[Catherine Chandler]

Bake-off Surprise: A Baker’s Dozen


You will notice that today, the final day of the 2009 Eratosphere sonnet bake-off posts, three, rather than two, sonnets appear.

This is because, following the elimination process described in another thread, there were two sonnets tied for the twelfth spot.

Enjoy!

[John Beaton]

Catherine, you and Turner have done a superb job.

His comments have been terse, taut, and targeted.

Yours have been insightful and, if I may coin a word, "inviteful".

I've really enjoyed poring over your selections and comments.

The final reviews and judgements have yet to transpire. But you've already given me (and I think "us") a fine slate of poems and commentary, and an abundance of poetic enjoyment.

John

[Janice D. Soderling]

I can only echo what John said, Cathy, a masterly judge has been at work here, a lot of emphasis on the word "work". It is clear that this task took a lot of time and thought.

Job well done, gal.

[Cally Conan-Davies]

I don't want it to end! Can we have more? Runners up? I am loving it and learning much.

Thank you so much for all you have done, Cathy!

Cally

[Rose Kelleher]

Cathy, your enlightening comments have helped me appreciate many features of these sonnets I would otherwise have missed. Thank you for volunteering your time to do this and for putting so much thought and care into it.

[R. Nemo Hill]

Yes, Cathy, your commentary has been most enlightening.

Nemo

[David Rosenthal]

Nicely done Cathy. Excellent selection, and excellent comments. Thanks.

David R.

[Kate Benedict]

Cathy, you engaged so beautifully with every poem! If every reader were as insightful and appreciative as you ... what a world it would be. Obviously Mr. Cassity opted for a much more "clipped" approach. I think that's unfortunate but thanks to you, and the rest of us too, the Bakeoff was still incredibly interesting and addictive. Proving, I suppose, that though it's lovely to have celebrated guests here, we are complete without them.

[Petra Norr]

I really enjoyed the Bake-off.
Catherine, thank you so much for your intelligent and insightful comments.

[Alex Pepple]

This has been a very successful event thanks to everyone's enthusiastic participation. Special thanks to Turner Cassity for his close reading of all the final sonnets as evidenced by his pithy yet honed analysis. Thank you, Cathy for the excellent selection and your comments that were always insightful whether they were unraveling complexity or threading the finer elements together. I can't wait for the next installment of this event!

Cheers,
...Alex