http://www.online-literature.com/for...pictureid=2937
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Success! The contest closes March 8, 2009, so get your entries in. Congratulations to Pendragon. At least he's done right by one of those all-important holidays. And we get a great poem out of it. Why not more, hey?
And thank you mazHur for your valuable helpgetting the picture posted.
The rain enclosed them in cathedral silence,
The black clouds wrapped them in its’ velvet paw.
He leaned toward her, cupping in his hand the
Delicate hand-blown glass, sniffed the wine,
Tasted, thought. “Piquant,” he said, grinning.
The rain and light appeared to float, an
Iridescent shell; and tender clouds settled,
Casting their opaline light before them.
He Leaned in, brushed back her
hair, laid his palm upon her cheek.
She lifted her glass, “Gout de terroir.”
“More?” he asked, and poured.
Qimissung
Come on everyone. Can we have some entries before Valentine's Day to set a romantic mood, maybe?
Photo of a Haitian Street Kid (Restaveck)
cadaver being ripped apart by dogs.
http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/t..._Thumbnail.jpg
Stays With You
Firefly - when you pulse among the stumps of trees
sacrificed for cane, shacks and cooking fuel,
shine down the throat of starvation, illuminate the
mosquito crops of a rain soaked soil.
Chronicle the transparent children dying
in urinal city gutters. Their memories of
food, medicine, a home flowing in the
sluice of an angry voodoo morphing rice
to maggot - Manbo’s sons and daughters
into sewer rats and jackals.
Firefly - streak innocent on every cross. Collect
their little lives into a book of wilted poems
inscribed with apathy. Condemn throughout eternity
this pestilent infanticide, this gangrenous ignorance
festering three hundred thousand sores a year.
Call it Restaveck, call it Haiti.
for anyone who might want to get involved, www.haitianstreetkids.com
I didn't read that you were hoping for a Valentine's Day entry. It was so hard figuring out how to post the photo, I missed it. Please forgive me and HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAYQuote:
Originally Posted by alakungfu
Edit: Ah, the page turned to hopefully no harm done.
This deserves to be posted in many places, the wider readership the better, but as I believe you now understant the poem had to be about the photo posted by the previous winner. Feel free to cower in embarrassment in the darkest corner of your house.Quote:
Originally Posted by ~Sophia~
Great poem, however.
The contest doesn't close until March 8. I just didn't want to miss Valentine's Day.Quote:
Originally Posted by ~Sophia~
http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/t...1233566866.jpg
She lotions her hands.
A subtle scent somewhere between
night shade and forget-me-not.
This can’t be rushed.
With deft fingers gathers the
diaphanous length of her serpentine lover.
It's filigreed mouth consuming painted toes
it feeds.
Spiraling the taut ankle and calf,
teasing the delirious crook of her knee,
warm thigh
she smiles knowing
this silk stocking
will be ruined before dawn.
(Feeling like an absolute moron and hoping for a touch of redemption)
They hold each other up,
hold each other strong
but somewhat fearfully
in view of that shadowy figure
approaching them.
Somehow love, true love,
must always have
a shadow of something,
drawing near...
Yes, it is a good poem, isn't it? It stays with you. Like both your subsequent entries, Prince and ~Sophia~, also! :)
Damn! If it were me that silk stocking would be toast... long before dawn!Quote:
Originally Posted by ~Sophia~
What might you have offered for more than "a touch" of redemption?
What riveting poems. All of the poems so far make you stop and take notice. They seem to have that fatalistic air and arresting quality about them. I'm enjoying reading them, anywho (and everywho). Happy Valentine's Day, everyone.
Thanks Alakungfu. (Hope that means you've forgiven my previous bad). Have a great rest of the weekend!
ps: I vote for Prince's entry!
"they hold each other up
hold each other strong"
Great stuff Prince.
Thank you, Sophie. To tell you the truth, I am excited to read any poem that comes from somewhere around the heart, no matter what direction it ends up taking. And these all take a turn of their own. I'm looking forward to judging them, though it's going to be difficult from what we've seen so far. Still three weeks to go.
The foxtrot of inseparable love
mazHur
Two glasses of wine,
whatever you may try,
cannot be one strong;
To each his own drink
smacks of duality
of inebriated state;
O my love!
leave alone the goblets
of olden wine;
they are no solace.
no match
for love's exuberance;
love travels
from one heart
to another;
fonder it grows
in absence;
manifests its hues
when lovers meet
holding each other tight
in their arms;
their hearts beating together
with the same pitch,
the same rhythm
of a poetical masterpiece;
Or, the sonorous beat
of the strings of an ephemeric guitar;
music begins to flow,
love's redolence overwhelms,
cosmos rocks and rolls in ecstasy
inebriating the emotions
of the two anxious lovers
with the strong nectar of love;
the lovers forgetful of the world
even forget themselves
that they are Two;
All they feel
all they find
is One soul in two bodies
Like the music of love
emanating from their throbbing hearts
simultaneously
into a single note of enchanting song,
into the foxtrot of inseparable love,
infusing bliss into lovers' lives.
Nice poem mazHur. You tie it together so nicely. One can't help but get lost in the rhythm.
