1. Original Contest Rules |  Meet the Contestants #1 |  Meet the Contestants #2

2. We now have some awesome prizes. Plenty of people are donating points - many thanks to *Mrs-Freestar-Bul, ~hirakuplz, ~Love-the-peace. =pixiepot is giving a custom box feature to the first and second place winners. Please feel free to donate points and offer more prizes - plenty of submissions already.

3. Newest contestants:



Doesn't seem like many, but add to the previous and we're well over 20 entries. And this contest really hasn't been promoted all over dA yet, despite our best efforts.

4. A few have been complaining that the 30 word limit of the contest is too constraining. I feel your pain; I tend to write with more words. Still, there are masterpieces of short poetry all over. Some very famous examples:

Ezra Pound, "In a Station of the Metro (14 words)
Basho, "Winter Solitude" (12 words)
Issa, "Napped half the day" (8 words)
Emily Dickinson, "What I can do - I will" (21 words)
Emily Dickinson, "Love - is anterior to Life" (16 words)
Osip Mandelstam, "The Poem" (19 words)
William Carlos Williams, "The Red Wheelbarrow" (16 words)

I do request if you like any of those poems to spread the word about them via facebook or twitter or what have you. Part of the point of this contest was to see how much could be accomplished with just a few words.

On another note, I am looking for many more facebook likes for my work. Many thanks to !letterjak & *Shannon-Sweeney for being two during this contest to give me that support. I realize others of you on dA have been so gracious, as well as 2 others who I can't identify at the moment. Believe me, I'm thankful.

Original Rules | Update #1 (click there - meet more deviants!)

1. It's a lot of work making sure I collect all the entries, read them carefully, and make sure you guys get something out of this independent of the prizes.

I'd like two things, if you would - first, I'm collecting for prizes. If you know anyone who wishes to give something, get them to contact me.

Second: my own work has a facebook page. I'd really like "likes" for that, please. If you're curious about what exactly I do, here's an interview with me.

2. That having been said: you guys are amazing. I've seen contests and prompts that can barely get 10 responses in a week or two. Right now, we're at about 20 entries, and this contest is 2 days old. At this rate, I'll be looking at 80+ deviations. Many thanks to !letterjak and Love-the-peace for doing some exceptionally good promotion. A lot of you have been helping out with that, and please keep it up. I can't guarantee I'll justly reward everyone. I just want this to be fun for everyone involved.

3. More talented poets who I'm happy to have added to the watchlist:



I can't thank you guys enough for participating. Please support each other, and support the other deviants who've submitted work so far. A list of them is here: [link]

has been tremendously supportive of the short poem contest and is clearly trying to make the most of dA. She's working with a number of different genres and I can safely say that I'm happy she's writing poetry. Incidentally, for those of you looking to improve your own poetry, a prompt I tried recently regarding quatrains is highly recommended.

I'm very happy to introduce all of you to Dessie - this turned out to be a terrific interview.

1. It looks like you're really into art - visual, spoken, music. What's your favorite so far?

Out of all of the many types of art I have to say the spoken genre is my favorite. I feel that writing down the words that are heavy on the heart is a great way to express your feelings.

2. What was your experience on dA like initially? How has it changed?

My journey on DeviantArt started 3 years ago on a different account. Back then I was just a kid looking for something to do in her spare time. I doodled and posted them up for everyone to see.Although I didn't take any of it seriously. The pictures I drew just never seemed good enough to compete with so many wonderful pieces of art here on DA. The harder I tried the worse it seemed, and slowly my faith in my art became even smaller. Several times I almost quit and left DeviantArt for good, but couldn't get myself to. After a while my style changed and I decided it was time I changed accounts and really became a part of deviantart.

Slowly as I matured I found that there were things I was more passionate about in the fine arts. I love poetry and almost any type of literature and photography, and slowly worked up the confidence to post up one of my poems and a couple of pictures I had taken on DA. I really find that was a big stepping stone for me, since I used to have such little faith in my work. Soon I got a steady flow of comments from about 2-3 people and while it was a small little group of watchers who actually spoke to me, I was thrilled, and I continued to write more and post more.


3. Any advice you have for people on dA specifically? Anything you wish you knew before?

My advice to everyone is COMMENT, COMMENT, COMMENT! Commenting and favoriting is the key to getting people interested in your work. Saying a few kind words to other artists can capture people's attention.The old saying "do unto others as you want done to you" really applies here. Being kind means you will be treated kind in return. Don't forget to thank people if they add you to their deviantwatch or favorite something you submitted!

If I could have known anything before I would have loved to have known how much commenting and being a part of the community can affect the amount of encouragement you get from others!

