Hi, Open Space Cadets, Time to pick the winner of the A to Z Poetry Contest!
Here are all the entries. Please vote for only one. They're numbered for reference. I have dropped off the names of the authors so you won't be swayed by emotion. (Right.) Some additional "rules." 1. Vote by letting me know the number of your favorite poem. You can send a private e-mail to me at [email protected], or you can hang out your vote on a return e-mail to the list for all to see. All items below qualify as either A to Z or Z to A poems. 2. Lobbying for your favorite "candidate" is allowed. This is because I couldn't stop it even if I wanted to, which I don't. 3. You may, of course, vote for your own poem. 4. Remember, the prize for the winning entry is a copy of John Adams' new book, "Thinking Today as if Tomorrow Mattered." 5. Sumbit your vote by close of business, Friday, October 22. 6. In case of a tie, the law of two feet will apply. I don't know what that means; I just like the sound of it. Thanks go to all the brave souls who entered! Here are the 15 entries, numbered in no particular order. (Note: some have titles, some do not.) ********** Entry No. 1: An Antipodean musing on ... Experiencing open space About bold conversing, deep effortless flowing, giving heroic inspiration joyfully, knowing loving mutual nurturing opens playful quickening, respectfully showing that unifying voices wither xenophobic yahoo zealots. Entry No. 2: REFLECTIONS AT THE END OF A LONG AND SUCCESSFUL MEETING Answers beckon. Circles determine experience for growth -- holistic & inspiring. Journeys, knowledge & license make new openings possible. Quiet reflection seeds transformation, unearths visions, wishes & x-cellence... <Yawn> Zowie! Entry No. 3: Facilitators's thoughts preparing for OS A beautiful circle designed especially for gifted, hopeful individuals joyously, kindly, lovingly, moving now openly, passionately quite richly spiritually toward uniquely valuable wonderful xens Entry No. 4: Amazing beings come discuss experiences freely; gathering, hopes ideas, joyously, kindling lavishly monster NOWs opening perspectives, qualifying, releasing, & setting transition to unchained ventures. Welcoming x-citing youthful zing. Entry No. 5: Ascending beyond constricted diatribes Enlightening fear-gripped henchmen Igniting jaded knotted leaders Mountaineering new open precipices Quietly restoring space to Understand, value, wish X-citing your zuchini Entry No. 6: EXPLAINING OPEN SPACE TO A NEOPHYTE CLIENT A basic concept designed effectively for groups. How interesting! Just kindle learning, maybe not overtly perhaps. Quite risky sessions take unbelievably visceral whirls. Xenagogues yoke zealots. Entry No. 7: Arriving Babies Crying Delicately Eagerly Fearlessly Gnawing Haunted Intricate Juxtaposed Kittens Lying Meowing Needily On Perplexing Questionably Ravish Sisters Talking Uncharming Verses With X-traordinarily youthful zombies. Entry No. 8: Amid bright collaborators Designing effective forums, Generate hearty insights. Jubilation! Know--less's more. Nature operates passionately, quirkily, regeneratively. Stay tuned! Unified voices will x-press your zeal. Entry No. 9: All bewildered -- complexity, diversity, even flagrant griping. Hoping integration joins knowledge, love making new opportunities, possibilites quite real. Saving time, understanding values, waking xenophobic yes-people... Zounds! Entry No. 10: AN INVITATION... announcing bigger cyber discussions encouraging forum-germinating help inviting joining, knowing, linking moving now onto posting quickly resources, stories, tips, unfolding... visit www.openspaceworld.org! x-tend your zip! Entry No. 11: Zenlike........ yoking xray Wisdom, Venerable unbound tao, Seers rejoice, Quiescent possibilities open now, mellow luminescence kindled, Jeweled imaginings herald..... Graceful footings, eloquent designs, Community, being alive! Entry No. 12: Awesomely beautiful; clustered dreams. Ever flowing, growing Harvesting inner journeys Kindred laborers mind no ominous perils Quickly recognizing soulful transactions Users voice wisdom's xenia Yea zealots! Entry No. 13: 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 Entry No. 14 Thriving In Open Space A bountiful collage Dialogue enters freely Glorious, honoring, intuition, joy, knowledge, learning Members new/old participate, question, relate, share, theorize, unify Victory, wisdom x-ult "yes, ZAP!" Entry No. 15: Dare to Facilitate Open Space! Against best counsel, Dare engagingly, Facilitate! Get help in just knowing Love matters! Now Open-positively-quite-remarkable-Space today! Undo victimhood, Wildly x-perience your zest! That's it. Poetically yours, Ralph Copleman
