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2012 Poetry Form Challenge#11 Heroic StanzaA very popular quatrain that normaly used in ballad and story writing, consisting of one unrhymed and one rhymed couplet giving a suggested pattern of:
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Heroic Stanza Responses
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Terry ClitheroeThe golden beast circled And wheeled in the desert sun Old as time, born before man And his history had begun The sand below hazy, shimmered In the early mornings heat Spiralling thermals shooting upwards He joined with lazy wing'd beat. And as he glided and spiralled Flying as though in a trance It seemed to the watchers below To be like a merry dance. But as he flew he was listening Listening to the heavens above Till suddenly he heard her The sound of his one true, love. The gold on his scales flashing Blinding watchers down on Earth Shooting upwards heaven bound To the sun where dragons give birth. For Dragons are not Earthly creatures They are creatures gifted by the Gods Not evil and never ever malicious It's mans greed putting them at odds. The Gods loving these gentle creatures Gave them scales of purest gold Man, ever greedy, cunning and covetous Tales of his own evil he told. Always blaming it on the dragon For his scheming murderous needs Encouraged George and others like him Giving them Sainthood's for their deeds. The dragon flew towards the sun Upwards to his wife and child. His wings beating in fervent haste His heart beating, Oh so wild!! ----- The Leaving One lingering moment stood at the door Then walked out into the pouring rain. Finally leaving the home she had built That had turned into a house of pain. She wore no makeup, it would wash away Not from the rain but her flooding tears Only wishing that they would wash away Those final stupid, wasted years. For years she'd loved and been loved back Always thinking that love would stay But like the rain that was falling now His love had somehow washed away. She shut the door and walked away Leaving a darkened emptied scene The home she loved an empty shell Where once so much love had been. With blinding tears, she started her car And then quickly drove away She does not know where to go And what happens, only time can say.  ----- Profumo di un Bambino (Scent of a Child) A baby is loves ultimate gift Once bonded, the link is stronger than steel. The baby is cleaned and handed back to mum It's cuddled and kissed and begins to feel. The end is the same as the beginning At first only touch then scent makes aware You hold your child and start the bond The bond that builds, unites, creating care. Each child has its own unique smell And that scent is with you forever more Only mans rules can break these ties, With ethics, and morals and rules that bore. The child grows up and falls in love As is usual under fate's greater plan. A boy falls head over heels in love with her All because of the scent of his woman.  ----- The Row They were getting close to their home The couple had had a blazing row They'd said terrible things in anger Of course neither would give in now. They had driven for several miles Down a tree lined country lane Neither was saying anything Just in case the other might gain. Passing a field of mules and pigs Smiling wifey said sarcastically All those creatures look familiar I think they are relatives of thee. The husband scowled and frowned But his wife had not won the cause. Yes said he in a patronising voice They are all my bloody in-laws.  ----- Synergy The tapestry of love Is woven with a poetic thread Each word of love creates a form A gentle rhythm in your head So begins each day the weave And watch the pattern spread. One often weaves with doubt Often fumbling waiting to be led The other holds love back So scared and dare not care Strangely each love creates A sum lesser than what is there. So in time they learn to trust And begin to think as one Sometimes they see the truth Able to see what they have done. Then finally with open eyes They see the results of their act Synergy is always bound to love This is a true but unknown fact. The tapestry is finished now Two lovers have made their pact Trust and time have won the day With love creating the final act.  ----- Values Each day each thing on Earth asks a question. The question is, “How shall I shape what I ask?” Each mortal asks the same I should mention Thinking he's unique, wearing a different mask. The humble bee as she kisses each flower in turn Pollinating, and ensuring the spread of beauty Is beautiful within herself having no unease Her only concern is of the nest and her duty She works; she cares so well that we must learn. And the same applies to every living thing The lark as she ascends each morn asks herself, How loud can I sing what joy below can I bring? The swan gliding regally over the lake All other birds defer at all times to her She's not a Queen, just much more like an angel And as for beauty all others would refer.  ----- We Who Have Loved We who have loved so well Yet by cruel Fate we are apart You left me so early my love And tore away my bleeding heart. Love had not reached its zenith Yet so strong did our love grow You presence here is not a lie There's nothing surer that I know. I hear your words whispered to me As you still come to me each night. You stayed around to help me see And made sure I did what was right. One final time I see your ghost Telling me it's time to move on, One final kiss, so soft and warm, A fading shadow, then you've gone.  back to list |
