Poetry competition CLOSED 14th May 2021 1:12pm
WINNER
Anonymous
Anonymous
RUNNER-UP:
CruelHandedWriter
Unsent Letters
DaryaWaters
Darya Waters
Forum Posts: 20
Darya Waters
Lost Thinker
2
Joined 24th Mar 2021Forum Posts: 20
Poetry Contest Description
Like it says. Send letters that you may have written or wanted to write, but can't or won't send to the person they're meant for, about any subject. Make me feel things. Can be poetic in nature, or simply prose, or somewhere in between.
The example below is my own work, to be used for reference purposes only, and is not entered in the competition.
RACHMANINOFF: RHAPSODY ON A THEME OF PAGANINI, VAR. 18
You make me hate myself a little less.
I hope you realize how profound that is.
You are the only person who I could ever disappear into conversation with.
The only person whom I could truly lose myself within.
The only person who understands me to the depth that I understand myself.
And you are the only person who accepts me and loves me to the depth that you do.
I hope you realize how profound that is.
I miss you. And I missed you.
And now you’re back in my life.
And you bring light and laughter with you.
Genuine emotion. Genuine smiles and frowns.
You bring clarity, candor, and erudition into a world that is phony and false.
And when I’m with you, however briefly, I see clearly through eyes typically clouded with confusion.
Yet with your return returns the realization that I will always have to hold you at arm’s length.
That I will never be able to express to you how I truly feel.
That no matter how intertwined we are, at the end of the story I am left alone,
spinning solitary fantasies.
But that’s alright.
Because one day we’ll both move on with our lives.
And move away and meet new people and gradually fall apart from each other.
And you’ll find people who accept you for who you are, but probably not as well as I do.
And that’s alright.
And I’ll find people who accept me for who I am, but probably not as well as you do.
And that’s alright.
And maybe for a while we’ll miss each other. But we’ll learn to live without each other.
And maybe then we’ll both be able to finally be happy.
RACHMANINOFF: RHAPSODY ON A THEME OF PAGANINI, VAR. 18
You make me hate myself a little less.
I hope you realize how profound that is.
You are the only person who I could ever disappear into conversation with.
The only person whom I could truly lose myself within.
The only person who understands me to the depth that I understand myself.
And you are the only person who accepts me and loves me to the depth that you do.
I hope you realize how profound that is.
I miss you. And I missed you.
And now you’re back in my life.
And you bring light and laughter with you.
Genuine emotion. Genuine smiles and frowns.
You bring clarity, candor, and erudition into a world that is phony and false.
And when I’m with you, however briefly, I see clearly through eyes typically clouded with confusion.
Yet with your return returns the realization that I will always have to hold you at arm’s length.
That I will never be able to express to you how I truly feel.
That no matter how intertwined we are, at the end of the story I am left alone,
spinning solitary fantasies.
But that’s alright.
Because one day we’ll both move on with our lives.
And move away and meet new people and gradually fall apart from each other.
And you’ll find people who accept you for who you are, but probably not as well as I do.
And that’s alright.
And I’ll find people who accept me for who I am, but probably not as well as you do.
And that’s alright.
And maybe for a while we’ll miss each other. But we’ll learn to live without each other.
And maybe then we’ll both be able to finally be happy.
PittinixDesigns
Forum Posts: 85
Fire of Insight
3
Joined 8th Feb 2020 Forum Posts: 85
A Letter of Proposal
Dear Sister Debora:
Please forgive me for writing you this letter.
I’d rather speak to you in person,
But your friends are always around you.
And I like to discuss eros privately.
This is a very important issue in my life.
I’m confident that you’ll understand.
Kindly accept my warm greeting, Debora.
And please extend my cordiality to your family.
I want you to know how I feel about you.
I’ve had eyes for you for over a year.
And I’ve become overly attracted to you.
I wanted to tell you these things before,
But I didn’t get the chance to approach you.
This isn’t the traditional way to propose,
But as you know, I can’t speak well.
I stutter, especially in intimate situations.
