My compliments to the other three entrants. I have chosen the opening lines from Lay your sleeping head, my love, by W.H. Auden:
Lay your sleeping head, my love,
Human on my faithless arm;
The deadline is September 1
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My compliments to the other three entrants. I have chosen the opening lines from Lay your sleeping head, my love, by W.H. Auden:
Lay your sleeping head, my love,
Human on my faithless arm;
The deadline is September 1
Faithful Is As Faithful Does
Lay your sleeping head, my love,
Human on my faithless arm;
Let me hold you fast against the night
Sheltered and safe from all harm
Head on my chest listening to my heart
Knowing it beats only for you
Knowing somewhere in my disordered brain
I'll always be faithful and true
I call my arm faithless but truth be told
I never could enfold another
Temptations come and temptations go
But we'll always have each other
Going through life on a wing and a prayer
Got to hold on ready or not
Your head on my shoulder when you feel need to cry
Sometime it seems that's all we've got
Come again to arms it is time for rest
To snuggle and sleep for a while
When morning calls the first thing I'll see
Is the brilliance of your gentle smile
Love will keep us together come ever what may
We grow closer as the moments pass by
I know I have found a lover and a friend
So I'll hold you fast and just cry...
Pendragon
Pendragon: A great beginning to this latest iteration of the thread that you initiated.
What, no competition? Come on poets! Write your hearts out!
An Angel's Requiem
Come my dear
and let us watch the world burn
from above upon our precipice,
at the edge of the horizon
where the earth meets the sky.
Fear not my darling
for we are high above their reach
and their unjust reproaches,
we can walk through the ash
of their souls and the ruin
of the world they made.
Do not waste pity
upon the weak who would spare
the likes of us no mercy,
hush and don't shed your bloodied tears
let the shadow extinguish the light for once.
Lay your sleeping head, my love
human upon my faithless arm
and I will carry you upon these wings of fire
somewhere far beyond the crumbling heavens.
What now is the inferno of hell
to us, my sweet
when we ill build something better
a palace out of the bones,
beauty rising from death.
NO LIMIT
The moon may weary of the night
Yet never waver from its track;
It’s pilgrim course forever sets
A silver sheen across the black
The troubled sea may claw the sky
Then fall asunder into spray;
Its hiss of anger,
Kiss of jealousy,
Absolved each dawning day
And for us both, the same is true;
We are not two but one entwined,
Your breath my pulse,
Your heart my mind,
My graceless touch in you refined
So….. lay your sleeping head, my love,
Human on my faithless arm;
Smile in contemplation as
I hold you close and safe from harm
Read my eyes and read my heart
Read my lips and read my skin
Never were we meant to part....
We hold the world itself by spin
H
If there are no further entries by midnight tonight I'll announce my choice early tomorrow morning.
My compliments to the three of you.
To Pendragon, for the gentleness in
Dark Muse for the triumph inQuote:
Come again to arms it is time for rest
To snuggle and sleep for a while
When morning calls the first thing I'll see
Is the brilliance of your gentle smile
and my choice is Hillwaker, for the grace that runs fromQuote:
What now is the inferno of hell
to us, my sweet
when we ill build something better
a palace out of the bones,
beauty rising from death.
throughout the whole of this wonderful poem.Quote:
The moon may weary of the night
Yet never waver from its track;
It’s pilgrim course forever sets
A silver sheen across the black
Thanks so much, Prince.... and yet again compliments to my two intrepid adversaries.
I thought I would give everyone something slightly different to hopefully generate a little more competition :
Crickets are chirpin', the water is high,
There's a soft cotton dress on the line hangin' dry
- from 'The Man In The Long Black Coat' (lyrics written by Bob Dylan)
- deadline, one minute before midnight Tuesday 28th September. Good luck.
H
A whole week gone by and not a single post yet..... I hope that means you're all busy beavering away in preparation to share your efforts with us on here.
If not - wakey wakey!
Sunday Afternoons
Lazy Sunday afternoons,
the wind was blown'
dust in the streets
and the sun appeared
to be shinin' but a
storm was brewin'
hanging heavy in the air.
A white house like
a dream, picture perfect
just like a summertime
lie for all the truth
found inside.
She lay on the floor
all battered n' bruised,
he was drunk again
on a Sunday afternoon
and not a sound stirred
but her silenced tears.
