The Wergle Flomp Humour Competition

[Bob Pacey]

Read both of them and listened to her AAAAAAAAh till the bloody end. no funny bone ticklers here Keats or Bill Kearns would leave them both for dead.

I think you are trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear Nev.


Bob

[Neville Briggs]

I'm not trying to make anything Bob. just showing how one might view this piece.

I think comparison with Bill Kearns or keats is not useful, they are trying to achieve something very different.

[warooa]

I'm hearing you Nev, it's humour but nuanced and as you say, rather English. I didn't mind it, didn't laugh out loud, just wore a creased amused grin.
Thanks for posting this Catherine - it brings up a couple of interesting things. First, I think those amongst us who stick to the more traditional style and content of poetry need not get upset, threatened or dismissive of anything which falls outside those parameters. It is like any art form, whether it be Jazz music, dance or creative suffering, there will always be new and evolving strains that we just don't appreciate, and I think it is best that we always try and learn just a little something from things we don't value greatly. Okay it doesn't rhyme, isn't funny and is about old people and sex - but there might be a word you like, perhaps just one, or a clever bit of alliteration. Okay, nothing?
Having said that, I'd say don't change your style for the sake of kudos in a competition (to your poet friend). I think we should write true to ourselves first and foremost. Tweaking your style, format or content for competitions sake I think compromises your artistic integrity somewhat. It depends (as has been touched on previously) if your primary goal in writing is to succeed in competition.

Cheers, Marty

ps. the funniest thing I found was that the name of the competition - The Wergle Flomp, sounds ironically like a sexual position for older people

[Neville Briggs]

I think we should write true to ourselves first and foremost. Tweaking your style, format or content for competitions sake I think compromises your artistic integrity somewhat

Yes, yes, yes. The best advice for today Marty.

[Bob Pacey]

What integrity ?




anyone who saysd that they have not changed their style for competitions after not being successful is like someone who say that they never gone over the speed limit in their car.

Bob

[Heather]

Marty kinda beat me to it. I was going to say that if you enter competition with the name Wergle Flomp then you should expect just about nything. hvig puter issues here

[Catherine Lee]

Hi everyone, and thank you so much for your valuable input, which I've forwarded on to my poet friend.

Bob, yes it's certainly an 'out there' name for a competition so it's not surprising you thought I was joking - I figured you did...Thanks for the 'alternative' verse

Neville - Thank you so much for your considered opinion. it is much appreciated, and certainly I agree it's not meant to be hilarious. I think my friend has just come up against what we all have at times - that chasm between what one person considers poetry and another doesn't. Thank you too for pointing out that the second place getter had written a rhyming poem, as this will be an encouraging fact to pass on to him. Thanks to Maureen as well, for posting the site for the video.

Shelley, like you I usually really enjoy English satire, but this didn't do much for me either.

Finally, thanks so much to you too Marty for your great advice to the poet in question. This is indeed more or less what I've told him and I will copy your comments to him as well. I don't think he will try to adapt his style, as he does not write primarily for competitions and this would be a grave mistake anyway as you so rightly point out. The judges obviously felt this was very clever, and maybe it is in this genre, who knows?...You certainly have a point about the name of the competition though - as do you Heather!

Once again, thanks to everyone for your very valuable feedback

[Bob Pacey]

Can ya post a picture of Wergle ?

Cheers Catherine

[Catherine Lee]

Now there's a challenge for someone imaginative...the mind boggles!

[Maureen K Clifford]

Mr W Flomp esq.

wergel.jpg