I don’t want to win
My dad says I run fast
I don’t know
what that means
in the scheme
of things
If fast could hold a family,
a sandwich, a meaning
together truer
than melting cartoons,
then I promise
I’ll believe in love again
Writing generates
much self-satisfaction
especially when artfully done
Still we look for validation
Seeking recognition
From sources outside
Gold silver or bronze
Winning is that pat on the back
Somebody is listening and gets you
AP: Honorable Mention 2026
The entries land without much fanfare;
Ignoring rules as though it’s a dare.
Arranged A to Z
I’ve put them to bed
As everyone checked how the judge faired …
It’s 224 am on writer’s block shore
An ocean in motion muse still bored
Ceiling fan tan has blown ideas away
Ideas not clear as random on white page
Look at the contests on poetry soup
Try to write for them but that sucks too
Why am I awake if poetry is not in bloom
Guess I will pray and stare at the moon
What’s a chocolate muse less girl to do
so much conditions -
in the poetry contests -
are not cool at all
Judging poetry contests is as easy as comparing a hog to a car
Or a tub of lard to a gasoline engine and a movie star
Trying to be objective is not in the equation at all
comparing unlike things to each other is a likely fall
some are witty, others do not follow a single contest rule
I laugh at some, others are so well written they make me drool
Rght away I sort them into piles of two – one good, one not so much.
Cannot divulge my secret, but it would infuriate my Aunt Dutch
She likes everything to fit into a tidy little clean box up high
Judging poems against each other makes me roll an eye
How do you say this one is good, and that one is not
When none share a purpose, is that all you’ve got?
I used to moan and wail and torment myself with the result.
Now when I second guess my finalists, I yell “Halt!”
Just put the top three in a shake up order and try again.
The gold always rises to the top no matter what shape I’m in.
Just wanted to make a few things clear for my fellow poets
If you are going to use A I, to write a poem for a particular
contest, then be sure to let the sponsor know by adding
A I on top of your poem, so the sponsor of the contest
can then decide whether to use it or not.
I don't believe it is the responsibility of the sponsor to
check every single poem to see if it is A I or not
Please be honest about it if you are and let the sponsor
know.
If the sponsor has specified no A I, then please respect
that. After all we are all writers, and we all know that
we take pride in our creative abilities. So I am asking
if anyone agrees with me, please leave a comment.
This was not written to put down A I in any way
Its coming from a naive woman who just assumed
I am no longer that naive,
Please don't join any of my contests unless you are
planning to write me an original without the help
of AI,
Thanks
Vienna aka Mystic Rose
Your cheating ways, you've sunk so low,
to win contests - that isn't right.
You've used AI, few sponsors know
Your cheating ways
MY ideas form, it’s time to write,
(Unlike AI, my brain is slow)
When poem’s done, I feel delight!
But AI wins, it's quite a blow
It's unfair and I feel uptight
We're NOT blind sheep, I want to show
Your cheating ways
Alphabetical
Nice simple pithy poems
Brian Strand contests
The contests started slowly
all in appreciation of Glenn Hughes
Only a few would enter
using inspired words so eloquently
But in due time the Glenn Hughes contests
caught on fire
and everyone was scrambling to enter
The contests filled up so quickly
I as judge had to breathe deeply
to concentrate
It came a time I didn’t have to remind people…
“Remember, we all love Glenn”
And then came the blogs
detailing the excitement of the chase
But people would cry
if they didn’t get first place
as the trophy was designated
for only the best Glenn Hughes inspired poem
Now if you have gotten this far in the poem
you may be asking yourself
What the heck did I just read?!?
You read Love for Glenn
The Voice of Rock
and about the poems and contests that support him
So without further ado
if you haven’t already
find a Glenn Hughes song that inspires you
and enter the latest contest
YouTube awaits you and maybe just maybe
Glenn will be watching
write the most depressing mournful doleful macabre missive
make sure it is less than one hundred words
write something you would be embarrassed to write.
make sure it is less than one hundred and fifty words.
write a poem about something you did that you are ashamed to
tell anyone in less than two hundred words.
I am not in the least interested in competing in any
of these three poetry contests.
I cannot imagine any other poets would want to either.
He stands, mocking, full of his worth
and crowned by stinging opinion
He’s won. By one.
‘Not even one whole point’ I want to say
to everyone - ‘by a rounding error.’
We rejoice in wooden dialogue
snaps are fired, content is captured
I feel ridiculous and awkward
As the great pageant ends,
he leans in, in a hugging action
but I will not grow dainty with this - prince
- and I step out of his hands
"Seriously?” I mumble, shivering.
.
.
.
There’s an old saying (in my family), "Show me a happy loser and I'll show you a loser - show me an unhappy loser and I'll show you a loser."
we have been asked to police
contest entries for plagiarism
relying on unproven software
sponsors are expected to comply
to make judging somewhat fair
perhaps we need to introspect
why are contests floated at all
is it not to cajole poets to connect
sharing hearts musings intimate
that all be in their ink bliss flecked
is our story merely borrowed glory
how low has fallen our self-esteem
let’s be authentic, honest and bold
we each are unique in our own way
effuse soul’s emotes in hues of gold
I like poetry contests, because it is terrific to imagine what is being sought.
I especially like the ones that have made up words, guidelines, and artwork.
they are a delightful challenge to me and they give me incredible new ideas.
I like seeing how many greens I get before a gold pop up, it amuses me.
I especially like All Poetry because I can run six contests at a time, and I do.
Comparing people’s poetry is like comparing oranges to clocks to boots.
They all have a different function, they are unique, and it is all about taste.
I usually know which one is going to be gold because it pulls my soul in.
I read each poem three to five times, and I read the winners more times.
Sometimes gold and silver are a toss-up, and I want to flip a coin.
But that would seem like cheating, so I force myself to do the best I can.
Poetry contests are fabulous if you ask me; I truly love both sides of them.
In sorrow, I turned to writing verse,
To ease the pain, my heart immerse.
Love, nature, family, and spirituality,
Themes that flowed, with sincerity.
Years passed, inspiration took flight,
A hundred poems, crafted with might.
Retirement brought idle hours to fill,
Isolation and pandemic, a bitter pill.
Poetry contests sparked excitement anew,
Learning the craft, experimenting too.
Words from poets, wisdom acquired,
Rhyme and meter, rules admired.
Recognition came, acclaim I found,
Free verse soaring, high and profound.
Loneliness became my muse, guiding my pen,
Love still sings, even when.
Writing became my daily pursuit,
Through challenges and hardships, I resolute.
With passion and dedication, I engineer,
Poems that touch hearts, far and near.
Sub Categories
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