Voting is now CLOSED for the 2010 Numéro Cinq Annual Villanelle People’s Choice Competition. Gary, this time you cannot vote more than once (although if you are indecisive, you can change your vote). The judges are puzzling over what to do with David Helwig who wants to be considered in the Golden Age category. Also there are three entries from authors under 16. Since voters have already begun splitting their votes, we shall just continue except that the new “Barracuda Class” will be for authors under the age of 16 (Sage, Sarah & Julie Marden’s students Danny & Anibelys).
In any case, let popular opinion reign here. Remember that so far no one has been expelled from Numéro Cinq for over-indulgence of psychotropic drugs or expressing incorrect ideas.
The official entry list is here. Vote for your preference in the COMMENTS section below this post. Voting closes midnight next Saturday, May 22, 2010. Remember, ANYONE can vote!
And for your edification, I attach a photo of Hobbes which proves without a doubt that he is not fat as suggested in one of the entries.
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As of Saturday midnight the votes cast are:
NC People’s Choice Open (Shark Class) Competition
Jacob’s dating poem 1 vote
Farrell A Dream Deferred 1
Axelrod This is why I rant 1
Gary’s Spam Villanelle 2
Julie’s Art of Rat… poem 1
Sandy’s Villanelle No 2 1
Julie’s Mind at Play 1
Gary’s Blue Dog 2 1
Anna Maria’s watersnake poem 2
NC People’s Choice Barracuda (Under 16) Class
Sage’s poem about Hobbes & the mouse 3
Sarah’s “Unlikely Hero” poem 2
Danny & Anibelys 1
dg
Can’t we follow democracy the way it is practiced now, i.e. let the judge decide then we, the people, criticize him mercilessly for his choice? It would be a lot more fun.
Besides, this is going to be a tough decision — too many good entries.
There is a NON-People’s Choice Official Winner to be announced when the judges’ panel has finished its deliberations. You will get your chance.
Since there are two winners, we get to weigh the difference between the wise, all-knowing judges and the mob mentality of the people.
This is a handsome photo of my friend Hobbes. This does not due justice to his full figure…please Doug…see if Hobbes would be so kind as to pose again so that everyone can appreciate his physique 🙂
What do you mean?!?!? He is so thin you can practically see through his ear! The cat is anorexic!
Lisa, I think Sage posted her People’s Choice vote under the entry blog item instead of this one. Could you get her to change it? Also we haven’t decided on whether to have an underage category. Does she mind? Or does she want to be in competition with the adults?
Under 18: It’s rough, but fun to write.
Over 18: Blue Dog 2: A Romance
Minnows would be great-thanks-L
I vote for Jacob’s dating villanelle. I can’t get it out of my head.
My voting is somewhat hampered by my concern that some of the entrants are poets and that many really tried, which I don’t think is quite fair, but I didn’t see anything in the rules prohibiting either.
Too many good choices, so my vote is personal.
I really like the way Julie L and Anne de M disguised the form yet made it work. It’s easy to write a mechanical poem that gets trapped inside the form (as mine did).
But I have to go for Julie’s The Art of Ratty-ness, which just lingers and lingers. If E. Bishop can’t do better with her words, then she has to give them up.
As for the 18 under category, I have to go for Sage, for obvious and non-obvious reasons.
As for the golden category, I vote for a tie.
Gary, so are you suggesting several new categories? Poets who tried, poets who didn`t, prose writers who tried and those who didn`t. I`m a prose writer who sort of did, and hasn`t written one since grade 3. So by my calculations this puts us neck-to-neck.
Not serious! I’m jealous. Somebody else vote.
I’d like everyone to re-consider the Paris H. villanelle…not because I need the prize money (I do!) but because a vote for Paris Hilton is a vote for humanity. Is a vote for progress. Paris is the muse behind us all. Isn’t she? Plus, she told me that she would go on a date with one of the Glover boys (she didn’t specify which one) if her poem wins.
I agree. It really must win. But I am not allowed to express an opinion.
I’m torn. Admittedly, I haven’t read each entry with equal care — as a representative of the people, I guess that’s my prerogative — but I can’t decide between Anna Maria Johnson’s “Watersnakes” and Julie Larios’s “At Play.”
In “Watersnakes,” I love how the refrains of the villanelle are like the snakes (in twining surrender) and vice versa. I love the head and heart and tone of “At Play.”
I think I’ll go with “Watersnakes” if only because it came first (of my two faves) and because I love being transported to its primal terrain. But that’s only because I have to choose.
As for the youth category, I recuse myself.
As for the golden age category, we’re all in it together.
Oops, I forgot to say that my third (or second) place people’s choice vote goes to the rhymie heaven of David Helwig’s entry.
Also, I recuse myself from the youth category on account of Danny and Anibelys’s poem.
And, Numero Cing IS the Golden Age!
It’s so hard to choose, but I loved Anna Marie’s Water Snakes poem, so that’s my choice for over 18.
Under 18, also tough, but I’m going with Sara’s Unlikely Hero. The cuteness of the accompanying photo gave it the edge over the other, most worthy, but not as endearing contenders.
Golden would have to go to David Helwig’s entry, because its elegance undercuts his own argument about the end of the age of rhyme and meter
My favorites are Gary’s Spam Villanelle and Doug’s Capricious Lady. Dunno. The early bird entries seemed to resonate with me most as they paved the way for the masterpieces to follow.
Can one vote for the contest judge (what are the rules, judge?)?
Signed,
In Limbo in Milano
Thanks, N. You’re the best. (Still, I won’t count the vote for me–I have to remain above the fray.)
I vote for Sarah. Her poem is very funny. I like how Riley travels to a lot of different places and that Riley killed the mummies in Egypt.
Is this right now? (I think it’s my third attempt.) My vote is for Sandy Breiner’s Villanelle No. 2
Shark class: “This is why I Rant” by Steven Axelrod.
Honorable mentions(poems that I also wanted to vote for but my Dad made me pick one at gun point): Julie’s poem about a mind at play, Jonah’s poem, Gary’s first entry, the Spam Villanelle.
Barracuda class: Sarah’s poem captures the many angles of my dear Hobbes, who as I write is crawling on to the kitchen table to investigate hours old cereal and to drink the milk breathing like he just ran an ultra-marathon.
Honorable Mention: Doug’s poem for a capricious lady.
Jacob, You just lost your college fund. Very funny.
Dad
Danny and Anibelys are each 13. Their poem definitely belongs in Barricuda class. I’m just its sponsor.
Paris H: A Dream Deferred (shark)
Cat and Mouse (barracuda)
Oh-oh, I just got back from out of town and now it is 40 minutes past the deadline for voiting. But I hope you will consider my on-the-road status and allow me to vote a bit late. I have been committed to Gary’s Spam Villanelle since this contest began. Even if it were not spectacularly good, the title alone would convince me. It gets my vote. No time to look at the other entries now – must send –
Julie
Well, I am so very honored to have tied for first place with 2 votes! Thank you, kind fans.
(I admit I cherished a secret ambition to get at least one vote, but certainly didn’t expect such a landslide.)
I hope you all got the opportunity to see the picture my husband took of the amorous snakes.
SO do Gary and I have to split the coffee? Or may we each get our own if they are very small? I need to drive through New York on my way to Vermont in a few weeks, so it would be very convenient to claim my half-prize on the way up.