[Maryann Corbett]

First of all, many, many thanks to the over eighty of you who submitted poems for this event. It drew a lot of participation from quarters outside the Sphere and from people who are often quiet around these parts. May their interest continue!

And so away we go, though for a slightly shorter time than originally advertised. In case you missed Wendy's explanation, it's at post 25 of this thread.

For the next three days, I'll be putting up two poems a day, and Wendy will post her comments.

After all the poems are posted, I'll open the polls for voting. We've usually had people choose their top three out of the ten. Since we'll be choosing from just six, what's you're preference--choosing the usual three? choosing just one best? ranking all six? I'll stick with the usual three unless there's a groundswell of opinion.

I'll ask you to vote by the end of the day on Friday, and on Saturday I'll post the tally, Wendy's favorites, and the names of all the bakeoff poets.

Again, my gratitude to all who participated and especially to Wendy.

[Tim Murphy]

I don't care. I'm only posting because I saw to my delight that this would be the 10,000th post on my old board! Great memories.

[R. Nemo Hill]

I think we should each choose one winner, and one runner up.
It'll sharpen one's criteria.

Nemo

[wendy v]

I second that Nemonotion.

[Michael Cantor]

I second, as well, clever Nemo,
the man with the awesome praenomen;
who often has thoughts that are primo,
for "Nemo", spelled backwards, is "Omen".

[Carol Taylor]

To the 74 entrants whose poems were worse than these, sincerest commiserations.

Carol

[Donna English]

Originally Posted by Carol Taylor

To the 74 entrants whose poems were worse than these, sincerest commiserations.

Carol

Carol, for better or worse, thanks!

Donna

[Philip Quinlan]

Originally Posted by Carol Taylor

To the 74 entrants whose poems were worse than these, sincerest commiserations.

Carol

Thanks for the thought, Carol, but mine was better than these! Well, OK, certainly better than the very worst of these (Prophetic, was it called?)

A mottled (not to say motley) collection...so shall we now praise mottled things?

Philip

[Chris Childers]

I'm glad I didn't submit anything. More and more getting selected for these events seems less like winning than losing. I see virtues in all the poems chosen and am glad to have read them; the threads, less so. Wendy, thanks for returning and putting up with this place again; would love to see you around more often, but won't blame you for needing a break.

Chris

[Roger Slater]

Don't worry, Chris. No one even considered the possibility that Wendy had rejected one of your poems. But I'm glad you cleared the air.

My rejected effort was just eight words long and four of them were rhyme words. Maybe I'll suggest these parameters as a future Spectator competition. I'll have one ready to go.