An act of conscience must be done with outward dignity
and if not
it must forget to the winds let
and a new set of thoughts will
appear instead
and
life is an experience met
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An act of conscience must be done with outward dignity
and if not
it must forget to the winds let
and a new set of thoughts will
appear instead
and
life is an experience met
Thank you for the entries Melanie, YesNo, Pompey Bum and cacian, I enjoyed them all.
I'm giving the nod to Melanie as hers seemed to fit with the mindset I was in when selecting the line.
"...fill trophy cups with your righteousness
nor wear your deeds as ribbons' made a strong impression, very nice.
PB's "bignity" and fig leaf reference reminded me to put on some underwear.
(I ran "commando" this morning)
well done.
Melanie your up...
YAY, thank you. I'll be back shortly with a quote
Okay, we're going to do something different because I can't make a decision.
So you must be the one to choose which quote you would like to use. Pick one:
1. "under the scrutinizing prism of time" - Robert Penn ("Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce")
2. "which are you drinking, the water or the wave" - John Fowles ("The Magus")
3. "semper flamma flummo proxima" - Plautus (means: the fire is always near the smoke)
4. "idealism is what precedes experience" - David T. Wolfe (you are welcomed to omit "is what" from the quote if you want)
Do you get bonus points if you mange to use more than one LOL?
haha…I'm glad to see you laughing because I didn't know if this would raise anybody's ire over having to make a choice. But, no, only one poem per person in this round as the rule goes (I know you were joking though). oh wait…you meant more than one quote in the same poem? Sure, if you want. Who knows, it could generate more interest due to the extra choices. Now, maybe the winner could choose to offer the same choices but require each person to choose one they didn't use already….or the winner could just post a new quote of their own. Whatever works for everyone.
Haha yes, I had meant if you used more then one quote in one poem.Quote:
Originally Posted by Melanie
The Deadline will be August 3.Quote:
Originally Posted by Melanie
.
Which are you drinking, the water or the wave?
What were you thinking? The wind won’t behave.
Why are you blinking? There’s sparkles to see.
Who was that winking then waving at me?
Lover's Idyll
You held my hand under the scrutinizing prism of time,
a shimmer of reflected light within a starry night sky,
watching in silence, there is a strange comfort
in her aloof, constant presence,
knowing she holds all the secrets we can never uncover.
I became lost within your ocean eyes,
you always loved the salty brine of the sea,
and I wonder, which are you drinking,
the water or the wave? Is it those untold depths
of mystery you crave, or the freedom, which resembles
flight when you plunge your body in and feel
gravity defied?
Your voice is but a whisper,
the subtle muted tones of moth wings,
warmth spreads across my skin.
the fire is always near the smoke,
so I know your body must be close,
somewhere within the darkness,
where we learn to find each other again,
by touch alone.
Your fingers which once danced
through the shadows to find mine,
hold me now, as we stand upon the edge,
we have seen too much of what the world
has to offer, and the sacrifice required,
in spite of our scars, our hearts sing to each other,
idealism is what precedes experience,
so for this moment let us simply be
nature's children again,
cloaked in naked innocence.
Sea Pictures
The waves hit the coast
time and again, but most
of the shore stays afloat
As returns the fishing boat
Generations, like ripples
following each other,
suckling the nipples
of their mother
On the shore, the two fishermen
drink from the sea
and one asks the other:
'which are you drinking, the water or the wave?'
After a while, the other replies:
'when the sea hits the beach,
the wave has hit its reach,
and only water remains -
the sea never drains'
The Gallic Campfire Tales – Vercingetorix Surrenders to CaesarQuote:
Originally Posted by Melanie
Dramatis personæ:
N: Narrator, V: Vercingetorix, C: Caesar
N: Lectori salutem,
from quercus gilded slopes, the autumn of fair Alesia.
Past fossa and vallum,
we gather, to witness Gaul yield to Pax Romana….
