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My Last contest and regret - Miranda Hawley's Blog

About Miranda Hawley
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My name is Miranda and I am a married empty nester.  I met my husband in April of 1998 and married him on June 6, 1999.  We met at Andrews University where neither one of were students at.  

I grew up in Norwalk Ohio and am a product of the public schools they had.  I was never "Miss Popular" or anything, but rather the kid everyone bullied.  I am class of 1995.

My husband just got his CDL class A.  He has been a box truck driver since like 2011.  Driving 18 wheels came with a pay raise.  It is my dream "job"  to sit beside my husband in the truck when he drives all over the country.  That won't happen with his current job because he delivers local.  My job is a bus monitor for special needs students.  The school I am a monitor for only does special needs students.  You have to qualify to go to the school with an IQ of 50 or less.  I have 7 children on my bus 3 are in wheelchairs and I have 4 walkers.  5 of the kids on my bus are non-verbal, and one of my talkers has a very limited vocabulary.  No matter, those kids have worked their way into my heart.  My job is by far the most fullfilling job I could imagine, and it is really easy.

 


My Last contest and regret

Blog Posted:3/29/2025 11:29:00 AM

So I have read basically zero of the entries in my contest and I see that this contest is now full. When I judge contest one of the first things I look for is did the person follow the line count. I in this case regret not setting the line count at 16 because so few people had a 10 line or less poem. I think there might be a winner or two in the longer poems as I am not sure if 10 lines or less was enough to cover the topic. I am thinking hard if I should relax that rule because I had so many of everyone who choose a longer poem to enter for this contest.

Miranda



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Date: 4/4/2025 3:22:00 PM
I'm late to this party, but I think rules should be followed, keep everyone from willy-nilly-doings and such. That being said, I am one of the problem children who didn't REGISTER the line max, but that's on me. A reader kindly pointed out my mistake and I just had to pick 2 stanzas to submit to the contest, but did keep the original because it is a personal write. Still, though, my personal belief is to do what you say and say what you do because people might begin to feel they can always get sponsors to change their minds, then we'll have chaos, and everyone will stop wearing socks ... CayCay
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Date: 3/30/2025 9:59:00 AM
It is so hard to know what to do in these situations once you state rules because a really good one may have only broken the rule a wee bit. And a worse poem didn't. I fear people thinking I am going against my own rules if I place rule breakers so it is such a conundrum to be in! I did see a few poets with more than ten lines and told them about it. Actually I didn't notice it myself at first. We get so used to what judges usually expect and don't notice when they make a change!! I think in this case just use your instincts, Miranda
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Hawley Avatar
Miranda Hawley
Date: 3/30/2025 5:54:00 PM
I agree with you fully. I avoid contest that contain a style of poems I haven't at least tried. It is better to learn a style before presenting it in a contest, I feel. If I would have gone with my usual 16 lines or sonnet then I think choosing some winners would be harder, because far less would be ruled out.
Date: 3/29/2025 8:55:00 PM
I find rule breakers to be blessings. They speed up the judging process because they are immediately eliminated. The only problem I have with them is that they waste a spot, but this can be mitigated by increasing the entry limit. Don't regret just learn to love them.
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Jennings Avatar
CayCay Jennings
Date: 4/4/2025 3:24:00 PM
This view made me laugh, so honest, so true ... CayCay
Dietrich Avatar
Andrea Dietrich
Date: 3/30/2025 10:01:00 AM
I think that way too, Rob
Hawley Avatar
Miranda Hawley
Date: 3/30/2025 5:55:00 AM
Yes, I normally love the rule breakers. They make it super easy to weed out a few entries. In this case I think I am left with 7 or 8 entries.
Date: 3/29/2025 7:13:00 PM
Apologies Miranda. I missed 10 line limit, sorry.
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Dietrich Avatar
Andrea Dietrich
Date: 3/30/2025 10:01:00 AM
I too only want to read with ease, so my length requirements are a must.
Hawley Avatar
Miranda Hawley
Date: 3/30/2025 5:56:00 AM
I don't often give types of poems requirements because I'd be the wrong person judge how "correct" they are, so the length requirement is so that I can read with ease.
Date: 3/29/2025 12:07:00 PM
Fascinating. Thank you for this. Confirms so many things ..
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Woody Avatar
Tom Woody
Date: 3/30/2025 6:21:00 AM
Thx for honest admission
Hawley Avatar
Miranda Hawley
Date: 3/30/2025 5:58:00 AM
I don't often give types of poems requirements because I'd be the wrong person to judge how "correct" they are. The requirement on the length is for ease of reading.

