Narr: Welcome back to Writing Stadium. The poetry battle is almost finished.

Annc: Three... minutes...

Kichi: Mori-san?

Mori: Go!

Kichi: They tell me the challenger has just asked for some conjunctions!

Yuki: Oh how interesting.

Goro: I think... they use those a lot in his home town.

Mori: That's right. And what's the iron hack up to?

Kichi: I asked him and he said, "Go away, you'll see when I'm done."

All: [laughter]

Hasegawa: I can't wait to read it.

Annc: Two...minutes...

Mori: Look! The iron hack is—what is that?

Kichi: It could be a participle.

Goro: In this case, it's an adjective.

Kichi: Mori-san?

Mori: Yes!

Kichi: The challenger says he doesn't like punctuation and tries to avoid it.

Annc: One...minute...

Goro: Oh, I see. His first line is four...syllables.

Mori: I guess it isn't haiku then.

Yuki: I love haiku!

Hasegawa: It had better not be a rondeau, they're out of season.

Annc: Time... over...

Mori: And that's it! Both authors are printing off their manuscripts and now it's up to the judges!

Kaga: Minna-sama, kyou no tema wa [today's theme] zehi muzukashii mono de gozaimashita [was a tough one] demo kokono furi basu meijintachi ga umaku kakimashita! [but these guys are good] sore dewa happyoushimasu! [let's judge]

Narr: The challenger's going to read... "Dawn Rally," a rondelet blending the sophisticated nuances of French lyrical poetry with the vibrant imagery of Wall Street embellished with quasi-erotic innuendo.

Challenger: Well, I tried to do my best, using financial flavors in a classical setting.

Goro: Let's hear it, then.

Challenger:

Diversify
Past performance is no promise
Diversify
Yet still you caress my margins
Your limit-bound share now timing
my position and turning to
Diversify

Yuki: It's so delicate!

Challenger: Thank you.

Goro: You could say it's a 'mutual fun' poem.

All: [laughter]

Hasegawa: There's too much dualism in it for my liking.

Narr: The panel are writing down their scores. And now it's the iron hack's turn. He'll be reading... "The Cayce Fragments,"—a surrealist whodunnit parable blending hard-boiled realism with dada-ist insinuations.

Kichi: I'm sorry but that sounds terrible.

Goro: I can't believe it would be any good.

Mori: The iron hack says this is the first time he's ever done it.

Hasegawa: I hope it's not Chandleresque.

Iron Hack: I wasn't sure how this would come out. I hope you like it.

Her father's seance was a longish affair
Unlike her red dress
And in the darkness I awoke
Discovering hurting places and empty spaces
Filling my wallet: I was taken
By a strength surpassing my forsaken
Slip of not collecting in advance
The soft parade of glances
She had bargained to enclose her faith
Of loose ends and advances.

Goro: It has an... unusual structure.

Hasegawa: The surrealism isn't strong enough—I would have added running tongues or a blind clown.

Narr: It looks close. We'll find out if the iron hack has defended his title when we come back...

8:10:16 AM