Poetry competition CLOSED 10th January 2020 10:10pm
WINNER
Ely (E.A.Rothwell)
Ely (E.A.Rothwell)
RUNNERS-UP:
Jade-Pandora
and russell_snow
EARLIEST SCRIBBLES
Anonymous
Poetry Contest Description
CO-HOST SUMMULTIMA UMA
Can you recall any of your earliest poetic/fiction outpourings?
No word limit, but if you wrote a novel at 13, a synopsis will suffice! It will be interesting if age at time of writing is referenced (if like me, memory blurs such things, an approximate age is ok).
Maximum of 2 entries per person.
To Explore Or Not To Explore
To explore or not to explore: that is the question.
Whether 'tis easier for the mind to remain ignorant
And accept the cold embraces of outrageous beliefs,
Or is it wiser to take arms against a sea of blockades,
And by opposing, destroy them? To understand, to forget
No more, and by a discovery to say we cured
The blindness and the thousand natural shocks
That comes with acknowledgement of the truth. 'Tis an outcome
Desired to be wished. To learn, to dismiss-
To dismiss, the worst of sins: ay, there's the rub,
For in that dismissal of the obvious may come
When we have shuffled off the light
Must give us pause. That is the problem
That makes ignorance of such advance knowledge
Easy to do, for with knowledge comes the fear of what it holds.
The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
All contribute to the fear of the unknown,
Thus, it was a convenience t olive, within their own little worlds,
Doing exactly what was expected of them,
For with knowledge comes power!
Whether 'tis easier for the mind to remain ignorant
And accept the cold embraces of outrageous beliefs,
Or is it wiser to take arms against a sea of blockades,
And by opposing, destroy them? To understand, to forget
No more, and by a discovery to say we cured
The blindness and the thousand natural shocks
That comes with acknowledgement of the truth. 'Tis an outcome
Desired to be wished. To learn, to dismiss-
To dismiss, the worst of sins: ay, there's the rub,
For in that dismissal of the obvious may come
When we have shuffled off the light
Must give us pause. That is the problem
That makes ignorance of such advance knowledge
Easy to do, for with knowledge comes the fear of what it holds.
The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
All contribute to the fear of the unknown,
Thus, it was a convenience t olive, within their own little worlds,
Doing exactly what was expected of them,
For with knowledge comes power!
Written by LunasChild8
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Not the earliest poem that I've ever written, but it's the first of my old work that I've recently found. Written in grade 12 as a parody of "To Be Or Not to Be."
The Raven's Curse
The son of Reyes has returned
Listen closely to the vital task you have earned
Ever since you were a child, all you have known was pain
Yet a gift you were not aware of has been gained
A priceless gift; a blood-linked secret kept hidden
Be wise; do not misuse what you have been given
An evil lurks among your land
Something far superior than any common man
A sadist entity that feeds on pain
It is an abomination that must be contained
Use caution; it is very cunning
Be prepared, son of Reyes; the evil is coming
Fortune is on your side, but do not underestimate this evil
You must not fail in your retrieval
For there is nothing more vile and sinister put on the Earth
Than the merciless Raven's Curse.
Location riddle:
Buried deep in the Earth
Far out to the east
The stirring evil lurks
Where it rests and feasts
Travel to the Forest of Death
Nearby your place of birth
Do not allow the evil another breath
And you will prove your worth.
Listen closely to the vital task you have earned
Ever since you were a child, all you have known was pain
Yet a gift you were not aware of has been gained
A priceless gift; a blood-linked secret kept hidden
Be wise; do not misuse what you have been given
An evil lurks among your land
Something far superior than any common man
A sadist entity that feeds on pain
It is an abomination that must be contained
Use caution; it is very cunning
Be prepared, son of Reyes; the evil is coming
Fortune is on your side, but do not underestimate this evil
You must not fail in your retrieval
For there is nothing more vile and sinister put on the Earth
Than the merciless Raven's Curse.