4. Plans for your art? School? The future?

After I finish high school I plan on going to college and becoming an English Literature Professor. In my spare time I hope to write books and become an author. I just love literature so much and I want it too stay a part of my life, and I want to encourage others to get into it as well.

5. What are you listening to, watching, or reading nowadays?

I have recently been going back and reading some books that I have read before in the past including books by authors such as; Sarah Dessen, Elizabeth Chandler, Cassandra Clare, Erin Hunter, and Colleen Houck.

I'm not real picky about the music I listen too,I enjoy pop, rock, and classical music, so normally I could just turn on the radio and be content, although I am not a big fan of very loud music...

1. Original rules here | Who I am | facebook page for my blog (likes appreciated!)

2. No prizes yet, although I have a good idea what needs to be done. I need to get a bunch of points and give out some extra publicity to those who win. I've got time: hopefully people will chip in and these prizes will be awesome.

3. If you were referred to this contest by someone, tell me who it was. I need to know so I can start determining the winner of the "promoted this contest most" award.

4. A bunch of you have contributed work. I mean, I am amazed at the rapidity I have had submissions. So I think it's time to promote all of you to each other and the rest of dA. You're all talented poets and very nice people. You deserve more attention, all of you:



Please support each other. I can't emphasize this enough. The true value of the contest is not the prize at the end.

Thank you all so much for participating and spreading the word! There's gonna be a bunch more entries, fabulous prizes, awesome poems and - it is to be hoped - new friends all around.

Rules Update

Announcing Ashok's "Short Poem Contest." The idea is to get people to write really short poems if they haven't already. Can you make every word - maybe even syllable - count? I hope those of you who haven't tried poetry at all will try something for the contest.

Rules

30 words maximum per entry; no set form. Only one original entry per contestant (don't recycle old material, please). Theme is "music" - you can do whatever you want with that, including base your poem on a song lyric (perhaps use the lyric as an epigraph?) Poems must be in English.

The contest will end in 14 days: deadline is May 8th. Just write anything, and write quickly. I'm not here to be snobby about poetry. I want to get people writing, getting to know each other, and promoting each other. I will add anyone who participates to my watchlist, and as some of you are aware, I do provide feedback and try to keep up with as many as I can on here.

I do advise that before you submit a short poem, you read some of what I've written about haiku. This analysis of one by Basho isn't a long read. Watch also what Emily Dickinson does with 21 words.

I request that you link to this post in the description of your poem - spread the word about the contest & make it clear what is an entry for it. Send me a note with a link to your poem, and do feel free to put it in my profile's comments. Don't forget to send a note, though - I'm going to be watching my notes mainly for entrants.

Prizes

I'm accepting donations for prizes. I might buy some points and give them out, but I'd rather do something different. If any of you write something spectacular, I was thinking of asking your permission to put it on my main blog - ashokkarra.com . With 25,000 visitors a month, you'd probably get considerably more attention, but I don't know.

There will be a first and second place prize. Also, a prize for the person who promotes this contest the most - obviously, don't spam people, but if you get a few of your friends to participate, you should get a little something more.

Hope to be reading your work soon!

...when you don't support each other.

As some of you have noticed, I critiqued 's wonderful painting "Spring Song." I really want to try and get this one work of hers more of an audience. If you haven't favorited or commented on her work, please do.

And please do consider going over to my website and reading the critique there. I've promoted that critique on reddit, stumbleupon, tumblr and facebook so far. Your "likes" and "shares" are appreciated. 's work is awesome and speaks for itself. But I want to show it is a pleasure to respond appropriately to incredible work.

I want to highlight everyone who participated in the "Lost Loves" contest poetry portion. I've sent my recommendations for the winners to , and it wasn't easy to judge who was better than who this time out.

All of you are up-and-coming poets. My own poetry needs a lot of work. Some of you have written much better stuff than I'll ever write. I'm really admiring of all of you because you tried. You're not scared to publish, you're not scared to have people tell you things you don't want to hear.

I want dA to know who you are, and I'd like it if you supported each other. You've all got great personalities and it was fun to talk to you and comment on your work. I think everyone can benefit from watching you:

1. - I think I really enjoyed the speed with which you sent an entry. It was a good read, too.

2. - your latest, "Run," I like a lot: it's an attempt to do more with less.

3. - "Open Heart Surgery" is a great poem. Your imagery is vivid, your diction is effective.

4. - the submission "Don't Leave" was a lot of fun. I think we tend to forget how effective rhyming can be.

5. - got some awesome lines in her work generally. A bit on the elaborate side, in a good way.

6. - getting the words right isn't always as important as having something to say or displaying a powerful emotion. You easily achieve the latter two.

7. - you know how to write and have a terrific sense of style.