I have good intentions toward you.
Seriously, I don’t want sexual immorality.
I’d like to find a nice woman to love,
Marry her and live a decent life.
Debora, I find myself gravitating to you.
I have the urge to see you all the time.
I’m telling you this cos I’m in love with you,
And my ambition is to make you my wife.
If you’ve ever been in love with someone,
You’d know the feelings of my heart.
I don’t want you to make a hasty commitment.
The two of us could be meant for each other.
Darling, I can at least imagine this much.
I’m looking for specific qualities in a woman.
I want a loving, caring, and understanding person,
Someone who’s inclined to worship God.
And you certainly display all these good qualities.
Debora, I must be truthful about myself.
Sometimes I’m playful and daring,
Providing that you catch me in the right mood.
But I can’t maintain a lively spirit.
I guess it’s because of my condition.
It’s embarrassing to talk about it.
Let me help you to grasp what I’m saying.
I grew up as an only child, and I hardly socialise.
I’ve been experiencing unbearable loneliness.
And sometimes this gets me down.
There are other beautiful nuns at the convent,
But I chose you cos you’re suitable for me.
Do you love me, Sister Debora?
Darling, if you care about me at all,
Consider this letter a request to court you.
We can spend more time together
And learn more about each other.
If this letter of proposal could hold more,
I’d write all the things I want to say.
Could we meet somewhere and talk?
I don’t know how you’ll react to my approach,
But I’m anxiously awaiting your reply.
Darling, stay as sweet as you are.
Sincerely yours, Anthony Scott.
Please forgive me for writing you this letter.
I’d rather speak to you in person,
But your friends are always around you.
And I like to discuss eros privately.
This is a very important issue in my life.
I’m confident that you’ll understand.
Kindly accept my warm greeting, Debora.
And please extend my cordiality to your family.
I want you to know how I feel about you.
I’ve had eyes for you for over a year.
And I’ve become overly attracted to you.
I wanted to tell you these things before,
But I didn’t get the chance to approach you.
This isn’t the traditional way to propose,
But as you know, I can’t speak well.
I stutter, especially in intimate situations.
I have good intentions toward you.
Seriously, I don’t want sexual immorality.
I’d like to find a nice woman to love,
Marry her and live a decent life.
Debora, I find myself gravitating to you.
I have the urge to see you all the time.
I’m telling you this cos I’m in love with you,
And my ambition is to make you my wife.
If you’ve ever been in love with someone,
You’d know the feelings of my heart.
I don’t want you to make a hasty commitment.
The two of us could be meant for each other.
Darling, I can at least imagine this much.
I’m looking for specific qualities in a woman.
I want a loving, caring, and understanding person,
Someone who’s inclined to worship God.
And you certainly display all these good qualities.
Debora, I must be truthful about myself.
Sometimes I’m playful and daring,
Providing that you catch me in the right mood.
But I can’t maintain a lively spirit.
I guess it’s because of my condition.
It’s embarrassing to talk about it.
Let me help you to grasp what I’m saying.
I grew up as an only child, and I hardly socialise.
I’ve been experiencing unbearable loneliness.
And sometimes this gets me down.
There are other beautiful nuns at the convent,
But I chose you cos you’re suitable for me.
Do you love me, Sister Debora?
Darling, if you care about me at all,
Consider this letter a request to court you.
We can spend more time together
And learn more about each other.
If this letter of proposal could hold more,
I’d write all the things I want to say.
Could we meet somewhere and talk?
I don’t know how you’ll react to my approach,
But I’m anxiously awaiting your reply.
Darling, stay as sweet as you are.
Sincerely yours, Anthony Scott.
Written by PittinixDesigns
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DaryaWaters
Darya Waters
Forum Posts: 20
Darya Waters
Lost Thinker
2
Joined 24th Mar 2021Forum Posts: 20
Thank you for the wonderful entry!