V: Annus horribilis.
C: Absit invidia, you and the Gauls have had a rough time of it.
V: No thanks to Commius,
contravallation was too much, for that Belgian belligerent.
C: Sedere, let’s carpe canem.
V: I’m shrouded in smoke, but a fire is needed to cook a dog.
N: I will help them;
"Semper flamma flummo proxima", now sit on this ulmus log.
C: You may borrow my stick.
V: Gratulatus, I like to sear it until the skin is charred and black.
C: Squeeze mustard on thick.
V: Place on wheat ecce panis angelorum, and grab a six pack.
C: You’re always in the smoke.
V: Ut proverbium loquitur vetus…smoke follows beauty.
C: You deign to joke?
You haven’t bathed since I conquered the Helvetii.
C: Nunc este bibendum.
V: In vino veritas, pass the Burgundy and I’ll tell a ghost story.
C: You have a compendium?
V: Yes; and here’s a favorite; “The Ides of Martius”, it is gory!
N: Acta est fibula plaudit
Three excellent entries! Gilliatt Gurgle's made me laugh and was the most unexpected. I almost thought for a moment that this was the avant garde poetry contest because I've never seen Latin mixed with beer, hot dogs, and ghost stories…haha. And poetry in the form of a drama, play. It all worked well with the quote, to my surprise…and I love the element of surprise. You're up Gilliatt.
Thank you Melanie, I had fun with that one, glad you enjoyed it.
I was inspired by my grandfather's 1907 copy of Caesar's Gallic War
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...h_IMGP2720.jpg
A painting by Lionel Royer:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...ules-cesar.jpg
Okay, on to the business at hand...
How about something from my go to poet, Goldsmith.
What! no way left to shun th' inglorious stage,
^ From Oliver Goldsmith's poem titled:
PART OF A PROLOGUE WRITTEN AND SPOKEN BY THE POET LABERIUS
A Roman Knight Whom Caesar Forced Upon the Stage
Preserved by Macrobius
Deadline: I'll say two weeks from today.
“What! no way left to shun th’ inglorious stage.”
But what if life’s the stage as Shakespeare thought?
To be or not to be? Again we’re caught.
Ingloriously boring. Turn the page.
“For life is ended when our honour ends.” * and so too this round must end.
Thanks for the entry Yes/No. I enjoyed your abbreviated monologue, something to reflect upon as I step out on life’s stage each day.
You're up Yes/No
*Last line from the Goldsmith poem referenced above.
Thanks, Gilliatt Gurgle!
The next quote is from Emily Dickinson:
My river runs to thee.
Here is the whole poem. Source: http://www.poemofquotes.com/emilydickinson/my-river.php
My River runs to thee.
Blue sea, wilt thou welcome me?
My river awaits reply.
Oh! Sea, look graciously.
I'll fetch thee brooks
From spotted nooks.
Say, sea,
Take me!
Deadline? We'll see. Hopefully soon.
Rivers of Moonlight
I stood amid
liquid moonlight
cloaked
as the Ferry Man,
a phantom in the dark
silent waters
follow me.
A song like
the piping
of Pan's pipes
found its way
into the shadows
of my heart.
Moved by the
the ethereal melody,
a primal force
to awaken the body
once long forgot,
a haunting cry
penetrating
into the soul.
My river
run to thee
and I can naught
but follow
within their wake,
I sail upon my
River Styx,
but it is not to death
I ride, for once
it is life which
has called me forth.
These still
dark depths
flow into the ocean
of your eyes
decloaking me
with a breath.
Thanks, Dark Muse! Anyone else? The deadline will be this coming Sunday.
My river runs to thee
Urgently
I'm bent in your direction,
The spate, the torrent,
The swelling current
That overflows its bed,
Runs to thee.
My river runs to thee.
Till bursting out,
Widening,
I meander through your gentle meadows.
Contest is over! Thank you, Dark Muse and prendrelemick for the entries!
