[Susan McLean]

I was pleased to learn that my Shakespearean sonnet "Delilah" won this contest, for which our own Claudia Gary-Annis served as the judge (the judge was not announced in advance). I didn't recognize any other Eratospherians among the finalists, but I thought I would mention that the contest, sponsored by the Poets' Club of Chicago, is free to enter. The next deadline is September 1, 2008. Submit one entry, original and unpublished, per person. There are cash prizes for the top three finalists, but the entries are not published and the poet retains all rights. Check chicagopoetry.com or illinoispoets.org for the rules and the place to send entries.

Susan

[David Landrum]

Congratulations, Susan. Will look for it on line.

DWL

[Michael Juster]

Congrats! I've noticed this contest before and meant to enter, but I'm so slovenly I've always missed the deadline.
Where are you shooting to place "Delilah"?

[Catherine Chandler]

Way to go, Susan!

Catherine

[Susan McLean]

Thanks, everyone. There were only 110 entries this year, so the odds were better than in most contests.

Mike, I have entered the sonnet as well in the Nemerov contest, so I will wait to see if I can manage to be one of the finalists this time (I haven't managed that in previous years). Other than that, I have no particular idea of where I'll send it.

Susan

[Rose Kelleher]

Cool! Congratulations, Susan. (Thanks too for telling us about this contest, which I hadn't heard of.)

I was going to post a direct link to the specific page for the 2008 contest, but I couldn't find it on their website(s). Here's the 2007 info:
http://www.illinoispoets.org/pdf/sonnetcontest2007.pdf


[This message has been edited by Rose Kelleher (edited November 14, 2007).]

[FOsen]

Kudos, Susan. Hadn't heard of this one.

Frank

[Wendy Sloan]

Congratulations, Susan --

I wonder why they specifically limit the contest to Shakespearean/Petrarchan Sonnets ... Why preclude other kinds? Oh, well. It's their contest.

Good luck with the Nemerov. I still haven't decided whether or not to submit anything this year ...

[Susan McLean]

Wendy,
I would guess that the organizers chose to focus on the two best-known kinds of sonnets to avoid getting a lot of experimental variations on sonnets (blank verse sonnets, fourteen-line poems that call themselves sonnets, etc.). Most people who write sonnets are at least familiar with the rules of these two main kinds, though people who write a lot of sonnets usually get around to playing all kinds of variations on the form, too. I do a lot of hybrid sonnets and occasionally try to invent my own rhyme schemes.

Susan

[Wendy Sloan]

Yeah, Susan, I'm sure that's the reason. But of course there are other, equally formal possibilities that can be fun to fool around with, and then too there have always been variations, even in quite formal pieces. No matter; it's a great contest ... good to have another forum out there for sonnets -- and nothing like bringing home the bacon either !!! You go girl!