Weekly Winners 9/26/11

I think abby's post summed it up well for me.

I am glad to see some different members winning lately. Are all of the recent wins my "style?" Nah. But I think what we have here is mostly a matter of taste and preference. It may be that several of our judges share tastes... I haven't heard any indication that judges are communicating about their votes, and I haven't seen two or more judges all vote for the same three poems, or at least with the same votes.

Some members weren't super fans of the poems that were winning three months ago, and some aren't super fans about the ones winning now. But I do think our system is pretty fair... in a month and a half or whatever, we will have new judges, and probably a different mix of poem styles turning up. We also still have some discussion to do about how frequently we change judges out, whether we rotate them week by week, etc. There are a few options.

What we DO need, more than anything, is people who are willing to judge. It's actually not too bad if you work on reading the poems as they are posted, and now the "shifts" are to be significantly shortened. I guess my question to you all would be "what system would make you most willing to judge?" That might be a good question to go on.

Can I be out of topic ? THANK GOD I won each time the judges changed pheewhhhh**relief :P.

on a side note, I think everything is said and done, but NOT done, this is a case that we are going to face all the time, previously someone said that it does make sense for friends to vote for their friends poems (nominate) because they read their work the most, and perhaps with time they start to understand their work more than those who they rarely read, and that's not an excuse I am just trying to state how things are, that's why it is suggested to try and keep an eye on the weekly submissions by different members, I recall that I told like 7 different "new" people : this is one of the best bla bla, not because I am lying or exaggerating but because that's how I felt each time I read a new poem, and whenever I read their next piece I felt I was familiar with their style, symbols..for example now when I read for Britt or Melissa I feel at home, I understand and feel the whole piece (or so, I hope).. And with all honestly I no longer feel like I have different tastes, I started to like most of the different "styles" over here!

shortly the only solution available is to make time and effort to read for a huge range of different people around here, and not reading one or two poems by them, try to keep a track...and I am sure things would be a bit different and more positive!However I may be the only person agreeing on this, but just my 2 cents and wanted to say that without adding whether I agree on the main issue or not.

spread the love****

edit:

another example. Rabea, Britt, and Sib have three differen styles, completley different ones, and if I had to count on taste then I would have to pick just one ? that's BS...

but once we start to understand the poet, we start to understand and accept their style and get involved with the way they write, what they write and how they express their emotions, and gradually we won't have a problem seeing any of their poems on the front page, regardless of who voted for it. Despite that I don't think anyone anyone here..like at all have the right to say if a poem is qualified or not, unless he/she are career professionals..

Dear poets and poetesses! :P I didn't take anything personally, haha, I SWEAR, I have nothingggggg to do with what you were saying, I have read the posts made up there, and I could see that many are having a problem with the winning poems, ok.....WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM!? you are not satisfied with the poems that are winning?? well, you can't say a judge is cheating because you feel this poem (or...in fact poet!) isn't worth this win. And you cannot also say that the judges know nothing about poetry!

and Lol that's ridiculous, how many started to hate me for saying that, so I should have said..."Yes, I agree some judge isn't being fair, the old judges should come back!" no....I state my opinion, you don't have to like it....just accept it because in the end, it is an opinion, nothing more, nothing less!

I am not being emotionally bla bla Lol I swear, if you can see my face now Amanda, you'd know how wrong you were...I didn't take this personall..

Let's get back to the topic, nobody could say a thing about the poems winning in the past, right? So, you should never complain about them now, different judges have different tastes, all of them are voting on their own, I'm sure, I don't think anybody would PM a friend judge to vote for their poem, that's reaaaallly funny....and the judge isn't stupid! sorry but you are all saying that....

Anyway,
I don't want to cause trouble NOR stay silent for what's right. I have the right to speak, to state the reasons why AND to listen but at the same time, I'd never want someone to talk about my ego Lol or attitude or anything....

