ForumsArt, Music, and WritingPeriodic Poetry Contest - Theme: Touch of Truth (Page 390, due Jan. 28)

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DragonMistress
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DragonMistress
1,058 posts
Blacksmith

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!
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Maverick4
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Maverick4
6,800 posts
Peasant

DragonMistress said:
The poem must be created for this contest


Sorry Jess, but seeing as 'Local Legend' was written in the 'First Line Poetry' thread, that means it can't be entered here.
waluigi
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waluigi
1,946 posts
Shepherd

Alright. Here it goes.

Alone in the dark
in some lush maze
that they call a garden
trying to find my way

a sickening sound
like a million men's screams
breaks the nights silence
what could it be?

i round the next corner
and come face to face
with 1000 dead bodies
and something worse still

there stood a being
horns of a bull
and body like one too
but head of human, minotaur

the beast of great bulk
looks up at me
and with a lithe motion
he grabs on to me

Oh, God! He has me
I struggle in its arms
but no use it does me
my death is here...

CrossViper
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CrossViper
481 posts
Nomad

Keep in mind this is my first attempt at poetry, so it is rather shallow.

Someday I'm gonna wake up
where it's cold, dark, and red-
just when they don't expect it,
just when they can't correct it,

so excited, you're invited
to this buffet for the fed.
When we uprise, just to surmise,
we'll be waking up un-dead!

We don't know what to call it-
maybe Z-Day or Z-end,
"Zomb-pocalypse!", with moaning lisps,
is what the horde had said,

but while I was munching flesh
from a body my hands did rend,
I declared it,"Zombie Revolution,
hang on to your head!"

Parsat
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Parsat
2,180 posts
Blacksmith

Submissions close now! Judging is going to be taking place.

Efan
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Efan
3,086 posts
Nomad

Listen up everyone. Seeing as Parsat has been inactive past the time of judging perhaps we need to find a back up judge? I obviously can't make the decisions so I figure a mod could answer this or we'll work it out as a community. Of course, if anyone here has solutions...

Maverick4
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Maverick4
6,800 posts
Peasant

DragonMistress said:
The poem must be created for this contest


Sorry Dragonessa, but that means your poem can't be counted. And its also past the deadline, although you're welcome to submit for a possible critique.

And to Efan:

If Parsat hasn't Judged in a week from when submissions were closed, than I think some one else should Judge for the round, and come up with the next theme.
Hypermnestra
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Hypermnestra
26,390 posts
Nomad

If Parsat doesn't show, I'd be happy to judge in his stead.

EnterOrion
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EnterOrion
4,220 posts
Nomad

Just judge it already. Past couple topics haven't been entertaining, so I just want the next one already. :/

In other news, I vote for myself to judge. Of course, I don't do that, so I vote Hypermnestra!

Hypermnestra
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Hypermnestra
26,390 posts
Nomad

Hmm...well, it was supposed to have been judged on the 22nd, unless I'm mistaken. It's been four days.
I say let's give it until Friday: if Parsat still has not appeared on Friday, I will judge on no later than Saturday.

Parsat
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Parsat
2,180 posts
Blacksmith

I want to apologize for my untimeliness. I've been fairly busy, and AG has been on lower priority until I can get my stuff straight. Still, I owe you all a judging as well, and a time to get the contest moving along. There were quite a few new faces, as well as some old faces.

I also want to reiterate the rule that you must have written the poem for the contest. If you had a poem you wrote previously fitting the theme, you may modify it to better fit it, but please don't just submit a poem you wrote before. This is to keep it fair for all. Besides, chances are you'll be able to find a way to improve it.

Let's get started:

Wood: Hahiha


Hiding behind a rock, panting,
Listening to the loud trumpeting
Of the human faced lion,
Blood red creature
with most insane feature
A dot on the horizon.

A derisive grin, and beneath,
Three rows of pointy sharp teeth.
The feline follows your track
Through desert's sand
While in your hand
Ebony amulet shines black.