One week left to post your poem. Deadline is March 8.
Two days left to get your entries in.
What I felt most in all of these poems was a sense of imminence. Delightfully polished.
I found Pendragon's poem to be very balanced -- upbeat with melancholy, hard tone with quick rhythm.
Qimissung not only spoke imminence for me but overt breathlessness. Very compelling.
Sophia wrote a sensual and enjoyable poem but most of all it had a touch of nostalgia, which I was looking for. It was frankly evocative and a rich read.
Prince Myshkin uses that ultimate tool of the poet, the imagination, to great effect. He opens up your options and leaves you to choose the poem's fate.
My dear mazHur, one thing I don't find myself doing much of is placing myself within the poem that I am reading, but in this you have succeeded. Your poem manifests idealism, yet accessibly; it still has currency. It also has that hint of nostalgia I wanted.
So, I declare the winner of this contest mazHur.
An excellent choice, Alakungfu; it would have been mine, too. Congratulations, mazHur!
Thank you very much, Ala, and Qim for your appreciation which I sincerely appreciate.
Here is the next picture
http://holypants.com/images/38.jpg
:)
Congrats mazHur! A wonderful poem and more than worthy of the Oscar! Your new photo should inspire some very interesting works!
Committed
Something must die so that others can live,
It's the way of the world as sad as that is--
The world is divided between those just involved,
And those that are deeply committed
Think of it when you eat your ham and eggs:
A chicken was involved,
But the pig--the pig was committed...
Pendragon
Are we having a contest here or should we just close the freaking thread?
I think the theme has not yet 'stirred' the hearts of poets here. In any case the result has to be announced. If there are no more entries received by the close of this week I will have no choice but to declare the winner.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pendragon
Maz
Here is a poem I just jotted down. Of course it is not for the contest.
The She Monkey!
when I was a little boy
my grandma used to tell me stories
one such story was about a she-monkey
who got stranded in a desert
carrying a couple of her kids
the hot sand began to scorch
when sun came overhead
there was no shelter
for the poor monkey mother
to shade herself or her kids
from the fiery heat
finally she lost control
her endurance began to fade
her motherly instinct died down
she lost her mind as if she had to
the excruciating heat of the roasted sand
was no more bearable
she threw down her kids on the burning sand
and stood over them
until they all burnt out and died
the she-monkey was saved
the urge for survival
surpassed all the principles
all religions, all creeds
even the motherly instinct!
Enough of waiting. Patience has tired out. The only poem contributed here is by Pen.
Since there is no other contestant it proves that Pen has got a walkover and is hereby declared the WINNER!!
Congrats Pen! The contest seems to have been too hard for our friends!
Thank you, Maz.
The contest must go on. How about this picture? Feel free to be abstract or true to the story...
Good luck!
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l1...vidGoliath.jpg
Dear active members of the picture poetry thread:
Please don't give up on this thread. I read with interest the work that is posted here. I would like to contribute, only, YOU GUYS ARE GOOD! One of these days though, I'm going to press the enter button, cringingly.
--Cap'n
Out of the lungs of Goliath
Into the terms of David
The air sizzled
Between the rivals
And the neighboring crowd
As Destiny struck
Its cowering note
Of alternative anticlimax
After the hero lost his footing
To ignorant fears and dumb luck.
Thanks, alakungfu! Contest ends, one way or another, on July 15th. Please people! This thread is dying for lack of poems! :bawling:
My heart beats
one, two, three, four, five
steady now
wildly it continues
but a boy
they whisper
doomed
death awaits us all
a challenge
nothing
in the sight of the lord
a giant
they say
while cowering in fear
one, two, three, four, five
great warriors run
before his mockery
but I am no great warrior
the youngest
of my brothers
I am the Shepard
I protect my flock
from bears
from lions
from giants.
one, two, three, four, five
stones I choose
smooth
deadly
Am I dog
that you come at me
with sticks
and stones?
Sticks and stones
don't break bones
he continues to throw
words at me
the boy will die
they whisper
the war is lost
we are dead
I will stand
I will swing
one, two, three, four, five
times round my sling goes
One stone flies
between two beady eyes
three breaths
four prayers to my God
and a man
five times my size
five times my strength
five times my fame
is defeated by
one stone.
one God.
one boy.
My heart beats wildly
as I stand in the sun
one, two, three, four, five
How is it, Lord, that you created love
And the seeds of love that results in
The miracle of life, each cell with it’s
Own name and use, that form hands
And eyes and minds and thoughts that
Can, in themselves discover universes
That cares for those weaker than themselves
Makes beautiful music and stories and art; that with
All that we have to give, we got it all from You
And how is it, Lord, that you created hate
And the seeds of hate and fear that results
In destruction of infinite variety,
War and torture, lies and betrayals, and
The willingness to abscond with the life
Of another; to forget that there is enough
Land and food and power, enough of
Everything if only we will share
And how is it, Lord, that there are plants
That cover the earth in an emerald garden
Our brothers and sisters, majestic animals
that walk and fly and swim over all the earth
Mountains to be conquered and divided
By man who seems to believe he is the ruler
Of all, who forgets that it is You who
Has dominion over us, that we must not
Use our mighty power to conquer but to care
Please, Lord, do not let You become
insignificant so that we think, in our
Goliath arrogance, that we can be the
Lord of all; let us not forget to be
David, humble and small before You
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l1...vidGoliath.jpg
David and Goliath
by mazHur
Have a heart, brothers
worry not
God is with us
He'll open the knot.