8. - everyone should read "Lightyears at Sea:" [link]

9. - wonderful sense of what people like to hear. Keep up the great work.

I hope you guys will support each other and any other deviants who support you. It was great working with all of you. Please do keep up.

All of you on dA have been terrific - you've been one of the most responsive and supportive groups I've encountered in years. It's like you actually enjoy what I write!

I hope you will give facebook likes for the main blog if you haven't already. Quite a few of you have already, and I'm very grateful.

And if you want to read a really great poem (not by me) of the "see how it's done" sort, take a look at "At the Un-National Monument Along the Canadian Border". I would love it if that went viral: the poem is awesome and I did a lot of thinking to try and pick out its deeper, not-so-obvious themes.

There will be plenty of promotion shortly. I have a contest to judge. Right now, lots to do away from the computer. Just wanted to say hi and ask for support from a few more of you. It helps. It really does.

...those of you who've joined #Life-On-dA - you have my thanks. Helping me win their membership drive contest is much appreciated. I do hope you're meeting new people on #Life-On-dA - that's really the point of the group and the contest. As you can tell, all I do with new exposure is share it.

I'd still like more help winning that contest. Do comment if you join and say I referred you.

Also: I was given some wonderful attention through #Live-Love-Write. I submitted something for a prompt, and while a few of you have seen it, here it is (with 's comment) for the rest: "Unwanted Endings" prompt results

Please join #ArtAppreciators. We've got a thread up so people can introduce themselves and link us to their favorite work. I'm going to watch anyone who comments there and will favorite the works they link to.

OK. Deviants that I want to call some attention to:

1. - so grateful she took advantage of #ArtAppreciators' comment thread.

2. - a friend whose art is excellent. Please support her.

3. - go visit her journal. She's putting up a demonstration of how she draws, and it is quite awesome.

4. - her journals are required reading. If you're wondering what kind of community dA is, there's a lot of harsh truth. Oh. She's a really talented artist, too.

5. - he's been very supportive lately, and I'm grateful for his comments. He's definitely working on his writing.

A "life update" is available at my main blog. Happy Easter, everyone!

...would really appreciate it if you guys helped me win the #Life-On-dA membership drive contest - you can read about it here. I could care less about the prizes - I don't really need points, I never use them for anything. I'm more interested in getting you guys to join the group and meet more deviants. Just go sign up for #Life-On-dA and tell them I sent you. Also, be nice to - she seems to be one of nicest, most outgoing people on dA.

Also, while we're at it, there's a bunch more of you to promote to each other. I hope you'll watch everyone on the list. While everyone can use more watchers, these deviants really deserve and need more:

1. - draws really well and is super patient with my "you should read this, it might be useful for school" lecturing. Deserves a lot, lot more than 6 watchers and is the sort of person we are meant to encourage on dA.

2. - brand new to dA, has one watcher (me). Please be supportive. I remember what it was like having no or one watchers: it really, really sucked.

3. - an extremely talented poet who told me about. He deserves a lot more watches and views.

4. & - really nice, welcoming deviants! It's a pleasure helping them run a contest.

5. Everyone who helped - this includes - please make it a point to add all of them to your watchlist if they're not there already. They're all sweet, awesome people who are willing to make dA better if asked. I can't say much more than that.

6. - my favorite people to talk to on dA. Please add them.

7. & - talented poets and good sports. You're missing out if you don't say hi to them and add them to your watchlist.

Finally, off-topic but important to me - if you haven't yet, go visit my main blog. Read this poem by Dana Goodyear and my thoughts on it. When you like it, give it and my facebook page a "like."

Hope everyone gets something of value out of this posting.

is hosting a poetry/literature competition around the theme of "lost loves." The deadline is the 18th of April; you can read more about the guidelines in her journal: [link]

I am helping judge the competition, along with . I'm pretty much judging poetry (I know. You didn't see that one coming). Please make my job hard and submit stuff and get others involved. The point is to meet people and get everyone more exposure. You'll notice the prizes are pretty much exposure-related.

Again, if you're wondering what my credentials are to judge anything, there's always this interview.

Deviant has 4 watchers. Seriously. Over 1,000 pageviews and 4 watchers.

To say this is ridiculous would be the understatement of the year. You can take a look at her painting "The Flower Island" - it is very good. "Story without End" is probably my favorite of hers. It's an awesome bit of illustration.

I'd really appreciate it if we got her a bunch more watchers, favorites, comments.

I have an idea. I have a Facebook page for my main blog - Rethink fan page - and it's got 140 plus likes.

I could get on there and promote each of you, but at some point the problem with a fan page is that if it's me talking at people, it sucks. My audience is very appreciative and thoughtful, but their patience has limits. They don't want to hear me preaching at them all the time.

