Gunfights!

[JUDO]

Heh, heh... That got your attention. Okay, listen up, buck-a-roos. Starting one week from today, the Poetry Forum will start it's first new contest form of the new year.

That's right. The sun beating down from high noon. Two lone, sweating poets facing each other from twenty paces in the center of main street. Dust and dirt lapping at their heels while the rest of the board stands by nervously watching as they slap leather and come out shootin'.

"Gunfight!"

Every so often on a semi-regular basis, two poets will sign up to challenge the other in a poetry shootout. We will have Two Poets who will take the challenge of out-writing the other -- live. Yep, you heard me. Live!

A Moderator will determine the poetic inspiration and time limit at the time of the gunfight and time limit (Form and length is not restricted), then stand back and watch the bullets fly! They will also announce the judges decision, communicated by PM to the Moderator, after the blood is bled.

A panel of at least Three Judges will determine the winner. All communications from the Judges should be done by PM with the Moderator. If no one objects, I will be the Moderator in the first event.

The citizens of the Poetry Board are encouraged to yell their support and astonishment at the brazen display before them.

The winner of the first event will take on the challenger of the next, defending their title "FASTEST POET IN THE WEST!"

The first gunfight is to take place on: NOW CHANGED TO: Thursday, January 16th at 8pm Pacific Standard Time!!!* right here in this thread. Sign-up below for the available positions, if you think you're cowboy enough.

FIRST GUNFIGHT!

POET 1: ____________________________
POET 2: ____________________________


*If you are interested in participating as one of the three judges for our first even, please PM the Moderator (me).

Good luck and come out shooting.


- Deputy Judo

PS - Any questions, just post below.

* - see why on page two of thread

 

[Lauren Hynde]

I have a question.

If I don't feel like PM:ing you, can I post it here?

 

[Lauren Hynde]

OK, seriously. Great idea, Judo. I'd like to volunteer to judge the first event, for now (I sure as hell ain't gonna have a shoot-down with one of you native English speakers at 4:00 AM in a school-day) .

A suggestion: what if the first poet to volunteer had to choose the other? You know, like issuing a challenge... I think it would be pretty cool.

 

[WickedEve]

I want to shoot somebody!!! (But I'll wait to see how bloody the first gunfight is. I can't stomach a lot of poetry gore.)

 

[TheDR4KE]

Here is a list of cities around the world, and what time it will be there during the gun fight, if you're trying to see whether this is feasible for you.

world gunfight time

Depending on how long this goes for, I may be able to come along and kill someone. I think 45 minutes should be enough, with 15 minutes for judging? Oh, I just read that that's up to the moderator. Ignore that then (A moderate gunfight? hmmmm)

Quack

the D

 

[karmadog]

I want to shoot somebody!!! (But I'll wait to see how bloody the first gunfight is. I can't stomach a lot of poetry gore.)

Don't worry, Eve. I think poets just leak ichor.

 

[OT]

Don't worry, Eve. I think poets just leak ichor.

Thanks KDog, you made me crack the binding on the ole dictionary. For the less ambitious....

ichor: noun: (Greek mythology) the rarified fluid said to flow in the veins of the Gods

I used to sort of be ambivalent about labels and never quite liked being called "a poet". But now that I know what flows from their veins, my head just swelled, and by golly, I think I'll be a poet when I grow up!

 

[Angeline]

Leaky Poets?

karmadog said:

Don't worry, Eve. I think poets just leak ichor.

sometime so much that you can take a bathos in it.

 

[Angeline]

Gunfightin'

Ok I wanna know more about this. I am not gunfighting JUDO on sestinas, for example, ()with no prior knowledge that I'll be asked to do so! (Lest you all watch as I pitifully bleed ichor all over the corral.) What forms can we expect to be included? Do both poets write the same form (e.g., English sonnet; acrostic; whatever) or do they just each have X time to produce a poem. (It seems to me that we can only fairly compare apples with apples--if DR4KE and I are both judges and he prefers sonnets and I prefer dramatic monologues, and JUDO writes a sonnet and Lauren writes a dramatic monologue, it's gonna be a tough decision).

Also, do both poets write on the same topic? That is, at 8 pm pacific time (when presumably Lauren is reeling from lack of sleep), are the competitors told: "Write about karmadog's blister now!" or what?

Also the challenge idea is cool, but some folks--and damn good poets at that--just can't spit out poems on demand. I guess we need a signup sheet, with challenges issued only to those who choose to participate.