Yet the world keeps
revolving, turnin' a blind eye,
crickets are chirpin'
the water is high
there's a soft cotton dress
hangin' on the line to dry.
Because a storm is a comin'
the sky heavy with rain
and the blood is all washed away
only forgotten remnants
of a white picket fence dream
that never was to be.
Love That Outlasts the World
Crickets are chirpin', the water is high,
There's a soft cotton dress on the line hangin' dry,
She holds me so tenderly and gazing into my eyes
Tells me of love that will outlast the world…
She plays with our children down by the creek,
Ring around the Rosie, and hide-and-go-seek—
We found out she’s pregnant again just last week
And our love will truly outlast the world…
Her head on my shoulder as we drift off to sleep,
Drinking from the fount of love that runs deep.
Promises given and promises to keep—
Our love will surely outlast the world…
Pendragon
© 9/12/2010
Only 2 entries so far - with only 3 days left.
Anyone out there wanting to take part you have until one minute before midnight Tuesday 28th September. Don't be shy.
H
Crickets are chirpin', the water is high,
There's a soft cotton dress on the line hangin' dry
Dem' are da words,
Ma old prof would read
when he want-eed us ta learn.
I told 'im where go,
as a G-star like we do.
I got outta ma seat
an scattered to tha door,
He wouldna bat an eye
since he ad a feelin' I didna need it like,
cuz why would tha future 2-Pac
need listen n chat old poems and shiz
from a dead guy anyway?
Well - your time has run out. Only 3 took up the challenge - but thanks so much for your splendid efforts.
Dark Muse - painting a 'picture perfect' image which has become tarnished by the spectre of domestic violence. I loved the clever way you controlled the counterpoint between the soft, unthreatening outside world of a typical lazy Sunday afternoon and the underlying violence hidden away inside the house.
Pendragon - a really beautiful love poem, made to be read with a smile on the face. The repeated final phrase works really well. This has some really heart-warming images.
I might have to question how the two 'quoted lines' fit in since they didn't seem to be part of the same poem.
Skia - interesting.... different.....
The vernacular of rap seemed conpletely out of place on first reading... but it does have a certain lilt to it. For the record, last time I checked Bob Dylan is still with us - but the poem is ironic in a way because some of his earlier recordings sound very much like rap (e.g. Talking Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues).
But without further ado I declare DarkMuse as this month's winner. Congratulations - and thanks Pen and Skia for making her work for it.
H
Oh wow thank you!
Since it is getting close to Halloween, which as I am sure comes to no surprise to anyone, happens to be my favorite holiday, I have to use this favorite line of mine from Dante's Inferno:
"Abandon all hope ye who enter here"
Deadline October 31st
I hope you do not remind, I am not sure if this sort of thing you are look.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark Muse
Hope
My mum abandon me on a cold winter day.
Inside the local church.
She layed me down next to the altar
Maybe she saw hope.
When she enter the house of God.
She whisper these in humle word 'abandon all hope ya who enter here'
Faces.
Abandon all hope ye who enter here
as I will cut you when you do.
I will slice and dice and
laugh and cry when I rip.
There is a chair
sitting upon the stone gravel
waiting for a victim
to claw at the leg,
fingernails dug in
it's wooden flesh.
I'm going to need
a decaf latte,
Rope or chains?
Rope would burn you
as you stuggle.
Good.
Also, a gag...
no, not a gag,
I want to hear you scream.
Hannibal Lector is one icon of mine,
though i'm not much for flesh,
it tastes kinda icky.
I watched Gladiator last night,
a hero known for killing the innocent.
My dream and your nightmare.
Just traveling around
on a road that goes nowhere
Graveyards seem to line the streets
Lonesome call of a whippoorwill
echoing somewhere in the darkness
and a howling wolf that seems to be getting closer
Shadows creep stealthily along in the pale moonlight
maybe I should have made that left hand turn at Albuquerque,
instead of passing over that gated bridge
under the rusty sign that read
"Abandon hope all ye who enter here..."
Pendragon
10/1/10
Only three entries so far.......
I know I am a little late, but I am here now. I want to thank the three brave souls who were willing to step up to this challange with your wonderful and diverse works.
And now, without fruther ado.......
zoolane: You captured a very haunting and emotional image with your poem. There was such deep feeling in the words, and so much conveyed in so few lines. I thought this was a very powerful and effective use of the line.
