<p dir="ltr">Read these poems! Love these poems. Vote for these poems! By June 30.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The semiannual OSLIST Limited Form Poetry Contest begins now! We have 11 entries in the contest below.</p>
<p dir="ltr">As a member of oslist you have five votes or "virtual sticky dots" to use. Please reply TO ME only - NOT the oslist - or write <a href="mailto:rjeffaitken@gmail.com">rjeffaitken@gmail.com</a> with </p>
<p dir="ltr">- the number of the poem.<br>
- the number of dots you are giving that poem.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The contest ends Thursday June 30 at midnight California time. The new Poet Laureate will be crowned with a virtual laurel of leaves on July 1.</p>
<p dir="ltr">AND (drum roll) the new Laureate will be awarded a copy of Chris Corrigan's newly beautifully published book The Tao of Open Space. Thanks Chris.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Apologies for any formatting issues. If you sent a poem and it's not here - let me know asap!</p>
<p dir="ltr">(I offered poems to the celebration but not to the contest. Let our new Laureate be chosen now! - Jeff)</p>
<p dir="ltr">With a shoutout to our dear departed Ralph Copleman z''l who originated the Celebration and Contest...</p>
<p dir="ltr">Here are the poems - enjoy!<br></p>
<p dir="ltr">1:</p>
<div align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">It was obvious there was pain. </font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">Feelings hurt. Wounds infected. </font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">Hopes, dwindling relentlessly over the horizon called “not today.”</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">It was the story underneath, finally excavated,</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
<font color="#000000">that began to change everything.</font><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">2:</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">圍圓坐 sit around circle</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">相視識. Look to know each other</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">取紙筆 take pen n paper</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">述題旨 describe your theme</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">選時空 choose a space n time</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">召人議 invite people to discuss</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">蜂採蜜 bees keep busy</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">蝶翩舞 butterfly dances</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">此即時 now is right time</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">隨心聚 gather with your heart</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">終亦始 end is also start</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">3:</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">We are spreading out to the centre,</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">Unravelling to the core;</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">We are flowing in the stillness,</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">Living less being more.</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"></p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">The space it is opening,</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">The circle spirals in;</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">The frozen turns to water,</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">The frown becomes a grin.</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">4:</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">Wenn ich sein kann</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">wer ich bin</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">kann ich werden</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">wer ich sein kann</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"></p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">When I can be</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">who I am</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">I can become</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
<font color="#000000">Who I can be</font><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">5:</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">Moo</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000"> </font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">We moved</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">To overcome</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">Frames</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">Stale and hardened</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000"> </font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">We mooed</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">Crossing over</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">Grassy fields</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">Verdant minds</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000"> </font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">We mowed</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">Sharp shears</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">Breaking through</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">Rigid thoughts</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000"> </font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">We mooed</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">As we moved</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">On mowed</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
<font color="#000000">Open spaces</font><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">6:</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">邀集圓坐相視識 Invite to sit a circle. Look to know each other</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">取紙筆 述題旨Take pen n paper; describe your theme</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">擇時空 召人議Choose a space n time; call people to meet</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">蜂飛蝶舞此即時Bees keep busy butterfly dances now is right time</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
<font color="#000000">隨心聚散 Gather or leave with your heart</font><br>
<font color="#000000">終亦始 end is also start</font><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">7:</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">邀圓環視取紙筆Invite a circle, look around, take a pen and paper </font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">選定時空述題旨Choose a time-space, describe your topic</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">蜂蝶飛舞此即時 Bees and butterflies are dancing, now is right time</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
<font color="#000000">隨心聚散終亦始Gather or leave with your heart, end is also start</font><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">8:</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">We have a right to treat each other well </font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">knowing from the depths of authenticity </font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">yet mysterious beyond human understanding </font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">that good things emerge whenever we do.</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">What wonder filled constancy!</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">9:</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">Life is a subtle affair </font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"></p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">in which we do well to notice </font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"></p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">that coupled in the swirl of the dance</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"></p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">is the real joy of living in togetherness</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"></p>
<p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">amid still feelings of oneness. </font><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">10:</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">there was an old codger from maine</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">who said open those spaces again</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">for all those who did</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">I lift off me lid</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br>
</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">and welcome all those who just came</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">11:</p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">The space a circle</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"></p>
<div align="left" align="left"><p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">Three-dimensional circuit</font></p>
</div><p dir="ltr"></p>
<p dir="ltr"><font color="#000000">Transmitting love-light</font><br></p>