Dark Muse: I liked the idea of sailing on the River Styx to life rather than death and the cloaking and decloaking that started and ended the poem.
prendrelemick: I liked the change in pace from the running river to one that reaches its goal and meanders.
They both deserve to win, but I have to pick one.
The winner is prendrelemick!
Congratulations!
Thanks YesNo.
In honour of last night's super moon eclipse:
"The moon doth shine as bright as day"
What Moonlight Doth Reveal
Deep within the Pine Barrens
The moon doth shine as bright as day
Glowing eyes and horrid screaming
The Jersey Devil is on the way
Mama Leeds had a thirteenth child
But she cursed as he drew his first breath
He has never left these haunted pine woods
The Jersey Devil could be your death
Did you see that shadow, Mister?
Those eyes glowing in the hollow below?
The Jersey Devil is stalking us, Mister
See you latter, I gotta go!
It's dark down there in the hollow, Mister
But The moon doth shine as bright as day
I'm gonna outrun the Jersey Devil
Please now, Mister, don't get in my way!
Pendragon
9/29/2015
The Moon doth shine as bright as day.
I cannot see the Milky Way.
Street lights, buildings, cars abound.
It’s safer: I can see the ground.
At the Altar of Selene
In a shroud of gossamer
the Shadow Maidens
bear their Mistress
neath the midnight bloom.
The moon doth shine
as bright as day,
but she is a pearl
in the depths of a dark sea.
Ghostly as the moths flight
aer an unearthly light
the handmaids of Selene
bathe within her silver
pool.
Without fear all may
look upon her ethereal visage,
she has ne the jealous vanity
of the sun who turns every
face away, assured
within her naked purity.
"The moon doth shine as bright as day"
Unless mother earth gets in the way.
Anybody else?
Creature of the Night
When peaceful silence Earth enfolds,
And Hypnos reigneth in full sway,
The starlight its own magic holds,
The Moon doth shine as bright as day.
'Tis then that the creature stirs,
Untouched by old Sumnus' charm;
The Night, a mighty force that spurs
To mischief him, and harm.
He preyeth on the resting mind
And revels in the taste of thought.
His victim wonders him to find
By light of day all come to naught.
What awful musings doth he bring,
But faith unhinged and reason shaken?
Yet those who once have heard him sing,
Go back to sleep and never waken.
Through Spiritual Eyes
In my pre-mortal days in spirit
I beheld one-third of Heaven waste
Their folly to outer darkness' call
I pondered then multitudes of stars
The natural man in willful strife
Yet judged to receive immortal life
I imagined still a higher plane
Where the moon doth shine as bright as day
My reflective mind did trow me there
Impressed with feelings of love and grace
Through morceau melodic canto lays
I then beheld His pure countenance
He condescended to counsel with me:
Aspire to yet a greater glory -
Yea, the fulness of our Father
10/13/2015
Ta ! (short for tarradiddle),
tailor STATELY
Ok,
Gilliat ; Simple, topical, clever and hits the brief - but I can't give it to that, or can I ? Tempting.
Pendragon ; I liked the way the story -and back story is told so succinctly and the "mister" changing it to a colloquy and giving it a bit of light relief. Good stuff.
Yesno; Ah the yes and no of street lighting - I would've liked a bit more developement.
Dark muse; Classical allusions - love it.
Joe ; As above, only darker and with perfectly executed rhyme and rhythm - love it too.
Tailor stately; Dante? Virgil? Milton? I don't know, I am unworthy - love it though.
So very close, but one winner - Dark Muse- for those beautiful poetical images.
Congratulations Dark Muse !
Ta ! (short for tarradiddle),
tailor STATELY
Thank you! I will have a new quote shortly
This is an old favorite of mine that I think is fitting for Halloween
She walks in Beauty, like the night
As many of you probably already know it is from She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron
Deadline: Oct. 25
Saturn shines. The western sky
Has lost the sun. It went below.
