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Voter Instructions:
- The countdown at the bottom of each pairing indicates how much time is left to vote.
- When voting closes, timer will disappear.
- Read both poems as many times as you like.
- Mark the poem you like best by clicking the circle next to its name.
- Press the “Vote” button to record your vote.
- Votes are counted in real time and cannot be changed once entered.
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- Classrooms should submit one vote as a class.
- Students can then vote again individually from home.
Things to Consider in Making a Choice:
- How well the poem incorporates the authlete’s assigned word.
- Technical elements: meter, rhyme, form, shape, and other poetic standards.
- Creativity: wordplay, imagery, unusual approach, etc.
- Subtle elements that make the whole greater than the sum of its parts.
- Your overall response: emotional reaction such as admiration, tears, laughter, terror, or some indefinable feeling.
Here are the poems:
16-subterfuge
Anthem
By Renée M. LaTulippe
Say what you want. My ears are shut.
Your code for me does not apply.
I see your mouths move. Tell you what—
save your breath. Don’t even try
to crack me like a coconut
with rumors, lies, and subterfuge.
Say what you want. My ears are shut.
Watch me rise. I’m gonna be HUGE.
vs.
9-iconic
Hungry Night
By Kai K. Zander
Ketchup, mustard, stale white bread
I wish I had a steak instead
Cupboard shelves – a blank abyss
Another meal I’ll have to miss
Iconic face of hungry nights,
Moon sees me wish for Day and Light
I’ll go to school and eat for free
And cure my stomach’s misery
16-subterfuge vs. 9-iconic: Which Poem Did You Prefer?
- 16-subterfuge (Renée M. LaTulippe) (51%, 226 Votes)
- 9-iconic (Kai K. Zander) (49%, 214 Votes)
Total Voters: 439

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