Poetry Contest

[autolycus]

Argh. I've been away submerged in marking term papers... Sorry. I am overwhelmed by the sheer positivity of the comments here. *grin* I almost wish someone had said something negative, but I'm not a saint. I must thank all of you (especially <rintrah> for selecting my poem, and - although I'm not sure how it will be received - <Petrarch's Love> for writing excellence under pressure) very much!

Picture:



Artist acknowledgement: Justin Jenkins, Imaginative Pencil

I still can't get my head around his art.

Deadline: April Fool's Day, 0001 GMT. Thanks!

[ktd222]

Great image, auto!

[Pendragon]

Abstract images... huummmm. Challenging...

[Virgil]

I love that image too. Fabulous.

[Petrarch's Love]

Fun picture, Auto. Should be interesting to see what people come up with.

and - although I'm not sure how it will be received - <Petrarch's Love> for writing excellence under pressure) very much!

And thank you for the compliment, Auto. Can't imagine why it would be received other than happily. Congrats again on your win.

[hockeychick8792]

You need to expand! People do not just want to write about a single painting. Sure you may sensor it a bit by giving a general topic, but let the creativity flow through there bodies. Get them to think!!!

[Adolescent09]

nice to have you here hockey, although I really don't know what you mean lol... I hope you have a pleasant time on these forums. They are really great. And yes! Kudos to Auto for the great pic! My poem is already done, but I'd rather wait until other entries are submitted so I can um... steal ideas . no..jk.

[dramasnot6]

Very interesting image, I have only just started boiling up some ideas Good luck to everyone!

[ktd222]

You need to expand! People do not just want to write about a single painting. Sure you may sensor it a bit by giving a general topic, but let the creativity flow through there bodies. Get them to think!!!

I don't know what you mean, hockey. I thought every poem entered was very creative and thoughtful. Do you mean give them a math problem, or an image that can only be deduced in one way? Do you mean post two images, side by side?

[ktd222]

nice to have you here hockey, although I really don't know what you mean lol... I hope you have a pleasant time on these forums. They are really great. And yes! Kudos to Auto for the great pic! My poem is already done, but I'd rather wait until other entries are submitted so I can um... steal ideas . no..jk.

Ahhh! I used to have that ability to write, write, write...but now I'm full of pauses. What happened to me? I might just have to wait till you post your poem so I can have something to work from.

[rintrah]

Nice picture, Auto. I'm looking forward to Adolescent's entry - the speed of your composition has got me thinking about what your first impressions of the picture may be - like when you're playing chess and you're considering your options and someone says 'I can see the move you need to make' . . . and you just can't see it for yourself . . . lol! Hey. Wait a minute. There's a poem there! Can I submit a poem about Adolescent's posting about his poem about the picture? Ha! Made myself chuckle then. Good luck everyone.

[Adolescent09]

I'm flattered by your cynical anticipation for my entry, Rintrah :P I'll be posting at the half of the deadline (a fortnight I think it is?). Then I'll be posting in a week. Goodluck all and keep up your open mindedness

[rintrah]

Oops! Sorry, Adolescent, not cynical, just interested.

Here's my entry:

So I got up, shook the leaves from my coat
And made my way up past the Serpentine,
Dappled grey mirror punctured with fat ducks,
And I walked on past Albert's Memorial
It's golden spire stifled by the dim light
And I prayed to the muses that brought me
And gave such triumph to life, such hope.

I thought of the boys of the town, too young
To shave without pain, standing at bus stops
Where the girls smoke cigarettes and dream on,
The clustered noisy chatter echoing
On the black roof tops, the thin slates hanging
Clacking nailbound, clinging to chimney stacks
They appear to adore, they want to save.

And I looked up across the street to the
Albert's Royal Hall, where buses laden
With travelers disembowel their innards
To the sprawl, and I saw some young girls there,
Mothers pestering, steering them to the
Entrance, bags and wire hangers with black sacks
Shielding costumes within I supposed, and
I looked and saw some street performers decked
Out in colours green and orange, leg-swung
And head-high, spinning and poised upon toes
Too small for the feat, and I watched them leap,
Those gaudy marionettes, whirling round
In a froth of pink netting, hair tightened
Back to perfection, mothers looking on
Casting one eye to the seem stitching
Laboriously laid at one a.m.

And I smiled at those girls, their cheeks beaming
Bright red in the autumn air, and I walked
On past Old Albert, making my way home.

[Xeryous]

He was silenced, for a want of faith -
Re-imagine. For the sake of restless states
And crumbling empires.
Settling instead in the dust of shaken echoes
The future foregone, given up to dissolution.
He cannot perceive the light, clouded
As it is by the hypocrisy of now
Against that which had been.

Lost minds, lost souls, by the choking dust
Asphyxiated by unchecked lust
This is all for me.
Ishmaelites. No longer a care
For the benign, in much-malign’d stares
Fateful, awful, dissolution

Awake! And see the poverty.
Our wounds caressed by the tongues of greed.
Awake. In the midst of crashing waves
And howling gales, a slow lament sees us stripped
Of all design, and folly,
Exposed for all we are. There
Are survivors.

[Adolescent09]

That's a fabulous poem Xeryous although I don't see how it ties with the image... I guess different people have different ways of viewing art