Ten Years of Poetry Contests on OSLIST Thanks to Chris Corrigan for the suggestion List Poets Laureate and King from the first Into the bowels of OSLIST Archive A sleuthing mind took the search In '99 Ralph Copleman launched The 'Open Space A to Z Contest.' Biannual events or so it was chartered Restricted form mostly, sometimes departed Words in rhyme, stanza, themes well-crafted Poet Laureate chosen, the reign then started One and all, I now present, the People, the poems OSLIST Poets Laureate and King OSLIST Poets Laureate and King not here? Post name and poem, month and year Anne A Hiha Immediate past Poet Laureate OSLIST Poets Laureate and King the month, year, form and or theme Ralph Copleman: The first space holder for poetry on OSLIST and Poet King Chris Corrigan: 1999 November - A to Z, 26 words Chris Weaver: 2000 May - Relating to Open Space in four stanzas of four lines, each containing four words Jeff Aitken: 2000 November - Triple-American-Haiku, inspired by Open Space. Florian Fischer: 2001 May - Exactly 21 words, and begin with the letter A. Laurel Doersam: 2002 February - 5 objects within your sight, let the space work, write Audrey Coward: 2002 November - 10 lines long Joelle Everett: 2003 April - Any length on Peace or The Practise of Peace Florian Fischer: 2003 November - I wonder . . . Joelle Everett : 2004 September - Butterflies and open space (Hosted by Jeff) Lisa Heft: 2006 February - Theme is OST; the form is satire Teresa Posakony: 2006 September - relates to O p e n S p a c e in some way, and..include, reflect upon, honor or use .t h e s e n s e s Karen Sella: 2007 May - O p e n S p a c e .include, reflect upon, honor or use .t h e s e n s e s (Hosted by Lisa) Jeff Aitken: 2008 March - The personal, inner experience of Open Space - the open space within the unbounded expanse of heart and mind. Anne Hiha: 2008 October - Letters of your Alphabet, an experience with open space that shook your life Esther Ewing: 2009 August - Deep bow to WOSonOS 2009, any form Ralph Copleman 1999 The first space holder for poetry on OSLIST and Poet King. Below are the two poems Ralph offered to launch the first OSLIST Poetry contest. Always be careful Doubt every force Gathered here in jealous kisses Let my nearness only press Quiet, restful stretches together, Useful verities will x-cite you zealously. Agendas Beckoning Circles debut effortlessly. Fresh gists, Honored in juiciful knowing, Loosen miraculous, new, open passions, Quenchable, really, Since time undoes vexatious worry. X-tend your zone! Chris Corrigan 1999 November - A to Z, 26 words HOLDING THE SPACE A brilliantly choreographed dance emerges. Faces glow happily. I'm just keeping low, minding nothing, observing people, quietly ruminating, studying things, until various worldly x-periences yield zonally Chris Weaver 2000 May - Relating to Open Space in four stanzas of four lines, each containing four words OPEN SPACE You have arrived here before, burning for air, surfacing in a circle of early spring lakewater with loons around you. Did even the ones who love you understand why you stepped off the dock into black water? The beckoning voice was so soft: consider the lilies. We carve that first time into a monument of birdsong and hand each other deeper trust, easily, like sandwiches. Jeff Aitken 2000 November - Triple-American-Haiku, inspired by Open Space. huge pens and newsprint like twigs and leaves on the floor: fall forest clearing. wall like wide canvas bare, primed, awaiting wide strokes painted by our hearts. circle of welcome, like setting an old table for neighbors and friends. Florian Fischer 2001 May - Exactly 21 words, and begin with the letter A. anfang am anfang war kein ende. so ward entschieden daß anfang auf anfang folge immerdar vorbei-ist-vorbei bedeutet darum: gib raum neuem anfang beginning at the beginning there was no end ever since they decided beginning forever over-is-over tells us it’s time for a further beginning Laurel Doersam 2002 February - 5 objects within your sight, let the space work, write the space in my sight glancing into a mirror I've turned into a Renaissance painting! Picture this: an extra thirty pounds adorns my thighs and torso, my eyes are Mona Lisa-esque (read that "no lashes or brows") the only thing missing is the long, flowing tresses. I do, however, have a very short, snappy wig interwoven with a passle of white hairs - it's quite a good rug, but ITCHY. I'm still quite startled every time I inadvertently glance into a mirror. Audrey Coward 2002 November -10 lines long TRANSFORMATION Open space in your heart Drill down down down Past all fears Let them go Arrive in virgin open space Where you become brand new once again and greet yourself as if for the first time. Joelle Everett 2003 April - Any length on Peace or The Practise of Peace I'm breathing the smoke of gunshots, mortars, missiles, and oil wells burning. I'm stirring in the night, hearing children crying and mothers keening It has the grit of desert sandstorm. The night sky is torn by explosives, cut by the arc of a missile. There's no place far enough to put my heart at ease. Can I buy another chance? I want to refuse to take sides. I want to imagine a world more spacious and more intimate. I want the courage to buy homes and meals and schoolbooks instead of guns and tanks. I want to be peace, wild and fierce and sweet. Florian Fischer 2003 November - I wonder . . . I wonder I wonder whether words will work I wonder whether wanting