Poetry competition CLOSED 28th March 2019 7:19pm
WINNER
ReggiePoet (Reggie)
View Profile Poems by ReggiePoet
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RUNNERS-UP: Jade-Pandora and Heaven_sent_Kathy

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Transcendental

JohnnyBlaze
Tyrant of Words
United States 23awards
Joined 20th Mar 2015
Forum Posts: 5572

Poetry Contest

The Classic Corner : Ralph Waldo Emerson

Co-Host - Ahavati ( the architectress of these educational comps )

Part XI in an ongoing series introducing serious writers of DUP to the most well-known poets, both classical and modern.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803 – April 27, 1882) was an American poet most widely known man of letters in America, establishing himself as a prolific poet, essayist, popular lecturer, and an advocate of social reforms.  Emerson achieved some reputation with his verse, corresponded with many of the leading intellectual and artistic figures of his day, and during an off and on again career as a Unitarian minister, delivered and later published a number of controversial sermons.

Emerson’s enduring reputation, however, is as a philosopher, an aphoristic writer (like Friedrich Nietzsche) and a quintessentially American thinker whose championing of the American Transcendental movement and influence on Walt Whitman, Henry David Thoreau, William James, and others would alone secure him a prominent place in American cultural history.

Guidelines

Write a new poem honoring Emerson inspired by any of his poems.  We feel listing particular poems may be constricting, and want you to follow the inspiration wherever it leads.

Do your best to make us feel as though we are reading poems by Emerson.  The more we feel you "capturing his essence" in "your own words" , the higher you will score.  This will involve choice of wording, delivery, subject material, formatting, target audience - a wide range of factors.  

The Rules

1.  One entry per DUP persona.  

2. No erotica; this is open to all ages and can't be viewed with an ECW.  

3. No exact word limit; however, attempt to keep it no more than 250 - 300.  

4. Any form is acceptable ( but studying the poet is advised ).  

5. Hashtag your poem #RalphWaldoEmerson and link to your poem here. Do NOT copy paste your poem to the competition. The point is to eventually direct visitors searching for Emerson to your poem via the hashtag we hope will eventually be implemented by the Webmiss.  

6. In your poem's notes, provide a link to the poem(s) by Emerson that inspired yours.

Comp will be judged by a panel including myself.  You have one month; best of luck to all entrants.    

ReggiePoet
Reggie
Fire of Insight
28awards
Joined 13th May 2018
Forum Posts: 357

Nature's Kiss

By morning glow on bridge and stream
Arrives the light of new day’s bloom
The Vernal looms, or so it seems
Intent to birth forth from her womb
The frozen hills and woods rejoice
The sun returns, the earth to warm
This morning drowns out winter’s voice
In righteousness, the world transformed
   
The victory of springtime, nigh
As foe of warmth shall melt away
The forest creatures, wakened, sigh
As if to God almighty, pray;
    
But, peace of winter shall be missed!
Where is the north wind’s holy place?
It’s chill, alas, to be dismissed
To arctic’s distant resting place
While in our sun-drenched summer bliss
Forget not Walden's autumn glow
The change of season, nature’s kiss
On all humanity bestowed!    
    
    
    
#RalphWaldoEmerson
Written by ReggiePoet (Reggie)
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snugglebuck
Dangerous Mind
United States 77awards
Joined 3rd Feb 2014
Forum Posts: 1873

The Nature of Nature

Nature is more than a flower
Or a menagerie of creatures
Nature is not a delicate butterfly
Nor a stand of magnificent trees  
Nature is more than any of these
Instead, nature is a divine spirit
That dwells in every living thing
Including, my friend, you and me  
 
#RalphWaldoEmerson
Written by snugglebuck
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Ahavati
Tyrant of Words
United States 116awards
Joined 11th Apr 2015
Forum Posts: 14265

Limits  ( After Ralph Waldo Emerson )

Who hath known Limits  
Its crepuscular Being    
Dividing twilight betwixt    
Half-light, emerging shadows.    
Secrets we forget    
Too easily when unknown;    
Whether this life—    
Or some one passed.    
We are innocents yet—    
Both wisely ignorant, we be;    
But, could it be determined,      
Without knowledge, which is which?    
~  
 
#RalphWaldoEmerson
Written by Ahavati
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slipalong
Dangerous Mind
United Kingdom 41awards
Joined 1st Jan 2018
Forum Posts: 822

