Minimalist Poetry Contest

Congrats to RaoulDuke, and I feel the heavy responsability of you, dear autolycus, because as you've said, there have been really so many different ways of celebrating zero in so many little poetic gems. Let me just correct you, autolycus: in my sense, there are never any losers in this contest. I at least always feel like such a winner only in participating and in reading the other contestants' entries. Some make me mull over them for a long time, some make me giggle, some make me want to be able to write material as good as the one offered on here. For those to whom I haven't said it yet: all my best wishes for this new year!

Nice going, RaoulDuke! :wave:

Congrats RaoulDuke! :)

Props to RD, and good job all.

RaoulDuke, yours would be my top pick too. Congrats!

Thankyou all. A good contest with some stiff competiton; all entries had their merits but I was particularly fond of DieterM's frosty little gem.

The next subject is sunset and I will set the deadline as midnight on the 8th of February - good luck!

Congrats, RaoulDuke! Here's one to start off the new contest:


Sunset

Across the bay the sun has set.
The rain tonight won't get it wet.

the richly-painted horizon
an explosion of vibrant color
dims like a flickering bulb
and fades to shimmering black sky

Fire breaks
through
the sky
in one brief
splendid
moment
of rapture
and than

darkness

The golden ball dives
into its own reflection
on orange waves

My healthy hunger and I
arise from our vault
with fangs politely bared

I'm not mad about apples
if they're not Adam's –
my 'Juicy Fluid Appetizers'

Spotted a sweet-necked girl
in the 'Crushing Wave' bar
downing gin tonic after gin tonic

So I might get plastered tonight
'Poor girl' you say? what is life
to one who ain't living?

...................................morning........ ......................
............................and...............the. .......................
........................in........................ ..in......................
..................the............................. .....rose..............
......evening..................................... ..........sun.......
.set.............................................. ....................The

24 hours (ish) left to submit an entry.

Five posted so far, and a diverse batch to be sure.

Where do the birds go
when the sun's past low
and the skies are burning
the treetops turning into
fodder for fantasy?

Fiery ball of life giving light
Taking a plunge into the sea
To refresh for its next moment on stage
Encore! Encore!

Pendragon

Fortunately your respective poetry is better than my timekeeping :frown5:

YesNo - A lovely example of a minimalist poem. There are echoes of Hemingway in your simple description of the sun setting over the sea. Two short lines that add up to a very stirring description, and yet leave much for the reader to fill in for themselves.

moonbird - Paints a vivid picture with some evocative words; "flickering" and shimmering" are perfect for the aftermath of the dying sun.

Dark Muse - After reading your poem I assumed that you intended line 8 to read "and then". A short and sweet entry that captures the euphoria of the moment but I was left wanting for some more descriptive language to leap out from the screen and set my imagination off wandering.

DieterM - Macabre yet lecherous, gruesome yet sensual. You've taken the theme down a very dark alley and it absolutely worked!

Jajdude - The notion of the sun setting in the west completely evaded me and it took numerous readings to find the true beginning of your poem. A clever idea, but as with DarkMuse's entry it didn't set a spark between my ears.

krymsonkyng - I absolutely love the idea of the setting sun as "Fodder for fantasy" and how you have inserted a delicate rhyming scheme into such a short poem.

Pendragon - A refreshing take on the matter that leaves the reader wanting more (and indeed shouting "Encore"). The world is a stage, but does it host a a melodrama or a farce?


My winner this round is krymsonkyng. Five short lines that add up to far more than the sum of their parts - the very essence of minimalist poetry. Your poem captured the magic of the moment far more than any other, and for this reason it's over to you maestro...