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Sekhmet
post Oct 27 09, 04:49
Post #1


Greek
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Joined: 3-February 09
From: Abingdon, Oxfordshire,UK
Member No.: 754
Real Name: Leonora Wyatt
Writer of: Poetry & Prose
Referred By:No one at all



Good morning to anyone who reads this.

OK - Where are all the members when the gauntlet of a Challenge is thrown dawn?
I wander about the echoing halls of the weekly, monthly, slam, short prose, and drabble sections - and see only the same names, week after week.
It is now a cosy little corner, for just a few of us - but we need new blood to survive, and what better time than Halloween to go out and hunt for it?

Why not have an extra condition placed upon all members, (apart from the two responses to other writers' poems for each poem published) -
A response to at least one of the challenges every second month. That's sixty-odd days to think up some kind of response!

These Challenges stimulate the mind into branching off at a tangent; and are important tools in our poetic arsenal. I am amazed at what turns up, unbidden, when working on a challenge.

Surely, all the members are capable of meeting at least one of the challenges every couple of months? If not- they need assistance from the more experienced writers to achieve the required result.
When Newbies, (such as myself) squeaked;
' I know nothing about poetry criticism - I couldn't possibly crit anyone else's work.'

We were all briskly told to look at other members' crits, and do your best; you'll soon get the hang of it.

Why not give exactly the same advice to anyone who baulks at answering a Challenge? Just as in the various critical sections - the standard of work will vary,from writer to writer - but we are all learning, all the time. New Challengers will get bolder as time passes, and who knows what might be drawn forth?.

Leo


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Guest_ohsteve_*
post Oct 27 09, 20:26
Post #2





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Leo, It seems that you have thrown down the gauntlet yourself, the trouble is if a person doesn't want to respond to this there is nothing we as fellow poets can do. I have been doing challenges mostly 9 or 10 word ones since I first started posting poetry in about '98, I love them, but then again I have always liked puzzles of about any sort. I also wish that we had more members to challenge, but I can't go out and drag them in. I certainly hope that this will stimulate more.

Take care,
Steve
 
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Sekhmet
post Oct 28 09, 02:52
Post #3


Greek
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Posts: 743
Joined: 3-February 09
From: Abingdon, Oxfordshire,UK
Member No.: 754
Real Name: Leonora Wyatt
Writer of: Poetry & Prose
Referred By:No one at all



Good morning Steve, I believe that we certainly could, indeed should, insist that our all members respond to an occasional challenge.

After all, insisting on a response to other poets' work served to drive away only the dilettantes; those who were pretending to write poetry, or interested only in publishing their own work.

Before joining MM, I was, for a very short time, a member of another poetry group, where one member was publishing lines from the back catalogue of Tammy Wynette's songs!! I am sure that Cleo would have spotted the impostor at once - and chucked a lightning bolt in her direction! But I feel that responding to the Challenges would authenticate the writer's integrity - anyone can find, and indeed publish, an obscure piece - written by an unknown poet. But the challenges would be almost impossible to fake.
.
A few, 'beginners' challenges' - asking for either :

(a) a poem on a set subject.
(b) a few verses, written in a simple poetic form.
© a poem in any form,using two or three, 'given words'

should not be a problem for anyone with a genuine interest in writing poetry.

The Members' List seems to be full of non- participating members. Maybe the pruning sheers are needed here? Anyone who has contributed nothing over the last three months, (without an explanation) should be removed. They can always re-apply for membership.
I am beginning to feel that I am like a character in the film ZULU; wherein, a small group of Welsh Guards, (in the siege of the garrison at Rorke's Drift), tried to fool the Zulu leader into believing that there were hundreds of soldiers still alive when, in fact, there were only a few left standing.

You take care too,
Hugs, Leo


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Thoth
post Oct 28 09, 03:24
Post #4


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Posts: 783
Joined: 24-July 07
From: South Africa
Member No.: 457
Real Name: Walter Schwim
Writer of: Poetry & Prose
Referred By:Mistral



Hi everyone,

Perhaps it should be pointed out that each of us have different motives for writing.

Poetry comes to me spontaneously, sometimes triggered by external experiences and emotions and sometimes from reading something that triggers a tension requiring release. I do not choose my topics or content of my poems nor the form or ideas and for the most part, the words used. Yes they are polished afterward to ensure grammatical conformity and use of the very best word I know that exactly fits the meaning and rhythm that the poem requires.

This is why I seldom respond to challenges. I simply cannot take a list of words and build a poem from them, it seems quite pointless to me.

I take a thought and build a poem around it.

I have limited time available to write my own poetry as well as comment and write crituque where I think my opinion may be of some value.

My goal is to eventually write a perfect poem so I simply don't have time to write prescribed verse which at the end the day would not fit into my humble collection, verse which is for me is inherently un-optimised.

Since it is an idea or thought which brings on inspiration, I find short forms such as senru inspiring and exciting. Kuku chains are great fun, as are limericks.