A cloudless chill is blowing by.
The hypnotizing motions, slow,
Of stars that round Polaris fly,
Of stars that we don’t care to know.
The leaves may turn. The grays come in.
Winter’s death’s a dream away.
Let midnight’s oddities begin
While we’re asleep and wait for day.
They need no audience to win.
There’s nothing that they have to say.
Venus in the east will rise
Reminding us of brighter light.
We wake. She stares into our eyes.
She walks in beauty like the night.
The sun erupting later tries
To soften nightmares, calm the fright.
Mother of the Night
It is in the darkness before the dawn
She walks in Beauty, like the night
A face no artist has ever drawn
Among the silence, footfalls light
Majestic beauty, crowned by stars
She walks in Beauty, like the night
The Music of the Spheres softly blares
The footsteps tinkle, dancing bright
She has the look of old; she has the look of new
She walks in Beauty, like the night
Hair fades into darkness and the stars shine through
Half concealed, half disclosed, always bright
Comfort she brings after tormented days
She walks in Beauty, like the night
I fall into her loving, cold embrace
She truly loves me, mother of the night!
Pendragon
10/17/2015
Uncles and Constellations
Byron once claimed "She walks in Beauty, like the night".
Ever since I met her, she’s had a bit of a limp,
like a flattened “w” or “m”, depending on seasonal sight.
My uncle says it was Draco that gave her that gimp.
The dragon stomped by like a Taurus in a china closet,
stepping on her foot, dipping past a big bear.
Now back to that beauty queen, looking like Fawcett
You fellas know the poster I’m talking about here.
Uncle told me that queen had a beautiful daughter,
claiming she was prettier than Poseidon’s nymphs.
Poseidon didn’t cotton to her boastful chatter,
and had the princess chained to Aethiopian cliffs.
Perseus happened along and rescued the princess.
Cassiopeia is forever bound to her royal seat.
Her beauty remains eternal as she limps around Polaris,
chastising Draco for stepping on her feet.
Cat of Black
She stalks her quarry: this huntress who
walks upon padded feet; calculates
in perfect control, 'cept whisker's twitch
Beauty, lithe; nearby a ravaged clew
like death's chosen cat's paw - understates
the familiar: a flash of tail which
night brings her prey to mortal peril
10/19/2015
Ta ! (short for tarradiddle),
tailor STATELY
The one.
Her hair, once velvet starred with shine
And heady with the scent of Jasmine,
Is silvered now through and through,
As if once more glimmered with moonlight.
And still to me, she walks in beauty,
Like the night when first I felt her draw.
The moon and tide we were that night,
A planet's pull between us,
Our orbits shifting in the night
To paths written down when time was young.
And though the words we spoke I now forget,
I remember still and always will,
The Celestial Music playing,
And the harmonies we sang that night.
Great poems all, though it is a bit belated, they were a Halloween treat to read but very hard to choose a winner.
YesNo: I really liked your use of rhyme, I thought it worked wonderfully well in the poem. There was some lovely imagery here, and I felt the quoted line fit into the poem seamlessly.
Pendragon: Quite a haunting poem, I loved the mystery of it and it reminded me of a story I recently read for Halloween, "The Ebony Frame" I enjoyed your repetition of the quoted line.
Gilliatt Gurgle: I enjoyed your comical, and quite unique take upon the line. I loved all the mythological references, and thought it was a cleverly written poem.
tailor STATELY: I have to admit it took me a second reading to find the quoted line in this poem, but when I saw it I thought it was a very clever use of the line. Though the line is not directly used within the poem reading it I could still feel the inspiration of it in your every word, and I very much enjoyed the feline take. It is quite fitting.
prendrelemick: I like the way this poem invokes the senses. It paints a vivid scene, and there is some beautiful imagery expressed.
And the winner is:
Pendragon
Congratulations pen, A very worthy winner, I almost didn't bother entering when I read it.