The sermon # Ralph Waldo Emerson

The lectern  it stands empty now  
the whispers quiet when once there were shouts  
of fire and brimstone filled gods house  
the orator that preacher stood, proffered that book formost  
parables to shame our sinful lives  
that we unwothy regard ourselves with self despise  
bees and natures best    
that we should seek like honeyed text  
and even the meek Rhodora bush  
 gives solace when we are vexed  
creation spelled in graphic sylables, pofound, perplexed  
the devil tempts us with his sweets  
the bottle full of deamon drink  
temperance to quench that thirst so deep  
to covet perhaps your neighbours wife    
naked truth that the unfaithfull lead  
and stripped behind a pious face  
the tryst of shame and barefaced cheek  
to lift above the mundane plane  
from the grey of forever saved  
and to seek a glee a trancendental phase  
for reasons cherubims new flight  
 and a euphoria of right  
shake the citadels of faith  
theology with a flaming torch    
philosophy, to not be contrite
Written by slipalong
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JohnnyBlaze
Tyrant of Words
United States 23awards
Joined 20th Mar 2015
Forum Posts: 5572

[ CC ] Rat Bastard

      
Hark! the herald vermin squeaks    
cheesing me off now for several weeks    
Rat Bastard with his honest critiques    
chewing apart my poetry
now squirreled in his cheeks      
Follows me up and down the halls    
scampering throughout these tunneled walls    
Little beady-eyed beast in your feast    
darting north then south, west to east    
stuffing your mouth---    
will thouest ever get your fill?    
Curses!    
And yet you still      
can't get enough of my verses  
 
 
Written by JohnnyBlaze
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Non-entry entry

Jade-Pandora
jade tiger
Tyrant of Words
United States 154awards
Joined 9th Nov 2015
Forum Posts: 5134

Like Lust In The Chill Of The Grave

   
     
The men that find such beauty when it’s theirs,    
Each one expects his sum for all he owns.   
To walk and pace and call it forth by name,   
While noting of each feature like his child.  
Purveyors of the land on others’ backs,   
These owners of the gullies, woods and vales.   
The arteries that give drink to the fields,  
Of long and winding rows so straightly plowed.  
     
Corrections overseen by foreman’s hand,  
Where script allots the hedge and masonry.  
That show ahead where every tree will stand,     
No curvature of range-breaks in the way.    
Nor casting shadows of the day allowed,      
May block the sun when tender shoots resist.   
Who are these wants and bids forever scheme,   
When soon they will be added to the soil.  
They never bargain on the scythe of Death,     
As all will breathe their last, O! happy dreams.    
     
The Earth’s reply:    
EARTH-SONG      
   
“Ancient, yet    
Everlasting on;    
The stars have shown    
Upon my seas    
The skies;    
For I am witness      
Many times    
Though not have I      
Seen everything I am      
Through your eyes.    
     
“Solicitors    
And rules abide    
Succession of the wit    
And writs that cast      
In stone,    
Yet shall be thus;    
And only stone,      
Long after men    
And heirs are dust.    
      
“So understand      
And know the truth,    
That what you do      
Can ne’er replace      
The blessings of nature;    
For who I am,    
There is      
No place for me    
In your sphere;    
Nothing of me or mine    
Is yours —    
But with a grant, a nod    
I let you stay.”
   
     

‘Twas when I heard the song,    
I was shivering and cold.    
Reduced to nothing more;    
A man in his prime grown old.    
     
     
     
     
#RalphWaldoEmerson  
Written by Jade-Pandora (jade tiger)
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Soulesslywhole
Twisted Dreamer
India
Joined 6th Mar 2013
Forum Posts: 7

The Karma-Venture!!!

The underlining thirst of seeing one’s reflection…
Conjured a voyage to different dimensions…
Witnessing “chaos” and “tranquility” on its path to progression!!!

A sense of eternity prevailed…
Losing the “self” to experience the eternal “void”…
The question of “self” ceased to exist, the “awareness”, paving the illusion of “self-knowledge”!!!

The eagerness to follow one’s “karma”, makes it a lonely affair…
Hovering around to rest in “peace”…
One finds the “end” to experience a new “horizon”!!!
Written by Soulesslywhole
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Heaven_sent_Kathy
Thought Provoker
United States 9awards
Joined 1st Nov 2017
Forum Posts: 177

Love's Temple

  
‘T is naught the beating orb
Of thine own blood-force,—  
The honorarium goes hence  
To a blithe spirit whence  
All things imbued, in course.  
   
Follow as thine essence own,  
Embrace and is embraced;  
To give free-rein and to chase  
Where e’er it doth insatiate;—  
To fly in such a mask belies  
Yet closer to revealing.  
   
As one who is a god,  
That promises, concealing  
Where else it is going;  
Needing no direction,  
No question, no answer,—  
When all you know  
You silence, and avow,  
And receive from love  
What it is you have endowed.  
   
All to the god for heart sake,  
Who accepts and abides  
All terms with thee;  
The strength of offering,  
With joyful sense  
Of keen intense;  
To a bond of future’s maid,  
Investment fully paid.  
   
That does not bind her whole  
But shows intent,  
For love, as arbiter,  
Shall repay you your faith  
With season’s garland  
Placed upon  
From whither maiden’s haste;  
A rose-stem missive,  
And bee-stung kisses.  
   