Drawing your sabre, finishing your prayer;
Of your resistance's futility well aware.
Can't run anymore, can't hide anymore.
Come out of your hideout
and give a loud shout
But freezing fear deep in your core.

Both man and beast now storming,
Manticore's voice roaring,
Looking deep in the eyes
Of that bearded old face
Causer of the chase
Lightened up by sunrise

Suddenly, the creature raises its tail
Throws it at you, and then stands still
You feel a sting, notice a skewer so frail
Planted in your chest, hurting, until
You finally stop, drifting away into death
Overwhelmed by the Manticore's poison, cursing him
With your last breath.


You get the most unusual mythical creature award for the Manticore...glad you went out and found an epic creature like that. You had a good sense of tension, although it was a bit long to be very effective. The vivid setting and weariness of the pursued before his death made up for this shortcoming, though, so I think overall it was a pretty well done job.

Silver: CrossViper

Someday I'm gonna wake up
where it's cold, dark, and red-
just when they don't expect it,
just when they can't correct it,

so excited, you're invited
to this buffet for the fed.
When we uprise, just to surmise,
we'll be waking up un-dead!

We don't know what to call it-
maybe Z-Day or Z-end,
"Zomb-pocalypse!", with moaning lisps,
is what the horde had said,

but while I was munching flesh
from a body my hands did rend,
I declared it,"Zombie Revolution,
hang on to your head!"


I love the humor in this one, that kind of reckless, "flipping the bird" attitude to the zombie apocalypse. It starts off dark, but builds up to a macabre enjoyment. Touches like the "Z-end" pun really made this poem.

Gold: iMogwai

The dragon roars, his nostrils flaring.
The tail flailing and eyes glaring.
The roar echoes through the valley like thunder.
Waking the townsfolk from their slumber.

Raises his head, stands tall and awe inspiring.
His nostrils glow of a fire never tiring.
Then, a roar, sending chills to every spine.
His breath sets fire to grass and pine.

Villagers, filled with fear and anger,
Quickly claim that this dragon is danger.
But I ask you, give him a chance, please,
For even the mighty dragon will occasionally sneeze.


The buildup was very well done, and I liked the humorous punchline. I suppose we're not so high up in the food chain after all. It satirizes human subjectivity, how we seem to judge all things nonhuman as subhuman, when in fact they may be just as or more human than we ourselves are. So congratulations, please contact a mod for your merit.

The next theme, Crossroads, is inspired by a very famous poem by Robert Frost, "The Road Less Taken." All though it's quoted much too often and even misinterpreted, I still recommend you read it because in it's core, it's good poetry. Of course, you are still free to take the theme anywhere you want. Happy writing! The contest deadline is February 5.
Hypermnestra
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Hypermnestra
26,390 posts
Nomad

I believe it's actually called "The Road Not Taken". I can see how one might be confused, though.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference

Anyway, I'll see if I can join this one...there's obviously the "two paths" way to go, but I'll try to get something a little more unique.

Parsat
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Parsat
2,180 posts
Blacksmith

Ah, my memory serves me badly. Thanks for that correction.

Maverick4
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Maverick4
6,800 posts
Peasant

Had to memorize that in 7th grade...

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood.
And sorry I could not travel both.
And Be one traveler, long I stood.
And looked down one a far as I could,
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Something... Something... Something...

O! I saved the first for another day,
Though knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

Congratulations iMogwai; I thought your poem was quite humorous. And Congratulations to all those who placed, and for those who didn't: Keep working at it!

Parsat
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Parsat
2,180 posts
Blacksmith

That's fine. I didn't judge your work because it was overdue, but I'll gladly critique your work. You're also encouraged to start a thread for your own poetry work, if you'd like to stay around our AMW boards.

thisisnotanalt
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thisisnotanalt
9,821 posts
Shepherd

Hmmmm . . . *is totally gonna hope to enter next round*

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