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Dear Poeglers,

It’s been a historic week in America.  The Friday Poegle Contest is proud to have participated in this moment by inviting poegles on the theme ‘The Election.’  We received a number of excellent submissions from around the country.  This week’s winner is a submission entitled Leaving Alaska, by Jamie B. in Brooklyn New York.  Jamie will receive our prized plastic segmented jump rope. 

There were a number of other notable submissions, including Black & Blue by Ryan V. in Brooklyn, and Yes I Can by Monsieur Kerwin in New Jersey. 

We had a handful of submissions on topics other than the election, including three excellent, sparse poegles from John in Virginia: Cryogenic Stars, Digital Skin and Soul Seeds.  Emily in Charleston warned us that Something Smells. 

This week’s poegle contest is on the theme “A New Beginning”.  Poeglers are invited to submit poegles on this subject by entering search phrases like “the instant the sun rose” or “on my first day on the job”.  We look forward to your submissions on this theme, or on any theme which occurs to you.  Keep poegling!

And here’s our winner:

Leaving Alaska

After almost twenty years of living in my Alaska, the time has come to move on. If anybody from the Buckaroo there in Spenard reads this, I have relocated.

I returned to Point Adolphus, where, a week earlier, I had fallen in love with a whale. Whales have been known to stop a song when leaving Alaska for the warmer waters of the south, and then pick up on exactly the same note. I just remember looking out from the ferry. The Wickersham sailed on.

The trek continued with a stop in a seaside town whose name is lost to memory. Amber, running a fishing boat under her dad’s company, decided she too had had enough of Alaska and was planning a revolt to leave. Cultures clash as a fishing season ends.

I kept moving: jet-ski, skim boards, snowboards, more ATVs. The sun warmed my forgotten heart. Despite the wanker border guard, it was a wonderful experience. For you who are staying, good luck and you can have my share of the Alaskan Dream.
-Jamie B. in Brooklyn (search phrase “Leaving Alaska”)

 Have a great week!

-The Editors

Make sure you get a chance to read John Ashbery’s election day poem in the New York Times, Informercial 2.

There were five other poems in the paper on the Op-Ed page.  Perhaps the New York Times was inspired by the Friday Poegle Contest?

The Friday Poegles Contest is still accepting submissions on the the theme “The Election”.  Here is an example of a fine election-themed poegle from last week’s winner.  I also commend you to Leaving Alaska, something Sarah Palin apparently will not be doing for the moment. 

Evidence of Things Hidden

When (you) go into the privacy of the voting booth, it’s you, God and the candidates. (And the) voting booth or some other form of privacy cover to obscure the voting screen from the view of others. The pipefitter (who) won’t be voting for Barack Obama. (A) vocal, black Obama supporter. Elderly or otherwise vulnerable voters. Public observers to assure that no one accompanies them to influence them. Spirited BOOMers who want to explore their passions. That extra X chromosome on the Republican ticket.

Our conscience.
The Privacy of the Voting Booth? Face that conundrum.

To some observers, the race is already over. Like everyone else (I am) waiting. (I am a) Black News Junkie.

Liz in PA (search phrase “privacy of the voting booth”)

Leaving Alaska

After almost twenty years of living in my Alaska, the time has come to move on. If anybody from the Buckaroo there in Spenard reads this, I have relocated.

I returned to Point Adolphus, where, a week earlier, I had fallen in love with a whale. Whales have been known to stop a song when leaving Alaska for the warmer waters of the south, and then pick up on exactly the same note. I just remember looking out from the ferry. The Wickersham sailed on.

The trek continued with a stop in a seaside town whose name is lost to memory. Amber, running a fishing boat under her dad’s company, decided she too had had enough of Alaska and was planning a revolt to leave. Cultures clash as a fishing season ends.

I kept moving: jet-ski, skim boards, snowboards, more ATVs. The sun warmed my forgotten heart. Despite the wanker border guard, it was a wonderful experience. For you who are staying, good luck and you can have my share of the Alaskan Dream.

By James B. in New York (search phrase “leaving Alaska”)