So what I was thinking was this - message me if you think my audience might be interested in your work. Have a introduction to what you do written, something brief and personable. I'll give the okay and let you know when you can post on my fan page.

I know 140 isn't a lot of likes, and I know that some of you are going to have to wait to post. But I think this can work. It'll get a lot of us networking, and get a few new readers/watchers for each of us.

If you're curious about what I do on the main blog, there's this interview and a short sample of my writing: "If I can stop one heart from breaking"

Let me know if you've got facebook pages yourself that you want me to "like." I'll see what I can do.

A few more you really should say hi to, if you haven't already:

1. - very nice, very responsive, eager to encourage.

2. - hasn't been using dA much recently, but will do soon. One of the nicest people I've met here.

3. - can't be praised enough for what she does for other artists. Incredible amounts of time and effort. Her work isn't bad, either.

4. - she likes poetry. Enough said. Also, her digital art is amazing but don't forget to check out her more traditional work.

5. - a really talented writer. Do say hi!

6. - gets a lot of attention on dA, but she could use a lot more. Her work is spectacular and lots of fun.

I'm so grateful for all the interaction you guys have with me. I do request you take a look at my latest blog entry on a short poem of Dickinson's - "Distance — is not the Realm of Fox" and if you would, be generous with facebook likes.

Want to bring attention to a bunch more deviants:

1. - super nice and always appreciative of comments and favorites. Please visit her promptly; her art is wonderful.

2. - again, super nice. Huge anime fan who promoted my writings on Cowboy Bebop once upon a time and brought me a ton of readers. I still owe her huge for that; her drawings are seriously fun, too.

3. - really, really sweet. A ton of fun to talk to and she can definitely write.

4. - treating me really well and deserving of a bunch more attention.

5. - makes fantastic stuff and has a great personality. Support her store!

A request, actually two. If you have a moment, please read this short, gorgeous poem by Mandelstam. If you like it, do like it on Facebook or promote it here. I'm very proud of how the commentary I wrote on that poem turned out.

All of you might be interested in this interview with me. I do a lot online. It's hard but fun work. I'm hoping things will be a lot better in terms of results soon.

I've met tons of nice people on dA recently. But you guys deserve to know that some of the community here are absolute gems. There are some very selfish people and habits on dA, and I'd be lying if I didn't say that I don't always feel appropriately treated by many.

Here are some of the people making my dA experience worthwhile:

1. - if you're not following CJ Wilde, you're missing out on one of the best people I've ever met online. She's treated me so well since I asked her for help using dA well. She's read what nonsense I've written and commented and helped promote me. I can't say thank you enough. All I can is that I'd be honored if all of you helped me return the favor in some small way.

2. - Holly didn't just like some of my work. She recommended I add stuff and then favorited what I added. Great advice, awesome encouragement. It's hard to ask for more. She's got a great personality and I advise you say hi.

3. - an immensely talented painter who I am so privileged to be following that I wonder how I deserve to be followed by her.

4. - a poet with a number of terrific ideas who doesn't mind me chatting too much. Really appreciate the attention she gives.

5. - great drawings. She thrives on interacting with so many. I think she found me via the #GetWatchers group, which means she was doing the same thing I was there - adding some of the people who signed up so those deserving actually got watchers.

6. - works really hard at her drawing and should be encouraged. One of the most positive about reading what I've written.

There's more than these who've been nice to me. I'll highlight as I can. This is just the beginning, I hope.

I've recently been reading and writing on the poet Osip Mandelstam. I know both comments I've made are fairly accessible and short, and I'm very sure many on dA would like this one:

"Your image, tormenting and elusive"

It's a short poem which is particularly intense.

I'm asking for facebook likes or help getting the word out about the poem on dA. I'm proud of this being a short introduction. I'd be prouder if more people actually got introduced to it.

Of course Auden doesn't really need an introduction. But these poems below are really good and fairly neglected. Love how schools and classes have a knack for avoiding any poetry that means anything:

"Are You There?" - an amazing poem about the loneliness within love itself. Also one of the earliest commentaries I ever wrote and one of the best. You really want to read this, if nothing else.

"Ganymede" - a thinking through how wisdom and the origin of violence relate.

"The Fall of Rome" - how do you know when things are falling apart?

"First Things First" - Auden's speaker wonders about first principles, in the Thomistic sense.

Suddenly in a light shawl
you slipped out of the half-darkened hall -
we disturbed no one,
we did not wake the sleeping servants…

- Osip Mandelstam, "Suddenly in a light shawl"

Been thinking a lot about Mandelstam recently. Love and tyranny are not far from my mind for some reason. Another poem of his I covered: "Your image, tormenting and elusive"