# Poll for the War challenge



## Olly Buckle

Vote for you *three* favourite poems and leave your comments here please.


The Poems


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## Olly Buckle

Trying to post this thread got to me yesterday morning, first time I forgot to make it multiple questions, second to put a closing time on it, third the computer simply wouldn't accept it, still fourth time lucky.

It seems the poems fall into two categories, the particular and the general, personally it is the particular which affect me most.
Doc, by Jinxi certainly works well, though it is very wordy in places, consider,

“Looking around at the few men who have managed to live through this”
Which could so easily be ‘Looking round at the few survivors’
Or,
“The supplies were supposed to arrive today
But we received word that they are not coming at all
We do not have enough food, warm clothing or ammunition
To make it through another day”
Which would be tidier, and more telling, as,

‘Supplies were supposed to arrive today.
We received word they are not coming at all.
We do not have food, clothing or ammunition
To make it through another day.’
Nevertheless there is an affinity with the subject that makes it one of my favourite poems.
MJ Preston’s “The sergeant’s prayer” is another, simple, it gets across the bewilderment of an ordinary man at what is happening.
I have not decided where my third vote will go yet, not to the person who thought a limerick a suitable form for a poem about war I feel, what was he thinking of.


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## Gumby

I am simply stunned by the number of entries and how each one captures a piece of my heart. 
Well done, all! I am having a very, very hard time choosing _only _three.


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## MJ Preston

There are so many different approaches and I am humbled that Olly would even mention me. Thanks Olly, though I hardly deserve it.

Apple's poem War of the World really stuck out for me because it speaks of war as though it is a living entity. From this I see a voracious monster that feeds the ego of man whilst beckoning his greed with riches and eating the innocents. Well done Apple! Your subtle ways invoked great thought from this old soldier.

_It flattens little homes
with ego and heavy hammers,
proclaiming it’s truths for the winged wild    
while pockets jingle _

Glass Pencil's is short and hard which appealed to this impatient eye. Its aftermath and reference to the hounds that feast played well for me.

Where once stood scores there now stood none
all before a smoking gun
but bide, oh churl, the time and mission
all become at your admission

I can't remember who my third vote was. I was so tired, but Leyline's "The Left Behind", Baron's "Resonating Sounds" stuck out for me.

Overall an excellent soup of different ideas and ideals.


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## Guy Faukes

The ones who got my votes for the following reasons:

The despair and yearning for hope in MJ Preston's piece was palpable.

Leyline's was chocked full of well executed mini-narratives; every single of of them was sobering.

apple's writing skill is enviable! 

There are definitely some heavy hitters in this forum, glad to be in good company!


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## Jinxi

Olly Buckle said:


> Doc, by Jinxi certainly works well, though it is very wordy in places, consider,
> 
> “Looking around at the few men who have managed to live through this”
> Which could so easily be ‘Looking round at the few survivors’
> Or,
> “The supplies were supposed to arrive today
> But we received word that they are not coming at all
> We do not have enough food, warm clothing or ammunition
> To make it through another day”
> Which would be tidier, and more telling, as,
> 
> ‘Supplies were supposed to arrive today.
> We received word they are not coming at all.
> We do not have food, clothing or ammunition
> To make it through another day.’
> Nevertheless there is an affinity with the subject that makes it one of my favourite poems.


 
Olly, I am honoured to have your vote on my poem. Thank you very much.
You are right, it is a bit wordy. Your rewrites would have been perfect. Thank you for your comments.

The entries are all outstanding. It is going to be so hard to decide!


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## Gumby

It was a very tough choice, but Leyline, Baron and Nick got my three votes.


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## bearycool

Wow, I didn't know there were that many people who signed up for this!

I'm going to have some trouble picking my top 3...


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## InsanityStrickenWriter

All great poems and _shame_, _shame_ on whoever that one person who voted for mine was!  (Thanks). Anyhow, I voted for Jinxi, Nick, and guy_fawkes.


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## Lady S

I voted for Gumby because of her original approach to the theme.  Baron's rhythm and natural rhyme, combined with sensory use of metaphor, won my vote also.  Last but by no means least I voted for the Apocalyptic vision in TheFuhrer02's poem.*http://www.writingforums.com/members/thefuhrer02.html*


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## Patrick

Apple, Lady S and Baron got my vote... votes?

Reasons: Apple's had some fantastic images, Baron's was a very fluent piece and Lady S's (lol @ how clumsy that is), had a unique and very good progression.

There were a lot of original and decent poems here, so well done to everybody who entered something.


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## Olly Buckle

InsanityStrickenWriter said:


> All great poems and _shame_, _shame_ on whoever that one person who voted for mine was!  (Thanks).


That's nothing, someone voted for the limerick!


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## Jinxi

InsanityStrickenWriter said:


> Anyhow, I voted for Jinxi, Nick, and guy_fawkes.



Thank you!


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## chickadee123405

I am not sure who voted for my poem or why, but thanks. As a newbie, to the website and to writing, it is a little daunting to just jump right in with my thoughts. The emotions of the writers here is amazing. I need to re-evaluate everything I thought I knew about poetry and writing. Please be patient with my ignorance.


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## Olly Buckle

chickadee123405 said:


> I am not sure who voted for my poem or why, but thanks. As a newbie, to the website and to writing, it is a little daunting to just jump right in with my thoughts.


Don't worry, this is a challenge rather than a competition, it is yourself you are challenging. A poll and a winner are necessary to set the next challenge, but in many ways we are all winners if we stretch ourselves a little and learn a little.


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## Bruno Spatola

I voted for Nick, Boddaert and Glass Pencil. Those three just really spoke to me personally, and for zat, I sank you all


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## Patrick

Bruno Spatola said:


> and for zat, I sank you all



Is there a reason as to why you sound like the captain of a German U-boat?


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## Bruno Spatola

Haha, sorry. I started thinking in a little _'Allo 'Allo!_-style accent as I wrote it all of a sudden. It amused me. . .slightly. Bruno is a Germanic name too. I just feel a bit German today.


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## TheFuhrer02

Oh, so you like German, ja?


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## Bruno Spatola

Oh ja. I love a bit of German sausage in ze morning. Nahhhh, but I've always wanted to go there. Beautiful country; beautiful people (in travel documentaries at least). 

Any way, this was an interesting challenge. War was a good prompt, clearly. It evoked some lovely imagery .


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## Nenada

Such a high calibre of work. Definitely a tough choice!


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## Guy Faukes

Looks like this one's going to be close, the lead's changing. So far, we got apple, Lady S, Baron, Gumby and Nick in a close tie.



InsanityStrickenWriter said:


> Anyhow, I voted for Jinxi, Nick, and guy_fawkes.


 
Thanks!


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## Olly Buckle

And with the closing of the poll you are so right guy_Fawkes, we have a three way tie between Baron, Lady. S and apple. I have been informed by Baron that both he and his good lady will stand aside and allow apple to chose the next theme


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## MJ Preston

Congrats Apple!

as well as to the Baron and the Lady.

You guys had me scared there for awhile, as I was in the running. Thankfully, you folks came to your senses.


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