[Roger Slater]

The poems don't have to be funny, Julie. My first round poem wasn't funny (at least not on purpose). But I think I'm okay. I happened to have written a poem just yesterday that had a line I was able to rewrite to use "fomenting," so I'm already done. And the poem is a little funny, though not yuck-out-loud funny.

[John Whitworth]

I'm thick, Roger. How do I find these poems?

[Ann Drysdale]

John, you click on the little blue "here" in Rogerbob's initial post.

(By the way, I think that "cacaphony" is also inherently funnier than "cacophony" because I had thought up a hilarious definition for it by the time I'd checked the actual listing.)

[John Whitworth]

Thank you Ann. Both poems have their points but Roger's is IMO the better

[Roger Slater]

Originally Posted by Ann Drysdale

John, you click on the little blue "here" in Rogerbob's initial post.

(By the way, I think that "cacaphony" is also inherently funnier than "cacophony" because I had thought up a hilarious definition for it by the time I'd checked the actual listing.)

I didn't realize I was making a spelling joke, Ann. Too bad Miranda can't use it, since the rules provide we must use our words exactly as given, down to the letter.

Thanks, John.

There are three categories of voters. The "authletes" are the 64 contestants themselves, and they tend to go for more "poetic" poems or poems that demonstrate craft and skill. The student vote, though, couldn't care less about craft and skill and poetry but just want something with a fart or a stink bomb, even if the meter isn't very good and the rhymes are not quite there. The "public" vote is probably just friends of the poets so it likely has little to do with the poems themselves. The trick is to write something that the authletes will like and the students will like. Not easy to do, so I tend to aim for the authletes.

[Roger Slater]

My Round 2 matchup is up, with my "fomenting" poem and Miranda's "cacophony" poem.

[John Whitworth]

No contest as far as I am concerned. Miranda's poem lacks form. Yours is bursting with it. Children will like it better and they will be right to do so. Kep going, Roger.

[Michael Cantor]

Gambling on poetry matches is illegal in the States, but in the UK Ladbrokes is now quoting Roger as 3-1 to take this round, and even money to go all the way. And you've got my second round vote, Roger.

[Charlie Southerland]

Yeah, Bob, I voted for you. Good luck.

[E. Shaun Russell]

Congrats on your second landslide victory, Bob! Looking forward to what comes your way in round three... I just read the word "sussurates" in a student paper the other day, and thought that might be a good candidate.