I would like to see a challenge using a thought as stimulus with a word or line limit imposed. Short phrases that stimulate an image or thought.

For example;

Day of the pumpkin - Prose, 500 words
Evening clouds - 14 lines
Kiss me goodbye - free verse
Starvation - 200 Words
Garden Flowers - 50 words
Whirlwind - Classic Haiku or 17 syllables
Dream Mountain - 40 syllables structured verse
The poisoned dog
Dragon's shadow . . . - 100 words
After the rain has gone - Free form
The Cockroach's domain . . . iambic verse
Hold my hand
The cuckoo clock strikes twelve
When the traffic lights change
Pour the tea dear, I won't be a minute . .
I still remember when . . . open

etc. etc. Snapshots of life that most of have stored away somewhere. The actual words may be used in the composition or title if desired. The moderator could allow both free or structured criteria so all preferences are covered. A competition could be done where each participant must rate two other poems (a prescribed set criteria - choose 1 to 5 on each) to make it more exciting.

I think it would be delightful reading each poet's response to stimuli such as these as well as extremely developmental for poetic skills. Participant would also end up with a poem from the muse that is not word-driven and can the polished and added proudly to their collection.

That's just my take on the subject. Something different and productive that no other forum offers.

Hugs,

Wally


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Guest_ohsteve_*
post Oct 28 09, 12:14
Post #5





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Leo and Wally, These are wonderful ideas, the person that needs to make these decisions is Lori as the site owner and chief administrator. I will bring this to her attention and the other staff and see what might come of it.

Steve
 
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Psyche
post Oct 28 09, 14:18
Post #6


Ornate Oracle
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From: Bariloche, Argentine Patagonia
Member No.: 78
Real Name: Sylvia Evelyn Maclagan
Writer of: Poetry & Prose
Referred By:David Ting



Hi Leo & Wally, Steve et al,

I've been without Internet for a couple of days, so I'm picking out the topics or e.mails that catch my eye.

Leo, I agree that it's always the same crowd that responds to the challenges (I hardly ever participate, for similar reasons to Wally's). But you've opened up a debate and that's a step forward to get things moving.

I prefer Wally's suggestions because an idea allows one's imagination to fly freely. Reminds me of when I did visualization therapy-poetry, where we lay on mats and the coordinator, very wisely, simply spoke softly for a few seconds about something, then trailed off into silence. Soft musical background. Candles... You could either drop off to sleep...LOL... or build on the half-baked idea left drifting into silence. We could have paper & pencil to jot down anything random, or else do that at the end of the session.

From those random scribblings, some 'great' poems emerged much later on, at home, or wherever!

So I go for the IDEA suggestion, and hope Lori will come along and think about incorporating it as often as possible. I suggest just 2 or 3 ideas to chose from each time.

Love to hear from other members!

Apologize for my absence, can't only blame Internet, it's also the responsibilities life has thrown at me this year...mmm...and to deal with alone, since my cat can't cope with anything but play such as pillow-fights!

Hugs to all, Syl***




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Cleo_Serapis
post Oct 29 09, 09:43
Post #7


Mosaic Master
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Posts: 18,892
Joined: 1-August 03
From: Massachusetts
Member No.: 2
Real Name: Lori Kanter
Writer of: Poetry & Prose
Referred By:Imhotep



Hi Leo,

Thanks very much for offering some suggestions that will hopefully inspire others to post more (and in the different forums we offer here at MM). mm.gif mm.gif

While I'm not so keen on making it a requirement to have our members post responses to challenges, I do think that the suggestion has merit. There are members that simply only venture into one or two areas like the poetry for crit category and/or the challenge category with all the forums offered within them. Each persons motives and goals vary so greatly. It would be hard to moderate your idea and still allow for freedom.

I enjoy seeing a post that was created from a challenge being re-posted for critique. It's the ideas that come from the challenges that can send you off in wondrous directions. cloud9.gif For myself, these challenges (Times Ten, Pandora, Book Titles, Drabbles and the Flashes) have inspired me to rethink the subject matter, locals, characters etc. in a positive way. It's a thrill to create a response that can be discussed, it's an even bigger thrill to take that feedback, revise the 'theme' of the response and post it for critiques.

I admit that I haven't posted the flashes as frequently as in the past. It used to be a bi-weekly thing. I just cannot always come up with ideas on the fly.

Wally -thanks for posting your ideas!!! Would you mind if I used them in future challenges? Any member can offer suggestions for any of our challenges and I very much appreciate it and will certainly post them with credit to those members shuld anyone desire to offer ideas, as is the case here in this thread. Idea.gif

Let's see if any others respond to this suggestion. For now, I say definitely throw the suggestions out there as you reply to others' posts. cheer.gif

thanks.gif!
~Cleo Pharoah.gif


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"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to." ~ J.R.R Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

Collaboration feeds innovation. In the spirit of workshopping, please revisit those threads you've critiqued to see if the author has incorporated your ideas, or requests further feedback from you. In addition, reciprocate with those who've responded to you in kind.

