[Peter Goulding]

I would tend to side with Roger here. In sestinas, such creative puns are encouraged, provided they are a recognised syllable. So whereas constrains would be no good for rains I reckon abstains is ok for stains
(Okay, it's not a sestina, but you get the picture)

Though as Jayne says, the past history of the judges would be more informative as to whether words qualify, rather than my opinion.

[Jayne Osborn]

"Ah, but we're not dealing with Lucy here, Jayne (nudge, nudge)."

Oops, wrong judge - silly me! (Thanks, Brian.) I'm just an incurable optimist so I prefer to believe that Tessa won't be too pedantic about the inventive use of some of the words.

Jayne

[Roger Slater]

My guess would be that if she really enjoys the poem and would otherwise be eager to publish it (something I do not assume to be the case) then she will be flexible enough not to be a complete stickler. But since I've never won an Oldie competition, I'm not optimistic about my chances even leaving aside the technical question of whether I'm disqualified for breaching the rules.

[Roger Slater]

Okay, I already sent the first version in (since I tend to forget to submit if I don't do it right away), but I suppose I can still send in a substituted version. Does this one work? (The sestet is unchanged).

The Rain In Spain

The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plains,
But I intend to find out one fine day
Just why the rain's resolved to stay away
From mountains, and what sorry falsehood stains
Their reputation that the clouds take pains
To pass them by in April or in May?
Whatever game the Spanish raindrops play
Is different from the game of English rains.

If Spain has different raindrops, are its leaves
As well distinct? Its stars? Its moons? Its suns?
(My questions multiply to fill vast sheaves
And new ones venture forth with every breath!).
In fair Pamplona, where the great bull runs,
Is there no rain, just blood and sand and death?

[Nigel Mace]

Well - sorry Roger but in Pamplona not one, but many, great bulls run - not bulls run! And yes, I think that Brian is right. The terms of the competition are quite clear - so much so that I had to avoid "sun's", as even an apostrophe would have been illicit. It matters not what poets do/have done in the literary past; it's all down to the rules - and the judge, which is why, in the end, these things can never be more than "just a bit of fun" - although they do mean that someone, somewhere, has actually been obliged to read and think about, if only for a fleeting moment or two, what one has written. That is a kind of compensation, whatever happens in the results.

[Jayne Osborn]

"The terms of the competition are quite clear - so much so that I had to avoid "sun's", as even an apostrophe would have been illicit."

But you don't know this for certain, Nigel. A bit of leniency might be acceptable. I'm going to try to find out where we stand on this one. I'll report back if I do!

(Personally, I'd have thought sun's was another good example of inventiveness.)

Jayne

[Nigel Mace]

Kind of you to try, Jayne - but I am, perhaps unwisely, satisfied with my solution. Although I do agree with your flattering opinion, and quite admired my own deft touch - until I thought that accepting the challenge of the rules might actually be more interesting! Who knows?

[Roger Slater]

I took the strict constructionists to heart and posted a revised version a little bit up the page (#24).

[Martin Elster]

The Mars Rovers

Rolling across the canyons and the plains,
inspecting clay and crater night and day,
robotically steered, they toil away
beneath red skies, past rocks with ruddy stains
yet never weary nor feel the slightest pains
in camera, wheel, or radio. Our May
is coming soon when we will dine and play
and work beyond Earth’s blizzards, droughts, and rains,
and say in homage as our starship leaves
this world for worlds that orbit distant suns,
toting our tales contained in a trillion sheaves,
further and further from Sol’s warming breath:
“Once ramblers, rattling on their dusty runs,
had searched for life so we could sidestep death.”

[Jayne Osborn]

Right, folks, I've just spoken to Hannah at The Oldie and she's going to email Tessa to find out whether or not any leeway is permissible on suns/sun's, May/may, stains/abstains etc.

Hannah will let me know Tessa's response and then I'll let you know; it might be on Monday, she said, but there's no immediate rush as the comp has only just come out.

If, like me, you haven't started working on your bouts rimés yet, you might want to wait till we know Tessa's verdict

Jayne