Iron Poet XIX

[Cuthalion]

Aha YES!

[Amidus Drexel]

Ah, so close. Almost made contestant.

May I judge? I do have some poems under my belt if that means anything.

EDIT: So I take thats a ok?

Indeed!

We've got everyone we need now, aye?

[Dallas-Dakota]

AYE, NOW LET THE HUNGER GAMES B-err Iron Poet XIX begin!

After match-ups have been made, ofcourse.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

This is my first one and I'm kind of excited. I've never posted poetry online before. Wonder how I will do!

[Dallas-Dakota]

Don't worry, I'm horrible and the last time I've written poetry was two or three years ago I think. And before that even a longer pause of five years I think.

[Dimonite]

Um, guys? Benthesquid makes fifteen contestants, not sixteen. So there's room for Ninja_Grad to be a contestant, but we still need another judge.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Um, guys? Benthesquid makes fifteen contestants, not sixteen. So there's room for Ninja_Grad to be a contestant, but we still need another judge.

You're...right. I saw one more in the contestant list and thought that was all we needed. Silly numbers....

Alright, so we still need a judge OR a contestant. My apologies for the misunderstanding!

[Szilard]

Um, guys? Benthesquid makes fifteen contestants, not sixteen. So there's room for Ninja_Grad to be a contestant, but we still need another judge.

This is why I told Ninja in the other thread that we had room for one more contestant.

[Ninja_Grand]

Haha I miss counted too. Silly numbers.

I will contest then. Shuda trusted ya Szilard.

[FinnLassie]

*squeals*

Oooh, oooh, are we going to begin sometime soon? Do we need one more judge? Mew mew mew?

[TheWombatOfDoom]

We need a judge, and then we'll be lovely.

[Vaynor]

Yup, just one more judge. The list is updated.

[truemane]

I'll judge. If that's acceptable to all and sundry.

:)

[Cuthalion]

Hurrah! Let the amusement commence!

[Vaynor]

Sounds good! I'm rather busy today so I'll be putting the first round up tomorrow, probably.

[Dr Bwaa]

Looking forward to it!

[FinnLassie]

Oh my, oh my! I am very, very excited.

[The Extinguisher]

It's starting! Finally, I have something to look forward to again!

[Vaynor]

Iron Poet XIX: Round One

Welcome to the first round of the 19th incarnation of Iron Poet! This round we'll be starting things off simply with a 2 word prompt. Try to incorporate the two words you've been assigned as best you can, whether thematically or literally. You can use any definitions of the words provided, but keep in mind that the judges might not know this definition, so try not to stray too far off the beaten path.

Amidus Drexel vs. Dumbledore lives: Wane, vocal.
Cuthalion vs. Ninja_Grand: Patron, justifiable.
The Extinguisher vs. Techwarrior: Robbery, established.
Dimonite vs. TheWombatofDoom: Manifestation, mortal.
SaintRidley vs. FinnLassie: Offset, graphic.
bryn0528 vs. Dallas-Dakota: Damage, mythical.
Dr Bwaa vs. Mainlander: Wit, implemented.
Szilard vs. Benthesquid: Equal, exhaustive.

Deadline: Since Thanksgiving is approaching and it's the first round, everyone will have approximately a week and a half to complete their first poem. Please have your poems submitted by Wednesday, December 4th 2013 at 11:59pm (EST). Remember, you can use your half-day extensions if needed but you're better off saving those if you can.

Good luck everybody!

[FinnLassie]

Deadline: Since Thanksgiving is approaching and it's the first round, everyone will have approximately a week and a half to complete their first poem. Please have your poems submitted by Wednesday, November 4th 2013 at 11:59pm (EST). Remember, you can use your half-day extensions if needed but you're better off saving those if you can.

Are we to go back in time?

[Cuthalion]

Are we to go back in time?

Of course! That's the challenge! We've got to anticipate the themes, and post the poems before he tells us who we're up against!

[truemane]

Of course! That's the challenge! We've got to anticipate the themes, and post the poems before he tells us who we're up against!

