I think this should stop! The topic thing should stop, what I have read in the poetry contest poll is really awful. I think this is not healthy at all. We are now far more fixing blocks not creation and imagination.

I think it should go like this:
Every member who feels that he has a talent in his heart should simply post a poem to the mod of the art sabla that he/she would add it to the list. Each month not every two months. For what you find as good as it will be into a contest that not every thing written can be considered competitive. So that is simply the idea.

Let us stop the "Must To Poll" thing! If no one did post any poems for the contest then it is OK (and this already happened many times due to the insufficient amount of poems). So That is if we need set the inspiration of those poets at make free from all obligations of rational complications.

That is my point of view...Hope I put it clear. All just for the good of the sabla.

I'm not sure that calling the submitted poems 'awful' is very nice...and i also don't agree on removing the topic otherwise how are we supposed to judge? it won't be fair to judge a romantic poem to lets say a sad or depressing one..because they touch us emotionally on different levels.

better topics will come next time and inshallah more people will be inspired to write something.

I'm not sure that calling the submitted poems 'awful' is very nice...and i also don't agree on removing the topic otherwise how are we supposed to judge? it won't be fair to judge a romantic poem to lets say a sad or depressing one..because they touch us emotionally on different levels.

better topics will come next time and inshallah more people will be inspired to write something.
OK, for the 'awful' thing, I am really sorry, I admit it was not nice and rude of me to call it so...I apologize...And if you didn't mention it in your post I would have definitely deleted it, I didn't even notice when I typed it...It was however under emotional depression.

[1]
Now I agree that it is not fair to judge poems of different subject, but I am 100% sure that the quality of the poem is the main reason for making it the best month's poem. The point actually is that we are not actully comparing poems to each other, that is wrong thing to do. I think what we are doing actully is feeling which poem is the best among what have been written.

[2]
For example, in the days of Lebanon's war with Israel, I think love poems wouldn't have that much of effectiveness and strength as they do in usual situations, but in this case the wholesome of ideas and emotions that the poet collected in that period of time, combined with a "free will" to write and as initiated by the poet himself and what he feels, "not what is imposed on him". Poets are human, affected with surroundings, and that is what makes poetry flows like magic on the heart and minds of those who write it, and like charm on the ears of those who hear it.

[3]
No matter how good the topic is won't really help bring good poetry up from poets, same like a bee, no matter how wonderful and delicious the flower you suggest for the bee, you can't force the bee to make honey of it, it is a natural choice comming from an instinct the chemicals of nature mixed with human hormones are the major reason of its direction.

[4]
Having a regular system of "Best Member" , "Best Moderator", ... etc, in my point of view won't really in anyway fit into poetry. And if we will give it another thought, it will be much nicer to get a positional system.. From a set of poems, "The Hatch" was in No.1 , "Quick Times" was No.2 and "Holy Shrine" got No.3. Out of 6 or eight poems, and according to a poll, sure the first best 3 would be more appropriate.

[5]
Having a reward or medal on the poet's nick or avatar is really a good idea but not the way it is done now. Sure The English Sabla is not a "Forum For Poets", it is a general forum with poetry as a sub-form inside it. So not all those who contribute will be of a "real talent' and sure one or two maximum will have the real "poet" in them. With this in mind we will simply land with a member which is a "medal collector", which means it won't really make any difference to him to add one more to his medals, and I think after sometime, it will be very boring and he won't and may grow to make it possible to have space for other medals.

[6]
What I suggest is that a montly "Petry Contest" is to be held, and after one year of achievement (which means to count who had the mor first postions No.1 during that year), then only the member is entitled to a "Sablas 2006 Poet" as one reward, one medal...Isn't it more logical? This will make it more easier pace and won't stop those who have something to give others or share with others to wait till the next second month for the "topic inspiration".

[7]
I was trying to elaborate my point of view as much as I can, and from my point of view poetry is something very special as an art and sure visual art is your baby, and you know what I am talking about, art is not something you sit and do it, it is something more like when you need the toilet, you will not get a normal life till you offload it...Right? sorry for the odd similarity but sure that is what I fee.

That is what I have to say about the topic, and sure if you get a deeper thought in what I am saying, sure you will get to my point, because I am not saying something new, this is something very will known since ages...Isn't it?

.. why dont u include the arabic poems!!.. i'll be the first to participate .. will try to translate as possible.. but i will request that the judgement should be based on the arbic version not the the translation!!

.. why dont u include the arabic poems!!.. i'll be the first to participate .. will try to translate as possible.. but i will request that the judgement should be based on the arbic version not the the translation!!
I think this is out of question, we have discussed this before, few years ago, and came to conclude, that we are not "ONLY" writing in English, but actully we are "Speaking" in English in the ES. Which means that the English culture is the only medium of communication we are dealing with here, reserving the basic Islaimic Oriental obligations and traditions which dominates our presonality.

To make the image more clear, you can imagine a boy his mother and father are pure Arabs but he was raised fully in Europe or US, Canada, ... or one of those countries who ahave English as the main language. Sure he will pray, fast in Ramadan, not eat pork meat, and won't commit adultry and sure will eat with his right hand :) ! But when he speakes to his beloved woman (which mostly will be the same setup as him), he will address her and will speak his love in "ENGLISH" only!...:heart::heart:

What a smart similarity! :D :XD: ... Hope no one is laughing at me now.

[moo galis teqool enta ... weesh ha-l kharabeet ... ?] :eh:

i don't know why .. but i agree with toomuchat :)