Location riddle:
Buried deep in the Earth
Far out to the east
The stirring evil lurks
Where it rests and feasts
Travel to the Forest of Death
Nearby your place of birth
Do not allow the evil another breath
And you will prove your worth.
Written by LunasChild8
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I wrote this back in Junior High, along with a sister poem called "The Snake's Tears." It was part of an original rough draft of a fantasy series I had been working on. I actually uploaded a newer version of this same poem called "Verona, the Raven."
BLEED
(my first heartbreak/break-up)
It was during that night, after dinner,
And tight on bottles of wine, your words
Hung sublime like crystalline birds.
And I, dazed from the sound as they passed,
Could only look at you through my glass
Held up to my gaze, and filled with wine,
And saw, with the passing of time how the
Candle's light imbued everything in a
red hue as I stared at you, intoxicated,
Till through my fingers, slipped, its descent
Lingered, the beat of my heart, hindered,
Shattered its perfection across the floor,
Just as my heart tore and came apart in a
Flood of wine: red as blood, painful to see,
As if my eyes had burst, but which would I
Notice first: the innocuous stench of sick,
Or the shards of glass' trick of the light.
Still, I bleed in your presence, my tears
Are bleeding; don't staunch the flow.
You've tipped the waiter, now
I beg you, please, just go.
.
It was during that night, after dinner,
And tight on bottles of wine, your words
Hung sublime like crystalline birds.
And I, dazed from the sound as they passed,
Could only look at you through my glass
Held up to my gaze, and filled with wine,
And saw, with the passing of time how the
Candle's light imbued everything in a
red hue as I stared at you, intoxicated,
Till through my fingers, slipped, its descent
Lingered, the beat of my heart, hindered,
Shattered its perfection across the floor,
Just as my heart tore and came apart in a
Flood of wine: red as blood, painful to see,
As if my eyes had burst, but which would I
Notice first: the innocuous stench of sick,
Or the shards of glass' trick of the light.
Still, I bleed in your presence, my tears
Are bleeding; don't staunch the flow.
You've tipped the waiter, now
I beg you, please, just go.
.
Written by Jade-Pandora
(jade tiger)
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My first poem I wrote at 14.
[ Spiritual ] Dire Inspirations
Future in his mind
now before his eyes;
the pigmented brush
slips from his fingers
Dashing from studio
to thwart the inevitable
while the ugly scenario
he painted still lingers
Not a second thought given
to the other canvasses
left behind unpainted
never to be appreciated
Artist gone insanely mad
with a loaded gun in hand
lost in a world of violence
that only he created
Written by JohnnyBlaze
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1st poem written somewheres back in 2003 ... ?
And with the exception of trimming out a word or two and decapitalizing line beginnings, untampered with since.
* uses fingers, toes and popsicle sticks to calculate *
I was 32 when I switched to writing poetry, but anything I wrote prose-wise as far back as age 10 is unrecoverable.
Anatomy Of A Dragon I
Forgotten oaths sworn by elder generations
mystic rites, incantations, spoken
in archaic languages, tongues
long broken
echoing
in caverns that are the dragon's lungs
Written by Magnetron
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From 2004. Capitalizations adjusted since. Otherwised, unrevised.
Regret
With blood rushing from her veins,
She sits in a corner screaming in pain.
"Why is my life so sad?" she yells,
"How did it get this bad?" she cries out to no prevail
She thinks back to the days she was happy,
the days that were full of joy when she was younger.
Only to come back to reality, with her head spinning,
and then her eyes become heavy with slumber.
Her eyes drowning in tears, thinking about all her sorrows,
She fears nothing, but the time she can no longer borrow.
"No, i'm not ready to die," she says when she realized what she's done,
"This was a big mistake." she's thinking, "How stupid of me, how dumb."
She tries to stand to her feet,
as in her life she really cared.
Just to tumble and fall back, and bump her head;
Her eyes close, she sleeps now in her forever nightmare.
She sits in a corner screaming in pain.
