[Alex Pepple]

Yes, we have a little 'outside' twist as you've noted this year, publication included - (Come on, David et al ... surely, you can take a little 'outside' competition, no?)

Cheers,
...Alex

[Catherine Chandler]

David,

As far as I can ascertain, the only "in-house" bake-off is the Deck-the-Halls, where the submission guidelines specifically state that the bake-off celebrates "the Sphere's achievements" during the previous year.

The Light Verse, Lists and Litanies, and Translation Bake-offs are open to everyone.

Also, Alex now posts this as an Event on Facebook.

And, no, Sean, no "numbers are being inflated (or deflated) to motivate people . Gail and I have just read our 100th entry today.

Cathy

[Mary Meriam]

Originally Posted by Catherine Chandler

Gail and I have just read our 100th entry today.

The sonnet is alive and well.

[David Rosenthal]

Originally Posted by Alex Pepple

(Come on, David et al ... surely, you can take a little 'outside' competition, no?)

Alex, I find that an annoying and possibly insulting remark. My comment was not about competition. The fact is, I have never thought of the Bake-offs as competitions exactly, and what seems to be happening now is a full on contest. It just seems qualitatively different to me, and frankly less interesting.

Cathy -- I am not sure what "open to everyone means," but I don't remember any poems in the Bakeoffs over the years that weren't written by participants here. Of course my memory could be inaccurate.

Look guys, I'm just saying what I feel. To me it feels like a block party with the neighbors has become a street fair. There is nothing objectively good or bad about that -- a lot of people love a street fair, including many of the neighbors, I suppose -- it just doesn't sound interesting and fun to me.

I shouldn't probably have said anything. Just move on. Sorry.

David R.

[Alex Pepple]

David,

Your response looks to me like an overreaction to a comment made in jest. Anyhow, I contend that bake-offs are competitions since not everything sent in makes it -- some make the dozen or so cut, some do not -- as is true of each and every competition.

And, bake-off rules are not set in stone. In each event, the rules can be changed in novel ways -- and have been in the past by host/DGs/Admin -- as is the case in some aspects of this bake-off. Still, Cathy is right about Deck-the-Hall being the only bake-off that stipulates that what's submitted be a poem previously posted/workshopped at the Eratosphere.

...Alex

[David Rosenthal]

Originally Posted by Alex Pepple

I find your response is an overreaction to a comment made in jest.

Alex,

I knew your comment was made in jest, I just didn't find it as funny as I found it annoying and insulting.

Meanwhile, I don't care much one way or another whether bake off rules are, or are not, set in stone. All I'm saying is that having dozens (a hundred now) of entries from people not part of the sphere community, and offering publication in a respected journal for the top placements, makes this a markedly different event than it has ever been before, no matter what alterations to the rules may have been made in the past. I don't really think that is arguable. Many others -- perhaps everyone else -- may like the change. I do not. I am allowed to not like it. And my not liking it doesn't really have to matter much, does it? So, as I said before, how about we move on. Honestly, I am sorry I said anything about it.

David R.

[Alex Pepple]

David - I don't understand your reaction or sensibilities . . . but you're entitled to them.

...Alex

[Anthony Watkins]

I know of sonnets in the shakespeare and e barrett browning era. i went to look and see if i could see previous bake offs to get an idea of how formal we are with 14 lines, 10 syllables, abba cddc effe gg of such such variation, is there a prescribed course for bake off sonnets?

i am not a metered kind of guy, but it sounds bit tempting, if i dont get into this one, maybe the next. so any tips would be appreciated by this new somewhat rambunctious member

[Jayne Osborn]

"Umm what's a sonnet?" "... any tips would be appreciated" ???

Heck, Anthony, you've clearly never written one so I'm surprised that you find the idea of a sonnet bake-off "tempting". There's only one tip anyone can give you:

Go and write some!

[Anthony Watkins]

actually, i did write them back in high school, but i left there in 1976, and moved away from rhyming and formal poetry a few years later. i guess you are saying you have no idea? because, otherwise, a simple answer would have sufficed. go write a sonnet? how? i am asking what is a modern sonnet? i am hoping someone has more to offer than miss jayne....