will work I wonder whether worrying will work I wonder whether voting will work to get answers on where to go and when to stop and how to stay will worshipping work or waiting for wonders or is it simply giving welcome to the wonder happening already and continuously as selffulfilling reality not answering any question about right or wrong or how or where or when I am to witness the wonder and to stay wondering until perhaps to my two words before last: I wonder Joelle Everett 2004 September - Butterflies and open space PORTALS In the green heart of the wild wood, Woodpecker is knocking: at midsummer the air is as green as light filtered through emerald. Deer steps into a shadow And disappears. I sit by the water drumming, open my eyes to Butterfly - a flash of black and yellow rises up in my face, soars over my head and leaves me drumming, enchanted. Earth holds the weight of tree trunks, heavy and unmoving, but in the circle of the sky leafy treetops bend and shake, playing a wild game with the wind. The air is interlaced with open spaces, this world and some other lie as close together as a leaf lies against the air - a blink of an eye, shift of imagination, will take me there. And my heart is captured by longing, restless with the thin veneer over the surfaces of things, watching for the moment of invitation: a trembling leaf, Woodpecker knocking, a new note in your voice . . . The world on fire burns with a green flame: I will not trade a precious moment of the chaos, joy and pain for a life with no surprises, for a day with no time to let you in. Lisa Heft 2006 February - Theme is OST; the form is satire "I Am So Amazing" I invite them to crawl around on the floor .and they do. .and they kind of like it. I invite them to post signs on a wall, run around the room like insects. I tell them feet have laws. The part they see me do is pick up their coffee cups - incredibly skilled work, worthy of huge sums of money. I ring a bell; they sit. I have such power. Teresa Posakony 2006 September - relates to O p e n S p a c e in some way, and..include, reflect upon, honor or use .t h e s e n s e s Diving Deep Are you ready? No I mean. Are you READY? The time is now Hold my hand Together we dive Into the river of heart and soul The water is deep and quick All there is to do is trust the flow Struggling makes no sense though We don't know where the river goes The choice is clear Ready Set Wait a minute Let me catch my breath Go. Karen Sella 2007 May - O p e n S p a c e .include, reflect upon, honor or use .t h e s e n s e s (Hosted by Lisa) Open Space for Cats and Dogs I walk through fragrant blue sky Bare feet on wet grass. It is too cold for bare feet, But my teachers have taught me well. Who can resist a noisy yawn and a warm wiggle first thing in the morning? To greet each dawn and each other with a curious heart. To be mesmerized by the smallest motion. To breathe the air, the earth. To inhale the stories in each blade of grass. To forgo the coffee and drink the dew. To listen for what can't be heard. To bathe in light and nap awake in the middle of the day. Is to arrive fully alive. Forget the honey, taste the bee. I have but one question: When the butterfly lands on my nose, can I eat it? Jeff Aitken 2008 March - The personal, inner experience of Open Space - the open space within the unbounded expanse of heart and mind. When my father died I grieved all year. But Michael Stipe was right that sweetness follows. When it's over, A cloud of feeling lingers, calls up memories, shows me the world with eyes more raw, more open to this stark, leafless maple growing in the sidewalk. And shows me to the work that's next to do. When it's over, We might start that lovely, awkward dance of hugs, and wait our turn to hug Ralph, and Chris, Karen, Joelle, and Lisa, everyone who won and wrote and read, and lay a wreath for Laurel on the earth. When it's over, we might stand in Harrison's circle with hands joined and faces outward, hearts burst open to the horizon and the mystery of walking toward it, alone and together, finding spaces snapping open like poppies. Anne Hiha 2008 October - Letters of your Alphabet, an experience with open space that shook your life Worldwide-Openspace Online: The consummate butterfly Awake But no! Can’t be! Did I really sleep through a whole event? Easy. First, lay your head down Get nice and cosy Head snuggled on the perfect pillow Island of dreams Just for a while Keep those eyes closed Let the world roll on Magic moment. No going back in, it's over. Over? Please, please what did I miss? Quiet screen is adamant, ‘you had your chance.’ Right… whoever’s there Sigh... Still... I would have liked to have been there Up now Vitality returned When’s the next one? Xmas doesn’t wait for anyone either Yet… Zzzzz Esther Ewing 2009 August - Deep bow to WOSonOS any form Pondering Open Space I sit and wonder, Why am I here? What can I contribute? Patience, my soul answers. Patience, and wait. All will come clear. Other voices rise and fall, Puzzled, but accepting, Quietly I wait... Ah, it comes to me: Some contribute by speaking, Others by being the deep, cool pool into which they make a splash. I listen to their talking, And gradually, patiently, I understand. _________________________________________________________________ Share your memories online with anyone you want. http://www.microsoft.com/nz/windows/windowslive/products/photos-share.aspx?tab=1 * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
