Poll: Sponsor an Epic from August 2012

[ysabetwordsmith]

This is the first poll for generally sponsored poetry from the August 7, 2012 Poetry Fishbowl.  You have $235 to spend.  In an effort to reduce choice paralysis and make sure everyone gets something they like, I'm going to spread this across three categories: new epic poetry, new short-to-long poetry, and epics in microfunding.  First, you get to decide which of the three new epics you'd like to sponsor.  Later, the remaining funds will be split between short-to-long poetry and open epics, and you'll get to vote again.

Everyone is eligible to vote in this poll.  I'll keep it open at least until Sunday morning.  If there's a clear winner then, I'll close it; otherwise, I may leave it open a little longer.


There are three new epics available to be sponsored in full out of the general fund:

"A Bug on the Wing" -- 334 lines, $167
From the prompt about programs acquiring sentience, I got the free-verse poem "A Bug on the Wing." It's a sequel to "An Eyeful of Fire," and features Brenda and Darrel trying to figure out why the police station computer system has gone haywire.

A police officer walked into Brenda's office
and said, "We need you to come down to the station."
"Is this about someone I've put in jail?"
she asked without looking up from her computer.
"No, this is about you," he replied.

"Inanna's Underpass" -- 74 lines, $37
From this I got the free-verse poem "Inanna's Underpass," a retelling of the myth in a modern city. In some ways, Erishkegal has a better grip on modern life than Inanna does, and Inanna finds her assets more fragile than expected. It does not go well for Inanna.

Inanna is a city girl,
all high heels and gold lamé,
kissable lips outlined in scarlet lipstick.
Inanna does power lunches,
with her personal assistant Ninshubur
to schedule the masses of supplicants.

"Thorns of Light, Roses of Fire" -- 93 lines, $46.50
From the Sleeping Beauty prompt I wrote the science fiction fairytale "Thorns of Light, Roses of Fire." Sleeping Beauty meets a prince in an unexpected way, and makes a different selection regarding the direction of her story. This poem is written in free verse.

When Rosita's parents died,
they left her the sum of their fortune:
mansions and megacorps,
tropical islands and trillions of dollars.

Her foster parents eyed the treasure
and bided their time.

"A Bug on the Wing" is offered by itself, and would leave $68 for other poetry.  "Inanna's Underpass" and "Thorns of Light, Roses of Fire" are offered together, which would leave $151.50 for other poetry.  (Offering either of those alone would result in a leftover fund larger than the remaining poetry.)  For comparison, there is $105 worth of short-to-long poetry left, and "An Amazing Carriage of Amber and Jade" needs $55 to be fully funded.

[Poll #1859462]