On March 12, Carleton University announced the winners of their annual writing competition. Congratulations to them. Sadly, in the poetry competition, there was no one named for winner or even given an honourable mention. Here’s what the judges said:
“After careful deliberation, our senior judges Marilyn Iwama and George Bowering have agreed not to name a winner in this year’s contest. While some entries were stronger than others, none was compelling enough to maintain the standard that has been set in this contest and exists in the world of poetry. The goal of our competition is to encourage emerging writers to excellence.”
So essentially, everyone like myself who paid the entrance fee, who took the time to write their poem(s) are simply out of luck, because otherwise the contest’s standard would be compromised . . . because otherwise writers cannot be encouraged to excellence?
I wonder about the others who entered, and how many were encouraged to excellence by the judges’ decision, and how many may just give up writing entirely.
As for the prize money, the judges may choose to not declare a winner, but then that money should be returned to entrants. Otherwise this is, in effect, stealing.
Better yet, how about posting those “stronger” entries on a webpage and letting our current Carleton students decide which entry is best? The winner, chosen by the students, should get the prize. That way, Iwama and Bowering can rest assured their delicate tastes and reputations have not been compromised. If this isn’t possible, then our entry fees should be refunded.
My poetry may fall short of the judges’ particular standards, but my poetry is inclusive.
My poetry isn’t elitist.
As for this contest, they should get over themselves, they pretend to be something they are not. It is them, and this contest who fail, not I.
Their world of poetry must be a lonely place. So now go there, lift your pens, and rail against inequity and injustice.
— Mike Schofield
BA Psychology, 1988