I didn't mean Sibbys poem, at all.....I assure you all, I like Sibs...but look while searching in a hurry last week I saw a poem like this that won before 3 years I guess...it was like this:

"i miss u i swear i do....etc"

I'm not finding it again but maybe a mod will help or something, I don't know.....it's just there are LOTS of things to be done over this site...there are LOTS of unfairness too....so we shouldn't all moan if a new face appears on the front page.

Amanda, I'll tell ya something...I agree there are some great poems here, those whom I'll never imagine myself to be like them....but we can't deny that hidden talents should be disclosed, right? maybe with time, they will be like those great ones! :)

to vote is a judges job, we really shouldn't accuse a judge of unfairness or dunno what, just because a winning poem didn't satsify our taste....

byebye!

EDITED: Myryn:

I won't name those members who used to win each week in the past, I just don't want to stab someone in the back! I'd be double-hated if I do that and honestly I don't want to be like this.

I will allow posts here if they are specifically about the contest or the winners. If posts are purely "you said," "I never said," etc, they will be......... DELETED. Bum bum buuuuum.

The single fact that nobody did complain about the wining poems in the past doesn't mean that people shouldn't complain now had they feel the judges were bais or for any other reason.

If they do and you feel like you have been targeted. Then let the mods do their thing, if you're absolutely sure that you didn't indulge in anything against the rules then you have nothing to be worried about nano. Right? It has nothing to do with your or my opinion, and it certainly doesn't mean that anyone dislikes you.

Mentioning the fact that a poem about tomato won once or that some people win more frequently than others when the previous judges were (controlling) and telling CD that her and others used to overlook the judges just because their poems were wining each other week is a tad disrespectful, not appropriate and wasn't necessary a single bit, because quite frankly, I doubt that her wining affects her life in any way,
Comprende? :)

Yup, sure, let the mods do their jobs! ;P I'd be more excited to see the 'unbiased' judge...when Jennis poem won. Ridiculous.

They mentioned stuff about me too, Rabea, read their posts too, as much as you read mine.

Enough! Forget what anyone said that hurt anyone else's feelings or that may or may not have been directed personally.

Stop the self-defense posture & focus on how to make the process work better.

How do we get more judges to accept nominations?

Think about yourself. What would it take to get you to accept a nomination?
Once we acquire individual answers, we can compare overlap.

Example: I would volunteer to be a judge if I wasn't a moderator. I am more inclined to accept now that the terms have been cut down to 3 months, but 2 months is beginning to sound more appealing...
Lastly, I would not worry so much about failing as a judge if, a) I knew I would remain anonymous throughout my term, and b) I knew I had reliable backup in case some weeks I'm too busy to judge.

I would certainly judge if I had the time. I would however like to offer to be a sub judge for weeks when one person isn't able to do it.

I'll know better by December how life will be for us, with that I'll be able to re-evaluate if I can actually accept the nomination for a different cycle.

I'm happy to be a judge if not for the moderator conflict. If we need to use all talent available, I'm happy to do so.

I can do so for any period necessary (6 mos down to substitute weeks).

My personal life has settled down and I can be a full time judge and/or fill in if needed.

Jane gave reasons that I would repeat, shorter terms 3 months not bad, could do 6. Above all remain anonymous during the term and know that if I couldn't judge a certain week, there is backup.

Moderators are people too. If they are nominated, they should be allowed to accept the position same as anybody else. I realise then there is a bias of mods choosing mods, but as long as there's a limit of one mod per judging panel, I don't think everyone will die.

I would be a judge If I was certain enough that I really do know much about poetry.. but I am certain I do not know that much.. and specially with the level of work some people bring to the table,I couldn't pick..omg

With mods the conflict is being available to cast votes for judges who cannot vote. For instance, the judge voted last week for a poem still in contention. He cannot vote again for that poem the following week so requests a mod to do so.

Then there are four other mods who can do it for the judge. Unless all five judges are in the same situation or all mods have run out of votes, this should not be a toughie.

I agree.

EDITED - OFF TOPIC
Larry

Hellon & Queen, what will each of you commit to for judging?

^Did I get penalty points for that?

