Iron Poet XXI

[Vaynor]

With that sorted, we're full up on contestants and ready to start. I'll try to have the first round posted by tonight.

[FinnLassie]

I'm going to have to cancel. I'm sorry, I don't think I can give this the time it will need.

Aww. Well, we'll see you on another round!

With that sorted, we're full up on contestants and ready to start. I'll try to have the first round posted by tonight.

Yay!

[Vaynor]

Iron Poet XXI: Round One

And with a sudden and hopefully boisterous start, the first round of the twenty-first Iron Poet begins! I'll be sending out PMs to all participants to make sure that everyone knows that the contest has begun, since our recruitment process took a bit longer than usual. We're going to start the first round off with a, I hope welcomed, change to my usual formula. Let me know what your thoughts are on the prompts this round, the prompts in general, and any thoughts you have on how the prompts could be improved (both in this case and in past contests). Most of these ask you for something a bit more personal, hopefully not too much so. Good luck to everyone!

Duck999 vs. Benthesquid: Write a poem from the perspective of a character in a fairy tale.
PhoeKun vs. SeptimusFabrius: Write a poem about something that disappointed you.
Cuthalion vs. Mr Tumnus: Write a poem about the sounds you can hear from where you're writing it.
leakingpen vs. The Extinguisher: Write a poem about your favorite person, whether they are real, imagined, or otherwise.
Garwain vs. Slayerofundead: Write a poem about family (does not have to be yours).
truemane vs. SaintRidley: Write a poem about something that was recently in the news (remember, no politics/religion).
FinnLassie vs. jolus: Write a poem about something unexpected that happened to you.
CWater vs. TFT: Write a poem about the place you grew up in (this could be the city or country, or even as specific as your home or room).

Deadline: Tuesday, February 17th 2015 at 11:59 pm (EST).

[FinnLassie]

Instant inspiration. Entry for the round:

Spoiler: muh poyem

Show

A Russian brute walks into a bar
Hours before this a couple of Finns walk afar
Getting closer as the gig's about to start

A Russian brute gets totally hammered
Some Finns in the crowd far less plastered
And a couple of them sworn never to drink

My memory's black and I'm on the ground
Hyperventilating and to the floor I am bound
Angry screams with a slap on the cheek

Staff carries me away, head's pounding
Asking for my inhaler - nowhere to be found
It's a damn panic attack with concussion, you blind?!

Elbow in my face, glasses shattered
It honestly felt like I was completely battered
Could have sworn I had gone under a gnu stampede

The story tells there was a Russian brute indeed
Who doesn't seem to understand the etiquette of a gig
Sure, have fun, but others shouldn't be put down

A Russian brute jumped up and down
Finntroll played and the audience went wild
No way a mosh pit here would remain mild

Can't blame myself for someone else being so foolish.

[Vaynor]

So I take it you're a fan of this type of prompt, then? I was a bit worried about trying out something so different, but if people prefer it to my usual style (words/pictures) I can try to incorporate rounds with this kind of prompt more often. It's definitely more difficult to come up with these, but if it's worth it to you guys I don't mind.

[Duck999]

Am I correct that I am supposed to choose a character from a fairy tale and write a poem from their perspective? Like Cinderella or Hansel or Gretle? Should I say who's perspective it's from?

[SaintRidley]

Do we need to link our news source?

[Vaynor]

Am I correct that I am supposed to choose a character from a fairy tale and write a poem from their perspective? Like Cinderella or Hansel or Gretle? Should I say who's perspective it's from?

Correct. If you want to, it's up to you.

Do we need to link our news source?

No, but you can include it as part of your submission if you'd like the judges to see it when reading your poem.

[Benthesquid]

Aww, man, it's a good theme, but one of my favorite poems I've written is basically based on that theme.

[Slayerofundead]

Family

Spoiler

Show

Family

What is it that makes us kin? Is it our blood? Is it our skin?Is it trust? Is it love? Is it all of these above? Is all that matters trust and love?What is family with out blood? What is family without trust? What is family without love? There is family forged by war. There is the family in which you are born. There is the family that you pick. There is the family in which you stick.

[Garwain]

Family

Spoiler

Show

An organism on its best,
competing in life and love,
often a diamond in the rough,
but dysfunctional even at rest.
Holding hands in winter times,
relying on entangled vines,
bound by their common lines,
amplification of their rhymes.
Perfectly able of happiness,
when all minds are set
and understand it's best
not to content with anything less
than the common safe bet
of family, even in rest.

