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
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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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DragonMistress
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DragonMistress
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Blacksmith

EDIT: for anyone curious, the original topic is linked here.

infernacron
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infernacron
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Nomad

What do you mean by epic poem dragon?

DragonMistress
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DragonMistress
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Blacksmith

Exactly what I wrote in the last paragraph, a long poem that tells the heroic story of you! This one is really open, so be really creative. Examples of Epic poems are the Illiad and Beowulf. Basically, a long, narrative poem. Rhyming and meter are up to you, just make it draw the reader in, and interesting!

I'm going through last week's submissions as we speak (type?) and there are so many! The winner will be announced soon.

Toadlord
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Toadlord
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Shepherd

Arg. I don't think I can pull one off the round. Epic poems aren't really my style...

Toadlord
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Toadlord
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Shepherd

*this round.

Gantic
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Gantic
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King

I saw this topic coming. After a short haiku of which everyone seems to like to write ten a minute, why not an epic poem to round things off.

I have a quick question though: What are the length constraints on a post?

DragonMistress
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DragonMistress
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Blacksmith

[bAnd the winners are:

First Place:Necromancer
I love your spin on the haiku, by putting three together as one. Very unique and creative!

Second Place:Shayneii
I chose The Forest Night as the best of your entries, and it won second place, great job!

Third Place: DarthSion
Great submission, I love it!


Another note for the next two weeks: Don't be overwhelmed by the word "Epic". This is really a parody on an epic poem, so "long" can be a paragraph or so... just make it an epic narrative of the greatest hero you know, yourself! ^.^

necromancer
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necromancer
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I can't win because I won last week, but here is some help for everyone else.
Note that epics generally:
1) Begin by stating the theme
2) Begin with an invocation to the Muse (asks for divine assistance in writing the epic)
3) Opens in Media Res (in the middle of things; i.e. in the Odyssey, Homer has Odysseus telling a story of what already happened and when finished with the story he returns home)
4) Large setting
5) Hero who embodies virtues
6) Divine intervention with humans
7) Uses epithets, stock phrases often figurative language (Homer often used "Rosy-fingered dawn" or in referring to Odysseus "the old contender" or "son of Laertes&quot
8) Lengthy

May also include excessively long lists (Homer lists all of the 1000 ships that Helena's face launched) and long speeches


Therefore I shall endeavor to write a Haiku following the requirements of an epic.

Freedom! Gild' Muse! Gild' Muse! Help!
'Cross Un'verse I fight!
Zeus aids! Free! Smiles!

Theme: "Freedom!"
Invocation: "Gild' Muse! Gild' Muse! Help!"
In Media Res: Haikus are normally 5-7-5 syllables, however here the middle 7 syllables came first
Large Setting: "'Cross Un'verse"
Virtuous Hero: Fights for freedom
Divine Intervention: "Zeus aids!"
Epithets: "Gild' Muse!" used twice
Long: "Smiles!", one mile between each "s"

mvpguy22
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mvpguy22
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Peasant

This sounds like fun!

Now I have a question:

Are we allowed to exaggerate for the purpose of a good poem?

Toadlord
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Toadlord
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Shepherd

How are we going to know if you do?

And even if we did, you have artistic licence. Do what you want with it.

Shark7996
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Shark7996
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Nomad

Wooh, I'm on the first page!!! I was actually kind of surprised you scrapped the old one, but I guess things gotta stay tidy.

I'll put a bit of thought into this poem, I really don't know what to write for it right now...

Shark7996
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Shark7996
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Nomad

Oh, dangit, I'm on the second page. :0+<

crimsonblade55
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crimsonblade55
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Shepherd

Isn't a epic poem where you right about how awesome you are or something conceited like that.Can I make it out to where I am in the role of someone else writing a epic poem.I am not really the prideful type,and I think it would be pretty funny.

thepyro222
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thepyro222
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Peasant

The Knight of Hour Zero

In the darkness of night doth dwell,
A man whose name no one can tell,
He lurks in the shadow and feeds off human life,
Like an angle of death, from nowhere, he strikes
You run from him, but it is a game of cat and mouse,
He is coming, don't wander from your house,
His lust for blood remains unquenched,
He is the master of slaughter, in blood his soul is drenched,
People have tried to kill this monstrosity,
He laughs and kills with ravenous ferocity,
His skin pale, and his eyes red,
He has been for thousands of years, he is undead,
No one knows where the creature hides in day,
He returns to hunt when the skies turn grey,
Like seeing Jack the Ripper, you feel your impending doom,
His shadow blocks out the moon,
If you see the night shadow,
Do not show your fear, do not run in fright,
Stay indoors, turn out the light,
For the creature hunts tonight,
"No more, shall this creature hold us captive with fear,
It is time to fight for everything you hold dear,"
"Light torches, grab stakes,
A hunt, we will undertake,"
"No more, will you fill our hearts with fear,
Show yourself, for your end draws near,"
The creature came from no where and out of the sky he dives,
In his leg, a stake someone drives,
The Creature let out a scream of pain,
Black blood, from his leg, drains,
The Creature killed many warriors,
He filled us all with great horrors,
"Time to die" I said as I jumped on his back,
I stabbed him with my stake, His blood was black,
He screamed in pain, and to the ground we fell,
"Your reign has ended, now back to hell,"
Unfortunately, the creature rises,
Through my arm, a knife he drives,
Incredible was the pain,
"Time for you to die," he said, "no more games,"
He took a stab at me and missed,
The cold lips of death, I almost kissed,
I got free of his grip, and I stabbed him in the heart with my stake, and drove it in,
His eyes turned black, and his eyes dim,
"I am slain" he said with his last whim,
"The demon is dead" I announced,
my arm was bleeding in a sleeve of crimson- red,
The blood stained soldiers rejoiced in my victory,
We had a feast of pork, smoked with Hickory,
I was made a hero and got luxuries undreamable,
Some people thought my story unbelievable,
I lived my days in royalty,
I was called a hero,
And I came known as "The Knight of Hour Zero"

DragonMistress
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DragonMistress
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Blacksmith

Not sure about the length restrictions on a post, I doubt there is one. Thank you, Necro, for all the notes on the poetry style, though I want people to realize that I'm not going to disqualify poems for not following those to a T, it's just a guideline. The length of the poem above me is a great one; I'm not expecting a book or anything, just a long poem. Keep em coming!

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