Poetry competition CLOSED 1st October 2020 6:38pm
WINNER
PoetsRevenge
View Profile Poems by PoetsRevenge
trophy
RUNNERS-UP: DaisyGrace and Honoria

Go to page:

the centre cannot hold

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

Poetry Contest

The Classic Corner : William Butler Yeats tribute

Co-Hosts - Ahavati & JohnnyBlaze  

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

William Butler Yeats  ( 13 June 1865 – 28 January 1939 ) was an Irish poet and one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature.

Although he lived in London for 14 years of his childhood, Yeats maintained his cultural roots, featuring Irish legends and heroes in many of his poems and plays. He evolved into a nationalist; in essence, he was gung ho pro Ireland.

Yeats joined the Golden Dawn, a secret society devoted to the study and practice of the occult, metaphysics, and paranormal activities during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Focused on theurgy and spiritual development, it inspired many present-day concepts of ritual and magic that are at the center of contemporary traditions such as Wicca. The Golden Dawn became one of the largest single influences on 20th-century Western occultism.

He spent almost three decades courting Irish nationalist Maud Gonne. She turned down 4 marriage proposals from him. Later, he proposed to her then 23 year-old daughter, Iseult, who likewise did not accept. He eventually married Georgiana Hyde-Lees, another Golden Dawn member.

Most of Yeats’s poetry used symbols from ordinary life and from familiar traditions, as writing and a need to interact with the living kept him tethered to the physical realm.

For more about William Butler Yeats, visit
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/william-butler-yeats

Guidelines 

Write a new Poem honoring Yeats inspired by any one of his poems ( and only one per entry ).

Do NOT copy paste your poem to the competition. It must be linked to your page with the below information.

While you are allowed a maximum of 2 entries, only the best of your entries is considered viable for the trophy.

Do your best to make us feel as though we are reading poems by Yeats.  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. Two entries per DUP persona.

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

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. You MUST tag your entries with the theme #WilliamButlerYeats. Failure to do so will result in your entry being disqualified.

6. In your poem's Author Notes box, provide a title and a direct link to the poem by Yeats that inspired yours. Without such, we have no way of determining if you were truly inspired by Yeats or simply swapped fresh words into his existing poetry ( which is a form of plagiarism ). Failure to not include this information will automatically disqualify your entry.

Comp will be judged by Ahavati & JohnnyBlaze. As in the past and in the event there is a tie, we will call in third ( and possibly fourth ) judge.

You have one month; best of luck to all entrants!

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

[ CC ] [ SK ] The Centers cannot hold

          
Secretly engineered in wing opposite of Prevention          
a communicable that could never be Control-led          
99.4% likelihood of fatality          
the Centers for Disease cannot hold          
         
Judge, jury, executioner in unnatural selection          
Now rampant ruthless, once most common'ly cold          
Sweeping through populace, normal flu we're told          
the Centers for Disease cannot hold          
         
Widening in gyre scope, eradicating hope          
in takedown of anyone from President to Pope!            
         
Are we being Raptured? Inevitably to be captured          
and crucified by the Dark Man? The Monster is coming          
THE MONSTER IS COMING! A Walking Dude! Some thing          
straight out of nightmares and dreamscapes          
taking on shifting shapes --- a raven or a demon          
Whatever the case, he'll turn the world on its face          
further purging Humanity from the Human race;          
finishing the job we already started with Christ          
our dearly departed Saviour who's not so keen          
on coming back for Seconds at this last supper          
of an upper respiratory tract infection story          
where next up on Nadine's cross is Mother Abigail          
         
         
 
Written by JohnnyBlaze
Go To Page  


non-entry entry

Blackwolf
I.M.Blackwolf
Tyrant of Words
13awards
Joined 31st Mar 2018
Forum Posts: 3572

Thank You , Johnny...

Now we are talking *my* subject matter , and language...

I do believe this is one I shall pursue with a purpose...

Yeats knew well , what I know...;)

anvinvil
Anvillan
Fire of Insight
United States 2awards
Joined 16th Feb 2020
Forum Posts: 90

The Young Mans Song

I question myself, am I fit to love
does love indeed fit in me?  
The question floods my mind  
with answers not forthcoming.  
Love’s  not found unless love is sought.  
Search the world for that princess true
Your fate, her fate become one fate.
 
Love is such a winding path, through  
times both good and bad, it’s  
course unknown, the direction blind.
But begin I must, begin in this  
adolescent fog to feel my way
for certainty that comes with love.
and perhaps answer my own  
question  of why. And how?
Written by anvinvil (Anvillan)
Go To Page  

anvinvil
Anvillan
Fire of Insight
United States 2awards
Joined 16th Feb 2020
Forum Posts: 90

The Player Queen

A mothers love can weave a dream
of stars and futures fine.
A hope that’s heaven sent but  
resolve that’s based in time.
 
Alone she sat, abandoned flat
though smiled through all the pain .
Her hopes for me wove a cloak
that ringed my infant heart.
 
The dream she dreamed for me
was fantasy and profound. But mothers
thoughts of future wonders for
newborns know no bounds.
 
When left with child a sadness rose
though tears that fell were joy.
They quenched my thirst and  
bathed my soul against the rising worst.
 