[truemane]

Oh, man. Worst prompt ever. I mean, it's a great idea, Vaynor. Keeping things fresh is awesome and it's a really good idea.

But I the ANTI-news guy. I have no idea what's happening unless someone posts it on my Facebook.

This is gonna be tough.

[Vaynor]

I'd suggest just looking at a news site and finding something that catches your eye. You don't really need to be aware of anything that's going on. Sorry the prompt is causing you trouble, good luck!

[The Extinguisher]

Great, now not only do I have to write a poem in a week, I also need to agonize over my favourite person too. Thanks

I really like these prompts. Even if it makes my life hard.

[Slayerofundead]

What value has victory that is not hard won

[Benthesquid]

Prompt: Fairy tale

Spoiler

Show

The Tale of the Deathless

Tsarevitch, put away your sword,.
There is no need to spill your red, red blood
And stain the snow so pure and white.
Not by your hand will I die,
Not on this night,
Though oh, how I could wish I might.

Draw close, draw close, my foolish boy,
Sit yourself down at the sorcerer’s feet,
And I will tell you such a tale,
Hear it and you’ll understand
And you’ll grow pale,
And know your quest is doomed to fail.

When I was yet a callow youth
In the forest of night I lost my way
And came across a crooked house
I crept up to the crooked door
Crept like a mouse
And so it was the cat did pounce.

“Aha,” the house’s mistress cried
And seized me tight in her grip of iron
“What skulking thief is this I’ve caught?
What great luck has to my door
This morsel brought?
This quaking, cringing, fearful tot?”

(Yes, yes. It is a fine bow/you’ve strung so tight/and a fine shaft/you’ve launched in flight/and a fine point/buried in my breast/But I’ve told you once/I cannot rest)

“No thief am I,” I answered back,
“Only a traveller lost in these woods.
Fearful because I have heard said
That they have, who dwell in this dark forest
On manflesh fed,”
Now I saw her mouth stained blood red.

That crooked hag, who held me tight,
Grinned horribly with mossy iron fangs
“Morsel, your fears are at an end
You’ll die this night, my tasty meal
Your flesh I’ll rend
The worst is here, be calm my friend.”

“I am yet only more afraid,”
I cried, struggling, though it was in vain
““For while I need not fear the dawn,
And what fresh trouble it may bring
What bitter song,
I still fear death, and all beyond.”

(Yes, yes. It is a fine spear/you’ve cast so true/And a fine poison/your bird did brew/and a fine throw/to catch my heart/But to end my life/is not your part)

The hag laughed, like windborn plague
And dragged me, shouting through her crooked door.
“If death is all you fear, young meal,
Then lay your fears to dreamless rest
Your wounds will heal.
I’ve long since brought Sir Death to heel.”

The flesh she took has long since grown,
And I am made a whole man once again
But the death that she hid away
In a bird’s chest, in a wolf’s mouth
Where nights meets day
Remains hidden, where four winds play
And so no man, may Koschei slay
Run my princeling, hide and pray.

[truemane]

I'd suggest just looking at a news site and finding something that catches your eye. You don't really need to be aware of anything that's going on. Sorry the prompt is causing you trouble, good luck!

Yeah, that's what I'll do. And no need to apologize. Just complaining. It's no fun if you have it too easy, right?

[Cuthalion]

Spoiler: Prompt: What I can hear

Show

Telephone
We talk through it,
Speak through it,
Tell about our lives,
It hears all our sadness,
And listens to our tears.
Does it know?

Telephone
It breaks, we cry,
We get another phone,
And throw the last away.
It's nothing but an item
And the only time we use it
Is to speak with others.

Telephone
Nobody talks to it,
Everyone talks through it,
Talking to another person,
Heart to heart, one on one
Is the phone lonely?

Telephone
It know what's in our hearts,
But a telephone has none,
Does it have emotions?
Shall we ever know?
Or will we keep talking,
And care not for the
Telephone

[SaintRidley]

Okay, still tinkering with the poem, but I'll reserve this as my poem post and just leave this here as the news story inspiring me.

Spoiler: Poem

Show

50 Toppings Hungrier

My inner goddess
turns inward

a goddess who
goshes
and gushes
is shushed

gagged into
silence

her chosen restraint
tongueties

surrenders
her speech
to tonguecracking

whipslashing

Empires
of pain
and abuse

no use
down there

downstairs
in a dungeon

pungent with
the aroma

of garlic
romano
serrano

hot
spicy and
kinky

My inner goddess
sighs

and is silenced

[Vaynor]

I have rarely felt so worried and excited simultaneously before.

