Welcome to the first annual Carnaval de Poésie brought to you by Rania M M Watts the Founder of Poetry Olympics. This competition incorporates a three tier component, each of the twelve days of Carnaval de Poésie will include an: image, prompt and poetic style; all three must be met in order to be eligible for a prize. All first, second, third, and honourable mention will not only win a spoken word or song prize but; also a printed copy of Daniela by Author Georgia Melaris. This will be an Instagram event on the Carnaval de Poésie page starting August 2 here!
Before we get started with all the minutia of Carnaval de Poésie; a word from our sponsor Melaris In Print Co-founder Georgia Melaris:
I would like to congratulate everyone who is taking part in this first year of Carnaval de Poésie. I am sure we will have many more to come.
As an author, I know how challenging writing can be and I admire those who put pen to paper and create magic that takes the reader to a place they never forget. To be able to hold one’s attention to the last page is an art.
Rania M M Watts has taken the gift of literature, and poetry and has created for us all the Carnaval de Poésie offering a platform on which we are to perform in our own unique way.
I am delighted to be sponsoring the Carnaval de Poésie this year, and hopefully many years to come. It is with immense pleasure I offer each winner a signed printed copy of my novel ‘Daniela’, based on true life events.
Good luck to all who take part.
Georgia Melaris
All the information you require to participate is below….
Week I
August 2-4, 2021
Please write a poem based on Val’s drawing above that includes the prompt: “Who knows where my head will take me?” In the poetic style of an Epitaph.
August 4-6, 2021
Please write a poem based on Val’s drawing above that includes the prompt: “I promise, I am not the creepy candy-man, please pick your pleasure.” In the poetic style of Imayo.
August 6-9, 2021
Please write a poem based on Val’s drawing above that includes the prompt: “My ink supplies are slowly dwindling; I need more squid ink to be able to properly write.” In the poetic style of the Sestina.
Week I Judge: Author & Motivational Speaker Artemis Skye McNeil
Artemis Skye McNeil is an author, motivational speaker, and poet. Her platform is bridging the gap between inspirational words and daily affirmations for personal growth and development without anxiety. Ari’s love of words started at a young age. Growing up in a bilingual home, she enjoyed conversations with her father on the breakdown and etymology of words in both English and Greek. Her love of writing stemmed from the third grade through her schooling years and has been writing professionally since 2013. She enjoys public speaking and book signings. She loves meeting and having great conversations and connections with her audience. She is currently residing in Atlanta with her husband, & birds: Seinfeld McNugget a.k.a. The Nug, Snowball, and Chickpea. She is currently working on her third, fourth, and fifth books. Artemis Skye McNeil is a lifetime member of the Atlanta Writer’s Club; a member of the Georgia Writers Association.
Original Artwork for Week I by CCIQ Press, Resident Artist Valisa Bernardino
Valisa is a Southern California native. Currently a project manager by profession, she dedicates the remainder of her time developing her artistic career. Valisa’s art is of a lowbrow style, featuring subjects that are predominantly feminine. Her artistic themes range from macabre, mystical, and sexually metaphorical. She finds her inspiration in a variety of both people (mainly other artists and writers) and locations. However, most of her pieces are self-reflective and are heavily influenced by her mood or state of mind. Currently, Valisa shares her art via social media and has been featured on various curated artist pages. Her illustrations can be seen on the covers of Rania M M Watts’ books Accordions and Moustaches, Summer to Summer Rewind, and Cement Covered Ink Quills and Rarities, as well as, the Horror Anthology, Twisted, published by Manic Raven Press. Her poetry has been featured in multiple issues of Cult Magazine.
Week II
August 9-11, 2021
Please write a poem based on Nicci’s painting above that includes the prompt: “Where would a yoyo be without its string?” In the poetic style of a Cascade Poem.
August 11-13, 2021
Please write a poem based on Murder Room’s Skeletal Cameo above that includes the prompt: “Do you think this is a good gift for Jack Skellington?” In the poetic style of a Terzanelle Poem.
August 13-16 , 2021
Please write a poem based on the above photograph of iLO; taken by Trudi Knight that includes the prompt: “Last standing ovation of the night.“ In the poetic style of a Sonnet.
