Form Poem Contest

[qimissung]

The Crocus and the Martin

the purple crocus in their velvet coats
enfold each other tenderly as they
await the coming night, its icy notes;
spring turns its back on winter's wordplay
while my brush wordlessly conspires
to trace their downy deep desires

fingers trace the newborn baby's back; fires
that had lain dormant stir; the earth, primed for
your rebirth, makes ready loamy soil, requires
the earth stop its weary toil; the purple martin savior
is come home; sound loud the bright refrain!
that which was lost is found again.

Qimissung

[PrinceMyshkin]

Thanks for this latest, beautiful entry.

The icon that appears to be still there was the result of my sloppy thumb!


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Edited by Logos to replace a thumbs down with thumbs UP icon

[AuntShecky]

I think I found the name to a similiar verse form.
It's a sesta rima, aka the "Venus and Adonis" stanza, from the poem by Shakespeare.

http://lonestar.texas.net/~robison/more.html#sestarima

The thing is, W.D. Snodgrass's "April Inventory" is in tetrameter, not pentameter.

Well, back to the ol' drawing board -- that is, "The Google." Not today though, I'm already late in fixing the
supper.

[qimissung]

Thanks for this latest, beautiful entry.

The icon that appears to be still there was the result of my sloppy thumb!

It's OK! I know what you mean!

[Logos]

I fixed it Prince

[PrinceMyshkin]

The contest closes at midnight tonight. I should be announcing the winner by noon tomorrow.

[PrinceMyshkin]

Pendragon’s “Song of New Hope” is a poignant instance of stubborn hope confronting the vicissitudes of life:

Time to give back clothing to the poor naked trees,
And let daisies and violets wink in the grass
Let’s trade in the cold for the warm Spring breeze
Tell Old Man Winter to cease and desist and just pass!

Krymson King’s “April” is a vivid example of the seasons of feeling:

Mens' thoughts turn to forgotten love
from winter's daily drag, and grind
Romance hits thawing wits in droves
bittersweet blossoms of a bitter mind

AuntShecky’s “Hindsight” is a brilliant mixture of self-depreciation and stubborn sterling wit:

The times I squandered, wasted, spent
chasing silly dreams or foolish men!
No dough, a deadbeat with the rent:
the same old me I've always been.
I could patch my wounds with duct tape and string,
or open my eyes and look at spring.

Qimissung’s “The Crocus and the Martin” is glorious, seemingly effortless poetry:

the purple crocus in their velvet coats
enfold each other tenderly as they
await the coming night, its icy notes;
spring turns its back on winter's wordplay
while my brush wordlessly conspires
to trace their downy deep desires

And the winner is:

"The Crocus and the Martin" by Qimissung, which carries the form as lightly as a loving hand resting gently on her shoulder in the service of her characteristic lively vocabulary and unforced breath.

Congratulations to all of you and especially to Qimissung!

[qimissung]

Thank you, Prince. I always enjoy trying new forms. I don't think I'd force myself if it wasn't for this contest. I enjoyed everyone's entries. Krymson Kyng, AuntShecky, and Pendragon are all dear and worthy "opponents!"

Let's try our hand at the sonnet, that most worthy of poetic forms. You can read a little about sonnets here:

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5791

and here:

http://www.online-literature.com/for...6417&goto=prev

These are six blog entries by Red-Headed, and he did an excellent job of describing the sonnet and it's various types. I make no distinction among them, only that you try to outdo yourself and make it sing.

Here is another place to read about sonnets. It gets right to the point with an easy description of the form one should use when writing one, with links on how to write one in the style of either Shakespeare, Petrarch, or a modern version.

http://www.ehow.com/how_3335_write-sonnet.html

[qimissung]

Here is an example of a sonnet by Petrarch:

http://www.ajdrake.com/e252_fall_04/...petrarchan.htm

And one by Shakespeare:

http://www.albionmich.com/inspiratio...ndisgrace.html

You can, of course, find more of Shakespeare's sonnets here at litnet:

http://www.online-literature.com/for...lay.php?f=5613

Good luck, and have fun.

[Pendragon]

N’est-çe Pas

Somewhere there’s music playing on beat-up guitar,
Singer is a homeless man praying he can get enough to eat.
Long ago he answered to his country’s call and went to war.
He’s got a nice purple heart for bravery but he’s on the street.
Another man from another city who did two tours of duty in Vietnam.
Came back home and found hostility due to insane Lieutenants over there.
In doing his duty, he lost an arm and an eye, but they don’t understand.
It just takes a couple bad apples to rot the whole barrel anywhere.
With patriotic fever he went off to where they sent him, no questions.
Cause he was red, white, and blue right down to his heart.
Then his son was born with no arms and they have no suggestions.
Things like that can pull the biggest patriot boy apart.
They that live by the sword one day are gonna die by the same sword:
And seems to me, child, we’ve come a long, long way from Valley Forge…

Pendragon

[qimissung]

Wow! Thanks for the first entry, Pendragon. With those last tow lines you hit this blues infused sonnet right out of the park!

[AuntShecky]

What's the deadline?

[qimissung]

The contest deadline will be April 12, 2010.

[AuntShecky]

No Restraints, No Strings

You know that value marched aloud in song,
the one not gained until “we” bravely fought
with blood, the only gold with which it’s bought?
Well, ev’ry blessed thing we're told is wrong.
Like children, well-behaved, we played along.
Its truth veers off from the way we're taught:
that it’s kept captive --as if been caught --
let out to air at times with felons’ throng.

Real liberty’s no lady. It won't grab
on a cause, won't cheer, or don a shirt of brown;
defies detection in both sky and sea.
How fast it skitters, quicksilver on a slab!
No frame will hold, for nowhere can be found
a clue: at large, uncaged, in charge, and free.

[qimissung]

This is so beautiful, AuntShecky. Thank you for joining the party with this lovely entry.