My Past Blog Posts

 
My Last contest and regret
Date Posted: 3/29/2025 11:29:00 AM
Please Follow the Rules
Date Posted: 2/4/2025 3:24:00 PM
My contest, &Judging It
Date Posted: 6/28/2024 6:51:00 PM
My last contest
Date Posted: 2/3/2024 8:08:00 PM
My Pick a topic sentence contest
Date Posted: 10/14/2023 3:30:00 PM
My Random Phrase Poetry Contest
Date Posted: 6/9/2023 8:56:00 PM
My contest
Date Posted: 5/20/2023 2:37:00 PM

My Recent Poems

Date PostedPoemTitleFormCategories
4/26/2025 Another One Left Alone Free versechild,
4/22/2025 Pond Acrosticanimal,water,
4/3/2025 I Use to Have Fun Free versechild,fun,
4/2/2025 Night Whispers Acrosticdark,day,
4/2/2025 Spring Snow Free verseapril,spring,winter,
3/17/2025 Night Vibes Rhymedark,
3/6/2025 Moon on a Spoon Coupletcute love,love,
3/1/2025 I Changed It Free versegod,
2/17/2025 Another Roses Are Red Poem Free verseblue,
2/9/2025 Roses Free verseflower,garden,
2/3/2025 Set For Life Acrosticmoney,
1/28/2025 The Frog Lunch Rhymefood,nature,
1/26/2025 I Am Ink Personificationi am,
1/21/2025 Embodying the Light Rhymelight,
1/2/2025 Fly Little Bird Free versebird,engagement,
12/30/2024 Self Image Rhymei am,identity,image,
12/23/2024 Our Day Together Free verseday,friend,
12/18/2024 The Blue Light Free verse1st grade,career,
12/10/2024 Christmas Acrosticchristmas,
12/5/2024 Out In The Garden Lyricchildren,
12/2/2024 Hoot Owl Haikubird,nature,tree,
11/30/2024 How Bad Can It Be Lyricinspiration,
11/22/2024 Jester the Joker Free versechildhood,fun,
11/14/2024 A Rant Rhymechildren,school,
11/13/2024 A Winter Alouette Rhymewinter,
11/3/2024 I Voted Today Free verseamerica,
11/3/2024 Jealous Jill Rhymechildren,jealousy,
10/31/2024 Poison Salesmen Free versepolitical,pollution,
10/23/2024 Garlic by the Spoonful Free versefood,health,
10/13/2024 Bone Beach Sonnetbody,death,
9/18/2024 Vanity Acrosticvanity,
9/18/2024 Story Time Rhymechildren,
8/8/2024 Courage Acrosticcourage,fear,
8/4/2024 The Cat in the Chair Rhymecat,
7/19/2024 Death of My Ink Free versedepression,inspiration,
7/5/2024 Trip Around the Sun Rhymebirthday,
6/28/2024 Minus Identity Who Am I? Coupletidentity,
6/18/2024 Another One Left Alone Free versechild,loneliness,
6/18/2024 DayZoning the Bio Bioi am,me,
6/16/2024 Wisdom Acrosticbible,wisdom,
6/3/2024 Sing Ethereehappiness,song,
6/3/2024 Against Darkness Acrosticbible,god,
5/4/2024 Poets Prayer Rhymegod,prayer,
4/21/2024 Life Acrosticjoy,life,
4/5/2024 Reflections Acrosticrelationship,
3/10/2024 Green Eggs and Poetry Rhymechild,poems,silly,
2/15/2024 Crazy Little Thing Rhymefun,poems,poetry,
2/13/2024 Dead Skunk Season Rhymeanimal,
2/3/2024 Jack and Jill Rhymegrowing up,
1/16/2024 Over There Free verseimagery,imagination,
1/6/2024 Roes Are Red Rhymecrush,love,rose,
12/27/2023 Who Are We At Our Core Sonnetidentity,image,
12/24/2023 Less than Festive Free versehow i feel,
12/17/2023 Christmas Story A to Z Abecedarianbible,christmas,holiday,
12/3/2023 Christmas Mashup, Santa Edition Free versechristmas,snow,
11/28/2023 Snow Acrosticsnow,
11/22/2023 An Interior Mechanism Free verseheart,
11/19/2023 Tell Me a Story Free verseanimal,image,
11/19/2023 Repeat This Over Again Alliterationpassion,sister,
11/11/2023 Lego Blocks Rhymeblue,red,
11/4/2023 This Little Lie Lyricsin,
10/28/2023 Knock Acrosticbest friend,girlfriend,
10/28/2023 Unassailable Purity Coupletcute,
10/14/2023 No Blind Eye Free verseevil,metaphor,
10/12/2023 Feelings Free versefeelings,
10/7/2023 The Mouse and the Clock, Extended Edition Light Versechild,childhood,fun,
10/7/2023 Sanity Acrosticlife,
10/6/2023 The Mouse and the Clock Free versechild,nursery rhyme,
10/3/2023 Halcyon Diamantebird,mythology,
10/2/2023 Pizza Blitzfood,
9/27/2023 Disorientation Free verseconfusion,lost,
9/27/2023 Autumnal Sonnetautumn,color,
8/31/2023 The Cow Says Buzzzt Free verseanimal,crazy,farm,
8/28/2023 Education Free versechild,education,
8/25/2023 Table Personificationfamily,food,school,
8/19/2023 Oh How I Hate Okra Lyricnature,parody,song,
8/5/2023 Happy Sabbath Acrosticpeace,religion,
7/30/2023 Psalm 23 Passengers Edition Free versecar,jesus,religion,
7/26/2023 Beach Ball Free versebeach,image,memory,
7/25/2023 Red Moon Rising Rhymemoon,red,
7/13/2023 Daily Safety Message Free versechildren,school,
7/7/2023 Summer's End Rhymeautumn,spring,summer,
7/3/2023 Mash Up Free versebible,song,
6/27/2023 Junk Skunk Alliterationanimal,
6/25/2023 Kids and Country Free versedance,
6/14/2023 Be Thou My Surgeon Lyricchristian,religious,
6/13/2023 Jack and Jill Medley Free versechild,children,
6/13/2023 Short Nursery Medley Free versechildren,nursery rhyme,
5/30/2023 I Know a Place Free versefriend,love,
5/30/2023 The Popular Thing Rhymeaddiction,drink,drug,
5/29/2023 Melancholy Rhymedepression,mental health,
5/14/2023 Poetry Soup Contest Free versepoems,
5/1/2023 Life By the Pond Rhymelife,nature,
4/23/2023 Wish Rhymefantasy,imagination,
3/27/2023 Family Function Free versefamily,
3/19/2023 Pests Rhymecat,
3/7/2023 The Shape of Conformity Rhymewater,
3/6/2023 Butterfly Chair Haikubutterfly,flower,
2/25/2023 Spring Is Personificationspring,
2/20/2023 From the Hymns Free versebible,christian,