Weaker as we are
Our faith is strong;
the day will follow
what if night be long?
Fear not the devil
have faith in God's mercy;
He will come to your succor
just wait and see.
He only gives power
to the weaker and upright;
for the arrogant and cruel
He brings but plight.
By His mercy and grace
I will go alone to fight
Goliath, the truculent giant
have a heart and sit tight.
Give me my sling and a stone
I am ready to face the brute;
from heavens above I can hear
the beast turned dead mute.
Come, Goliath, try your hand
for the first and the last time;
this battle will ultimately decide
that the weak are strong in God's clime.
Laughing at the little boy, David
the beast advanced to kill him
drunk with the wine of his strength
staggering in his pride and whim.
In God's name, David reached him,
hurled his sling with a deadly aim
at the crude's weakest zone
and lo! the beast fell like a tame!
The strong was instantly killed
the weaker came out victorious
God smiled from the heavens above
and proved Himself thus.
So I roar out my challenge...
and oh god look.
Coming up the hill,
out of the enemy lines.
He’s just a little boy.
Kind of pretty too.
Knitting his brows at me. Fierce.
Brave, and scared also.
So what do I do now?
If I kill him – even
if I kill him quickly –
They’re going to hate me for it.
Both sides will hate me.
The king himself will hate me.
The women too will hate me.
History will hate me.
No glory here.
I called out Saul himself,
And look who they send me.
Cowards. An insult. Cowards!
But also it’s good strategy.
A fight I can’t win.
Clever, Saul, clever.
We’ve been waiting weeks and weeks,
Facing one another
across this ashy nothing.
Piling stones a little higher,
Lighting fires at night,
Sleeping on the sand,
Waiting waiting waiting,
Hot, thirsty, numbed.
It’s no kind of war at all –
and so I thought, enough of this,
And I sent out the challenge.
And now I have this pointless
combat on my hands.
This will settle nothing.
He isn’t going to kill me,
not even if I want it.
He can’t. How could he?
Oh god. I guess
I’ll have to let him win
A pass or two, and then
Try and make it look like
I didn’t mean to do it.
Still it will settle nothing,
And my good name dies with him.
My fame dies with him.
Poor little kid.
Why did they send him to war?
What was his mother thinking?
Maybe no-one likes him.
Surely he didn’t choose this?
Wait, he’s shouting up to me.
Hey, big words for a little kid.
Not scared any more.
Talked himself up some courage.
Good. If he keeps this up,
He’ll make himself a warrior,
an adversary worth killing.
Keep it up kid.
Okay. I’ll draw my sword.
Two hands on the pommel,
I’m holding it down in front of me,
looking along the length of it.
Now I swing it around,
Over my head and back.
Let him see it flashing.
Come on kid, get it over, and maybe
You won’t feel it at all.
He’s stopped, gone quiet, standing there.
What’s he doing? What’s that
he has in his hand? A stone?
A stone? What’s that for son?
I shake my lion’s head at him,
And deep down inside me
something starts to rise
From a dark red place,
Like something you know in your muscles,
in your veins, your heart, your lungs,
and in your head, your lion’s head.
And I throw back my great mane
and I laugh at him. Long and deep.
My great gaping roaring
lion’s head. My head.
Whew! And I may only choose one... Great poetry everyone! :thumbs_up
I have such stupid brothers.
They could not wait to pass
the sheepwatch duties on to me
and get out of the grass.
I am smarter and I learnt.
A five-pound lump of stone
and a leather thong, ballistics
and boredom set the tone.
Israel is full of morons.
They're all archers, you know.
To stand and fight in armoured might?
A stupid way to go.
Why is everyone surprised?
Twenty-five centuries
more and Isaac Newton will lay bare
the force-fed mysteries.
Radial acceleration
And a single solid rock.
The book won't ever really say
Goliath died from shock.
:lol::lol: love it, nice one.
And the winner is:
AndyDio!
That repeated line:
one, two, three, four, five just did it for me!
autolycus
I loved that line
Goliath died from shock
alexar
Great wording here:
So what do I do now?
If I kill him – even
if I kill him quickly –
They’re going to hate me for it.
Both sides will hate me.
Maz
Fear not the devil
have faith in God's mercy;
He will come to your succor
just wait and see.
Words to live by...
qimi
Please, Lord, do not let You become
insignificant so that we think, in our
Goliath arrogance, that we can be the
Lord of all; let us not forget to be
David, humble and small before You
Very inspired! Have you ever thought of public speaking?
alakungfu
After the hero lost his footing
To ignorant fears and dumb luck.
Kind of a dim ending to an otherwise great poem...
So AndyDio may choose the next picture
Thanks to all who entered. With such great poets, I feel small and insignificant.
Love,
Pen