!!! POETRY CONTEST !!!

[Rhett Hudson/Chris Weaver]

Dear OSLIST,

It's that time again...
THE THIRD BI-ANNUAL OSLIST RESTRICTED FORM POETRY CONTEST!
But before I explain the rules, a brief history of this illustrious
competition is in order.  About a year ago, someone (who was that, anyway?)
started a contest to write a poem of 26 lines, beginning with each letter of
the alphabet in sequence.  Chris Corrigan took the prize, which was a book
(Thinking Today as if Tomorrow Mattered).  Full of pompous audacity as he
is, Mr. Corrigan proclaimed himself to be OSLIST Poet Laureate, and
immediately started scheming about how to give the title away.

His contest last spring was for a 4x4x4 - four stanzas, four lines per
stanza, four words per line.  There was a slew of great submissions, many of
which are included in the new chapbook, And Thus We Come Alive.  I won that
contest by stuffing the ballot box, and received Chris's dog-eared copy of
The Tao of Pooh.  I have since enjoyed all the trials and privileges of Poet
Laureatehood - dining with dignitaries, staffing the 24-hour poetic crisis
line, keeping the Muse appeased with incense and peanut butter sandwiches,
and the like (actually, I do include it on my resume).

SO NOW'S YOUR CHANCE!

Contest Rules:
FORM:  Triple-American-Haiku*
CONTENT:  Inspired by Open Space, whatever that means to you
DEADLINE:  Saturday, November 11 (full moon), 12:00 midnight Pacific Time**
REQUIREMENT:  Email your poem(s) to me at rhett&chris at main.nc.us
OPTIONAL:  Post your poem to the listserv, and/or in the POETRY!SPACE,vol.2
on The Meta Network.
VOTING:  I will post the poetry ballot to the listserv on Sunday, November
12, for a week of voting.
THE WINNER:  ...will be announced on Sunday, November 18!

*Triple-American-Haiku means three haikus, each acting as a stanza to form a
single poem.
Each haiku-stanza must consist of three lines:  the first with five
syllables, the second with seven, and the third with five.  For example,

springtime open space
I spill coffee on the boss
it works anyway

So, that's ONE haiku, and you need THREE together.  I'm calling it
"American" because it is we Americans who are hooked on counting 5-7-5
syllables.  Many haiku masters and lovers of Basho, Issa and the like say
that counting syllables takes attention away from the true essence of the
form.  Haikus usually have seasonal and nature references, and the third
line often surprises in a zen sort of way.  All of this is by the
wayside...for this contest, 5-7-5's the rule, and there are no
content-essence requirements.

**No late entries will be accepted, even if Ralph Copleman protests
brilliantly on your behalf.  It's one of the givens.  Procrastinators will
have to weep in their lattes at the coronation.

The contest winner will bear the title of OSLIST POET LAUREATE for six
months, and receive my copy of my current favorite book of poems, Ardor (The
Book of the Dead Man, Part Two), by Marvin Bell.  The new Poet Laureate also
has the fun of making up the rules for the next contest.

Thanks for your participation.  There is brilliance on this list!!  Enjoy!

Chris Weaver

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