Well, Lisa displays excellent convergence tendencies in holding the titles of Access Queen AND OSLIST Poet Laureate. Congrats Lisa!<br><br>For all those who might be curious, the OSLIST Biannual Restricted Form Poetry contest started in the spring of 2000 when I issued the challenge to the list. Ralph Copleman actually began the whole thing with a contest in the fall of 1999 (which I won) and so he is the "Poetry King" for all time. I just claimed the "Poet Laureate" title in an effort to have some fun. It was something of a one martini idea, and I was out of gin at the time.
<br><br>So this is our sixth year of writing open space poetry using givens and placing sticky dots on the ones for which we have the most passion. <br><br>It's all good!<br><br>Chris<br><br><div><span class="gmail_quote">
On 2/7/06, <b class="gmail_sendername">Joelle Lyons Everett</b> <<a href="mailto:JLEShelton@aol.com">JLEShelton@aol.com</a>> wrote:</span><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<font face="arial,helvetica"><font color="#000000" face="Geneva" size="2"> Friends---<br>
<br>
The winner of the OSList Poetry Celebration and Contest is Lisa Heft, for Poem #6, which honors the journey many of us have made from thinking that being a facilitator meant keeping control over a meeting, to knowing that if we will hold the space, the people will do it all themselves.
<br>
<br>
As Poet Laureate, Lisa is responsible for convening another Poetry Celebration and Contest in approximately 6 months, and supporting the reading, writing and sharing of poetry in any way she chooses. Congratulations, Lisa!!!
<br>
<br>
Counting the votes this time was great fun, because many voters sent feedback as well, including"<br>
<br>
" . . . made me laugh out loud."<br>
<br>
"I give my five dots to . . . But I love them all."<br>
<br>
My heartfelt thanks to Nancy, Kenoli, Chris, Jeff, Kerry and Lisa, and to everyone who took time out from their busy days to read the poems and post their sticky dots--a poet and her audience are all part of the same magic.
<br>
<br>
A deep bow,<br>
<br>
Joelle Lyons Everett<br>
<br>
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<br>
Poem #1, by Nancy White, Kenoli Oleari and Chris Corrigan<br>
<br>
<br>
Euphoric Bullshit<br>
<br>
We come into the circle with our passions and resolve<br>
We each have a lot of issues that we really want to solve<br>
But we all start a talkin', and things get out of hand<br>
So take a little breath (breath) and settle down and we'll ease into the plan<br>
<br>
CHORUS:<br>
Euphoric bullshit is the name of the game<br>
We take the sacred and we make it profane<br>
You can't come in, unless you bear your pain<br>
Euphoric bullshit is the name of the game<br>
<br>
We're calling a lot of sessions, with various intents<br>
Some get a little bit impatient as we sit upon the fence<br>
But emergence growing edges will carry us all along<br>
We are but one great voice in the universal song<br>
<br>
Chorus<br>
Instrumental break<br>
<br>
Now the time has come for us to go out into the world<br>
And throw our great intentions into the cosmic swirl<br>
Hey you don't need to worry that these things will come to pass<br>
Because evolution's arrow will kick you in the ass<br>
<br>
Chorus<br>
<br>
<br>
Poem #2, by Jeff Aitken<br>
<br>
There was a young man who had learned a good trick.<br>
He stood up and asked them all "what makes you tick?"<br>
They wrote a few words and he went for a walk.<br>
He returned and they cried "it was so good to talk!"<br>
They hugged him and gave him a kiss on the neck<br>
As he walked out the door to deposit the check.<br>
<br>
<br>
Poem #3, by Jeff Aitken<br>
<br>
<br>
Atlas<br>
<br>
Atlas strains to stay standing.<br>
His stone limbs faintly shaking,<br>
he gazes far off as if to forget<br>
this cruel, pressing mass he must lift<br>
until time ends. Holding space is a curse.<br>
<br>
<br>
Poem #4, by Kerry Napuk<br>
<br>
<br>
i opened the circle<br>
<br>
disappeared down the rabbit hole<br>
<br>
emerged the other side<br>
<br>
flowing with the tide<br>
<br>
<br>
Poem #5, by Lisa Heft<br>
<br>
<br>
"I Am So Amazing"<br>
<br>
<br>
I invite them to crawl around on the floor<br>
…and they do.<br>
…and they kind of like it.<br>
<br>
I invite them to post signs on a wall, run around the room like insects…<br>
<br>
I tell them feet have laws.<br>
<br>
The part they see me do is pick up their coffee cups – incredibly skilled work, worthy of huge sums of money.<br>
<br>
I ring a bell; they sit. <br>
<br>
I have such power…<br>
<br>
<br>
Poem #6, by Lisa Heft<br>
<br>
<br>
I once tried to do everything opposite.<br>
Sit in a line. <br>
I shall stand at a podium and tell you how to think.<br>
No room for extra thoughts – that is off-topic.<br>
Please have your agenda items ready one week in advance.<br>
I will select a few topics I feel pertain to the issue.<br>
Please refrain from thinking until the official start time of our meeting.<br>
Only those with special titles may have ideas.<br>
Do not leave the room.<br>
Please be sure you end the meeting with the same thoughts you came in with.<br>
Keep the windows closed so no insects fly in to disturb our meeting.<br>
No breathing, please.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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</font></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><br>CHRIS CORRIGAN<br>Consultation - Facilitation<br>Open Space Technology<br><br>Weblog: <a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot">http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
</a><br>Site: <a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com">http://www.chriscorrigan.com</a>