Comment from dragonpoet

Excellent

Hi
This is a well done free verse that uses line breaks well to enhance the emotion in the poem. It is always good to feel you are good at something but you can take it too far. Like wanting to beat a student at slap jack. Then you are making that student feel the way you did as a child.
Keep writing and stay healthy.
Good luck in the contest.
Have a great weekend.
Joan

 Comment Written 17-May-2024

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reply by the author on 17-May-2024

Thanks very much! With my students, I never "let" them win to make them feel better, but always played my best with them. If they beat me, and many did, I congratulated them. I think they felt better knowing they won on their own merits rather than thinking I let them win because they weren't a good enough player to do it on their own.

reply by dragonpoet on 17-May-2024

You are most kindly welcome, gansach.
You chose the correct way to do it with your students. It's a way of raising self-esteem.
Joan

reply by the author on 17-May-2024

Thank you! When I taught pre-school, I used to give my kids drawing challenges as part of a theme curriculum. I showed everyone's work to the class & pointed out good things & made suggestions for improvement. But only the top 3 got prizes. One of the teachers wanted to know why everyone didn't get a prize. I told her that no one would improve if they knew they'd get a prize no matter how they did. This way, they got some positive feedback &, when they saw how the winners had done theirs, they had something to strive for. Plus it wasn't always the best drawing that won--if someone made a special effort or was very creative, even if the drawing wasn't the best looking, it could be first. It was amazing to compare a first drawing in the fall with the last drawing in June to see the difference in skills & color usage. My goal was to give them something to strive for and also to give them a headstart in school so they'd have a better chance to keep up with work and feel good instead of be overwhelmed, fall behind, & get discouraged.

reply by dragonpoet on 18-May-2024

I think that was a good way to do it.
It also gets them ready for the competition in the adult world

Comment from Debbie D'Arcy

Excellent

I think this verse best fits the prompt of the contest by relating in clear and readable free verse the process by which you now honour and parade your competitiveness! Well presented too! Excellent! Good luck! Debbie

 Comment Written 16-May-2024

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reply by the author on 17-May-2024

Thanks so much!

Comment from Dolly'sPoems

Excellent

It is good to be competitive and to strive forward to win, as long as we are not also bad losers! Ha ha ha, a fun post for the contest, I wish you luck, but don't cry if you lose, love Dolly x x x

 Comment Written 14-May-2024

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reply by the author on 14-May-2024

Thanks so much. I try to be a graceful loser--LOL!

Comment from nancyjam

Excellent

Well I guess you are a winner for trying everything . Where there is competition you are there. I'm sure thee are a lot of people who feel this way. but there are probably just as many that don't.
Any wy your poem is an interesting one. I enjoyed reading it, Nancy

 Comment Written 12-May-2024

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reply by the author on 13-May-2024

Thank you so much!

Comment from Brandi Radaker

Excellent

I think this was a great poem about competition and definitely relatable. It does truly make you think what previous trauma drives the winning spirit. Also maybe a chance for personal growth. Great work!

 Comment Written 12-May-2024

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reply by the author on 13-May-2024

Thank you so much!

Comment from Julie Helms

Excellent

This is an honest reflection and evaluation for your need to win. I don't think most people have thought this through this well. So I wish you the luck of winning this contest, but regardless you wrote an interesting entry that I enjoyed, so already a winner!
Julie

 Comment Written 12-May-2024

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reply by the author on 13-May-2024

Thanks so much!

Comment from Nicki Nance

Excellent

I have no aversion to self-exploration. Your poem is an excellent example. I think a lot of people have imposter syndrome because they don't know how they know what they know. Answers are so freely accessible, there isn't much to learm.

 Comment Written 12-May-2024

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reply by the author on 13-May-2024

Thanks so much!

Comment from RodG

Excellent

I like how you mock yourself in this poem while also seriously asking WHY you need to be first in anything competitive. I bet there are lots of others out there who can relate to you.
Rod

 Comment Written 12-May-2024

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reply by the author on 12-May-2024

Thanks so much!