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Poetry will always be a matter of perception, perspective, and personal taste. No amount of education or fame will ever change that. ~FJ Thomas...sometimes I write poetry

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What was your favorite contest?

Blog Posted by FJ Thomas: 3/6/2018 1:01:00 PM

Years ago I entered a contest and the theme was creating a poem based on a CAPTCHA you had received on the site. It was quite interesting entering and reading other entries.

What was the contest theme you had the most fun entering or hosting?

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Cecelia Hopkins-Drewer

March 15, 2018 at 6:11 PM

Any contest which inspires me to write a poem is my favourite. I also consider myself a winner whether I place or not because I wrote a poem for that day! Sometimes you judges may notice my poem might vary a little from the expected - this is not due to ignorance or arrogance - but because inspiration is precious to me. This often happens when northern hemisphere residents set a contest which is unseasonal for me. I can't think summer in winter, for example, so you might get an entry that is titled "I wish it were summer..."

FJ Thomas

March 15, 2018 at 8:27 PM

Inspiration is a wonderful thing. That's also a good viewpoint. People should also try to not let it bother them when they do not win a contest because the winners are based off of someone's else opinions and preferences. But to another person, in another contest, that poem may have been number one. So it should always be a winner to them. Thanks Celia :)

Connie Pachecho

March 7, 2018 at 10:41 PM

there are such contest~each a slug-fest~especially for the hard-pressed~and highly impressed~i, i, i, happily digest~beer league quest~thirty five roses for the conquest~each happy face at rest~kegs of good jest~good cheer at it's best~the hard-pressed may have gold crest~while the reveriers are oppressed~thirty five placements is my zest ... zest ...

FJ Thomas

March 7, 2018 at 11:30 PM

...if I'm even following you correctly. I could be way off base lol.

FJ Thomas

March 7, 2018 at 11:26 PM

Unfortunately we don't learn what judges to avoid until we have made several attempts but keep seeing the same winners. To be fair though I have noticed a couple of times over the years that a judge's winners were, for the most part, always different. My works just didn't seem to be their cup of tea.

Line Gauthier

March 7, 2018 at 1:10 PM

I love the contests that are particularly challenging but also the ones that are wide open to interpretation. I really appreciate when a minimum of 10 worthy poems place that way they get visibility, even if only 3 place and the other 7 are Honorable Mentions. While I'm at it, I'd like to thank the sponsors - it's the frequency of contests that make the site so dynamic.

FJ Thomas

March 7, 2018 at 1:25 PM

Agree on all points Line! I definitely understand why some like to stay away from hosting premier contests. It really limits the number of people you can recognize for the work they put in.

Carrie Richards

March 7, 2018 at 1:12 PM

I agree ! Thank you to all the sponsors who take on the difficult task of judging our poems. I've been inspired by each of you :)

Carrie Richards

March 7, 2018 at 10:09 AM

Yes.....the captcha! That was a fun contest!! I remember it well! I enjoy contests that give me freedom to express. Rhyme and syllable count are not my usual forte', although I still will write and enter contests, but since they restrict my muse a little, I prefer free verse . As a favorite, I love those that ask us to write lyrics to beautiful music. Music just does something to my soul....and the words seem to flow.

FJ Thomas

March 7, 2018 at 10:36 AM

Ahhh I totally feel you on the restricting the Muse part! And I did try a lyric contest once and I have to say it was rather enjoyable.

Andrea Dietrich

March 7, 2018 at 8:55 AM

Just noticed the contradiction in your bio notes. Funny!

FJ Thomas

March 7, 2018 at 10:34 AM

...hehe. Well I have to have fun somewhere Andy :D

Roy Pett

March 7, 2018 at 4:04 AM

Hi Shadow, I have entered quite a few contests and I have learned a great deal from all of them, I really enjoy writing limerick form, but the most challenging contest for me was a blitzing Christmas ( blitz form ) I thoroughly enjoyed writing the poem but the most daunting part was adding the audio, ( not keen at hearing my own voice ).

