[John Whitworth]

First here is the list of poets and poems in the order they went up:

Breakfast Radio: Janet Kenny
Zyzzyva: Catherine Chandler-Oliveira
Where are the Negligees of Anthony: Michael Cantor
Farewell, Farcia: Mary Meriam
February 18: Tim Murphy
Happy Birthday: Orwn Acra
In Memoriam: Edmund Conti
Skiddoo Skiddon't: Robert Schechter
Innards: Ann Drysdale
Sonnet on a First Line: Chris O'Carroll (but HE says it's by Frank Osen???)
The News Comes Every Morning: Quincy Lehr
Why You can't Go Home: Teresa Coe
The Spanish Ambassador's Daughter: Julie Stoner

The winning poets by Democratic Vote were:

1. Julie Stoner (26)
2. Chris O'Carroll (or perhaps Frank Osen) (23)
3. Michael Cantor (20)
4. Quincy Lehr (19)

The Winners through Whitworth's Dictatorial Fiat were

1. Michael Cantor
2. Teresa Coe
3. Julie Stoner
4= Mary Meriam and Ann Drysdale

If Michael Cantor will send me his address I will send to him Marilyn Monroe. I can't say fairer than that.

I thought the poems were excellent, including many nobody saw but me.

[Cally Conan-Davies]

And none more winning, more light, more baked, than the Distinguished Whitworth!

Congratulations to winners popular and dictated! Although too busy elsewhere to be involved, I enjoyed reading all poems and comments today, and had many laughs along the way. And, not surprisingly, a couple of tears!

Cally

[Janice D. Soderling]

Nice red herring, Mike. That one was SO clever.

Nice work, John, and let me tell you folks, I'm feeling pretty darned smart today, having voted for the three that topped the popular vote.

[Maryann Corbett]

In this thread, up on Drills and Amusements, we have the answer to the confusion about "Sonnet on a First Line..."--in post 14, appropriately! Thanks, Frank, for the laughs! [Editing this sentence out, since we're not sure it's true: And thanks to Chris O'Carroll, who entered it on Frank's behalf, I guess. (That may be a first.)]

And thanks, John, for all your work here--for these selections, and your comments, and for making me think so hard about what ends up being funny, and why.

Editing back: Frank tells me by PM that he did enter his own poem, which is good.

[Janet Kenny]

Congratulations to the winners ;-)

I guessed many of them. I remembered many of the poems. Julie I sprung you! You trailed clues behind you.

Cathy I didn't guess your Z poem.
Ed Conti you are, as always, surprising and delightful.
Terese, that was so true I think I was afraid of it—so many places I don't want to revisit.
Mary, your attempt to disguise your authorship didn't fool me.
I remembered Quincy's poem's first appearance. I cheered then.
Michael Cantor, you old mover and shaker, I remembered your poem well.
Ann, your poem is brilliant.
Roger/Bob I didn't recognise you but you are a chameleon.
Frank, clever and a bit saucy.
Did I miss anyone?
(edited back) TIM and Feeney. Lovely poem as you both know.
***ORWN!!! So brilliant! Forgive me for leaving you out.
I could have voted for any one of them according to my mood.

Thank you so much John Whitworth for your stamina and dedication.
Well done all.
Janet

[E. Shaun Russell]

Nice work to all...especially to our esteemed moderator.

This has helped me see verse such as this in a whole new...er...light.

[Roger Slater]

Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to John for a fun event.

That's Frank's dipstick, not Chris's. Chris wrote a wondeful sonnet on the same line. John saw it privately and apparently misfiled or misremembered it as Frank's.

My own poem was meant for children, as some of you guessed, which is no excuse for boring adult readers. I thank you all for the consensus that it needs to be shortened.

[Petra Norr]

Congrats to those who made the top three in one or both lists -- Julie, Frank, Michael, and Terese!
Thanks to John for hosting the bake-off, and thanks to all the poets and participants in the threads.

[John Whitworth]

I didn't see the sonnet privately unless my senility is farther advaced than I thought. Chris sent it in and I thought it was his until he told me it wasn't. They are both very good sonnets. I think Frank's just wins on points. But he did get the name of the chap wrong.

[Roger Slater]

My mistake, John. But perhaps you also saw Chris's version at The Barefoot Muse? I recommend it:

http://www.barefootmuse.com/swanson.htm