"Why is my life so sad?" she yells,
"How did it get this bad?" she cries out to no prevail
She thinks back to the days she was happy,
the days that were full of joy when she was younger.
Only to come back to reality, with her head spinning,
and then her eyes become heavy with slumber.
Her eyes drowning in tears, thinking about all her sorrows,
She fears nothing, but the time she can no longer borrow.
"No, i'm not ready to die," she says when she realized what she's done,
"This was a big mistake." she's thinking, "How stupid of me, how dumb."
She tries to stand to her feet,
as in her life she really cared.
Just to tumble and fall back, and bump her head;
Her eyes close, she sleeps now in her forever nightmare.
Written by ManorMyth
(Man_Or_Myth)
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Was the first thing I’ve ever written
Carpe diem
The demeanor of the day
sometimes sunny sometimes grey
bringing joy bringing hate
love not always on a plate
Carpe Diem I say mate
sometimes sunny sometimes grey
bringing joy bringing hate
love not always on a plate
Carpe Diem I say mate
Written by slipalong
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Carpe diem
The demeanor of the day
sometimes sunny sometimes grey
bringing joy bringing hate
love not always on a plate
Carpe Diem I say mate
sometimes sunny sometimes grey
bringing joy bringing hate
love not always on a plate
Carpe Diem I say mate
Written by slipalong
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slipalong said:
I wrote this poem just after my 76th birthday. I joined DU 2 years ago
It was the first poem I wrote I think it sums up " seizing the day" to a new expression. Some want to unload that way by using the medium of poetry or prose . For that days reciprocation they seized me back and I will stay for just one like and a kind remark
I wrote this poem just after my 76th birthday. I joined DU 2 years ago
It was the first poem I wrote I think it sums up " seizing the day" to a new expression. Some want to unload that way by using the medium of poetry or prose . For that days reciprocation they seized me back and I will stay for just one like and a kind remark
On Selfishness
"Don't let's ask for the moon.
We have the stars."
--Bette Davis
I was on the roof, naked of shame,
a big dipper of verse ladling from
the night one bulb at a time until
holding a swollen bag of stars
bursting its seam with poem.
Who cared if the moon was alone?
~
We have the stars."
--Bette Davis
I was on the roof, naked of shame,
a big dipper of verse ladling from
the night one bulb at a time until
holding a swollen bag of stars
bursting its seam with poem.
Who cared if the moon was alone?
~
Written by Ahavati
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Green Eyes
My green eyes, reflected through
The color of my grandma’s eyes
And those before me.
Like emeralds and other gems
Thrown into the ocean. Like
The soft blades of grass running
Through my fingers. Something
So rare and unusual, but still
Beautiful and captivating.
Only 2% of the population
Has them. I am one of those
People.
The color of my grandma’s eyes
And those before me.
Like emeralds and other gems
Thrown into the ocean. Like
The soft blades of grass running
Through my fingers. Something
So rare and unusual, but still
Beautiful and captivating.
Only 2% of the population
Has them. I am one of those
People.
Written by eswaller
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Grandma Nan Moves From Arkansas
When I was ‘bout 13 years old
Younger than you are now
I was leaving our only family home.
I said goodbye to our ratty,
Yet warm and welcoming house.
I also said goodbye to
The faded and chipped red painted barn,
Occupied with the clucking of the rooster
And the loud noises of the other animals.
I was longing and aching to touch them
One last time,
Before I said goodbye
To them for the very last time
I grew up with them
I have loved and cherished them
As if they were a part of my family.
I am leaving the old country side
And all of the roads that
Isolated us from our neighbors
Down the long bend
And those kicking up dirt
As we drive on by in our car.
I was going to miss my Arkansas
But we were leaving
For something better,
A life in the city,
In San Francisco, California
A place known as
“The land of sunshine and opportunity.”
It’s a place where my poppa could get a real job
Making enough money to support us.
He doesn’t have to live on the minimum wage,
Barely making a dollar an hour.