Grace
IDryad
Forum Posts: 17048
IDryad
Tyrant of Words
126
Joined 25th Aug 2011Forum Posts: 17048
Letters Unread
15th February 1942
Dear Mother
Singapore fell today.
I wish I could deliver this message to you in a better way. Perhaps I should reword that, but that's the only way I can convey to you the truth of what's occurred here. Be that I could share with you glad tidings instead. After just one week of fighting the 'Gibraltar of the East' just fell to the Japanese. There have been tremendous shelling from above, causing severe damage to our depot. Our command did not predict where the Japs would land and the number of soldiers left are small as compared to our accursed enemy. Our command has just surrendered to the Japanese. Our flag with the white colour of cowardice... I fear they would be incarcerated in PoW camps, hardly the Ritz in my opinion.
To think that I should be with you and the family at this time, no matter how cold it must be at home now. This land of endless sunshine and intermittent strong wind and heavy rain; seen to be a land of adventure and opportunity have turned into a fearful hell. I am furious that I a mere clerk with this merchant company here should be trapped in this fearsome situation.
I am now hiding in this miserable office but I know I will not be safe for long. They are scouring buildings in this side of town to get at any 'white devils' that may yet be holed like rats.
Mother, I also want to inform you and father, that I have been living with a girl here, which may be the actual motivation that kept me here after merchant ships left for safer harbour several months back.
She is a beautiful woman of Chinese and Portuguese descent. She had taken care of me during my bouts with the cursed Malaria. She is caring and tender and I have intentions to make an honest woman out of her. Mother she is also five months pregnant with my baby. I hope I will be around to take care of her until our dying day. I however fear that my dying day may be sooner than later.
I therefore beg of you mother, and my family as a whole to accept her as my wife and companion, and for my child to be part of us. Her name is Myra Hwang.
I will hand this letter to her and I hope she will find someone to hand this to, so that it may reach you.
Send my regards to father and also Percy and Lance, the terrible twins...I wonder if they will enlist soon. Turning 18 as they did.
I remain, as always
Your Son
John J. Smith
1st March 1942
Dear John
Oh my son, my son.
We heard about the fall of Singapore, and we prayed and prayed that we would hear from you. In vain. We heard that the British command there had surrendered to the hated Japanese. We are ashamed that he had done so but we hope that with the surrender lives will be spared, if the enemies show mercy.
Here we wait for any news from our children far flung into the world. I wish that I had been more firm with you and not allow you to sail off and work for that merchant company. I find them a little dubious and at times I wonder if they are not slave ships after all. Travelling so far into the East, for spices that I hardly touch.
At this moment, I only want you to be home safe. I pray that you are safe my son and come home soon. Surely clerks are not harmed, they are not soldiers.
Mr Jessup next door is close to being committed to a sanatorium. He has been shouting about conspiracies between good Mr Churchill and that horrible Stalin. His son Albert is at his wits end as to how to deal with his father.
Percy and Lance send their love, as do your father.
I hope you come home soon.
Yours as always
Mother
Gemima L.Smith
>>10th February 1962...It was her wedding day and she had just said her I do's in church. She sat on her bed feeling happy and sad at the same time. This was the happiest day of her life but it was also her mother's tenth death anniversary. This was the day that she would open a gift from her mother; her mother had told her to open it during an important day of her life, when she was dying. She thought her wedding was a very important day and decided to open her gift. What she found were old photographs of her mother and a thin tall Caucasian man, a few letters and a diary. She sat down on her bed and began to read.
An hour later, her new husband walked into the room looking for her and found her sobbing hard into the pillow. He gathered her into his arms...<<
(WWII-the fall of Singapore)
Written by Grace
(IDryad)
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DaryaWaters
Darya Waters
Forum Posts: 20
Darya Waters
Lost Thinker
2
Joined 24th Mar 2021Forum Posts: 20
Beautiful! Is this a hist-fic piece?
Anonymous
Related submission no longer exists.
Anonymous
<< post removed >>
CruelHandedWriter
Jamie Rhodes
Forum Posts: 1426
Jamie Rhodes
Dangerous Mind
8
Joined 20th Sep 2009Forum Posts: 1426
Samatha6971
Samatha-TheFallen-
Joined 1st Oct 2012
Forum Posts: 2
Samatha-TheFallen-
Twisted Dreamer
Forum Posts: 2
Invisible Flower
I'm a flower, gathered,
with others in my husband's heart.
But, I'm surrounded
By forget-me-nots
So to me, you don't see
Because I'm obviously,
Just a worthless weed.
with others in my husband's heart.
But, I'm surrounded
By forget-me-nots
So to me, you don't see
Because I'm obviously,
Just a worthless weed.
Written by Samatha6971
(Samatha-TheFallen-)
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DaryaWaters
Darya Waters
Forum Posts: 20
Darya Waters
Lost Thinker
2
Joined 24th Mar 2021Forum Posts: 20
Missy, RiAN, Jamie, Samantha, thank you for the beautiful entries!
Anonymous
<< post removed >>
Razzerleaf
Forum Posts: 525
Fire of Insight
27
Joined 15th Sep 2019 Forum Posts: 525
Don't write back in anger
Dear Tim,
Stick your job as far as it will go,
I've never liked you or your BO.
Instead of hassling me get yourself a life
and while you’re out there try and find a wife,
one you get to keep this time
you ass-hole.
Yours sincerely,
The only hard working employee you've got
"Yeah right who am I kidding?
we all know
I don't have the balls to send it"
As the fly landed on the soft membrane
of the touch screen,
the flow of electrons tickled his feet
and mistook him for a well place finger,
through the fly's pixelated eyes
he could just make out the word,
Send
Noooooooooo
Stick your job as far as it will go,
I've never liked you or your BO.
Instead of hassling me get yourself a life
and while you’re out there try and find a wife,
one you get to keep this time
you ass-hole.
Yours sincerely,
The only hard working employee you've got
"Yeah right who am I kidding?
we all know
I don't have the balls to send it"
As the fly landed on the soft membrane
of the touch screen,
the flow of electrons tickled his feet
and mistook him for a well place finger,
through the fly's pixelated eyes
he could just make out the word,
Send
Noooooooooo
Written by Razzerleaf
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Ljdynamic
Forum Posts: 374
Dangerous Mind
18
Joined 18th Aug 2017Forum Posts: 374
THE END
Could it be that you're channeling through my poetry?
Cause that's the only means that you can be with me?
Is that why it's so easy for me to create these stanzas?
Or is it likely that I've luckily hit the poet's bonanza?
Maybe the mighty has the answer but I can't seem to get a reply
But I have had vivid dreams of you and I seeing eye to eye
Just wish you didn't have to die for us to make amends
Wish the words that you wrote and sent could be rescind
You did it again and again so now there's no end to their impact
Putting something in writing is like striking with lightning and that's a fact
A pack of wolves couldn't hurt more deeply nor could a set a knives
But there's no need for me to cry for I am the one who's still alive
I thank you for being pro-life no matter how tumultuous it's been
I thank you for the love you did give since my days in my play pen
I thank you for this gift I've inherited with the use of my pen
I want the whole world to know that I still loved you even in the end
Cause that's the only means that you can be with me?
Is that why it's so easy for me to create these stanzas?
Or is it likely that I've luckily hit the poet's bonanza?
Maybe the mighty has the answer but I can't seem to get a reply
But I have had vivid dreams of you and I seeing eye to eye
Just wish you didn't have to die for us to make amends
Wish the words that you wrote and sent could be rescind
You did it again and again so now there's no end to their impact
Putting something in writing is like striking with lightning and that's a fact
A pack of wolves couldn't hurt more deeply nor could a set a knives
But there's no need for me to cry for I am the one who's still alive
I thank you for being pro-life no matter how tumultuous it's been
I thank you for the love you did give since my days in my play pen
I thank you for this gift I've inherited with the use of my pen
I want the whole world to know that I still loved you even in the end
Written by da_poetic-edifier
(Damon)
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