"I believe it is the act of remembrance, long after our bones have turned to dust, to be the true essence of an afterlife." ~ Lorraine M. Kanter

Nominate a poem for the InterBoard Poetry Competition by taking into careful consideration those poems you feel would best represent Mosaic Musings. For details, click into the IBPC nomination forum. Did that poem just captivate you? Nominate it for the Faery award today! If perfection of form allured your muse, propose the Crown Jewels award. For more information, click here!

"Worry looks around, Sorry looks back, Faith looks up." ~ Early detection can save your life.

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Sekhmet
post Oct 30 09, 03:33
Post #8


Greek
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Group: Platinum Member
Posts: 743
Joined: 3-February 09
From: Abingdon, Oxfordshire,UK
Member No.: 754
Real Name: Leonora Wyatt
Writer of: Poetry & Prose
Referred By:No one at all



Dear Wally - I am one hundred percent behind you! - I, too, held back from participating in the challenges for a long time, because I hated the idea of writing around a few set words - it reminded me of school, where we were given a similar list of words, and left, by a lazy teacher, to get on with it.
I would happily try my hand at writing around any of the ideas you have suggested. ( Cleo. could we please make one of them a challenge?)

In one of my previous existences, I taught young people to play the piano. They all wanted to compose - but without the discipline of regular practice, and, of course, an understanding of the basics - they could not achieve the fluency of mind, or the musicality and flexibility needed to compose well. How often I have heard the plaintive wail - 'I have no time to practice'

I still believe that participation in Challenges should be a condition of membership. I just can't accept that a poet of your great ability could not find time to answer one single challenge during a sixty day time-span.
I have a very sick eighty-four year old husband, a large, rural, cobwebby house, all the cooking, washing, gardening and cleaning to take care of as well as helping with several elderly people, and working part time in the library in our tiny French Village. Yet it is still possible to think during odd moments of what one might write.
Maybe it could become possible to win an, 'Exemption Shield' - for those who have answered a certain number,( say ten) Challenges?
Once the shield has been won - entry would be optional. ' Home hast gone - and ta'en thy wages.'
We are a community, almost a family are we not? Surely it doesn't matter whether we are inspired by thoughts and ideas that drift into our consciousnesses, or if we take a few words, and try our best to build a poem around them. Every man chooses his own tools.
I am, at the moment, working on a Sestina. It seems to be more an exercise of poetic ingenuity than inspired thought - yet it still could be considered to be a sort of poetry, even if it is not very good!
It is not the source of our inspiration that matters - it is the fact that we write.
Hugs, Leo


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Arnfinn
post Oct 31 09, 01:48
Post #9


Creative Chieftain
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Group: Centurion
Posts: 2,587
Joined: 9-August 03
From: Australia
Member No.: 17
Real Name: John
Writer of: Poetry



G'day.

I first met Lori, in 2001, at a poetry site called Shadow Poetry. There was a yeary membership fee, and once financial, new members were shown a map of a fictional town and advised to select a vacant residence. The selected residence remained your poetry home until you became unfinancial. When a poet/writer did not renew membership their house became vacant real estate, and open, on display for new members. The streets were named after literary terms; for example my residence might be 32 Limerick Lane, (I probably chose this street because of an interest in limericks). My next door neighbour number 34 (he/she may have chosen the same street because of the same poetry interest); as well as interacting with other members in the poetry/writing forums, members could click onto member residences and leave messages on message boards. The advantage of this system is community relationships between members. Another advantage is yearly membership fees, say Original fee, (US) $20, thereafter, (US) $15.

Back to MM.

Lori, decided to branch out on her own in 2003 and invited me to become a MM member.

I've been here ever since.

I haven't been on-the-go much lately. Old age has cluttered my thoughts, and sucked inspiration down and away into a whirlpool of confusion.

To a degree, I agree with Wally about writing. Learners or those semi-skilled in writing leave behind footprints that stumble and stray from the rules of literature, and therefore can benifit from words of advice. The hard critiques; are the talented writers, those, at MM or elswhere whose footsteps to the eye are straight and evenly spaced. These, the hard critiques, take time--chew up the hours. I find, talent, should not only receive praise, but rewards. I think most members at MM have had their contributions, judged as exceptional, then passed on to other literary websites for assessment.

When I'm in the mood, I find, if I write a good opening line, an association of thoughts follow, the ink flows quickly from stanza to stanza until the poem/chapter is complete. The next step--revision.

I've read what's been said, and I respect your concerns and ideas about our MM.
The crux of the matter is, ill health, some very serious.
Speaking for myself I should be making a comeback shortly.

Best regards to everyone.

John troy.gif


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Arnfinn

Nominate a poem for the InterBoard Poetry Competition by taking into careful consideration those poems you feel would best represent Mosaic Musings. For details, click into the IBPC nomination forum. Did that poem just captivate you? Nominate it for the Faery award today! If perfection of form allured your muse, propose the Crown Jewels award. For more details, click here!

MM Award Winner
 
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