This is the bare rudiments of an idea...
You there! Yes, you! Why not create your own poetry party and stand for election? For example, Free Verse Party, Traditional Metrics Party, Monster Raving Experimental Language Party -- the choice is entirely yours. Then you'll have all the fun of inventing policies, canvassing, creating your own hustings, doorstepping other poets on their profile pages and persuading them to vote for you. Election day will be the 6th May. Voting will take place on the discussions page, one topic box per candidate. An independent adjudicator will count the votes.

Sounds like a great idea. Don't think I've got the energy to stand myself (if you see what I mean - whoops! just fallen over!) But I'd support the Monster Raving Poet Party any day of the week. But those Haiku people! You have to watch out for them. Sometimes they're 5 points ahead, then it's 7 then it's back down to 5 again! ;-)

I'm liking this idea a lot. I'd liken the Haiku party to the lib dems - we could rename it the 'not a cat in hell's chance party'...
I quite like the idea of belonging to a monster raving rant party cos I'm a bit of an Ian Paisley on the quiet.

Would we be able to dig up dirt on each other and lob it in a surreptitious way? Shall those of us who are single find ourselves a spouse (however grotesque) who is able to smile vacantly and tolerate all our little indiscretions? We could write our manifestos in Iambic Pentameter and campaign to ban all Haiku and limerick writers from the face of WOL...

I'm expecting an onslaught from the Haiku camp any moment now!

My blood is boiling
How dare you slate the haiku
I'm tempted to stand!

Win

You troublemaker
You Monster Raving Ranter
Surreptitiously

; )

The quality of Haiku is defined
by structure strangled into scrawny line
too oft its reason lost along the way
like glass eyed scurvy politician's mind

Ooh la la iambic pentameter
Impressively done beyond all measure

Tee hee - I'm taking a leaf out of the 'Guide on How to be a Successful Politician' book.
Step 1 is to rubbish all opponents
Step 2 is to avoid all dodgy coalition.
Now do I get your vote Francine?

Absolutely!
And I can schmooze with the best of them too ; )