John and Paul's Three-Word Haiku/Senryu Unofficial Challenge - The Results!

Well, fuck. That was every bit as impressive as I was sure it would be when we set this devious challenge. From this point forward it is worth noting that all the bracketed bits will be John's words, and the non-bracketed are mine.

Recap - write a three word poem that follows the same syllable structure as haiku and senryu: 5-7-5.

We hit 31 entries. Which is nothing short of spectacular and I personally want to thank everyone who took part for their efforts. For having a go you all deserve commendation. (They deserve something, that's for sure. The mind boggles.)

It was interesting to see such a diverse range of approaches to the challenge. While quite a few conducted poems with biting satire, social commentary and scathing denouncements on the state of the world, others offered more personal responses. (I would have struggled to find three words with appropriate syllabic length and then said screw finding meaning, but hey, what do I know?)

Let's not beat around the bush here and dive into the entries In the order they were submitted. (Sounds like fun!)

The Entries

Harper Lewis - Bullet in the Face

Wow. Just wow. Perfect example of what I expected might come from entries. Inspired by recent events, Harper uses these powerful words and alliteration to drive a salient point home. (Favorite word: Apocalyptic (only user).)

Jesse Lee - Just Breath

Jesse sums up experience a lot of people on "the spectrum" have perfectly in three words. Brilliant work. (Favorite word: Hyperventilates (only user).)

Kendall Defoe - Hmm...

Kendall flexes his wit and verbosity in three clever words that describe just how difficult this challenge can be. (Favorite word Intimidating (only user).)

Shirley Belk - Because...

I am impressed with how Shirley distilled such a hugely important and culturally significant concept with three elegant words. Breathtaking. (Favorite word Inseparable (only user).)

Kelli Sheckler-Amsden - The Invisible Dance

This is why I hate mirrors. This is also why I regard Kelli as some poetic guru that we should all look up to. Her mind never stops. (Favorite word: electromagnetism (only user).)

Matthew J. Fromm - Believe Your Eyes

Blistering and much like Harper's entry, an attack on the current situation politically. Fine work, Matthew. (Favorite word: reprehensibly (only user).)

Dylan - An Original Creation

Dylan, admittedly, is a writer who is new to me. His entry was very clever and as I noted in the comments I left that I love how he used the title and picture to really sell his poem's meaning. (Favorite word: Conceptualization (only user).)

Julie Lacksonen - Losing Control

I only really came across Julie's fine work via her entry, so I'm glad she did take part. I am left again feeling impressed with how much can be said in three words. A biting indictment of our modern world. (Favorite word: Undifferentiating (only user).)

Andrea Corwin - Indubitably

I love the word and love this clever little brain masher. It makes sense too. (2nd favorite word: articulateness (only user).)

Maura Bernstein - Hedonism Until the World Ends

Maura was another writer that was new to me. I loved how thought-provoking she made this in just three words. Impressive to say the very least. (Favorite word: Epicureanism (only user).)

Diane Foster - London, Borrowed and Kept

Diane pays tribute to London in three words. An impressive feat. (Favorite word: Unforgettable (only user).)

Tina D. Lopez - After the Divorce

Tina's take on the challenge highlights the positive steps one needs to take after a divorce. Beautifully profound. (Favorite word: recontextualizing (only user).)

Sonia Heidi Unruh - 1st Things First

Sonia, who is never anything less than clever and verbose when she is not restricted, really smashed it. As she states in her Author's Notes she doesn't actually break the rules just because the first line has two words and then that mammoth word stretched between the second two lines.

I love how biting it is and her reasons for choosing that word. (Favorite word: antidisestablishmentarianism (do I need to say it? ONLY USER EVER ON VOCAL).)

Susan Payton - Politics

Susan takes a very biting and satirical approach to the challenge, taking a shot at a certain president's attempts to buy a Scandinavian country. Well done Susan. (Favorite non word: Trumpcatastrophe (only user).)

Mark Graham - a note of religion

Mark looks at the profound effects a religious belief can have on people. An interesting take. (Favorite word: meritorious (only user).)

kp - a way of being, worn with pride

I have strong opinions and feelings about kp as a writer and a person and just find him deeply inspiring. This is another great example of his skill and how he wears his heart and identity on his sleeve. I love how positive the poem ends despite its start. (Favorite word with clever suffix: counterculturalistic (only user).)

Novel Allen - Misanthropes Riding.

Novel pulled no punches with her entry that is an attack on the current state of the world.