I already chose the winners last week.

[FinnLassie]

Ah, well. Now I just need to spend the next week thinking what on earth offset means. *opens dictionary*


Edit: Ok, umm. I honestly had never come upon the word offset before and I am really confused over what it means. Like. At all. The contexts the dictionary is giving me are not good for non-native language speakers. Well, at least not for me. Urfgh. Would it be against the rules to kindly have someone explain me what the hell offset actually means? The noun and the verb are totally different too and it's confusing the matter even further... Sorry I'm such a loser, it's the first task and I can't even understand one of the prompts.

[Benthesquid]

Ah, well. Now I just need to spend the next week thinking what on earth offset means. *opens dictionary*


Edit: Ok, umm. I honestly had never come upon the word offset before and I am really confused over what it means. Like. At all. The contexts the dictionary is giving me are not good for non-native language speakers. Well, at least not for me. Urfgh. Would it be against the rules to kindly have someone explain me what the hell offset actually means? The noun and the verb are totally different too and it's confusing the matter even further... Sorry I'm such a loser, it's the first task and I can't even understand one of the prompts.

Offset means something like "to balance," as I understand it. For example, one might argue that in D&D a wizard's ability to cast magic is offset by their low hit points.

[Dr Bwaa]

"Offset" can also mean "difference from", especially in a "real", physical sense (but also time, etc). For example, consider a carnival crossbow shooting game. The crossbow has a sight on it, but when you fire, you notice that the bolt doesn't hit right where the sight indicated--it's down and to the left a little. For your next shot, you therefore aim up and to the right: this is the "offset" of the sight, relative to where the crossbow actually fires.

[FinnLassie]

Thanks guys. Still struggling a bit, but I'm bugging my friends to give me at least a couple more examples. Darn, I knew my prompt was going to be something I've never heard before.

Offset means something like "to balance," as I understand it. For example, one might argue that in D&D a wizard's ability to cast magic is offset by their low hit points.

*nod nod*

"Offset" can also mean "difference from", especially in a "real", physical sense (but also time, etc). For example, consider a carnival crossbow shooting game. The crossbow has a sight on it, but when you fire, you notice that the bolt doesn't hit right where the sight indicated--it's down and to the left a little. For your next shot, you therefore aim up and to the right: this is the "offset" of the sight, relative to where the crossbow actually fires.

Hmmmh... So, kind of something being unaligned? As in, your sight is unaligned? Placed off the line? I think I understood what you meant, but... One's never sure.

Adjlkrejopj I don't know.

[Vaynor]

It can mean to counteract with an opposing force, like to offset an advantage with a handicap. That's its general meaning as a verb. The noun form would be the effect of that action.

Merriam Webster's Learning Dictionary defines it as follows: "verb: to cancel or reduce the effect of (something) : to create an equal balance between two things."

Fixed the time, should read "December 4th".

[FinnLassie]

It can mean to counteract with an opposing force, like to offset an advantage with a handicap. That's its general meaning as a verb. The noun form would be the effect of that action.

Merriam Webster's Learning Dictionary defines it as follows: "verb: to cancel or reduce the effect of (something) : to create an equal balance between two things."

Fixed the time, should read "December 4th".

Thank you!

I think I'm all set now. Hehehe, I didn't expect to learn a new word when I signed up for this.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

One question - are we allowed to preface the poem at all, or just simply post it? I just had a neat idea that might not become apparent in a posted poem unless I pointed it out. Thoughts?

[truemane]

One question - are we allowed to preface the poem at all, or just simply post it? I just had a neat idea that might not become apparent in a posted poem unless I pointed it out. Thoughts?

There's no hard and fast rule on the matter. The general consensus has been that the piece is best presented on its own, without discussion or preface. That's my usual position as well.

If you feel that you absolutely MUST explain something, then maybe put it in spoiler tags separately from the piece itself, so that the judges can read or ignore it as they wish.

In the past I have also suffered from poems with obtuse relationships to the prompts. Just do what you do and let it happen.