my face. Your words make me so happy, just to think you made time to read it and comment. All the thanks and best wishes in the world sweet Valsa, from your clowny friend Wen ! :)

John Lawless

Date: 2/6/2024 6:15:00 AM

NO RUNNING JUMPING OR DIVING FROM THE BALCONY......this sign hung over the pool at the YMCA on Huntington Ave in Boston......therefore....whenever any asked "what are the rules" we would chime in.....

Speaks Volumes
Date: 2/6/2024 6:45:00 AM

Umm Thanks John I will definitely remember that if I ever venture to Boston. Cheers Mate.

Sotto Poet

Date: 2/5/2024 10:00:00 PM

I must commend you for the stunning creation, dear SV, for your magnificent poem. It is truly impressive in its clever and satirical nature. Your originality and bravery are greatly admired. It brought a smile to my face and sparked contemplation as I pondered the intricacies of our world. It is evident that while certain judges may display an excessively fastidious nature, the majority do recognize the importance of embracing creativity to some extent. Best wishes for the contest

Speaks Volumes
Date: 2/6/2024 6:52:00 AM

Thanks my friend. The contest calls for 1 original, poem on the theme of judging that makes you not want to write the poem in the first place. This is fairly satirical. I hope no-one thought it was aimed at anyone, because it wasn't, it was merely my idea of a contest I would not enter. Your comments are, as always so welcomed. Again thank you so much. Best wishes Wen

Tom Woody

Date: 2/5/2024 1:16:00 PM

This is just one reason I rarely enter. Another? Why would I want to be judged by someone who has trouble spelling contest? ;)

Tom Woody
Date: 2/6/2024 1:59:00 PM

@ Sara, it's not a matter of being offended. Peer sponsored contests are problematic on many levels. But I'm not casting a noose on anyone. Do yer thing

Speaks Volumes
Date: 2/6/2024 6:56:00 AM

But Tom, a contest like this would give you so much scope for originality. Wouldn't it ? (SV says with tongue in cheek) I entered it, but I know I missed the mark, because one could hardly call it a poem. Thanks for taking the time to comment. ;)

David Kavanagh

Date: 2/5/2024 12:43:00 PM

A lot of red tape in your (contest) SV, I think I’ll give this one a miss, point taken some judges are extremely persnickety, but most allow some scope for creativity, cheers David

Speaks Volumes
Date: 2/5/2024 2:25:00 PM

The whole point of Mat Caliri's contest is just that David. To post a contest that causes poets to cringe. Looks like by your comment, I succeeded with flying colors. Thanks for your wonderful appreciation of my satirical entry to his contest.