Week II Judge: Poet Grace Ann Shaw
Grace Ann Shaw is a 20-something year old Jamaican writer. Her relationship with writing began in high school and she has been committed to it ever since. She is the author of Heavy Crowns, a collection of poetry. Her work has also been featured in Vagabond City Lit, Pree Lit Magazine and the Crown Anthology.
Artist Bios for Week II
Nicci Sevier-Vuyk
Nicci Sevier-Vuyk is an American contemporary minimalist painter and sculptor. Sevier-Vuyk creates work that questions the stereotypes of beauty and perfection. Her work has a playful quality that is born out of years of working with children as a pediatric nurse practitioner. She has studied at The Glassell School of Art in Houston, Texas. Sevier-Vuyk has had two solo exhibitions at Galeria Regina and has been in many juried exhibitions. Her work was featured on the Jealous Curator blog and she has twice been invited to participate in the Small Art Show at Simon Breitbard Fine Arts Gallery in San Francisco, California (2018, 2019 & 2020). In 2019 she was juried into the Artist INC-Houston professional development program. Born in northern California, Sevier-Vuyk creates her work and has made her home in Southborough, Massachusetts.
The Murder Room
Always having been interested in the morbid and macabre, horror and gore, the murder room finds a way to intertwine the everyday with death. From earrings and keychains to lamps and wall décor, there’s something for everyone.
“I find a calm, a comfort in what most people find uneasy, it’s a creative outlet that I found helps me destress. Being able to give a little piece of me to those who appreciate my outlook is both enjoyable and humbling.”
iLO
Originally from Bulgaria, but based in the UK for the past 15 years, iLO has had a life that makes her unlike many others. With a rich blend of influences to draw on, combined with her passion for music and the ability to speak 4 languages, she is truly a unique and original performer. Discovered by songwriter/producer Tony Moore (Ex- Cutting Crew/ Iron Maiden) 6 years ago, iLO has gone from performing her first ever solo gig of 1 song live to headlining festival stages and touring the UK and US, as well as reaching number 2 on the iTunes pop charts with ”Back to You” single released in May 2014.
Since beginning her musical career, iLO has already achieved an enormous amount. She’s won awards for video as well as live performance, she’s been a featured performer at SXSW (in Austin, Texas) and played shows in LA, New York, Nashville and across the US Eastern Seaboard as well as gigging through Europe and touring around the UK many times.
Along with her own headline shows, iLO has also supported Passenger, John Illsley (Dire Straits), Jamie Lawson, Newton Faulkner, Gabriella Cilmi, Hudson Taylor, The Dunwells, Jillian Jensen (US American Idol), Adam Ant, Paul Rodgers, Willy Mason, Daniel Bedingfield, jammed with Ed Sheeran and even performed at The House of Commons. In 2015 iLO was invited to play two very special shows at the American Embassy in London .“I was thrilled and honoured to do these amazing shows and be able to share my music with a little bit of the USA in London” said iLO afterwards.
She played critically acclaimed shows as part of the C2C (country2country) festival at the legendary O2 in London as well as 3 stages at The Isle Of Wight Festival, Cornbury Festival, BST Hyde Park and put out a single called LOVE’S OUT THE WINDOW, that she recorded in Nashville and was added to playlists in the States and the UK. In November of 2016 she spent time in Nashville writing with Jodi Marr (Paloma Faith and Mika), Johnny Reid, Michael Logen (Kelly Clarkson) and Brent Maher ( Tina Turner, Kenny Rogers), and was invited to headline a sold-out Artist Spotlight Sunday at the iconic Bluebird Cafe. Following these successful dates iLO was invited to join the SESAC family and is now represented by them as a songwriter in the US.
ILO started 2017 with a mini residency at The Downtown Grand in Las Vegas, where the hotel described her as the best act they’d had in the venue and immediately wanted to book her back for later in the year. The Talent Buyer for the shows, Judy Alberti said “iLO is a truly passionate performer with an original and genuinely evocative voice. Her mastery of the art of songwriting is world-class….” After several months of songwriting between London and Nashville she released her latest single, ”Safety Net” in October 2017.
ILO was recently invited to write the official single for Wembley to Soweto Charity, called ”Heroes in Disguise”, released in April 2018. She embarked on a second successful US summer tour featuring headline shows in NYC’s Cutting Room and Nashville’s sold-out Bluebird Cafe.
ILO’s Fragile Heart EP is on the international BRITISH AIRWAYS playlist since October 2018.
ILO is currently working on her debut album. Her new single, ”Double Meaning”, will be released in early 2020.
Others have likened her voice to Shania Twain, Karen Carpenter, and even Sheryl Crow, but iLO also has something very special all of her own. A unique tone, a natural sense of dynamics and the ability to sing a lyric, tell a story and make people know she means it.
Week III
August 16-18, 2021
Please write a poem based on Spiz’s image above above that includes the prompt: “I wonder if Brazilians would mind if I crashed their Carnival?” In the poetic style of the Magic 9.
August 18-20, 2021
Please write a poem based on Spiz’s image above above that includes the prompt: “Enter our tent to truly find out what it’s like to be an alien.” In the poetic style of Mondo.
August 20-23, 2021
Please write a poem based on Spiz’s image above above that includes the prompt: “Do you think I can fool humans with this masque? I so desperately want to go on the rides.” In the poetic style of the Palindrome.
Week III Judge: Screenwriter & Microbiologist Liz Lugo
Liz Lugo is a bilingual poet originally from Puerto Rico. She has two published books: El Pecado de Callar and Ahora Toca Desnudarse, Liz\’s forthcoming book will be published in both Spanish and English, which explores sexual abuse and the effects left on the rape victims. Furthermore, Liz is also a Microbiologist, Editor, Short Story Writer, and Founder of the Smaeralit collection. At present Liz is currently pursuing her Master\’s Degree thesis in Professional Screenwriting. Liz is multilingual and fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, and is learning ASL.
She has an extreme fascination for comics/graphic novels. She loves to write Horror, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Psychological Thriller, and Post-apocalyptic stories; as well as Drama, and promoting real and liberal stories that have an impact on today’s society. Liz recently wrote and directed her second horror short film. She also enjoys comedy, documentaries, westerns, foreign films.
Liz is committed to the following causes: sexual harassment/abuse, rape, animal cruelty, human rights, verbal abuse, mental health, among others. When she’s not writing or analyzing films or TV shows, she’s up to a new adventure or just hearing music, dancing, cooking, or exercising.
“Dream the impossible and you’ll get the unexpected.” LL ♥
Original Artwork for Week III by Film Maker & Magician Spyros Melaris
Spyros Melaris started making films at about the same time that the magic bug bit him. At six years old, Spyros was already making short films with a ’Standard 8’ cine camera that his dad bought him. He eventually bought an editing set and a projector. Soon he discovered the new ’Super 8’ cine film with sound! Ever since those days, Spyros has been consistently upgrading his movie making equipment with every new release.
Although Spyros wanted to be an actor from a very young age, he followed a career in motor vehicle engineering in his father’s footsteps. It was the advice of his career\’s officer who urged Spyros to get a trade behind him so he would have something to fall back on if the acting thing didn’t work out. This was great advice and he wishes he never followed it. In 1980, having qualified and set aside enough money from his part time sales job, Spyros opened his own motor repair garage and he found himself too busy working to follow his dream in the arts. By chance one of his customers was a magazine publisher who had offices opposite his garage. It wasn’t long before Spyros was making videos for them as well as major photo shoots for the magazines. Spyros purchased a property in North West London, At the time, in 1988 he had two businesses and he was able to run them both under one roof. He named the building ‘Waterfall House’ and within it resided Niagara Water Filtration Systems and the newly formed Waterfall Studios.
In 1985 Spyros met Ray Santilli and made The Alien Autopsy. The film was released to all major broadcasters to investigate it. The film maintained its integrity for 10 years until Spyros revealed that it wasn\’t a genuine film of an Alien but the greatest Hoax of all time. The film fooled Kodak, NASA, top pathologists and military personnel. It was seen by over 1.2 billion people.
In 2016 Spyros founded ‘Bags Of Love For Homeless’ a not for profit company which provides homeless people with everyday essentials such as clothes, gloves, blankets, sleeping bags, cleansing products, toothbrushes and food etc. Bags of Love was established as a first port of call for the homeless making life on the streets easier while homes are found for them. In 2018 Spyros joined forces with the charity ‘Homeless Worldwide’. A joint project, to create new homes for the homeless.
During the Lockdown of 2020, Spyros teamed up with his close friend Tony Moore to produce a series of 2 hour daily shows live on Facebook. The show is called ‘RIGHT HERE! With Tony Moore’ and the concept had never been done before and the pair have pushed the boundaries of what is possible with minimal access or crews etc. The show ran for 103 consecutive shows and now runs 4 days per week having established a popular format.
Week IV
August 23-25, 2021
Please write a poem based this photograph of Twisted Sarah Contortion taken by Solent News & Photo Agency that includes the prompt: “What is the smallest thing you would like to squeeze into?” In the poetic style of the Sicilian Octave.
August 25-27, 2021
Please write a poem based on Teja Krašek’s Fractal Art above that includes the prompt: “Cotton candy & candy apples never looked so fractal!” In the poetic style of Tricubes.
August 27-30, 2021
Please write a poem based on Tony’s photograph above that includes the prompt: “Ready for the live midnight show of Awake with a little Route 66 wine?” In the poetic style of a Ballade Poem.
Week IV Judge: Singer/Songwriter: Tony Moore
I am so excited to be part of Carnaval de Poésie. This is such an innovative and inspirational idea, and I am sure it will be a great success.
Tony Moore
Tony Moore is a British singer and songwriter who has had a truly eclectic career in the music business. He started his musical life as the (one and only) keyboard player in an original line up of Iron Maiden. He then went on to form a band called “Tanz Der Youth” with Brian James (ex Damned) and achieved critical acclaim as part of the “New Wave” of British Music at the end of the 70’s. In the mid 80’s his band Radio Java had a Christmas hit in Holland with a song he wrote and recorded at Abbey Road called “Fool”. In 1986 he joined the band Cutting Crew as keyboard player, who then went on to have worldwide success with the song “(I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight”.
Through the 90’s he was co-writer/producer and musical director with an artist from Argentina called Marie Claire D’Ubaldo who had enormous success throughout Europe with the song “The Rhythm Is Magic”. In the late 90’s he founded and curated the seminal London songwriters venue, the Kashmir Klub, where he played a role in the early careers of artists like Damien Rice, KT Tunstall, Imogen Heep and for the last 18 years has repeated the same concept and format at The Bedford where he’s been at the beginning of artistic journeys for acts like Paolo Nutini, Ed Sheeran, Newton Faulkner and many more.
In 2012 Tony Founded an independent label; production; management company called miniMAJOR Music. Currently Tony works with artist iLO.
In April 2013, Soho Radio launched and Tony was invited to present a regular weekly show which features live music, interviews and special guests. Tony Moore’s Musical Emporium on Saturday from 12:00 – 2:00 pm has entered its’ seventh year at Soho Radio.
At the end of 2014, after having not released any new material for a decade, Tony recorded a song called “Dear Me” which had become such a requested part of his live acoustic shows that he decided to put it out as a single on his own label.
Through the summer of 2015 he worked in Berlin acting in a brand new movie called Mr Rudolphos Jubilee, playing the part of ‘Colin’ an enigmatic, complex but humorous Hit Man !
He has been inducted into the Music Managers Forum “Roll Of Honour” for outstanding contribution to The British Music industry as well as receiving the much coveted “Gold Badge” award from BASCA for his services to songwriters and music. In Malta he was even honoured to join other celebrities with his own GOLD “STAR” in the walk of fame alongside his handprint. Tony was proud to have been a Music Ambassador for the European Games 2019 that were held in Belarus, and was so inspired by the passion around the event that he wrote a special song, We Are the Light, to recognise and celebrate how these games embrace the unity of sport and human endeavour around the world.
He was invited to sing “We Are The Light” at the games closing ceremony in Minsk on June 30th in front of Vladamir Putin (who was guest of honour at the sold out stadium) as well as to a TV audience for 117 countries totalling 100,000,000 plus viewers.
Currently he has just finished writing and recording a brand new album called AWAKE that, although un released so far, he is supporting with some highly acclaimed one man shows in London. Moreover, Tony will be releasing his rendition of the iconic classic Route 66 which will available to listen, download, and stream on all digital media from July 2nd, 2021 https://slinky.to/RouteSixtySix
Artist Bios for Week IV
Twisted Sarah Contortion
Sarah lives up to her name as a contortionist. She is an acro-balancer, hula hooper and side show artist. Sarah is an incredible performer with her daring and amazing acts. Her skills lie on stage performing, usually performing immense fire tricks and her confidence blows people away.
Sarah also has something new to bring to the circus coming soon!
Sarah has been seen at events in Essex and London and has performed with The Circus of Horror’s as the pickled lady, squeezing herself into a bottle on stage in Southampton. She most recently performed with Infinity Circus at Cursed Halloween event.
Photo Credit: Joe Hudson
Teja Krašek
Teja Krašek is a freelance artist who lives and works in Ljubljana, Slovenia. She holds a B.A. degree in painting from Arthouse – College for Visual Arts, Ljubljana.
Krasek’s theoretical, and practical, work is especially focused on symmetry as a linking concept between art and science, and on filling a plane with geometrical shapes, especially those constituting Penrose tilings (rhombs, kites, and darts).
The artist’s interest is focused on the shapes’ inner relations, on the relations between the shapes and between the shapes and a regular pentagon. These artworks illustrate certain properties: golden mean relations, self-similarity, fivefold symmetry, the Fibonacci sequence, inward infinity, perceptual ambiguity, and more. Krasek’s work concentrates on melding art, science, mathematics and technology. She employs contemporary computer technology as well as classical painting techniques.
Teja Krasek’s artworks and articles are exhibited and published internationally (Springer, MIT Press, Portland Press, Sterling, National Geographic …). Her nanoartworks are among the winners of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th International Online NanoArt Competition.
Two of Krasek’s nanoartworks are among works of 250 artists who will represent Earth’s cultural heritage at an eternal exhibition on the Moon (project MoonArk by Carnegie Mellon University).
Prizes
As mentioned above everyone who wins a spoken word or song prize will also receive a printed copy of Daniela by Georgia Melaris who is no stranger to the twists and turns that make up life’s rich tapestry. She was the landlady of a vibrant North London Pub and formerly the owner of a beauty business in Cyprus. As you can imagine, Georgia has heard stories which you couldn’t make up or believe!
She has taken these true life events and stories and created the main character for her first thrilling and seductive novel, ‘Daniela’.
The tale was lovingly conceived and evolved over eighteen years, a result of soaking up wonderful toe curling experiences and real life dramas and watching Daniela the novel, becoming a 5 star revue offering.
Each and every event throughout this seductive and thrilling novel has happened to someone, somewhere. Their names and locations have obviously been changed. Georgia was always busy raising her family and running her business. Now that her two sons are adults, she has dedicated her time to her passion of writing, completing her first book, this erotic novel which is now published and has made her dream come true.
Georgia is now settled in London with her sons and having sold the wonderful Cavalier Pub with her brother Spyros, she has successfully qualified as a medic and is now working with the London Ambulance Service on the frontline responding to 999 emergency calls.
She is currently working on her second book the sequel to ‘Daniela’ the novel.
Spoken Verse/Song Prizes
Medina Cekic
Cain
Emma Conner
Dana Dane
Kris Duncan
Nicole Hartley
iLO
Grant Jolly
Liz Lugo
Sonja Mabel McClure
Artemis Skye McNeil
Georgia Melaris
Tony Moore
Murder Room
Elizabeth Roberts
Cassandra Rojas
Gus Sanchez
Grace Ann Shaw
Luke Young
Rania M M Watts
Steve Zmijewski
How your poetry submissions will be judged….
New prompts will be posted on Instagram Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at noon for the month of August; writers have 48 hours to write and post their work before prompts are closed. Your piece must be posted in the comment box from that day to qualify for a prize.
Judging criteria:
Beauty, Power, Education, or Entertainment
Message & Interest
Technical Excellence
Overall Impact
Originality
Polish & Expertise
Each component is worth 10 points for a total of 60 for a perfect score.
If anyone has any questions you can email Rania at cciqpress@gmail.com. Happy Writing!
p.s. Thank you so much Sonja Mabel McClure for your help earlier organising content.
CCIQ Press 