Rusults Are In! - Dane Ann Smith-Johnsen's Blog

The Didactic poetry contest has been judged.  There were many wonderful poems that did not place either because they did not use the didactic form as demonstrated in the poetry soup forms section or they had their names on them, which I promised to judge blind.  I judged based on how closely the form as demonstrated in the forms section was followed.  I was looking for ways to improve a given situation.

Many of the beautifully written and heart wrenching poems that were entered, described situations that definitely needed to be changed, but left out the important part of things to do to make that change or to resolve the situation...to convince someone to change.  Poems that gave suggestions of things TO DO that would convince someone TO DO those things scored higher in this didactic contest.  Some poems did NOT lay out a large body of TO DO information, but made the top 10 because they did make at least one suggestion...I think in one case it was an implied suggestion, while those who gave more steps to improvement scored higher.  

 I am going to run another didactic poem contest.  I would encourage those of you with excellently written poems that eloquently described given situations to re-write your entries forming a new poem in terms of "Listing Steps" that someone could do in order to CHANGE.  Thus, convincing them to change.  Example:  If you think more people should stop drinking so much, start investing more, take a fishing trip, stop going to strip joints, or WHATEVER else you think should be changed, instead of describing the situation in order to convince them that a CHANGE IS NEEDED, write a poem that tells them HOW TO make those changes...assume the change needs to be made.  INCLUDE information about HOW TO MAKE THE CHANGE.  In other words, write a list of TO DOs that convinces them to make the change by showing them HOW TO CHANGE.  (And try to do it with the same poetic eloquence that you have demonstrated, already.)

I am new to this form, too.  I hope you will understand.  And I hope we learn together.  BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR NAMES OFF.  BE SURE TO USE THE DIDACTIC FORM.

THANKS FOR SUPPORTING MY CONTEST...

Love to you all,
Dane Ann

Poet Destroyer A Date: 3/4/2012 5:33:00 PM congrats to all your winners..always..pd Login to Reply

Dane Ann Smith-Johnsen Date: 3/4/2012 4:34:00 PM MAYBE THIS WILL HELP US ALL...DIDACTIC POETRY IS SUPPOSED TO TEACH...http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/dterms/g/102209DidacticPoetry.htm LET US ALL LEARN TOGETHER. Login to Reply

Carolyn Devonshire Date: 3/4/2012 2:40:00 PM Congratulations to all the winners. I enjoyed writing for your contest, my friend. Belated birthday wishes too! Love, Carolyn Login to Reply

Dane Ann Smith-Johnsen Date: 3/4/2012 1:00:00 PM Andrea, Thanks for your comment. I am new with this form, myself...hoping to learn more together.There were many very beautiful poems. I tried to give better instructions for the next one. Login to Reply

Andrea Dietrich Date: 3/4/2012 10:09:00 AM Congrats to all your winners, Dane Ann!! I am not so sure that Soup's example was an example of how all didactic poetry should be. When I googled it, I got many kinds of examples. But I wish luck to everyone who does your next contest. Have a great Sunday. Luv, Andrea Login to Reply