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[rus bowden]

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The Chronicle's National Poetry Month Contest

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Excerpt:

"In honor of National Poetry Month, The Chronicle is holding a very brief poetry contest. Write a poem that is inspired in some way by any element of John Keats's 'On First Looking Into Chapman's Homer'--by a phrase, a memory his poem prompts, his reference to a new planet, a modern-day parallel you spot, anything. Just keep your poem to no more than 28 lines (twice what Keats needed, after all).

"We'll post submissions here. And for the April 30 issue we'll choose one poem, or perhaps several, to publish in print and online. Anyone is welcome to contribute, so let your colleagues, students, and poet friends know.

"You'll have to work fast, though, because the deadline for submission is April 20 at dawn. E-mail your poem to lawrence.biemiller@chronicle.com, with 'Poetry contest' in the subject line."

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On First Looking Into Chapman's Homer

Much have I travell'd in the realms of gold,
And many goodly states and kingdoms seen;
Round many western islands have I been
Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold.
Oft of one wide expanse had I been told
That deep-brow'd Homer ruled as his demesne:
Yet did I never breathe its pure serene
Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold:
Then felt I like some watcher of the skies
When a new planet swims into his ken;
Or like stout Cortez, when with eagle eyes
He stared at the Pacific--and all his men
Look'd at each other with a wild surmise--
Silent, upon a peak in Darien.

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[Larry]

Hi Rus,

Just wanted to let you know I wrote a poem for this contest and it was posted for a little over a day until I went to the site and read the "fine print" about submitted poetry/prose. I don't know if this is a standard newspaper thing but I was shocked with what the lawyers for the paper came up with. I emailed Lawrence, the contact at the Chronicle, and had him take my poem off the site. I don't give that kind of power over what I create to anyone; especially a "perpetual right". Here is a copy of that bit of lawyer-ese:

The fine print: By submitting your poem to The Chronicle of Higher Education, you agree that The Chronicle may consider your poem for publication; if your poem is chosen, you agree to give The Chronicle of Higher Education a perpetual, worldwide, nonexclusive right to copy, display, publish and use the poem, in print or online, without further obligation to you. In addition, you represent and warrant that you are the sole author and owner of all rights in and to the poem, and that the poem is original and does not infringe upon any statutory copyright or any common law right or proprietary right of any individual or organization.

The underlined part (I did that) was the crux of my concern. Don't know if you saw or read that part and if not, wanted to give you the heads-up. Here is the poem I submitted; hope you like it. I utilized the same sonnet format and rhyme scheme used by Keats.


Apollo's Weavers

Though bound with Time�s strong hands and Fate�s caprice,
I wandered through antiquities� domain
while lost within the lines of sweet refrain.
Adventures, shared in contemplative peace,
are gifts to eye and mind without surcease.
Those moldering in graves and crypts would deign
to have me at their side ere they were lain
on flowered bier. With words, they can release
tight fetters, lending thoughts quilled wings for flight
into the shadows of disheveled time.
With missives writ, my memories bedight
in silken phrase and sonnet�s structured rhyme.
Their panoply of vistas, apposite�
weave tapestries of life; serene, sublime.

Larry