What are the criteria for deciding the winner? How fast the poem is produced? How good it is? How do we decide good?

Do the poets get coaches or other help? Are they allowed to use resources (rhyming dictionaries, etc.)?



(why do I suddenly feel like roseanne roseannadanna?)

 

[TheDR4KE]

Re: Gunfightin'

(It seems to me that we can only fairly compare apples with apples--if DR4KE and I are both judges and he prefers sonnets and I prefer dramatic monologues, and JUDO writes a sonnet and Lauren writes a dramatic monologue, it's gonna be a tough decision).

Touch decision? How so?

Surely JUDO would win





Quack

the D

 

[Angeline]

Split Decision?

DR4KE said:

Touch decision? How so?

Surely JUDO would win


I rest my case!

(and thanks for the giggle--I was in need of one at the moment!)

 

[JUDO]

Well... As you can see, this kind of challenge could get complicated real fast, and I was trying to keep it simple -- few rules, few places to go wrong.

The first gunfight (to be moderated by yours truly) will not be requiring a specific form. There will, however, be a time limit and a subject to follow.

Yes, those will be announced at the beginning of the shootout.

The judges should award the winner to the poet who:

1) Completes their work in the allotted time, and...
2) Best illustrates the subject matter.

I believe that the three should be able to come to a decision, given these requirements. It might be difficult to judge an apple from an orange, but that remains to be seen.

On this first gunfight, the moderator will allow the judges 24 hours to complete their decision, following the end of the duel.

The gunfighters are on their own, no help from other gunfighters (that would be unfair), and a disqualification. They can, however, use whatever dictionary or other resource they feel will aid them in their time of need.

More questions, please direct them here.

GUNFIGHT #1 - NOW CHANGED TO: 1-16-03, 8pm PST*

Deputy: Judo

Judge 1) Lauren.Hynde
Judge 2) ???
Judge 3) ???

Poet 1) ???
Poet 2) ???


--------------------------



* - see post on page two for the whys and wherefores.

 

[Rybka]

Re: Gunfight

Please exempt me from any of this.

I do not write on command, and I have no desire to compete against anyone whose work I admire.
I sincerely believe that such contests as here proposed, particularly "judged" contests will have more negative than positive effect on our group of contributors.

Regards,                       Rybka

 

[TheDR4KE]

I, on the other hand, really quite enjoy writing under pressure like this. It's mid afternoon for me, so if it doesn't go for too long I could probably participate in a gun fight.

It's fun ... not like any of us take criticism personally, right?

Right?

Quack

the D

 

[JUDO]

I, on the other hand, really quite enjoy writing under pressure like this. It's mid afternoon for me, so if it doesn't go for too long I could probably participate in a gun fight.

It's fun ... not like any of us take criticism personally, right?

Right?

Quack

the D

Yes, Drake, it's all in good fun. Want to be one of the first gunfighters next week?

Just say so, and the first position is yours.


- Judo

 

[MyOpinion]

removed

 

[JUDO]

Well, so far no one's biting.

Opi, are you certain that's Myopinion or Myopic? (Count your toes.)


- Judo

 

[TheDR4KE]

so

 

[JUDO]

What?

 

[HomerPindar]

I'd be interested, as I've done some speed writing, and could use a push towards writing more poetry again, only, I can't. The timing has me at work at that hour.

That, and I'm terribly unreliable.

HomerPindar

 

[TheDR4KE]

Just say so, and the first position is yours.

and I replied: "so"





Quack

the D (at pole position)

 

[JUDO]

And now, a second duelist? Who will challenge the MIGHTY DRAKE?

And two more judges?

GUNFIGHT #1 - 1-15-03, 8pm PST

Deputy: Judo

Judge 1) Lauren.Hynde
Judge 2) ???
Judge 3) ???

Poet 1) The Drake
Poet 2) ???


--------------------------

 

[MyOpinion]

done

 

[Cordelia]

okay okay....

Since DRAKE didn't challenge anyone, and I still feel new enough to be the unknown quantity here, I will participate in the first challenge.

I told myself (and Angeline) I wouldn't if it was live, but since we have 24 hours...

I won't think of it as a contest, but more of a way to get my little ass writing. I need the impetus.

I'll be the (lesser) challenger to the mighty DRAKE.


Nervously,



Cordelia.

 

[Cordelia]

I re-read JUDO's "rules." How long do we have?


Even more nervously,


Cordelia