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!
Mr. Wolf will be with you shortly. Please, have a seat in the lobby.
*sits down at lobby* *five seconds later* ...You're telling me you really have nothing better to read here but Highlights for Children?! The world of literature and art has reached a new low. And as far as the posting at midnight thing goes, I remind you that there are time zones other than AG's....
*sits down at lobby* *five seconds later* ...You're telling me you really have nothing better to read here but Highlights for Children?! The world of literature and art has reached a new low.
Might I direct you to this fascinating story, AG Adventures? \\Shameless Advertising.
I dunno Moon, that was pretty aggressive.
Because I'm totally known for being this sweet little harmless completely non aggresive fairy that flits from thread to thread saying how beautiful the sun looks today, And how gorgeous the rainbow that I live across is.
Because I'm totally known for being this sweet little harmless completely non aggresive fairy that flits from thread to thread saying how beautiful the sun looks today, And how gorgeous the rainbow that I live across is.
I'm just saying, maybe if you didn't have the tendency to terrify people...
Might I direct you to this fascinating story, AG Adventures? \\\\Shameless Advertising.
Actually I see Terra Pacis right over on that side table...
Because I'm totally known for being this sweet little harmless completely non aggresive fairy that flits from thread to thread saying how beautiful the sun looks today, And how gorgeous the rainbow that I live across is.
A spark Two souls wandering the world, Two fates touching barely, Their lives forever swirled, Meeting quick and rarely.
A growing flame They meet again while in a rush, Something clicks and they touch, Now It's more than a crush, Living from then on in peace as such.
Growing Cold A wanderer goes by, The peace has been broken, They go off with another guy, Not leaving as much as a token.
Cold as ice Feelings hurt and love lost, The relationship back to strangers, Passion turns to hate at a cost, With loneliness has it's dangers.
In third place we have KingJac. I really felt you did a splendid job capturing the theme by comparing it to two contrasting emotions. This poem had a bit of person sesonance with me and I was caught up in the little story you had. I found it interesting the way you incorporated ice into the poem. a well rounded piece of work, well done.
My ice
On the highest branch I sit Relishing the woodfire's flame To make of me what it sees fit I crave the fire's licking blame
As cold as ice I lay atop This bland and frigid space Where freezes the littlest teardrop Quicken the heat and its embrace
Now a throne rather than wood Is where I express my lonely An anguish of snow to melt slowly An effigy of calm and inert blood
But again the breeze it turns And further the blaze from me I shan't feel the precious burns That used to make me happy
Please remember my darling flame However fiery you become my dame That you were once mine to price Yet you're still the fire of my ice
Another poem I found that reached me on a personal level. And as usual a well written piece. I found the use of effigy interesting, since effigies are often burned, and not in a state of stasis. At times I become a little confused on the subject matter, but after a few read throughs I felt I had the main message. I also think the closing stanza was brilliantly done.
First Place and Merit: Hypermnestra
A flame flickers, blindingly bright For a short and fleeting second Then it fades to glorious night.
In the sunlight, how snow beckons! Crystals sparkle like precious gems For a short and fleeting second
Before dissolving to their end. Till fire burns away the melting snow Crystals sparkle like precious gems
'Fore disappearing in heat's glow If only it was forever! Till fire burns away the melting snow
I know that it must be severed, That it must someday meet its end If only it was forever!
If eternity it could lend. But beauty comes from the knowing That it must someday meet its end.
Oh, the glory of the snowing And burning passion of the flame But beauty comes from the knowing
Of the end of nature's cruel game Beauty's not found in crystal ice And burning passion of the flame
It's true that all beauty must die That is what makes it beautiful Beauty's not found in crystal ice
But found in something horrible: Knowing you won't see it again That is what makes it beautiful
To be beautiful, it must end Else how would we treasure it so? Knowing you won't see it again
We know it will happen, we know Before ice melts, flame burns away Else how would we treasure it so?