Helpfully she provided us with a glossary to explain the words. (Favorite word with clever suffix: pusillanimousity (only user).)

Dana Crandell - Narcissism

Dan's tackles the thorny subject of narcissism In just three words. A gallant and biting entry. (Favorite word: hyper-egotistical (only user).)

Gerard DiLeo - For John and Paul's Three-Word Haiku/Senryu Challenge

Gerard, who is known for his cleverness in all writing he turns his mind to, gives us quite ab intriguing take on the challenge. (Favorite word: you had us at anthropomorphic (only user).)

Angie the Archivist 📚🪶 - Chaotic Cyclones

Angie takes a rather unique approach to the challenge. I like her argument for using the word extravaganza for extreme weather event. )second favorite word: meteorological (only user).)

Mariann Carroll - Hello Gorgeous

Mariann is always a bastion of all things positive and her haiku is unsurprisingly an uplifting affair with a word at the start I had never come across before - pulchritudinous. (Second favorite word: splendiferous (only user).)

Raymond G. Taylor - I’ll do it tomorrow… if that’s okay?

Raymond took a very clever take on the challenge by ascertaining that he didn't have time to. It is just as well I have thick skin as a Scot and found the image hilarious rather than offensive. (But what on earth is that beastie scrambling in the kiltish back whatsit? Favorite word: substantiation - which seems strangely ironic in the context of an absurd challenge (only user).)

Clyde E. Dawkins - The Greatest Game

Clyde took inspiration from ice hockey and highlighted in three words on what makes the sport so good and important. (Favorite word: super-phenomenally (only use))

ali - a haiku of hope. a senryu of sedition.

Ali in just three words shows us a way forward for a more harmonized world. (Favorite word: intersectionality (only use))

Marilyn Glover - Constant Companion

Marilyn highlights just why having pets and in particular dogs is so important. (Favorite word: irrefutability (only use).)

Alyssa Musso - Experimental

Alyssa states on her profile that she is a scientist by trade, but with this take on the challenge both sides of her meet. (Favorite word: laboratory - I read it as lavatory the first time 😜 (only user).)

Cristal S. - Fog-laden

Cristal took inspiration from a dark and solemn scene beyond her window and wrote a very heavy little poem. And yes, I am counting that word. (Favorite word: lugubriousness (only use).)

Tiffany Gordon - Tireless Energy...

As someone who drinks a lot of white Monster, I resonate deeply with this poem. That middle word is excellent. (Second favorite word: inexhaustible (only use))

Lamar Wiggins - Many Faces

Lamar gives us sharp social commentary in three precise words. (Favorite word: discombobulates (only use))

Katherine D. Graham - The Power of Conceptualization

Katherine's psychological rage is a welcome breath of fresh air. It highlights a crucial point about helping to heal by reframing or understanding things that are causing us distress or issues. (Favorite word: rehabilitates (only use).)

Now for the best bit.

The Results

It's fair to set this was a difficult challenge to choose winners from. 31 was a lot, but in the end we both agreed on the top three.

Third Place - Harper Lewis - Bullet in the Face

It's a testament to the power of her three words that Harper's poem was the first submitted and stayed with me.

Well done, Harper.

(This poem’s DNA encapsulates the rage broiling in the breasts of the Minneapolis protesters. Brilliant work, Harper!)

Second Place - Diane Foster - London, Borrowed and Kept

This was truly a memorable piece. Elegiac and full of nostalgia. Well done, Diane.

(If London has an agency responsible for marketing tourism, they would do well to negotiate with Diane for use of her amazing poem. I cannot imagine a better encouragement to come and visit than ‘Metropolitan Intergenerational Unforgettable.’ Absolutely loved it, Diane.)

First Place - Sonia Heidi Unruh - 1st Things First

Sonia really knocked this out if the park. Not only did she make clever use of the three word structure rule, but choose the best words for her theme and intent. That is why it won because it ticked all the boxes. Well done, Sonia.

(Sonia’s use of the word Unholy to express moral outrage against evil committed in religion’s name fuels the power of her poem. But by breaking the word antidisestablishment-Arianism she exposes the prejudice and hate undergird the depredations committed in God’s name. Extraordinary use of irony in your poem, Sonia.)

Congratulations Harper, Diane and Sonia.

Prizes will be sent to winners over the next day or so. (I will also be giving some $1 tips to a select few.)

Thank you again for everyone who took part or showed support by reading and commenting on entries. If you have yet to read through them all, please do, as we can guarantee you will enjoy it.

Look out for our next challenge, another tricky one, but this time it's fiction.