** PLEASE NOTE **
This will be like the previous Arbitrium Divisa contest, a STANDARD contest with multiple placements. If your entry is some form of rhyme, it must be EXACT rhyme, and please do NOT put your name or any identifying marks on your entry
What to Submit?
ONE original poem in a form I named "ARBITRIUM DIVISA", which is quite simply a FOUR-line (no more, no less) stanza of Free Verse or Rhyme, your choice, on any topic, taken from a poem of yours ALREADY WRITTEN. It must be a stanza that already exists as such HERE on Poetry Soup, (the words/lines in the same order as the original), that will also stand on its own as a poem ...
Please give this stanza a NEW name, and reference the poem it was taken from at the bottom, (along with the date, contest name, and sponsor). If the reference is missing, it will be N/A'd. It can be ANY form, but it must be four lines in their original order. If you'd like to separate them differently, (insert line breaks or compress), you may do so, as long as the words are still in their original sequence.
* Please DO NOT use a poem you entered in one of the previous Arbitrium Divisa contests. *
That's it! Any questions, please Soup Mail me ... my examples are at the links below. Thank you!
Scrumptious - Liberum Divisa
Soften, Spring - Rithimus Divisa
Prizes
First Prize - Most Glory
Second Prize - More Glory
Third Prize - Glory
... and a number of other wonderfully glorious placements!
Preparing Your Entry
Format your poem. Please make your entry easy to read ... spelling and grammar will not disqualify, but they WILL affect placement. The four lines of verse MUST be presented as they were in the original, (although if Free Verse, you may rearrange line breaks if you wish, or compress). Fancy fonts are fine - words are words, slant or no. REMINDER: at bottom - name of poem taken from, date, contest name, and sponsor.
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. Spelling and grammar won't DQ you, (unless it's atrocious or offensive), but it WILL affect placement, so if English is not your first language, please try to get a friend to proof-read for you, (I always have a couple missing plurals or syntax errors).
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. PLEASE read the directions - most of the N/A's that happen here at PS are when entrants don't take the time to READ the directions. Have enough respect for your fellow soupers and yourSELF to do so. Have fun, Dear Poets - that's what this is all about!
~ The Bard
(I sincerely apologize for the extended delay in the judging of the last contest, and will do my best to judge my contests in a timely manner from now on. My father's illness and death as well as some technical problems here added to the delay, though I take full responsibility - I hope you'll forgive me)