The burning beauty of the day: A flame flickers, blindingly bright Before ice melts, flame burns away Then it fades to glorious night
Well, this was absolutely stunning. The theme was, to me, captured perfectly in this poem. Like the other two placers this struck a personal note in me. This poem expanded to great depths of human nature and our passions, and desire for what we deem beautiful. Where the others scratched the surface, this plunged headlong into t.hose waters, and that is what makes it so grand. My only personal quip is that the words beauty and beautiful were over used, but aside from that, it is a great piece of work.
Well, now I know how Parsat felt, except no one tried killing him with 10-12 odd entries a week. But, I'm happy to see the poetry contest so competitive again, despite the headache it give me. I have to say I had a hell of a time deciding who was going to place where. And believe me this was no easy decision. So keep up the good work.
Drat, second place, second place; seems I'm fit for that position; well, good job hypermnestra. At least I know you've worked hard on correcting and perfecting your poem so I'm glad you're the one who triumphed over me.
My only personal quip is that the words beauty and beautiful were over used, but aside from that, it is a great piece of work.
That was intentional. I could have used a thesaurus, but I decided to keep it "beauty" and "beautiful" just because that's a little part of the poem. The speaker is obsessed with "beauty" or its concept just as they are obsessed with death, and I find that it also brings emphasis on the use of "glorious" to describe the word "night" whereas "beauty" describes the word "day".
Well, this was absolutely stunning. The theme was, to me, captured perfectly in this poem. Like the other two placers this struck a personal note in me. This poem expanded to great depths of human nature and our passions, and desire for what we deem beautiful. Where the others scratched the surface, this plunged headlong into t.hose waters, and that is what makes it so grand.
Danke.
At least I know you've worked hard on correcting and perfecting your poem so I'm glad you're the one who triumphed over me.
About that, I sort of just have this quirk about tweaking poems. It happens a lot. But thank you. You put up an excellent fight, no? I liked your entry a lot.
I looked at my compass And it was spinning circles I must find my way home
But which way is North And there are no passerby to aid me In finding the right way
I try to find the sun But it doesn't rise I am in the land of eternal darkness
My will is rendered useless I have given up to dying in this place The wind, my only companion
My home is South that I am sure of But if North is missing Then how can South exist
I have to choose Any way I can move would work As long as I go away from here
I point my finger in a single direction But it is futile I am not certain where home is
So many choices to make All of them in the same direction But they all lead in different ways
One choice One way One which will make all the difference
I decided to throw in a little tribute to one of my favorite poets Robert Frost in the last stanza. Coincidentally, the poem that the line that I am referencing in my poem is related to the theme for this week. The poem is "The Road Not Taken" incase any of you are interested. I hope that this tribute does not count as a "stolen" poem and therefore would disqualify me.
I decided to throw in a little tribute to one of my favorite poets Robert Frost in the last stanza. Coincidentally, the poem that the line that I am referencing in my poem is related to the theme for this week. The poem is "The Road Not Taken" incase any of you are interested. I hope that this tribute does not count as a "stolen" poem and therefore would disqualify me.
Gods no. I love when people tribute something to their favourite poets. I do it often with Eliot. Anyway I love that poem by Frost, it's one of his best.
About that, I sort of just have this quirk about tweaking poems. It happens a lot. But thank you. You put up an excellent fight, no? I liked your entry a lot.
Yeah, I really thought I'd nail it this time. I rarely ever go through such...personnal and emotionnal roads when writing poems, and I was sure the picture made of relationships here would charm enough to bring me gold. Well, I'll have to try harder, and maybe return to my old, more implicit and esoteric approach.
Just popping by...you guys have really improved since the last time I popped around these parts! The styles are familiar, I think, but the execution has changed a bit...you guys rub off on one another.
When I come back in two months from Mongolia and China, I hope to see more improvement. Just remember to keep sticking to your strengths, whether it be in rhyme, or meter, or diction!
