WD Poetic Form Challenge: Madrigal Winner
I’m sorry for taking so long to share the winner of the madrigal challenge. I’ve known for a week or two now, but you know what they say about good…
I'm sorry for taking so long to share the winner of the madrigal challenge. I've known for a week or two now, but you know what they say about good things coming to those who wait, right? If you don't, trust me on this one.
Thank you to everyone who submitted a madrigal! They were really fun to read, and I found myself constantly caught up in their musical nature.
My initial short list included 22 poems, but I’m always stuck having to pick one winner. This time around, that winner is Bruce Niedt for his poem “Senior Discount,” which won me over with its humor.
Here’s the winning Madrigal:
Senior Discount, by Bruce Niedt
Apparently I've reached a certain age
where I'm forgiven at least ten percent.
I wonder how and when my youth was spent.
The movies, the museum and the stage
all offer handsome discounts for this gent.
Apparently I've reached a certain age
where I'm forgiven at least ten percent.
Nobody checks ID, they simply gauge
me by my face and how my spine is bent.
Free coffee doesn't ease my discontent.
Apparently I've reached a certain age
where I'm forgiven at least ten percent.
I wonder how and when my youth was spent.
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Win $1,000 for Your Poetry!
Writer’s Digest is offering a contest strictly for poets with a top prize of $1,000, publication in Writer’s Digest magazine, and a copy of the 2015 Poet’s Market. There are cash prizes for Second ($250) and Third ($100) Prizes, as well as prizes for the Top 25.
The early bird deadline is October 1 and costs $15 for the first poem, $10 for each additional poem. Enter as often as you’d like.
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Here is the Top 10 list:
- “Senior Discount,” by Bruce Niedt
- “A Tree in an English Garden,” by William Preston
- “Christina's World,” by RJ Clarken
- “What She Needs,” by Taylor Graham
- “A Conversation with Nana,” by Nancy Posey
- “Windthrift,” by Jane Shlensky
- “The Unneeded Weed,” by Susan Schoeffield
- “Passion Play,” by James Von Hendy
- “Midsummer Night,” by Daniel Ari
- “Barbecue,” by Andrew Kreider
Congratulations to Bruce and everyone in the Top 10! And thank you to everyone who took the time to participate and comment on each others’ poems.
The next WD Poetic Form Challenge is already in motion for the terzanelle. Click here for the guidelines and to participate.
Also, be sure to read through the 450+ comments from the madrigal challenge. Click to continue.
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Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Content Editor of the Writer’s Digest Writing Community and author of the poetry collection, Solving the World’s Problems (Press 53). He edits Poet’s Market, Writer’s Market, and Guide to Self-Publishing, in addition to writing a free weekly WritersMarket.com newsletter and poetry column for Writer’s Digest magazine.
He loves hosting, reading, and judging these challenges.
Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
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More poetic good stuff here:
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
