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Join the Discussion Bob & Margy have a challenge for you: “And if you want to post your poems here & discuss them, please do...”

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It seems Poetry Bouts cannot be anything but controversial: Victor Hernandez Cruz nosed out Anne Waldman at this year’s People's Poetry Gathering, avenging a defeat he’d suffered at Anne’s hands at the World Heavyweight Poetry Bout in Taos. “By the narrowest of margins,” as Peter Rabbit of the Taos Poetry Circus says. Anne won the audience popularity poll -- though there were many who felt the best round was the sixth, when Victor jumped in on Anne’s poem, ringgirl Regie “Regina” Cabico dispatched at the time limit began dancing, and our own Bob Holman, the Announcer, added a basso continuo from the wings. (This year at Taos: Saul Williams will attempt to bring the Future of Poetry to bear against 3-time World Champ, Sherman Alexie.)

The Poetry Gathering Bout was decided in the final Improv Round. The words-in-the-hat for this round were generated by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, Galway Kinnell. Victor drew “ramification.” Anne drew “button,” but also used “ramification” in her tour de force.

So we challenged you, Poets! To utilize all eight (8) words that Galway devised in a single poem of no more than eight lines. The winner received a set of the new releases of Kapow! Press’s beautiful poetry-comic collabs & the winning poem was published right here at About Poetry.

Galway Kinnell’s Word Hoard
(Word Horde?)
for the People’s Poetry Gathering Poetry Bout, 2001

Button

Ramification

Hoist

Vagrant

Saliva

Worm

Hypnopompic (the moment of waking)

Prog (to poke)

Have fun! Be brilliant! Get busy!

Bob Holman & Margy Snyder

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