Starting Over

I'm very thankful that the tests I've had this spring turned out negative. On the other hand, having my mind messed up with worrying about them beforehand, has caused me to miss the deadlines for submitting poems to the Alabama Conclave of Writers and the National Federation of State Poetry Societies. These are two major competitions, and the Conclave meeting will be held in Fairhope in July, where I would have loved to go back.

Another large group of writing contests, still open, is given by the Arkansas State Poetry Society. However, they don't list many poetry awards, and most of the ones listed are for special kinds of verse, which I hardly ever attempt. For example, poems with specified numbers of lines, with made-up rhyme schemes, "minute" poems, and so forth. I've done some of those, but they don't amount to anything. When I try to write to someone else's formula, it falls very flat. Maybe it shows skill, but no heart.

When I go online to find the Alabama State Poetry Society fall contests, the latest information on the site is for 2010.

What Scots, Hey?

Three cheers for Macbeth! This I say,

Aware of the villainous way

He slew Duncan and Banquo;

But this much I do know:

It sure made a doggone good play!