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Home » Poems » Blogs » HOW TO JUDGE A POETRY CONTEST
John Lawless
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I am a retired Ironworker(35 years Local 7), a lifetime Boston, Mass resident.  I am old enough to know better - but don't.

HOW TO JUDGE A POETRY CONTEST

Blog Posted by John Lawless: 10/10/2022 6:57:00 AM

How to judge a poetry contest

 

OPTION 1.        Printout all entries.

                        Take them to the top of a stairway

                        Toss them in the air

                        Those that don’t land on the stairway are N/A

                        Those on the stairs are rated from top step to bottom step.

 

OPTION 2.       Print out all entries

                        Tack them face down on a cork board

                        Find ten darts

                       Stand back 10 feet

                      Blindfold yourself

                      Toss the 10 darts at the poetry board

                     VOILA….we have the winners

 

OPTION 3.       Print out all entries

                        Fold them into paper airplanes

                        YA!  You guessed it…

                        Fly them out the window…..VIOLA

 

OPTION 4.       Install a poetry algorithm on your computer.

                        Hit the Sort, Collate, Categorize and Crown key….VIOLA

 

OPTION 5.       Refer to Milton’s Blog

 

/////just having some fun with the vagaries and vicissitudes of judging (aka evaluating) Poetry Contest Entries//////                 

                         

                                    

                                                



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Ray Choudhury Avatar
Malabika
Ray Choudhury
Date: 10/23/2022 5:05:00 PM
Enjoyed your blog, John. Ha Ha Ha! Happy Judging!
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Tor Avatar
Michael
Tor
Date: 10/11/2022 7:42:00 PM
John thank you for letting us know your wonderful techniques in judging. I am looking forward to entering one of your sponsored contests. I hope you use option 1 I will print my poem on heavy paper and hopefully it wont travel far down the stairs. Thanks for sharing your methods I wish more judges would be as honest as you. lol.
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La France Avatar
Constance
La France
Date: 10/11/2022 8:17:00 AM
John, lol, you have such a great sense of humor. Judging even when giving multiple placements, like I do, is not easy, it is still time consuming. I like Option 5 judging the best, blessings Constance
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Dietrich Avatar
Andrea
Dietrich
Date: 10/11/2022 6:31:00 AM
hahaha!
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Kendrick Avatar
Sara
Kendrick
Date: 10/11/2022 4:46:00 AM
I have bitten off another challenge for soupers. It is not easy for sure. I don't know if I will ever do another one or not. Maybe if I need some ideas about what to write on a difficult form. LOL..I'll let others write me some nice poems then that will give me ideas about which to write. I like the humor of your blog and it gives me some ideas on how to judge my existing contest. Sara
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Kitchin Avatar
Tania
Kitchin
Date: 10/11/2022 3:39:00 AM
John, now we know how you judge contests, LOL, a fun blog!
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Roper Avatar
Eve
Roper
Date: 10/10/2022 10:46:00 PM
great way to judge a contest. at least your having fun.
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Andresen Avatar
Anne-Lise
Andresen
Date: 10/10/2022 11:31:00 AM
I've never sponsored a contest ... maybe I should ... I like all your suggestions... (can't stop laughing :)))
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Hankins Avatar
L Milton
Hankins
Date: 10/10/2022 9:10:00 AM
This is hilarious, John. Thanks. I enjoyed it immensely!
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Logan Avatar
Jenna
Logan
Date: 10/10/2022 7:39:00 AM
While Option #1 would appear to be the most fun, I'll put my faith in Option #5 to be the most likely to produce deserving winners. What fun you must've had coming up with these, John!
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Cornish Avatar
Craig
Cornish
Date: 10/10/2022 7:39:00 AM
LOL--But I have a problem with #1--should'nt the ones that make it farther down the stairs be ranked higher? Just sayin?...And #3 - perhaps in wind and rain, then the ones that stick to the house higher are the winners?
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