The Great Depression
Swept through the country
And took everything that was in it’s path.
I wonder what ever happened to that house
For I have never gone back to Arkansas
And I still haven’t to this very day.
Younger than you are now
I was leaving our only family home.
I said goodbye to our ratty,
Yet warm and welcoming house.
I also said goodbye to
The faded and chipped red painted barn,
Occupied with the clucking of the rooster
And the loud noises of the other animals.
I was longing and aching to touch them
One last time,
Before I said goodbye
To them for the very last time
I grew up with them
I have loved and cherished them
As if they were a part of my family.
I am leaving the old country side
And all of the roads that
Isolated us from our neighbors
Down the long bend
And those kicking up dirt
As we drive on by in our car.
I was going to miss my Arkansas
But we were leaving
For something better,
A life in the city,
In San Francisco, California
A place known as
“The land of sunshine and opportunity.”
It’s a place where my poppa could get a real job
Making enough money to support us.
He doesn’t have to live on the minimum wage,
Barely making a dollar an hour.
The Great Depression
Swept through the country
And took everything that was in it’s path.
I wonder what ever happened to that house
For I have never gone back to Arkansas
And I still haven’t to this very day.
Written by eswaller
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Inside Beauty
As you walk beneath the moonlight,
your beauty reflects the ocean
As you dream about your precious pets,
your beauty attracts the dolphins
As you sing your favorite love songs,
your beauty rings the church bells
As you stare at me in wonder,
your beauty takes me under
So many tough things in life
for us to figure out
So many quick decisions
we made without a doubt
And when you cried, it made me say
I'm glad that you are mine
Because no one else could ever find
so much beauty on a wedding day
And it's not just your outside beauty
why I said "I do"
It's deep within yourself, inside
That makes me say
I love you
your beauty reflects the ocean
As you dream about your precious pets,
your beauty attracts the dolphins
As you sing your favorite love songs,
your beauty rings the church bells
As you stare at me in wonder,
your beauty takes me under
So many tough things in life
for us to figure out
So many quick decisions
we made without a doubt
And when you cried, it made me say
I'm glad that you are mine
Because no one else could ever find
so much beauty on a wedding day
And it's not just your outside beauty
why I said "I do"
It's deep within yourself, inside
That makes me say
I love you
Written by russell_snow
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One of my earliest (love) poems, from about 1999/2000 during school and predates my actual wedding by over a decade
My Place (of refuge)
My place is off somewhere
and there isn't any fear
or hate…
or greed…
or jealousy.
the grass is always green…
in my place...and the sun shines
and flowers bloom
all year...there.
and the streams going down to
the sea are clean and clear…
There is also a forest in my place…
a big…
cool…
green…
majestic forest...
with blue butterflies
and a deep...black...pool
with silver fishes in it
and tall reeds growing near.
And I go...very softly after
a while to lie by the pool...
*I wrote this first poem when I was 14 and struggling with teenage angst*
and there isn't any fear
or hate…
or greed…
or jealousy.
the grass is always green…
in my place...and the sun shines
and flowers bloom
all year...there.
and the streams going down to
the sea are clean and clear…
There is also a forest in my place…
a big…
cool…
green…
majestic forest...
with blue butterflies
and a deep...black...pool
with silver fishes in it
and tall reeds growing near.
And I go...very softly after
a while to lie by the pool...
*I wrote this first poem when I was 14 and struggling with teenage angst*
Written by Ely
(E.A.Rothwell)
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Alliteration Too
A Far-Reaching Forest...
...Tall Trees Towering
Stood... in Stately Majesty
...Silent and Still...
In the Cold, Pale Moonlight...
*First day of Sr English...1962...I had just turned 18*
...Tall Trees Towering
Stood... in Stately Majesty
...Silent and Still...
In the Cold, Pale Moonlight...
*First day of Sr English...1962...I had just turned 18*
Written by Ely
(E.A.Rothwell)
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