Homework 29/6/15: A Shadow on the Stair

[David Campbell]

It's a good idea Terry, and I don't think there are any comps that short at the moment, at least not bush poetry ones. Grenfell has a 48-line limit, and that's probably the shortest around. I've entered some in the past with a 20-line limit, but they've been open competitions, which would mainly attract non-rhyming verse. There's nothing to stop people submitting short poems, of course, but maybe the feeling in bush poetry is that you need long poems to tell a good story. That's not necessarily true. As homework poems often show, brevity encourages concentration of ideas and the "show don't tell" mantra...all too often long poems are padded out with unnecessary stuff.

Cheers
David

[Shelley Hansen]

Hi Terry and David

The annual Rabindranath Tagore International Poetry Award based in India is for English language poems of 25 lines or less. It is run early in the year and is an open competition.

A couple of years ago David Delaney from North Queensland won the competition with a short bush poem of 24 lines, and this year I came 8th with a Kyrielle sonnet (also rhyming).

I agree that short poems can have a powerful impact, but if you put a 24 line poem up against 80 and 90 liners in an Australian bush poetry competition, I would be very surprised indeed if it won a prize. I guess it's that conception of bush poetry telling a (long) story. I do have some short ones, but I don't enter them in competitions.

I think the idea of a competition for short bush poetry is both novel and attractive.

Cheers, Shelley

[Terry]

I was thinking as much about the general public as anything, I hear so many people say that the poems are too long.

The Boyup Brook and Cervantes are usually 40 line limit - by the way i understand that Cervantes is back on this year.

I don't go beyond 40 lines that often and very rarely past 50 - I agree with you David that some long poems do seem to be padded out a bit. My Swagman poem this year hass 40 lines.

Terry

[Shelley Hansen]

That is very interesting about your Swagman winner, Terry.

On the other side of the coin, in the 2013 Ipswich Feast I noted that the winner (it was Catherine's poem) and the major place getters were quite a bit longer than my poem, which was highly commended. I got the impression that year that longer poems were expected.

So in 2014 I entered the longest poem I've ever written - 92 lines - and won (with a different judge). Maybe that's pure coincidence. I don't often write that many lines, but needed the length for that particular story. Mine usually sit around 60-72 lines.

I've always said that the length of a poem doesn't define its quality.

Cheers, Shelley

[Maureen K Clifford]

Anyone for bush poetry Haiku But leave Bob out I know he hates them

[Terry]

Hi Shelly
I've often felt that because my poems are usually reasonably short that in some comps I possibly put myself at a disadvantage, but usually end up convincing myself they simply haven't been good enough which is probably the truth.

Most of my poems are based on things, places or people I've known and they don't seem right if i stray from the real story too much.
But I suspect you're right that different judges have varying appreciations; which is the way it should be.

Cheers Terry

[Irene]

Beautifully crafted poem David - a sensitive subject handled superbly!!

Re the short poetry comps - yes, Cervantes and Boyup Brook both have a 40 line limit. I'm not sure why it was started like that, but I think it gives opportunity to those who don't write the longer poems. I know my poems are rarely over 40 lines - so even if I was still writing, I doubt I would place in a competition nowadays. Mind you, would have to write something worthy first anyways!!!

[Bob Pacey]

I cannot see any reason for any limits at all and do not know why they have them. I never even count the lines or the number of words. if they have a limit either way and my poems do not fit that criteria then I just do not enter.




Shelleeeeey said it here. " but needed the length for that particular story"


Just making up for all those ees I missed in the past


Robert Alan Michael Pacey Esq Iawp.


Bob

[Maureen K Clifford]

I seem to recall that one poem entered into the Ipswich Poetry Feast either last year or maybe the year before actually ran to several pages in length - lengthwise, that would put most people off I suspect.

[Bob Pacey]

Yes it did Maureen if I remember I did not even finish the first segment. To each their own and that is the risk you take.