Famous Quoted Line Poetry Contest

[cacian]

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

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

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...

[Melanie]

YAY, thank you. I'll be back shortly with a quote

[Melanie]

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)

[Dark Muse]

Do you get bonus points if you mange to use more than one LOL?

[Melanie]

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.

[Dark Muse]

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.

[Melanie]

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)

The Deadline will be August 3.

.

[YesNo]

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?

[Dark Muse]

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.

[North Star]

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'

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

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:...

3. "semper flamma flummo proxima" - Plautus (means: the fire is always near the smoke)...

The Gallic Campfire Tales – Vercingetorix Surrenders to Caesar
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

[Melanie]

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.

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

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



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.

[YesNo]

“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.