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Sour Grapes

I penned a great poem for a contest
Glowing comments stated it should place high
When winners appeared I became distressed
I'd failed to place and released a sad sigh  
 
I silently seethed, didn’t breathe a word,
I held back tears, eyes started to glisten
The placing by this judge was so absurd
I held my tongue as no one would listen

The sponsor had been blatantly unjust
All the winners ignored one simple rule
'Winning’ poems used words of such disgust
That judge proved to be a dim-witted fool
 
I’ve now completed my sour grapes sonnet
If I’m on Mark’s list, I’ll eat my bonnet!

Sour grapes Sonnet Contest

* didn't counted as 2 syllables not 1 as per how many syllables
Poem written for sour grapes contest theme and is not aimed at any particular sponsor 


8/16/18

Copyright © Jan Allison | Year Posted 2018

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Line Gauthier Date: 9/14/2018 8:09:00 PM Awesome poem, Jan. Sounds so familiar. I particularly love your last stanza. Priceless! Login to Reply

Connie Marcum Wong Date: 9/12/2018 4:43:00 PM How was the taste of your bonnet Jan! Hehe! So happy you got on the winner's list with this clever sour grapes! Congratulations my friend! : ) Login to Reply

Sandra Haight Date: 9/12/2018 3:46:00 PM Love what you did with the theme, Jan! Congratulations on your win! Hugs, Sandra Login to Reply

Subimal Sinha-Roy Date: 9/12/2018 1:03:00 AM Congratulations, Jan on your win. Login to Reply

Jesse Rowe Date: 9/11/2018 10:32:00 PM I loved the tongue-in-cheek take on this (and all) contests (and the disclaimer at the end). Congrats on your top finish... now about that bonnet. LOL Login to Reply

Janice Canerdy Date: 9/11/2018 10:19:00 PM Excellent, Jan! CONGRATS! Janice Login to Reply

Dean Wood Date: 8/22/2018 12:44:00 PM Oh yes Jan! I really like this little sonnet and I think you have read the intent of the sponsor spot on. Better get some good sauce for that bonnet of yours because I think you have a winner here! Regards, Dean Login to Reply

Robert Lindley Date: 8/21/2018 6:11:00 AM Great entry my friend!! I have seen very biased judging lots of times. I have seen poems that the requirement was rhyme, the top winner in the contest had very little rhymes and the few that they did have were "near-rhymes". Sponsors that BLATANTLY ignore their own contest requirements in favor of placing certain poets high are doing neither Poetry or this site any favors, IMHO. Login to Reply

Connie Marcum Wong Date: 8/19/2018 5:25:00 AM Don't become disheartened Jan. I just counted 8 N/A's I have gotten since July. There's so many great writers here and that includes you! I love your creative sonnet that speaks for a lot of us! : ) xxoo Login to Reply

Christopher Flaherty Date: 8/18/2018 4:08:00 PM Love it Jan so very sad but true. I myself have just recently received some Lovely comments from Poets saying the same type of things about my work. Like they deserve more comments or placing but hey ho onwards and upwards it doesn't stop us or slow us down Login to Reply Christopher Flaherty Date: 8/18/2018 4:14:00 PM Also Jan I wrote a poem called Feather Field of Dreams which in my humble opinion I think is the happiest or best thing I have ever wrote. Please will you take a listen and tell what it is missing .

Old Buck Date: 8/17/2018 2:34:00 PM Jan: I've never entered a contest for lots of reasons, only one being that all judgement of poetry must by nature be subjective. :o) Maybe I don't understand "real" poetry or the meaning of subjective. Keep them coming. Yours are always "the best". :o) But I'm not very "objective". oldbuck Login to Reply

Caren Krutsinger Date: 8/17/2018 5:59:00 AM You have expressed sour grapes magnificently Jan. This poem is a winner in my book! As always, my friend! Login to Reply

Viv Wigley Date: 8/17/2018 2:13:00 AM Yes, Jan, I was looking at my N/A list recently, sometimes one feels like not bothering, but I don't want to lose faith in myself. And don't you dare either :) . Viv x Login to Reply Jan Allison Date: 8/17/2018 2:25:00 AM my n/a list outweighs the winners but I still plod on with some contests, the most important thing is I am being creative (even if my poems are considered to be a load of poop lol) hugs jan xx

Michelle Faulkner Date: 8/16/2018 2:44:00 PM Yes sometimes I think the rules are too arbitrary or too strict (why does it have to be a new poem, if an existing one fits the parameters?) But really enjoyed this one! Login to Reply Jan Allison Date: 8/16/2018 5:19:00 PM I don't mind writing a new poem Michelle but when you see folks not follow the rules and place high and you follow the rules exactly and get an n/a then it galls. I enter fewer and fewer contests for many reasons but when you get n/a after n/a with a sponsor you know it's a pretty pointless so i may just write inspired by there theme:-) hugs Jan xx

Lin Lane Date: 8/16/2018 8:06:00 AM I am so in line with Tim on his comment. It's not sour grapes when you're justified. I've witnessed far too many of those blatant blunders by many who host what are called 'contests.' An aptly expressed sonnet, Jan. Login to Reply Jan Allison Date: 8/16/2018 8:38:00 AM blatant blunders you said it lol:-) hugs Jan xx

Tim Smith Date: 8/16/2018 7:26:00 AM That's why I don't enter. Too subjective Login to Reply Jan Allison Date: 8/16/2018 8:38:00 AM I enter fewer and fewer Tim and when you see rules not being followed by both sponsor and poet and poems still placing highly it makes some of the contests just a joke. I know many have just given up even entering. hugs jan xx