I just did for 7 months Larry, not that I'm not interested anymore or that I dont have time, but I think people want to see new sweeping techniques.

No penalties were given, despite repeated warnings to stop the drama. Challenge hidden in the guise of an appology still continues harmful conflict. You may edit your own post if you don't want it done.
I knew Queen had judged, but still have not heard about your willingness, Hellon.

What will be your commitment to judging, Hellon?

No, I've asked you the same question in the last 3 posts & you are still unwilling to commit to having a positive role.
are you up for judging?

Congratulations poets on the front page and those who penned the HMs.
I'm really satisfied with this poetic diversity in taste, shape, ideas, poets, and poems in general..

Indeed, each person who reads a poem will respond to it in a different way because every reader brings his or her own expectations and experiences to the poem.
And that is ART itself.
You can say that the Monalisa is the best painting in the world, but i say that my son's randomized messed colored piece is my best.

You can say that the Monalisa is the best painting in the world, but i say that my son's randomized messed colored piece is my best.
^^
Get lots of art art critics, people who have the knowledge to recognise good art, to think the randomized messed coloured piece is best, and your onto something, until then people are still going to pay money and marvel at mona lisa...

Most poems have personal meaning to them, but it doesnt make them necessarily worthy to win a contest. (Lebanese Phoenix not directing that at your work or anything, just using your example to make my point.)

I remember reading somewhere from a judge of a national poetry competition that the vast majority of entries have no chance of winning, they lack skill and craft and originality. That doesnt make them any less precious to the writer, but they just wont win a contest with them.

Colm I believe your comment refers to 'constructive criticism/judging' as to my comment, I referred to 'opinions'.
Of course an amateur painting would lack experience and details that only a pro could master them, that's why they'll pay million bucks for a Monalisa, still I wouldn't (and this also is related to alike people) because I don't see this claimed magic pros see in it, for the same reason; every person has a disparate taste.
And I'm pointing here at individuals that say 'this piece isn't worth a front cover/page'... Why? Well opinions cannot be one. Like judging in here, each juge votes according to how he/she perceived and liked the poem via a diverse personal criteria.. It can be constructive, or just..a personal poetic taste. It differs.

Personal criteria? How is that so? All I know is that we do have common criteria for assessing poems and not whatever comes across one's mind.

When you say you'll choose your son's randomized messed colored piece, you're being affected by relationship here, does this mean that you'll choose your friends' poems over an obvious masterpiece?

Like judging in here, each juge votes according to how he/she perceived and liked the poem via a diverse personal criteria.. It can be constructive, or just..a personal poetic taste. It differs.
^^
I was saying judges shouldn't vote like this, they should be able to have the knowledge to recognise a truly 'good' poem.

Dear queen, of course not lol.

With personal criteria I mean, maybe someone likes a poem which is free of grammatical errors and at the same time, of enticing content... Maybe others vote according to the content of the poem regardless of mistakes. It depends.
And that's why this whole judging technique should be more complicated, e.g:
voting according a panel: 5 pts for originality.. Other 5 for grammar.. And so on.
This is what criteria means.. You have gone wild with your imagination. For me, voting because he or she is an acquaintance is a conviction.. More like a sickness. I hope you got that :)

Lol Abed, I indeed have just gone wild with my imagination, your post is a little head spinning, I can't help it.

If you dont mind Dear Abed, is it possible to know what are your personal criteria for a winning poem?

ANd thanks for your patience :D

Thank you. I believe you would make a good judge, even as a stand-in. We'd be happy to have you.

You apologized on the surface but you went on to demonstrate that she could not have been referring to any other 'tomato' poem. You even went so far as to produce your search methods, a clear challenge for her to respond in some manner other than a thank you.

In short it was at best a qualified apology, it prolonged a discussion already warned of and egged on further hostilities.

I will not respond to any further protests of innocence and advise you to drop the issue. Even though I am demonstrating patience, it has a limit.

I'm not going to play this game. There have already been consequences & there will be further if you don't drop the issue.