poetry competition

.... on writing and versifying to win.

is illuminating truth the true poet’s mission?

if so, how do you win a poetry competition?

do you go on a rant, throw subtlety aside?

let the snaps and the claps take your mind on a ride?

do you forget about shading, rhythm, and timing

and rely on a beat and incessant rhyming?

or take too much irony through mind-bending twists

as the audience despairs to slit their wrists?

if your entry is made by written submission

had you better first learn of the editorial mission

of judges who’ll like you for saying what they mean?

and those who can do it can come away clean

with a win, a prize, and the critical acclaim

of a sponsor whose contest exalts his own name

and there lies a poem, all crumpled, un-done

erased from ‘my documents;’ it wouldn’t have won

this one spoke a truth of impressive erudition

but alas it lost out to a poetry competition.

Reviews

[Ed Hart]

serious runners try to win; poet's, i don't think so