My Photos


Fav Poems

PoemTitleFormCategories
My Thoughts As a Young Christian Rhymebible,christian,jesus,sin
The Darkest Hour Sonnetdark,emotions,evil,inspir
I Sure Miss the Old Hymns Sonnetchristian,heaven,song,
Caterpillar To Butterfly Diamantecreation,poetry,words,
Take My Hand Rondeauchristian,easter,faith,ho
Slow Dance Lyricdance,i love you,relation
It's Our Love Quaternappreciation,blessing,fai
Slang Footles for Male Names: Part 3 Footleboy,
HEALTH FOOTLES Footleappreciation,blessing,chr
Life’s Wonderful Kyriellelife,
Blowing Bubbles Rhymenursery rhyme,
The Christian Cause Rhymecare,christian,faith,hope
Footles for the Birds Footlebird,
Shiny the Sunbeam Parody Contest Lyricfun,
Love of Plenty Rhymeappreciation,christian,fo
A Fairytale Rhymeanimal,food,friend,giggle
Scary to Larry Limerickfarm,funny,humor,life,poe
Curtains Verseprincess,

Fav Poets

PoetCountry 
Quoth Theraven United States Flag United States Read
Bill Baker United States Flag United States Read
P.S. Awtry United States Flag United States Read
Born Free United States Flag United States Read
John Read United Kingdom Flag United Kingdom Read
Andrea Dietrich United States Flag United States Read
Linda Alice Fowler United States Flag United States Read
Victor Buhagiar Malta Flag Malta Read
Sotto Poet United States Flag United States Read
Beata Agustin Philippines Flag Philippines Read
Regina Mcintosh United States Flag United States Read
Mystic Lily United States Flag United States Read
Hiya Sharma India Flag India Read
Mark West United Kingdom Flag United Kingdom Read
Cyrus Theuri Kenya Flag Kenya Read

Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry