RESPECTFUL INSOLENCE

"A statement of fact cannot be insolent." The miscellaneous ramblings of a surgeon/scientist on medicine, quackery, science, and pseudoscience (and anything else that interests him).

Medicine

The Charles Prize for Poetry

Post author By Orac
Post date July 26, 2010
2 Comments on The Charles Prize for Poetry

Here’s something for the more creative types out there at The Examining Room of Dr. Charles:

The first annual Charles Prize for Poetry will be awarded to the writer who submits for consideration the most outstanding poem within the context of health and medicine.

Open to everyone (patients, doctors, nurses, students, etc.).

Entries should be related to experiencing, practicing, or reflecting upon a medical, scientific, or health-related matter.

The winner will be selected by a panel of three judges, including me. These other judges may or may not be Nobel Laureates, you never know.

Is such an eponymous contest grandiose? Yes. Does the limited poetry I’ve written carry the gravitas needed to make me an authority on the subject? No.

But should your poem be selected as the winner, you shall receive an award of $500, along with a cherry tomato from my garden. Seriously.

So have some fun, find inspiration, and send your entry to: drcharles.examining *at* gmail.com

Contest closes August 31st.

I may be pretty good at turning an insolent phrase when I’m writing, but, trust me, you don’t want to read my attempts at poetry from many years ago. It gives Vogon poetry a run for its money.

Related

By Orac

Orac is the nom de blog of a humble surgeon/scientist who has an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his copious verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few probably will. That surgeon is otherwise known as David Gorski.

That this particular surgeon has chosen his nom de blog based on a rather cranky and arrogant computer shaped like a clear box of blinking lights that he originally encountered when he became a fan of a 35 year old British SF television show whose special effects were renowned for their BBC/Doctor Who-style low budget look, but whose stories nonetheless resulted in some of the best, most innovative science fiction ever televised, should tell you nearly all that you need to know about Orac. (That, and the length of the preceding sentence.)

DISCLAIMER:: The various written meanderings here are the opinions of Orac and Orac alone, written on his own time. They should never be construed as representing the opinions of any other person or entity, especially Orac's cancer center, department of surgery, medical school, or university. Also note that Orac is nonpartisan; he is more than willing to criticize the statements of anyone, regardless of of political leanings, if that anyone advocates pseudoscience or quackery. Finally, medical commentary is not to be construed in any way as medical advice.

To contact Orac: [email protected]

2 replies on “The Charles Prize for Poetry”

If it’s open to furriners, I’ll have a go – I’ve been a patient enough times, and I’ve written bits of poetry that people tell me aren’t bad.

Calling Cuttlefish! Calling Digital Cuttlefish!

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