First, I will post the overall rules, and then I will post the specifics about this week.
Original rules, as stated by Ubertuna:
It must fit the week's theme. It must be submitted by the deadline. It cannot have inappropriate language in it. It cannot be stolen (if you plagiarize, we will find you).
Also:
The poem must be created for this contest A user cannot win two weeks in a row (though everyone is welcome to submit every week!) Only one submission per user will be accepted
As we all know, the winner will recieve a merit, and their poem will be featured on the _Poetry_ page.
OK, on to this week's topic...Again, we are having a style instead of a theme. Also, this week we are having TWO WEEKS to do it, instead of the usual one. Why? Because this will be an EPIC poem. Or, rather, a parody of an epic poem. Generally, epic poetry is very long, and tells the serious story of a heroic figure. Well, this week, the epic figure is YOU! Write a long poem (I'll leave the definition of 'long' up to you, but give it a good go) about the heroic story of you! It can be silly, serious, whatever... just have fun with it. You have two weeks, so have a great time!
I stare across the valley, seeing the beauty of our world, Where stories shall be unfurled. It is the most simplest beauty And yet it gets me all moody. I rise to my feet, Seeing where the sky and air meet, I look around me, At the beautiful sea, And the warm golden sand, When I see a hand. I peek around the green plants And the working ants, I take one step As I wept. I know what I will see For it shall be thee Humans play on that golden sand Ruining all what was beautiful land. And so i cried, For all the beauty that died, Watching my tears fall off And watching those humans scoff.
The cool wind whispers Chilled songs in my ears And the ocean's dark waves Flood their way to the piers.
Along the winding coast lie Pearly flecks in the sea. Floating atop The waves breaking free.
Rising and falling With the silver moon's strain, Kissing the shore; The tides' only restraint.
The sky dims to purple, Chasing gold from the air, And the sun dips below The skyline laid bare.
I view this treasure alone, Pondering the meaning of it, Then I realize that the meaning Doesn't matter one bit.
Quite a nice poem. It breaks away somewhat from your normal style, and it's a nice change. At times it doesn't flow perfectly, however, it isn't an overly large concern. Normally I would comment on diction, however, this is one time that simplicity speaks best.
2nd Place: EnterOrion
Border of Tears
In my heart exists a place, It's a place I seldom grace, It's will is magnetic, Its existence diametric.
There lies a sea of blood, There lies an ocean of tears, The spout from my eyes, a flood, The spout from my life, my fears.
A million miles and twenty days, I shall not ever arrive, I walk upon the burning rays, To get there I must strive.
I weep upon the sullen stones, Amongst my fellow's bones, Intrinsic is the will to live, Beneath the clouds I writhe.
I have come to this place, On a vacation; To win my own race, To survive my nation.
A world of bones of obsidian, Crossing the ghastly meridian, Four hundred miles and an inch, Spinning my soul's winch.
The veins that run of molten gold, Have turned into rotten mold, My mind has wandered somewhere cold, To be destroyed ten thousand fold.
On my land I watch the sea, And finally I feel free; I gaze into what is my soul, And I see what was a hole.
The repetition of sounds (can't remember the technical term) within the beginning of each new line gives the feeling of waves upon a shore. With that image in my mind this poem was at once beautiful and tragic. I also was impressed by your rhyme scheme which was perfectly done.
1st Place: Maverick4
My Tears Flow From Kokytos Also entitled, The Old Man of Crete
Intro:
My tears flow from Kokytos; Haides' river of lamentations. My sorrows bequeth from Man's nature. Eternal, I stand my vigil at the banks.
And through the march of and flow of time, The cries of those who are cast here Leap out and molest my ears, Only adding to my sorrow that brings these tears.
Verse I: Caina
"Abel! It is I crouching at your door! For am I not your Brother's keeper? Alas, cursed to lie beneath the ground, Enshrouded in my frost-white tomb."
"Your fury seven times have I come to know! And yet, is it not true that I have done you no harm? For cursed is the ground from which Cain worked, Cold, hard, unforgiving; only misery sprouts here now."
Verse II: Antenora
"No respite shall you find at my people's house! Nay, only a Panther Skin have they to offer the weary. Only too willing am I to open the door to my enemies, Despite the trouble they will pass on to my neighbor's house."
"For what is worth a moment's reprieve from this torment? Not even a face that could launch Ten-Thousand Ships? For even Ares would not save the d*mned whom the ice shackles, Although the Shroud of Peace is absent from this hell."
Verse III: Ptolomea
"What amount of gold or silver could my freedom buy? Better, how much does simple courage cost? For what I perceived to be cunning and ingenuity, Was only Eris, clad in a web of fine mist."
"How voluntarily I welcomed them into my home! And voluntarily I slaughtered them as they dined! Thus my betrayal is deemed a hundred-fold worse, And I curse the day I came forth from my mother's womb!"
Verse IV: Judecca
"Frozen in my eyes lie my countless tears. How I weep at my sin of my great betrayal! For only I hold acclaim to the death of the Lord, And have deserved this flaying from Satan's claws."
"For at the heart of Hell I dwell forever, With Brutus and Cassius as my eternal friends. And how Satan here will grind my bones, His ears deaf to my cries, my pleas."
Coda:
And alone, I sit on my pedestal. As eternity watches over them. And Kokytos flows 9 times around, Encircling this realm of Haides.
But who am I to ramble on? As I dwell here on its icy shores. And forever you shall find me here, For my tears come from Kokytos.
I'm going to be honest, I had to google your poem just to be sure you didn't copy this. That crisis of faith aside this is, mildly speaking, incredible. The ebb and flow of the poem is a perfect reflection of the waves upon a shoreline. One that is jagged with cliffs and stone bluffs. The diction and structure is superb, and the steady rhythm makes this an enchanting read. I have nothing to say against this poem. It is definately more than merit worthy; I suggest publishing this.
The next theme is: Childhood Dreams
Deadline will be: May 19, 2011
Note: Please, for the sake of my sanity, do not use the theme as your title.
Sanity? You have sanity still? Pshhhhhh I threw that useless thing out the window a few years back. LOOK AT ME NOW!
Childhood Dreams.... this will be a fun one. *grabs paper and pen and starts scribbling* I will post soon! As in... tomorrow... or the day after... Probably the day before submissions are closed.
I like how my name is the only one abbreviated. Lolz. XD
This theme is excellente. I might attempt to put time into this one, rather than just last ditch effort. GOGOGOGOGO UBERTACKY MODE! I need to lay off the sugar.
