Several weeks ago, two men's fantasies became a reality. A sudden realization of the Internet for what it truly was: a giant arena for poetical combat. We have spent our collective fortunes on Poetry Stadium in order to bring you:

The Iron Poet

The rules:

Two men, 34 syllables, one topic. Topics are assigned on Monday, courtesy of www.m-w.com. On the Thursday of the following week, poetical genius will be delivered to you.

Your metrical gladiators:

Michael Shogun — born Ryōri no Tetsujin — a man scarred by his warrior past. Abandoning his implements of combat, he traded mastery of the battlefield for knowledge of a new, more powerful, more deadly art. Three mystic numbers: 5 . . . 7 . . . 5.

ajd: an English sailor, pilot of the Erasmus, a Dutch trader-warship, and known to some as the anjin-san. Marooned in Nippon, he quickly abandoned his old ways and became a master of the ancient art of . . . haiku.

Your task:

Select the Iron Poet! Vote by commenting on the appropriate website.

This week's word:

lucullan

NOTE: We're delayed a week thanks to ajd and I battling hordes of ikko-ikki, militant Buddhist monks who have just thrown things into a huge tizzy. Battle commences tomorrow.

Posted by Michael Genrich at January 29, 2008 03:23 PM