Lifestyle & Entertainment

Slamming on the Internet: Poets Bash for Cash

INB - May 21st, 2001

Thousand of poets are bashing each other daily on the Internet in what many are calling one of the world's most entertaining online activities. Through a simple phone call, anyone can - within seconds - hear his or her poetry broadcast directly over the Internet, where others can vote on the poetic creations.

"It was incredible fun," stated recent basher, Jack McDonald (screen name: rocks in my head). "To be able to put myself into immediate competition with other poets just blew my mind. At first I was worried that nobody would vote for me, but I ended up doing pretty well."

Sponsored by The International Library of Poetry, the bash pits groups of 64 contestants against each other in a completely interactive event over the Internet. Anyone can join in simply by visiting the web site, choosing a background slide show or animation to accompany their poetry, and then just reciting their verse over the phone. Within seconds their musings are available for the whole world to see, hear and vote on.

The 64 contestants then progress through eliminations until a winner is determined. The winner receives $250.00 and a permanent place on the company's web site.

"We've had an incredible response to it," stated Eric Mueck, VP of Operations for the company. "In fact, we've had as many as 17 bashes going on at once. That's more than one thousand competitors presenting their poetry at the same time."

The International Library of Poetry instituted the bash as a way for amateur poets to gain instant recognition for their work over the Internet. The company is the largest publisher of amateur poetry in the world with more than 3.1 million poets featured on its web site.

Anyone who wants to listen in and vote or join the competition can simply go to the online bash at Poetry.com and follow the simple instructions. Within minutes they'll find their work being seen, heard and voted on. "And, who knows?" tempts Mueck. "You may be the next $250.00 winner."