What to Submit?
Title: Of your choice.
One 5-line verse in iambic pentameter hypercatalectic: hendecasyllable (11 syllables) — [*/|*/|*/|*/|*/|*] — on the topic of an introduction to a hypnagogic dream, ie those vivid images that come to us in the spaces between sleeping and waking.
This 5-line verse is left open-ended, being suggestive of an eventual much longer poem, but only enter this single verse for the contest. I am calling for a concise verse, condensed in essence and displaying originality in the content which will hook the reader, therefore, hit the ground running.
Edit: I have noted in the tick list below and in the relevant blog to this contest that I wish the poem to be unrhymed. I apologise for any inconvenience by not mentioning it in the opening paragraph to this contest.
MY EXAMPLE
https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/through_the_keyhole_1574296
THROUGH THE KEYHOLE (1st stanza)
(Stressed syllables are in boldface.)
Deceit of sun when rays are still but porous;
unwelcome thief, afford my dream more seconds.
Some dappled shadows flit through mystic keyhole;
alight upon pellucid remnant image.
I* stifle yawn as thoughts embrace the vision.
*Chameleon words
- The pronoun ‘I’ is usually stressed in metered verse, but only if preceded and followed by an unstressed syllable). An example: ‘Should I compare thee to a summer’s day …’
- Words such as through, all, some, etc, change from being stressed to unstressed, depending on the context in which they have been used.
- At times, the metre of the line may dictate that an otherwise unstressed syllable is stressed, and vice versa. I will make allowances for this, but within reason. Do start and end each line with unstressed syllables. Also, primary and secondary stressed syllables might come into play, for example: Primary syllable stress: ev-a-nesce; Secondary syllable stress: ev-a-nesce, therefore, evanesce will not work as the beginning or end word in these metrical lines.
In the above example poem I employed metaphor, symbolism, simile, myths, personification, and many more poetic devices in the full poem. There are numerous literary/poetic devices at your disposal. See my earlier blog:
SOME EXAMPLES OF POETIC DEVICES - Suzette Richards's Blog (poetrysoup.com)
THE USUAL DO’S AND DON’TS
Poems, and nothing but poems on the page.
Do not centre your poem. Do not use boldface or italicise your poem. Do not use all caps. Only use a single space between each line.
As per usual, please use the relevant BLOG to pose questions or make suggestions.
A hypnagogic dream – NEW CONTEST - Suzette Richards's Blog (poetrysoup.com)
Have fun!
Suzette
TICK LIST
□ Title: Of your choice
□ Topic: The introduction to A HYPNAGOGIC DREAM
□ Length: ONE Verse of 5 lines – exact!
□ Form: Iambic pentameter (extended – see the following point)
□ Metre:* iambic pentameter hypercatalectic [*/|*/|*/|*/|*/|*]
□ 11 syllables per line
□ Use any poetic device at your disposal, other than rhyme
□ Grammar & spelling checked (no slang words)
□ Complied with ALL the rules (PS’s and mine)
*For stressed syllables: howmanysyllables.com . If there is a dispute, for example where dialect comes into play, the Merriam-Webster and the Cambridge Unabridged dictionaries have the last say insofar as syllable counts and stressed syllables are concerned. Yes, re.al.ly really has three syllables, and the first syllable is stressed. Also see my article here on Poetry Soup where I give handy tips regarding which monosyllabic words are stressed and which are not: Scansion in Poetry | PoetrySoup.com
Syllables and metre 101: Lexicon Relating to Poetic Metre | PoetrySoup.com
Handy tips relating to the contest: Knit a ribbing for a hypnagogic dream - Suzette Richards's Blog (poetrysoup.com)
Prizes
First Prize, Glory
Second Prize, Glory
Third Prize, Glory
4th - 10th places mentions
ALL WINNERS (maximum of 10) in this Premiere Contest will receive an approx 3 MB PDF copy via e-mail of the 56 page (A5 size pages) booklet, © DOWNTOWN – Poetic Devices, by Suzette Richards 2023. ISBN 978-0-7961-1968-1. In my above mentioned blog, I only touched on the subject and this booklet expands on the topic, and includes some examples as illustration of the devices and handy writing tips.
Preparing Your Entry
Submit one copy of your poem online. Format your poem. Please make your entry easy to read — no illustrations or fancy fonts.
English Language
Poems should be in English. Poems translated from other languages are not eligible, unless you wrote both the original poem and the translation.
A Note to Poetry Contestants
You are welcome to enter this contest, whether or not you won a prize in one of my previous contests.