We’ve reached the midpoint of the March Madness Poetry 2015 tournament. Three rounds are now officially on the books, and we have three rounds remaining. Our authletes have created 112 new kids poems in just 12 days, while 14 poems remain to be written. Our “Elite Eight” authletes each now have a 1-in-8 chance of becoming the #MMPoetry 2015 champion.
I now want to take this opportunity to openly express my gratitude to the 56 authletes who were defeated in Rounds One, Two, and Three, and to the seven authletes who will eventually find themselves on the losing side of the scoreboard in Rounds Four, Five, or Six. Of course, I’m grateful to whoever does go on to become champion, too, but in many ways this post is meant more for those who don’t.
First, I want to thank our authletes for writing their best possible poetry under pressure. What they do in this event is not “natural” for a poet. To force oneself to write a poem using a specific prompt, and to allow other people to read and evaluate that poem after 36 hours whether it’s ready or not — it takes a special person to volunteer for something like that. And second, I want to thank our authletes for accepting their ensemble role in, and for dealing so well with the emotional highs and lows of, this exciting but imperfect event.
With each passing round since this event’s inception in 2012, I learn something new from everything that happens on this site, from everything that is publicly stated on other blogs or social networks, and from the many messages that I receive through various private channels. Despite the chaos of orchestrating everything myself, I really do try to read it all, because I am constantly seeking ways to better the experience for everyone.
Though it may not always seem to be the case, the structures and rules in place today are carefully considered and well-meaning, and designed to protect and grow the event as a whole. But it is ever clearer to me that those macro benefits too often seem to come at the expense of individual authletes who, as it turns out, are not just precision-programmed verse-making robots, but real people, with real hearts and guts and brains. People who – surprise-surprise! – don’t like writing under unclear rules. People who – wouldn’t you know it? – want better guidelines about how to promote the event. People who – believe it or not – don’t feel good about winning or losing based on tiebreaker technicalities.
As contributors to the success of the event at large, and as its beneficiaries in the form of exposure, connections, and even some direct sales and performance bookings, I know that #MMPoetry is a net positive for most of our authletes. This makes me very happy. But I also know that, as people, they deserve even better. As I’ve said before, without readers, the event need not exist; but without the authletes, the event simply cannot exist.
So, here is what I’m asking of everyone reading this post:
- Visit the Meet the Authletes page. Learn more about these great writers. Follow their blogs and find them on social media. Where applicable, buy their books! Treat them as well as they treat all of us in the form of their poems and comments throughout the event.
- Share your ideas for how to make this event better (whether you’re a writer or a reader). Start a discussion below about any aspect of the event that you think could be improved or simplified, or contact me via email or sidebar if you want to offer your thoughts privately. And when you do, be completely honest. Nothing in the world has ever gotten better by sitting around quietly waiting for it to become so.
I do hope that everyone is enjoying this year’s madness in the grandest sense. Personally, it has been fun to read and vote, and almost too exciting to watch the results! Please continue to cheer on our amazing authletes all the way to the end.
Thank you for being part of this wonderful and growing community.
-Ed