FJ Thomas

March 7, 2018 at 8:03 AM

Lol Roy I'm not a fan of hearing mine either. And blitzing on a given topic definitely sounds like a challenge. I've only written one Blitz but it was on the topic of my choosing. So not as hard as yours.

Eileen Manassian

March 7, 2018 at 12:13 AM

Hi, Shadow...I remember the captcha one. I wrote something for that but may not have entered as I don't usually enter contests. I have entered a few. The ones that have challenged me with forms that I had not previously written in get me going. I remember my win with Debbie Guzzi on the Sijo contest and with Craig Cornish on the Sapphic Stanza. Those are some highlights for me. :) BTW...Love that pic you have up there. Hugs

Eileen Manassian

March 7, 2018 at 12:56 AM

I have!!! :) Soupmail!

FJ Thomas

March 7, 2018 at 12:51 AM

Ahh yes, great reasons to enter a contest. And thank you. You know he's my heart! Peek at the photos tab when you have a minute ;)

Constance La France

March 6, 2018 at 9:41 PM

Hi Shadow, well anyone who knows my writing also knows I have a thing about writing sad poetry, so I must admit any contest with a theme of sadness, death, grief really inspires me but hey I can right (I mean write) happy too, I think I entered the captcha contest but cannot recall if I placed, but it reminded me of an acrostic or abc sort of contest which are always fun !!

FJ Thomas

March 6, 2018 at 10:31 PM

Writing sad poems can be very therapeutic for many. I never understood those who complained about reading sad poems. I often wondered how easy their life must be for them not to be able to understand. But I have to laugh that we can all remember that captcha contest and none of us remember if we placed LOL!

Suzanne Delaney

March 6, 2018 at 8:02 PM

I remember the CAPCHA one. I can’t remember if I placed or not. I haven’t hosted a contest in along time but I had fun with a mermaid theme, a spider theme and my Synothresic Cat competition was fun.

FJ Thomas

March 6, 2018 at 8:08 PM

Oh wow Suzanne those do sound like fun! And now that you mention it I can't remember if I placed either lol!

Rhoda Tripp

March 6, 2018 at 6:53 PM

I loved hosting "fem bogstaver" (five letter words) as it was very interesting to read all the wonderful entries, but hard as hell to judge so I enlisted help lol. I love entering unique contest themes.

FJ Thomas

March 6, 2018 at 7:13 PM

Oh man that one had to be tough to judge Rhoda! But I tell you what it was a great mind workout!

Deborah Guenther Beachboard

March 6, 2018 at 4:58 PM

Haiku because it suits my short attention span! LOL

FJ Thomas

March 6, 2018 at 5:04 PM

LOLOL We have that in common Deborah!

Andrea Dietrich

March 6, 2018 at 3:28 PM

I think I have entered too many to ever narrow it down to just one. But the contests that spurred me to write my best poetry are the ones I am most thankful for! I guess I would say that is the most fun for me too, knowing I was inspired to write a quality poem from a contest.

Andrea Dietrich

March 7, 2018 at 8:52 AM

I lost that one. That's why I didn't like it! haha

FJ Thomas

March 6, 2018 at 3:57 PM

Lol I can understand that. I guess the CAPTCHA stood out to me personally because it was completely different from any other I had entered over the years.

Jan Allison

March 6, 2018 at 1:34 PM

I love writing limericks and have had fun hosting contests and seeing folks have fun,. My favourite contest poem was written for Craig, its called 'homeward bound ' it was a incredible challenge as im not musical and having to write lyrics to set music took me an incredibly long time. https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/homeward_bound__727470 . I also struggle with sonnets and my top place with Dale meant a great deal to me. I use contests as a way to Improve my poetry skills, a win is a bonus:-) hugs Jan xx

FJ Thomas

March 6, 2018 at 2:23 PM

That is a great use of contests. Due to my prolonged poetic drought I use some to help keep me writing until my own words once again rain down. :)

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What was your favorite contest?
Date Posted: 3/6/2018 1:01:00 PM

What was your favorite contest?

Years ago I entered a contest and the theme was creating a poem based on a CAPTCHA you had received on the site. It was quite interesting entering and reading other entries.

What was the contest theme you had the most fun entering or hosting?

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