So dreams she had and dreams
she gave to me without reserve
for life, for love, for all that’s good
plus a crown of stars supreme.
Written by anvinvil (Anvillan)
Go To Page  

slipalong
Dangerous Mind
United Kingdom 41awards
Joined 1st Jan 2018
Forum Posts: 822

A posy of lavender

Come rescue me, find in me a troubadour
a verse upon the strings of lute
an apparition rise and be disposed
and clothed so pure without dispute
 
The gilded lark to reach her ear
and carry my proposal in its beak
just for love, lovelorn in despair  
 lavender its power so unique
 
Vain hope to clutch at empty straw
will she grasp the posy that I toss
the beating heart wings so it soars
or will the shutter close, and all be loss
 
Hold the herbs of love close to her nose
in frame and glass its picture plain  
its essence gain a foothold in her soul
melt her image, haughty, caught in bold distain
 
My couplets ring and be sublime  
repeat my song how many times
the taste the pleasure of her kiss  
not vinegar but wine, if I persist
 
will she use semaphore, guess my demands
colour of her robes will I see revealed  
a dress of red or blue so cortisaine
or virgin white, as I gasp relieved
 
Written by slipalong
Go To Page  

DaisyGrace
Dangerous Mind
United States 17awards
Joined 29th Mar 2017
Forum Posts: 1337

Related submission no longer exists.

Ahavati
Tyrant of Words
United States 116awards
Joined 11th Apr 2015
Forum Posts: 14273

The Magi

( After William Butler Yeats )

Traversing the sky's open arms
 Seekers arrive from afar—
Lugging coffers of golden charms
 Toward that yonder star

Wealthy cities hold no allure
 For those with vacant hearts—
Nor treasury's worth reassure
 Happiness shan't depart

Yet for promised kingdom yon
 They'll don their thorny crowns—
Exchange all wealth for answers sought
 On Golgotha's bloody mound
~
Written by Ahavati
Go To Page  

Darkpoetria
DarkOakPoetry
Twisted Dreamer
United States 1awards
Joined 22nd Sep 2019
Forum Posts: 18

A place most requisite

This much craved solace of a place, sought to alone the fight on fields of mentality's wars thought to break me, I love.  
 
Hurts breeding with anger remedied, comforts the easing of mind as one in witness to the flight of sun shown in good omen through wings of a dove.  
 
Falling armor weightless into it's feathered tales weaved not so false and far, whereby my descending skeleton is broken upon it's peace.
 
Nestled and rested mindings coils in sanctity, hidden and unnoticed in my return to innocence warmed beneath the earned grays safe in it's weathered fleece.  
 
Giving ear to tongue and thought, marinating contemplation and outstretched reckonings of the wrongs to right themselves as they ought.  

Abuse halts at the threshold before anviled doors lined with salt, striking the worlds attempts to wound and maim.  
 Strengthened and restored are the cornerstones of self and heart in this a quiet place of laid burdens and wetted flames.  
 
These such places existing for the some, unknown to the uncreative and needed by the known and ignorant human in all. When is found unlucky and without signatured belonging, exists the exhaled perils of a mind before it's fall.
Written by Darkpoetria (DarkOakPoetry)
Go To Page  

poet Anonymous

Eerie
Dangerous Mind
14awards
Joined 29th July 2018
Forum Posts: 889

Related submission no longer exists.

Honoria
Tyrant of Words
United States 63awards
Joined 22nd July 2019
Forum Posts: 171

Related submission no longer exists.

PoetsRevenge
Dangerous Mind
United States 28awards
Joined 30th June 2016
Forum Posts: 706

She, In Heaven

How each step for her was light
Whence she stood bathed in night;
Sorrow worn hast cast away
All its trappings gone by day.
An odyssey did she endure
Given to song sung long and pure;
Her agonies bled to greenest floor
Escaping among her paramours.
Around her feet unbinds a wish
Along a sweet unwinding tryst;
She in angel's arms enwrapped,
Eyes meet Heaven's golden cast.
Now, in the 'morrow too will rise,
She, no more a man's prize;
But carried in a wayward gauze,
His silken dreams on which to pause.

                     .....
Written by PoetsRevenge
Go To Page  

PoetsRevenge
Dangerous Mind
United States 28awards
Joined 30th June 2016
Forum Posts: 706

Dilemma Of Man

'...Surely there are men who have made their art
out of no tragic war ...
 
 Those men that in their writings are most wise
 own nothing but their blind, stupified hearts'.
 
                  -William Butler Yeats
 
 
A man had walked within a creed
Holding hands as mercy bled;
Every known within a seed
Unshelled as such to earthen bed.
 
Sweet within his concept lie
Her temperaments for his reply;
A man removed from sustenance
Is never brought from countenance.
 
Timorous, that chaff of reed
That any man undone could bleed;
To lift a voice as soft as Eve's
And wanton, fall upon his knees.
 
But greater things beyond him lie
Within the air of fairest sky;
And to his will they too must die
Wherein lives his future bride.
 
So, to measure by his rule
Surly ways begotten of fools;
A fool in love is greater than
What monument is God in man.
 
          .....
Written by PoetsRevenge
Go To Page  

Go to page:
Go to: