Word List with a Twist!

Question

Write a poem using only the following words. You may use any form of the word (including adding any suffix to the word, e.g. -s, -ing, -ed, -er).  Try your best not to use any other words in your poem.

Scoring (how I’m choosing the best response):

• 10 points for every word used that is on the list.
• -5 points for every word used that is not on the list. Extra words less than two letters do not count against your score, so if you use ‘a’ or ‘to’ or ‘is’, I will not subtract any points from your score.
  • 'the' will also not count against your score, however, use of other three letter words not on the list will result in a loss of points.
• Bonus 30 points if you can use all of the words (there are 32) while keeping your poem within the word limit (see below).

***** edit: I have recieved a suggestion via personal message from Kismet that I should add some points that are dedicated toward the merits of the poems by themselves, without factoring in the word list. I think this is a great idea, and so now there will be an additional factor in scoring. It follows this note. *****

• A poem will recieve up to 150 points based on how good the poem is by itself. Remember that these points are only my opinion of the poem, so please don't take offense if your piece receives a lower score than you expected! ;)

Word List:

*note: I have chosen these words at absolute random while listening to various poems on YouTube. I do not know if it is possible to make a poem from all of them, but I’m sure you all will give it your all and do fantastically. =)

north	cold	october	drive
watch	rotisserie	new	antique
relax	card	junk	pewter
time	crack	hotel	lobster
scope	squirrel	highlight	stomp
argue	laugh	tower	radio
life	going	wind	crabapple
green	family	sky	pirates

Word Limit: Minimum = 10 words. Maximum = 40 words

Judgment Day: I will judge in three weeks, on September 23. If no one or only one person has responded by that day, I will lengthen the deadline.

Questions, Concerns or Thoughts?: Comment or send me a personal message - http://thinkwrites.com/message/workingoutaname.

Comments

Hey WON! Not spoken to you for ages now!
This is a lovely challenge. I really want to enter it! I'm going to start making notes for it. Then I'll type it up on Word and Copy & Paste it on ThinkWrite.
So... is it to try your very best not to include any other words, over 2 letters, just try and use the words in the list?
Thanks!

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Oh and I also loved the way you are judging this time!
It's unique!!

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Oh and I have a question. If I start using the word 'north', do I have to use all the words in that column? Or can I just use the words in anyway I like?

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Good questions, Lolly! I will try my best to answer them in order.
1. Yes, try your best not to include any other words, over 2 letters. If you use other words, you will lose points. You gain points by using the words in the list.
2. You may use the words any way and order you like.
=) It was nice hearing from you! ThinkWrite has been scarce lately (by which I mean it seems that no one has been here!).

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Haha yeah! I can see that! Except, Kismet has been on a day ago!!!!

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Congrats Kismet!

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Yeah, congrats Kismet! x

Answer 1

Cold north winds,
Towering antique pewter skies.
Family time... relax, argue, laugh,
Cards, radios, driving, going to hotels.
New green crabapples,
Rotisserie lobster? CRACK!
In October squirrels watch pirates stomp on junk.
All highlights in the scope of life.

Comments

Excellent!! It makes sense, it uses all the words, the only deduction I can see is 'all'. Awesome job here, Kismet! I really was doubting that it was possible - haha. I love how the poem really works, and that it makes sense as a story.

10 points for each of the 32 words
-5 points for 'all' (final line of the poem)
Bonus 30 for using all words within the word limit
90 points for the poem without considering word list
GRAND TOTAL: 435 points.

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Hey, thanks! :-D  You're way more generous than I would have been. ;-) I sure had fun playing with these words but I know someone can come up with something better. Can't wait to see some more responses. :-)

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I think it's great! It's... different, but I love that it really captures "the scope of life". I especially like the line about "family time", haha, it exactly describes being with family: "relax, argue, laugh"! And the line about "towering antique pewter skies" is very nice too. I wouldn't have thought to describe the sky like that, even with this list of words!
Anyway, good job! I look forward to seeing what others can do too.

Answer 2

Stomping lobsters, cold October.
Pirates laugh, relax…

Wind; highlighted sky.
Crack!
Watch: North tower greens.

Drive. Antiques: pewter.
New junk.

Family argues, radio going.
Hotel? Cards!

Squirrel: crabapple rotisserie.

Time, life, scope.

Comments

Nice job! I like this a lot. The line "Hotel? Cards!" is my favorite! I really can't explain why, but I thought it was kind of funny. I also like the third stanza, about the antiques: "new junk". I thought that was an excellent description of antiques. haha. =P
The only reason this isn't getting higher points in the "without considering word list" category is because I don't feel it really makes sense on it's own. It is kind of disjointed, if you know what I'm saying. The first stanza doesn't relate to any other stanza, for example. And the second stanza, I don't follow what it is saying.

10 points for each of the 32 words
Bonus 30 for using all words within the word limit
70 points for the poem without considering word list
GRAND TOTAL: 420 points.

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Nice! I like it! :-) I had a devil of a time fitting in "stomp" and "junk"; I like your use of both words much better. I couldn't place "North tower greens"...it sounds familiar, is it a reference to something or am I just imagining that?

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won - I understand why you don't feel like it makes sense. This is the second time I've tried a poem that's intentionally disjointed. I assure you that it actually does all relate together and ties together - but I totally understand if you don't see it. Maybe the connection is only in my head, and that's okay with me.

Kismet - thanks. I don't think "North tower greens" is a reference to anything, as far as I know. Thanks for your compliments!

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It is a very good poem. I did like it quite a bit. As I read it, I did find myself wondering if there was something I was missing; I guess there was after all.

Answer 3

Highlight hotel cold north Washington.

 October families gather. 

 laughing, drive, sing with radio.

 smell the Rotisserie chicken and caramelized crabapple tarts.

 Highlight is not new, but antique.

 New scope on life.

families relaxing time, play cards, enjoy watching crackling fireplace .

 wind whirling,  contrasting green trees against the pewter sky.

Highlight hotel cold north Washington

Comments

Thanks for entering, lifesmiles! I haven't done points for this as the contest deadline has passed us, but if you'd like me to count up your points I would be happy too. =)
I enjoyed this piece quite a bit. It really set up a scene, and I like that. Nice job!

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Workingpoutaname,

    Thanks for the response even though the deadline has passed. I would love to know the score I would have gotten if you want to and have time.

Thanks,
  Jena

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Sure Jena, I'll do that as soon as I get a second.

Also, most people around here call me WoN. It's less typing than my actual screen name, haha. ;)

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Alright I've calculated your points. Please note before that I realize specifics about repeating words wasn't in the challenge. This was the first time I had to decide what to do and so I gave you half points for the words you used from the list that were repeated. Another thing I didn't specify was going over the word count. I have decided to deduct 1 point for each word over the limit of 40.
Here are your points:

240 points for using 24 of the 32 words
35 points for using 7 of the 32 words twice
-95 points for having 19 words not on the list
-15 points for being 15 words over the limit of 40 (55 words)
100 points for the poem without considering word list
GRAND TOTAL: 265 points.

This may be low compared to the other scores, but it's only because you didn't use all the words and went over the limit. Other than that, you made up a really good poem here. I liked it a lot! Well done Jena! =D