You Be the Judge: In-class Senryu

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n Wednesday, we had an in-class Senryu-kai. We had two topics that they had prepared. I put all the poems down on paper anonymously and had them vote for the ten best. They could no vote for their own. After tallying up ten senryu with the most votes, we read each one outloud and asked students to comment if they wanted. After this, I asked them to vote for their favorite senryu, and I have come up with the best eight. I don't necessarily agree with all their choices, but it doesn't matter, because I will determine the best poems in my own way anyway.

But it never hurts to get extra input. Below are the best poems for the two different topics. Tell me in a comment which one you think is best for each topic. You are, of course, welcome to comment as you please. Aren't you glad you don't take my class? Remember, being funny or humorous is fine, but that shouldn't be the only criteria. Senryu should reflect a moment or specfic aspect in our life or society that reflects our foibles--our humanity actually--but in a humorous way. Don't forget to count the syllables!

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Chair	2	0	3	0	1	0	4	1
Robot	2	4	0	1	2	1	0	1

(up to msbLisS)

Chair

1. 15 minute wait
   Finally able to sit
   Crap! There's no TP!
2. Only one chair left
   Suddenly the music stops
   The fight just started.
3. A day has gone by
   I get up from the sofa,
   I can't feel my ass.
4. It's my lot in life;
   Must I always encounter
   Only the asses?
5. Chair don't fail me now
   Please don't break under my weight
   As I eat my cake
6. Bathroom heater there,
   so close to my reading chair--
   I might burn my butt.
7. Late again to class
   standing alone by the door
   left without a chair
8. The large man sits down
   I fell guilty for laughing
   as he breaks the chair.

Robot

1. A robot loved me,
   Found out he cheated on me--
   Now he's a toaster
2. 0 1 0 11--
   A robot's dreams seem simple
   to the human mind
3. Write about robots
   Says the guy across the room
   If I could reach him...
4. Spam robots impart:
   "With the cash prize you just won,
   get that enlargement!"
5. If she had a switch
   We could turn her volume off
   If she were a 'bot
6. Looking so lifeless
   It does anything for you
   Making us lazy
7. i simply can't wait
   for robots to rule the world
   No more work for me!
8. Robots do more
   learning new things everyday
   we forget basics.

Reminder: February Senryu

In case you haven't left a submission yet, click here for your senryu on the topic "forget"