And the Winner Is...

Ok folks, we have a slight problem.  I had a ton of entries!  While this is a GREAT THING, it also meant that I had an incredibly hard time figuring out who the Winner was going to be.  It could easily have been any of the Entries, I don't think there was a bad one in the lot.

Please bear in mind that my judgement is very much subjective.  As it's my Blog, and my ISK that's being used for the prizes, I felt like that was ok after all.  Still, I hadn't expected the numbers I got!  Due to this, the next time I put on a Poetry Contest (and I definitely intend to do this again!), I'm going to put together a panel of judges so we can get a more balanced, measured judgement.

Well, you don't care about any of that.  The finalists, in no particular order, are presented below.  If all you want to know is who won (strange for a Poetry Contest heh), then just scroll down to the bottom!  Yes, there are 4 Finalists.  Obviously, this is going to be a massively long Blog Post.  If the poem is based of an existing one, the Original Author is sited, but not quoted.  This is done for brevity.  So, here goes:


Submission by Bishop Harcourt, of DUST 514

(THE UNENDING, Original Work)

Body torn and broken,
life slipping from my grasp.

A life so newly woken,
now death's cold hand doth clasp.

The lights they fade,
as my screams do drown,

the battle's tirade
upon unhallowed ground.

I will be born again.


Submission by Webmandrill, of EvE Online

The IF of EVE (Original by Rudyard Kipling-If)
  
If you can keep your ship while all about you

Are losing theirs and it’s because of you,

If you can trust no-one and all men doubt you,

But still they let you fleece them blind anew;

If you can gank, and not be tired by ganking,

Or scam and cheat and not fall for the same,

If you can lose, and come back from your losses,

And not lose it when they say “It’s just a game.”:

If you can scheme, and scheme through to fruition,
If you can plot and counterplot and win,
If you can stand, watching an empire’s dissolution,
And know that by your actions it began;
If you can take apart the truth that’s spoken,
And craft it into traps for foolish souls,
Or feed on the scraps of hope you’ve broken,
All as the means to reach your goals:

If you can fit a tank for all occasions,

And have them waiting in the hangar when you die,
If you will fly and fight in any situation,
If you can jump, or not, and not ask why.
If you’ve felt the hand of burnout on your shoulder,

When the smooth is drowning slowly in the rough,

And another’s voice breaks through to make you bolder,

As it asks you “Can I have your stuff?”

If you know PL from Goons and that they’re different,

Or what’s a DCU and how they save your ass,

If you time your overheat unto the instant,

And salute a fallen foe to show your class,

If you can fill the unforgiving darkness,

With a universe of fire and death and fun,

Yours is the black in all it’s vastness,

And - which is more - You’ll be a frozen corpse, and cloned.


Submissions by Brenn Derrington, of EvE Online

(Untitled, Original by William Carlos Williams-The Red Wheelbarrow)

so much depends

upon

a small fast

frigate

razed by hot

gunfire

beside the vast

titan.

(Untitled, Original by J.R.R. Tolkien-The Road Goes Ever On)

Space goes ever ever on,

Through that Gate where Earth may be

Black holes where once a sun has shone

Black depths where death’s awaiting me;

Beyond the wars by hatreds sown

And o’er their pilots’ gaping wounds

Past the belts of idle stone,

And a hundred thousand floating moons.

Space goes ever ever on

‘Round the cloud and burning star,

And fleets that wandering have gone

Search in vain for home afar.

Eyes that watch where Jove has been

In horror see those threats have grown

Wondering what it all may mean

As they stand guard and wait, alone.

The game goes ever on and on

Far past the gates where we began.

An unknown path its tale is on,

Though we must tell it, if we can.

Pursuing it, our eager fleets

Will clash and fight, and war is play

Where many ships and pilots meet.

And what is next? We cannot say.

Submitted by Mynxee, of EvE Online

(Untitled, Original Work)

slipping like a ghost
on pathways between the stars
signals beckon me

Thank you for ALL of the Submissions!  They were all fantastic!
 

Ok, so who are the Winners?   The Winners are...  

1st Place - Brenn Derrington!  Both of the poems submitted by this Author really seem to key in on some of the foundational experiences we have in the game.  In the first poem, both the sheer excitement and matching terror of a PvP encounter, and in the second the absolute Mystery and Wonder that we all can find within vastness of the game, no matter what we do as a 'Profession' inside of it.  Congratulations! 

Second Place -  Webmandrill!  I think that this poem really speaks to, and about, many of the things we actually encounter inside of the game directly.  Anyone who has played the game has experienced many of the things that the Authormentions in his poem.  Great job! 

Third Place - Bishop Harcourt!  Your poem, while centered on a Dusties experience of quick, sudden, repeated death, also is felt by us in EvE.  Your entry was short, abrupt, and to the point.  Your brevity, your tone, and the quick delivery of the words echoed the life-and lifespan-of a Dust Merc.  Well done!

Many other entries are worthy of Winning a Prize.  Please keep writing, and when I host the next one of these, please enter again!  All of your creativity and passion for the game we all Play is truly insipring.  Thank You for making this first incarnation of my EvE Poetry Contest a success! 

To all Winners: Please send me a mail at argosgelert@gmail.com with the Character Name in EvE you want you prizes to be contracted to.  Again, Congratulations!

Argos Gelert