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Nov-6-2008 16:39

Mysteries rock, and Noir is so awesome it became its own genre. Classic. Know what else is classic? That's right, Shakespeare! Classic AND classical - he just can't be beat. Well... unless he had written Noir sonnets!!


The Premise: Here's your chance to beat Shakespeare at his own game. Take one of The Bard's sonnets, strip off all but the last word of each line, then write a new sonnet - a Sleuth sonnet!


The Rules:

* Each entry MUST be completely different from the original sonnet EXCEPT for the final word on each line.
* Each new sonnet must have a Sleuth or a Noir theme.
* You must follow the guidelines for the English Sonnet poetry form (i.e. 14 lines, iambic pentameter, rhyming scheme)
* There are a few cases in which Shakespeare did not follow the standard rules for a sonnet. If the sonnet you have chosen is one of those "irregulars", you must duplicate it (do not 'fix' it!)
* Each entry must have, after the completed new sonnet, the number of the original sonnet and a URL to link to it.
* Entries must be submitted no later than 23:59 server time on December 15, 2008.

The Links:

Here are some links to help with this contest!

http://www.shakespeares-sonnets.com/icomm.htm
http://www.everypoet.com/Archive/poetry/William_Shakespeare/william_shakespeare_contents.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iambic_pentameter


Prizes: Yay, prizes!!!

1st place: $100,000 SleuthCash (subbed) or 6 month subscription (unsubbed)
2nd place: $50,000 SleuthCash (subbed) or 3 month subscription (unsubbed)
3rd place: $10,000 SleuthCash (subbed) or 1 month subscription (unsubbed)

Dec-11-2008 15:00

forsooth and verily

Dec-14-2008 11:28

OK, here goes nothin'...

Sonnet 91

I walk through shady streets, proud of my skill
At catching those who'd make their way by force,
Those who would turn the good in life to ill,
The murderers who summon Death's pale horse.
To foil their plots and wiles gives me great pleasure.
I thirst for justice, and I'll never rest
Till every villain knows I have his measure
And every would-be rival knows I'm best.
I laugh at danger, it's all sport to me.
I live the life I choose, but at what cost?
A lonely sleuth is all that I can be;
My fame and wealth can be my only boast.
No friends or lovers watch the path I take:
My watchers are the enemies I make.

http://www.shakespeares-sonnets.com/sonn02.htm#anchor091

PS Sorry about the horse. That was a bit tricky...

Dec-14-2008 15:03

no death's pale horse is good... very Shakespearean :) I like it.

Dec-14-2008 15:30

Looks fantastic!! Wish I could write like that!! ;-D

Dec-15-2008 18:30

You can if you try. What I'm about to post isn't so good, but I'm trying.

Dec-15-2008 18:31

http://www.everypoet.com/Archive/poetry/William_Shakespeare/william_shakespeare_sonnet_146.htm

Sonnet # 146

Poor soul, the victim of our sinful earth,
[ ] these treacherous acts, in such immense array;
Why dost we pine for justice, and suffer dearth,
Blood painting thy outward walls so costly gay?
Why so large the cost? I have to pay my lease, and
Searching for answers my fading daylights spend.
Greed and rage, we carry in us all, but to this excess,
We eat up thy charge? Thusly, this thy body's end.
Then soul, live thou upon thy client's loss,
But don't let that blemish my store, I tried my best;
Buy clues with bribes in selling hours of dross;
Within be fed, without be employed no more:
So shalt I feed on Death, that feeds on men,
And Death once dead, there's no more paying then.

Dec-15-2008 23:34

Still a short amount of time left - very short. I don't really expect to see anything else, as this isn't the type of thing you throw together at the last minute, but please feel free to surprise me! :-)

A winner will be announced either Tuesday or Wednesday.

Dec-16-2008 12:11

Well, congratulations are in order! Noto just because you guys won, but because you were brave enough to enter in the first place!

I had the contest judged by an independent party who has absolutely nothing to do with Sleuth Noir and who doesn't know anyone here. I gave him the three entries - sans names, although it wouldn't have mattered anyway - and he ripped his hair out for quite a while before giving me the results.

First place goes to Secret Squirrel
Second Place to Cordelia Falco
Third place to Clint Forthwright

and a big ROFL from me for the Sonnet of Lurv to Ben... :-D

Congratulations to everyone who wrote a sonnet, and to everyone who had a chance to read them. WOW.

Dec-16-2008 14:31

Hey cool. Thanks. I still liked my Sonnet to Ben better too :) particularly topical at the moment lol. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to finish the others I started fiddling with. The silly season really is silly.

Dec-17-2008 05:09

Congrats to SS on a very well-deserved win! And thanks to Ani for another mind-boggling competition :)