[Certain]

Seymour BUTTS: This was about the safest route anyone could go this week, given the topics. But you did it really, really well. I was skeptical of the back-and-forth movement between the unitalicized man-on-the-street perspective and the italicized grander perspective because those types of narrative changes often make verses in this genre feel stilted. Instead, yours worked so well that one could make the case the italics were unnecessary. You also gave us just enough detail about Johnny Cobb and his daughter. I didn't like the Melissa Clotterman's clone line because I don't quite understand why a clone was invoked. But you had strong rhyme mechanics, clear writing and a solid structure. That made up for the hyper-direct approach.

SlutMachine: The other obvious approach this week was to examine the disaster on a grander scale, rather than with the specifics of the single disaster displayed in mind. That's what you went for here, and I'm torn on the success of this verse. You started really slowly, then picked up a little. I didn't like the "Lucifer masturbates" line at all because it seemed like such a dull, trite metaphor. There were a few other similar moments, where I had to roll my eyes at a cliché or bland turn of phrase. Mostly, though, I didn't like the logic of this verse, which is important when you're trying to writing a persuasive verse. You never convinced me of anything because your explanation was thin. "Humanity deserved it" doesn't explain enough. And the writing didn't carry you through, as there were some forced rhymes and turns of phrase that didn't work, such as "I tend to go for the latter" after not providing two options. This wasn't a bad verse by any means, but it didn't reach the caliber required in a semifinal against an elite opponent.

Vote: Seymour BUTTS