TIE! Both poems got exactly the same votes and both had exactly the same rating, tied for second-highest rating in all of the duels (I guess the voters liked the poems this week!)
The "established" poem was the one on the right, "Tableau at Twilight" by Ogden Nash, that I have, in my library, in a collection called Poem Stew, published as a book for middle grades and available at Biblio (out of print) for as little as $3.97. The poem on the left was my own "Competition" from my collection Transitions. Tableau at Twilight I sit in the dusk. I am all alone. Enter a child and an ice-cream cone. A parent is easily beguiled By the sight of this coniferous child. The friendly embers warmer gleam, The cone begins to drip ice cream. Cones are composed of many a vitamin. My lap is not the place to bitamin. Although my raiment is not chinchilla, I flinch to see it become vanilla. Coniferous child, when vanilla melts I'd rather it melted somewhere else. Exit child with remains of cone, I sit in the dusk. I am all alone, Muttering spells like an angry Druid, Alone, in the dusk, with the cleaning fluid. Competition I like to see the eyes of my opponent I like them to know I’m there I like it when I watch the hope Of victory fade from their eyes I like to see the triumph played out And the agony of defeat I like to watch the satisfaction Of a victory well-won No vindictiveness, no taunting No “trash-talking”, no “head games” Play hard, play to win But remember, it’s only a game For the fun is in playing well And the fun is in the challenge The fun is in a worthy opponent And in learning a new stratagem Smile and laugh and do your best Come back and play again Life’s too short to hassle on it But I want to see you play.
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