[David Anthony]

Originally Posted by E. Shaun Russell

Good luck to all entrants!

All things being equal, we've each got a 2.95% chance of our sonnet being selected. Just, you know, in case you were feeling optimistic.

But, Shaun, all things are never equal in that way, some poets being better than others.

[Shaun J. Russell]

Originally Posted by David Anthony

But, Shaun, all things are never equal in that way, some poets being better than others.

Exactly! Which is why I qualified it by saying "all things being equal."

[Jennifer Gordon]

Intro'd to eratosphere, back the end of February 2012, I was put off by the stringent requirement that I must tender something like 15 critiques ere I posted any of my own work...to be torn apart. Having no stomach for a razing of my work, nor the appetite to study others' intent on scrutinizing, you may all fault me for sitting on my membership now for so long.

I did appreciate this call for sonnets, only to be chagrined at the reality I hate to acknowledge, namely that this form once classified as "the most exquisite form of poetry" and forever under criticism for its difficulties and the strictures of that "legitimate" Petrarchan/Italian (at least in 1881 it was legitimate and the Shakespearian was "illegitimate") rendering; forever toyed with, Keats wishing to arrive at a better mistress for the soul's motions, and Shelley's Ode to the West Wind accepted as a collection of sonnets, sadly by 2013 finds its adherent in disarray, and the form itself losing its essence as has ever been the not-so-subtle push.

Yet I was introduced to eratosphere by a fellow sonneteer who had happily devised a year-long daily sonnet challenge. As we earnestly began, he then diligently put more study into the form and its history than I've ever bothered to do. And subsequently paid dearly for it by succumbing to the notion that it really has no rules, thence losing a promising career as a sonneteer, unless he can be recovered.

How shall I be excused for bothering you with such a discussion? Perhaps I cannot be.

Nonetheless, I began in the hopes of encouraging a return to standards, lest the generation to come lose that most exquisite form.

Thank you very much for creating such a contest. It is not exactly an eye-opener and I enjoyed entering. It is a lesson I likewise appreciate, which yet strengthens my position in more ways than one.

Now I'll try to be a good girlie and critique the entries....then you can throw rotten eggs at me, hahaha.

ttfn,
Miss Jenny Gordon

[David Anthony]

I've enjoyed the bake off enormously so far and have particularly been impressed by the variety of the entries. Every poem, IMO, justifies its selection.
Apologies that I haven't commented on anything, yet, but I've been very busy and travelling.

[Chris Bullard]

Much of the debate about "formal" poetry concerns the use of received forms and the question of whether meter and rhyme add anything to the communication of poetic thought. However, this debate about the efficacy of poetic form, which "formalist" poets love to engage in, often ignores the fundamental problem of much of current "formalism", which is that many "formal" poets write uninteresting verse. The ten sonnets chosen her as the best of some three hundred submissions are intelligent, pleasant, well-crafted poems. Some of them are "light," some of them are religious, some of them are sentimental. Many of them seem like the sort of poems that were sent to the editors of 19th century newspapers. I do not think, however, that they could be fairly described as challenging, dramatic, complicated, or socially engaged. Until "formalist" poets, including those who write sonnets, use form to address post-modernist (or even modernist) issues, "formalism" will remain a niche market for poetry. Let me note that I sent in a sonnet that was not chosen, so feel free to characterize my criticism as sour grapes.

[S. A. Wyatt]

Hi Chris,

If it's any consolation, mine wasn't selected either, and neither were another 320 or so sonnets. Well, there is some good news - now we can submit ours for the Nemerov, right? I know, it's a poor consolation because the odds are even smaller there.

In any event, there were a wide range of sonnets selected for this competition, and it was a lot of work for the judges who were (I'm guessing) not paid for their hard work. I'm grateful there are bake-offs like this, even though I may not love every poem selected. It just goes to show you what we already know - taste is subjective, even among a range of poets whose work I enjoy and respect.

Sean

[dean peterson]

Delia, oh Delia, how could it be ...

Thank you to Gail and Catherine for completing what I'm guessing may have been a very, very difficult and primarily thankless (not to mention risky) task, given the numbers and all.

[stephenspower]

Putting quality aside, recognizing that any judgment is subjective and avoiding any sour grapes that mine wasn't chosen either, I can't get past the fact that seven of the ten finalist were about the elderly or growing old (including the internet poem, whose narrator is probably older than 60).

Was the bake-off sponsored by the AARP? Were nearly 240 of the submissions on this subject or theme, so the sample was simply representative? I appreciate the judges noting their criteria for why they chose individual poems. I'd also be interested in hearing how they pulled the ten selections together as a group. Was balance of types, as you would find on a reality show, considered?

[dean peterson]

I can't speak for the judges, but I bet most of us are growing old. And, my entry (not selected) was on Frank Sinatra's 80th birthday party, if that's any consolation.

[Catherine Chandler]

Just a quick note:

No, the bake-off was not sponsored by the AARP Nor by the Lonely Hearts Club.

To quickly answer your question, stephenspower,I would estimate that nearly 90% of the sonnets received were about love, relationships, death, and growing old, themes often overlapping within the same poem.

There were a few on travel, some about writing poetry. We even received a crown , other forms, an ad for for cake, and a few rants against formal poetry in general.

It was a very interesting experience, indeed, and not an easy task. Many regular Sphereans opted not to participate (perhaps they are on vacation ). As this is the third time I've been involved in either hosting and/or judging the sonnet bake off, I knew going into it that any list Gail and I ultimately decided on would be open to criticism. That's OK .

Coming at a moment in time when a family member is seriously ill and I am trying to be in two places at once, let me just say briefly that love, death, memories and growing old, and the soul-searching these themes engender, are the stuff of sonnets, as well as of most poetry.