[The Extinguisher]

I have rarely felt so worried and excited simultaneously before.

Clearly you haven't ordered Domino's Sriracha Pizza before.

[Vaynor]

True. I think I'll be keeping it that way, however.

[jolus]

A little Haiku on something unexcpected.

Spoiler

Show

To my surprise, a
Hairdryer runs in a tub
If it's ungrounded.

[Vaynor]

Jolus, your poem needs to be at least 50 words as detailed in the rules in the first post.

[SaintRidley]

Well, now that I've figured out the title, the poem is now posted.

[Duck999]

Poem time! I have now learned the Adventures of Pinocchio, which is actually really strange.

Spoiler: Poem: All I ever wanted

Show

My dream
it was so simple:
so simple and so sweet.

My dream
was something special:
something that can't be beat.

My dream
was to be granted:
granted in due time.

My dream
had one requirement:
stay out of any crime.

My dream
was ruined:
ruined by those nearby.

My dream
said stay in school:
the boys just had to lie.

My dream
was to be a real boy:
just like everyone.

My dream
involved family:
without that it would be no fun.

My dream
was not completed:
and it never would be.

My dream
was a lost cause:
Lost to all but me.

My dream
would never end:
not without being complete.

My dream
had me save a fairy:
giving her part of my treat.

My dream
was finally done:
I am now a real boy.

My dream
is like a luxury:
no longer being a toy.

[The Extinguisher]

Woo, poem time.

Spoiler: Prompt: Favourite Person

Show

Song For Leah

I've been getting older
My eyes are getting worse
My ears the cannot hear you
My hands and my wrists hurt
The things I can remember
Get smaller every day
I can’t hold conversation
I've got nothing left to say

Will you still love me
When I don’t remember you
Will you still want me
When I’m too far gone to save
Will I still need you
When I don’t know who I am
Will I still love you
In the end

You've been getting stronger
Your heart is still so large
The kindness in your eyes
Makes all of this so hard
The feeling that you give me
That nothing could go wrong
Is what I’ll miss the most
When my mind is dead and gone

Will you still love me
When I don’t remember you
Will you still want me
When I’m too far gone to save
Will I still need you
When I don’t know who I am
Will I still love you
In the end

So you sit there
With your beautiful heart
Bared upon your sleeve
Thinking that you're not
Good enough for me
But don't ever forget
When you're feeling blue
For as long as I possibly can
I'll always love you

Cause I will still love you
When I don't remember you
And I will still want you
When I'm too far gone to save
And I will still need you
When I don't know who I am
And I will still love you
In the end

[CWater]

This came at a bit of a bad time for me, as I'm in the middle of exam weeks, but I found the time to write this. It's perhaps a little unpolished, I'll edit it if I have time.

Spoiler: No Time

Show

Where does time stop
Where can you hear silent streets
Where can you see gentle waves, clear waters
Where can you know every face, and not say a single word

There by the empty railway station
There you can walk in peace
There you can listen to the sea
There you can meet and not greet

During the winter, the town hibernates
During the summer, it's filled with twice the noise
During the spring, the forest fields grow white
During the autumn, the trees dress in bright red

Greet in a language you no longer speak
Watch the waves that are no more unique
Enjoy the silence that only seems sad
Just there, where time has stopped

[PhoeKun]

This is a very ironic prompt.

Disappointment:

Spoiler

Show

She's there in the park, on the freshly cut grass
With a bat in her hands and the sun beating down
On her unwashed blonde hair pulled tight in a tail
That twitches and sways with every move that she makes.

She's dripping with sweat, 'cause her clothes are too warm
But that ratty old hoodie is all she's got left
So she grits, and she glistens, and tightens her grip
Till her knuckles turn whiter than ash around the shaft

So this girl of my dreams with hard sapphire eyes
Is poised and she's perfect and waiting to spring
From the ballpark to knighthood and fairy tale things
But she's waiting, she's waiting, for something to happen

And my hands hang poised in the air
Lower now, lower. A click and a clack, to hear the crack
Only, the ticking of the clock becomes the tearing of the page.
I replace my calendar, and nothing at all gets done.

I can remember swearing
That I'd give her a life that shines like silver.
But that promise shatters like stained glass
And I cut my feet on the glittering fragments.

She tells me I owe her a story.
The air is so still. A sigh dies on my lips.
The light on the screen flickers and
Goes out.

[TFT]

I am taking my extension for this one. This poem got rather personal, so I really want it to turn out well. Worst case I will post what I have before the extension deadline.