A butterfly that flutters by,  
To skim the pond;  
Thy floating reflections,  
Of hopes arising free  
On mists of utter certainty.  
   
   
   
   
   
#RalphWaldoEmerson
Written by Heaven_sent_Kathy
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PoetsRevenge
Dangerous Mind
United States 28awards
Joined 30th June 2016
Forum Posts: 706

Eyes That See

‘A man should learn to detect and watch
 that gleam of light which flashes across
 his mind from within...

 In every work of genius we recognize
 our own rejected thoughts: They come back
 to us with a certain alienated majesty.’

             - Ralph Waldo Emerson, ‘Self Reliance’



I see what I am prepared to see
so I adjust my eyes to what confronts me:
To see a forest in an acorn I must be
prepared for such greatness,
I must hold such faith in my hands,
I must strive from within to believe in
such growth and possibility.
As the seeds compactness is beauty,
so is its dissolution a precursor to beauty:
We gain by losing.

My heart is a seed and its giving to others
of self is what gives it purpose:
Solitude is reached by letting go.
What the heart is set upon it shall surely reach.

Look low, look high,
see what is always there.
In the eternal are my own dreams waiting,
so I listen and open my eyes.
Those who never see, never know.
In seeing, I am knowing.
In hearing, I am listening:
The voice of God is whisper soft;
it is as a feather falling.

          .....

  #RalphWaldoEmerson
Written by PoetsRevenge
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JohnnyBlaze
Tyrant of Words
United States 23awards
Joined 20th Mar 2015
Forum Posts: 5572

DUPeeps, PLEASE be sure to double check your entries for typos, mispells and so forth - this comp expires today! We greatly appreciate your participation and know you worked very hard to deliver wonderful tributes.

wallyroo92
Tyrant of Words
United States 147awards
Joined 11th July 2012
Forum Posts: 1757

The Inkwell

The inkwell awaits,
Waiting patiently,
As my pen taps aimlessly
Somehow faithfully,
A little bit frustrated,
Although it may be belated,
But the words do bring me joy.
So I seek to play the ploy,
And write seeking to deploy
All the words formulated
That the inkwell had awaited,
With utter joy.


  #RalphWaldoEmerson
Written by wallyroo92
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JohnnyBlaze
Tyrant of Words
United States 23awards
Joined 20th Mar 2015
Forum Posts: 5572

Once again, we come to competition's end and have the task of inspecting all the entries with a microscope.  

Ralph Waldo Emerson lived in an era in which adherence to poetry form necessitated terse or succinct wording that today would be phrased as " on the money ". Between this and the language of his time, it is certainly challenging to sift out essence or spirit from Emerson's writing.

That being said,  the winners are as follows:

ReggiePoet, your eloquent entry inspired by three poems flowed beautifully in form that was unmistakenly Emerson. Congratulations on placing First!

Heaven_sent_Kathy, your entry likewise nailed Emerson, yet we felt your chosen topic was slightly more difficult to follow due to the structure you expressed it through. It is because of that increased need to process, Reggie edged you out. Congratulations on placing Second!

JadePandora, we felt your entry was somewhat phasing in and out of Emerson's essence, as it could have benefited from more concise wording. Congratulations on placing Third!

Honorable Mention goes to Slipalong for being our most improved participant in these Classic Corner competitions! We appreciate your dedication to improving as a writer while honoring such revered poets.

Congratulations to the winners, and a special thank you to each for paying tribute to Ralph Waldo Emerson.  

Don't forget to vote in the current poll to determine the Classic Corner poets we will be paying tribute to in May! Only a few days left!

https://deepundergroundpoetry.com/forum/speakeasy/read/10684/

April's Classic Corner, featuring Kim Addonizio and Khalil Gibran, will be guest hosted by eswaller and Snugglebuck! Look for these to begin on April 1st!  

Ahavati
Tyrant of Words
United States 116awards
Joined 11th Apr 2015
Forum Posts: 14265

Congratulations Reggie, Kathy, and Jade!  All well-deserved honors!
Thank you for supporting the Classic Comps!

Jade-Pandora
jade tiger
Tyrant of Words
United States 154awards
Joined 9th Nov 2015
Forum Posts: 5134

I don't know if I’m going in the right order, chronologically, however:

I’m so glad we got to tackle a tribute to the formidable Ralph Waldo Emerson. In fact, I’m grateful to have survived, and now, to stand before you all in good company with my runner-up sister on the podium, Kathy, and.., our Reggie brother - holder of the cup!

Everyone was amazing in their efforts!  But we won’t be resting on our laurels for very long...

The NaPoGloPoWriMo is just over the horizon; the epitome of worthy challenges. Yes, we have miles to go before we sleep!

Jadey 🐾


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