Skia: You have a very Halloween appropriate entry. I loved the way you incorporated touches of humor behind the very dark themes of the poem. Though personally I felt that the very last verse was not needed and I felt it dragged the poem down a bit. I would have ended it on the line "I want to hear you scream."
Pendragon: Your words are skillful as ever and you created such a haunting atmosphere with your poem that I think truly did homage to the famous line. The surprise at the end made me just about laugh out loud. A wonderful peace both haunting and playful.
But alas one most be chosen winner, and the one who I think best captured the famous line goes to
zoolane
Wow again thank you DM secondly one I won. Let me have think try be back soon the Famous Qoute. Thank you again.
'"Then, who is digging on my grave?'' This is title of poem from Thomas Hardy.
Closed date is 24TH of November good luck and happy written.
Anyone????? only fourteen days left
She fed the fear with teeth
She knew
how best to get a rise
from simple teasing
simple toying
billing and cooing
like that birdland song.
She loves so well in the mornings, my
girl, who parties longer
than my mind could bear
kisses as hard as these lips
has as long this hair
drinks harder than-
but there, when the light flooded in,
when the room came into view
I saw smiling brightly,
not mine but,
no girl I knew.
Then, who
is digging on my grave
expression?
One person so far. Thank you Krymsonkyng. Only 8 days to go tothe deadline.
There's an ancient graveyard up there on the hill
Where most of my ancestors sleep
I'm fifty years old and my health seems pretty good
Death seems to me like a dream
I'm feeling fine and I'm doing all right
Working on my memories like a slave
But if it isn't time for me to pass death's gate
Then who is digging on my grave?
Pendragon
'"Then, who is digging on my grave?'' This is title of poem from Thomas Hardy.
Four days left 24thNov 10pm deadline.
[QUOTE=zoolane;979771]'"Then, who is digging on my grave?'' This is title of poem from Thomas Hardy.
Just down 24th hours left 24thNov 10pm deadline.
Four hours left any takers? Thank you to two poems so far.
Then who is digging on my grave?
Which is monarch, which the slave?
Where's the hand that holds the spade,
at whose feet, empires are laid?
What's the answer to my birth?
When's the time to pierce the earth?
Thank you to all who entre.
krymsonkyng: Is great poem about girl with element of be victim and bully at same time. Favourite lines are:[She fed the fear with teeth
She knew
how best to get a rise
from simple teasing
simple toying
billing and cooing
like that birdland song.
She loves so well in the mornings,
Now Pen: I love your poem about older person reflection on their death. Favourite lines are:Actual whole thing.
Hack: great last minute entre it quite reflect mood on past as well present and about earth. Favourite lines are: again whole poem
Winner is Pendragon well done.
There's an ancient graveyard up there on the hill
Where most of my ancestors sleep
I'm fifty years old and my health seems pretty good
Death seems to me like a dream
I'm feeling fine and I'm doing all right
Working on my memories like a slave
But if it isn't time for me to pass death's gate
Then who is digging on my grave?
Thank you Zoolane!
This is a line from an Ogden Nash poem:
"Have you seen yourself retreating?"
Have fun with this. The funnier, the better. Closing date is December 15.
Come and sit down at the table
And let us eat 'til we're unable
To look down at our feet;
And then when we can't even stand,
Can hardly even lift a hand,
Let's force ourselves to eat.
For darling, you we made for this,
Surely there's no greater bliss
Than overindulgence and gluttony;
That's it, dear, keep on eating,
There'll be no stopping or retreating
Though your pants may say, "Unbutton me."
There'll be no stopping or retreating
'Til we explode from overeating.
(Have you seen yourself retreating?
Then you must continue eating.)
Good opening poem! That's the kind of thing we're looking for. Nash was a great poet for comedy. I think he'd approve!
you we?
you were
Really miswrote here.Quote:
Originally Posted by jajdude
No one else? Hello out there! This is supposed to be a contest!
Oh, well. Sigh... :(
Jajdude wins by default, but it was a poem worthy of winning
For those interested the Original Ogden Nash poem went like this:
You're up next, Jajdude!Quote:
Sure, deck your lower limbs in pants
Yours are the limbs my sweeting
You look divine as you advance
Have you seen yourself retreating?