Divena CollinsSage are the waters of the murky swamp Where water nymphs and dragon fly play That slumbers within the depth of reeds And awaken to mermaids song this day. Such sadness in eyes that shed wet tears When cupids arrow had broken her heart For she already had loved yet another So much she was not prepared to part. King of swamps by the name of Neptune 'Twas he that she had promised her hand Let no other sample the fruits of her love She was only free for her Kings command. Who was that cupid to have interfered Did he not know he was false to a King He dares to seduce an innocent maid Would he harm a poor bird on the wing. All the sea horses all the Kings men Had come to rescue her pure vanity Cupid that was is now turned to stone Named Eros within Londons sanctuary.  "Drop Dots - Daniel Racca ----- As I Am I am a maiden borne from the wild That lives to love and loves to live To love you must take me as I am And I in return my love freely give. I have no need for trinkets of gold For I am a maiden akin with nature Nor do I crave for too much frivolity Take me as I am, tho` not in stature. All that I ask is your love in return To cherish and to gather me near Until the passion of love shall flow Take me as I am, true and sincere. I am a maiden borne from the wild The desires you have I feel the same Of natural fantasies beyond control Take me as I am, love holds no shame.  Arthur and Gwenivere ----- Country Mouse Small I am more scared than most For my home is a hole in a field When the farmer ploughs it up I am much too much revealed. Decided I would take to the roads And hitched on a truck for a ride For there would be rich pickings Much more than the countryside. The truck stopped I jumped off Near some busy high street shops A huge bus near squashed me flat So I scuttles and jumps and hops. I hunted around to find me a home To recover myself from the shock And found me a dustbin with a lid Plus food that was fully stocked. Couldn't wish for a better 'des res' With everything there I would need Slept in an empty tin of baked beans With a tummy overloaded from greed. But in the dead of night I awoke I had company come visit my flat And found myself face to face With a great big fat black cat. So I jumps scuttles and I hops And ran like the wind to escape There in a shop I settled down But that was a huge mistake. It was a tea shop of genteel folk And I hid in a ladies handpurse But when she went to pay her bill She screamed and I did curse. The owner of the shop gave chase With a cleaver as big as a house Why can't folk be more kindly For I'm only a terrified mouse. So home I went back to the fields To the country home that I love Never again will I roam far away For the Cities they can 'shove'.  ----- Cry Wolf Do not fear me creatures of the wild Thy fear of man is not without reason The sport of a king shall be for the kill Within the midst of the hunters season. For I have felt your nose nuzzle my hand Had since gained trust of a faithful friend I hear your sad cries calling from the wild Knowing deep within `tis thee I defend. I hath observed thee nurture and grow From tiny cubs to a pack of wolverine Why is mans need to injure and destroy When love and devotion remain serene. The spirits within those enchanted eyes Speaks so much of thy sorrows and pain When the sunlight shadow begins to fall It`s then that thou shalt howl at the moon again.  ----- Drunken Sailor There was a jolly sailor man His name was Sam Mcphee His ship was docked at Dover From a long time out to sea. Both Sam and his shipmate Were all geared up for fun They stepped out in Dover With their bellies full o'rum. Sam he was a handsome lad And did meet a wench to woo But the ladies in those parts Were nought they would view. Now he was taken up with her And promised he would wed When she gave her all to him, He went off to sea instead. She was left their with child Barely managed on her own Praying for that special day When Sam would come home. Now two years had gone by She heard from Sam Mcphee When he pleaded he was sorry She was ne'er the wench for he.  ----- If I Were You Upon a sunny day in the garden When I was digging happily away Old Ted next door said 'beg pardon I hope you dont mind what I say. I should never dig if I were you You'll have an awful bad back I did exactly the same as you too And had to be stretched on a rack'. I thought I`d have a go at the weeds And ransacked the shed for a hoe Ted said 'you need a weedkiller feed Then the weeds will no longer grow'. With a box of petunias ready to plant Said he `there be ground frost tonight` I was going to plant but now I shant For as always the old buggers right. So grabbed instead the watering can He said 'it will never reach the roots A hose is best when there is no ban' So I drenched him from head to foot.  'I Dont Believe It.' Victor Meldrew. 'One foot in the grave' ----- Merlin and Nimue Within mythical times of King Arthurs reign 'That lay high upon the hamlet of camelot Merlin the wizard had become beguiled By Nimue who had revenged Sir lancelot. Nimue gained so many loves before him She had outwitted and sent to their doom With her knowledge of evil magical spells She sealed them forever in a silent tomb. Merlin was beguiled to a point of ecstasy So amazed he was of her mystical charm Bewitched and completely within a spell Little did he know she would do him harm. Upon several days performed her spells From old volumes of malicious intention So weakened was he his magic had gone And no retaliation remained to mention. Dark the tombs lovers were imprisoned Merlin encountered yet another evil spell Her collective reasons were all the same Nimue`s previous victims remain as well. I do hope within my mind that this is right There are many versions that could be told. But all said and done this is only a fantasy Within days of old when knights were bold.  ----- Midsummer Murder at Village 'Twas at dusk on midsummers eve That strange events took place 'fore I begin for the feint of heart Please leave or your heart will race. Weird goings on the scariest sight In a clearing in them there woods Village tramp was there with me And we would of run if we could. Them witches there they had a pot Like a black tin bath on stand But they did chant lots of spells That we could'na understand. Then we heard a blood curdling scream And a large pool of blood of some kind Whatever was in that big old pot Gonna` miss his body and mind. I'm off to tell the police man now Even though I think its too late For whatever was in that big old pot The evidence must have got ate. But I'll have a rum before I go Just to keep steady my nerves So off I staggers out the door Missing a motor wot swerved. There was a killin we was right For they killed a large boar pig The police are all at the barbecue Havin' a midsummers jiggedy jig. If you go in the woods tonight Your in for a great big surprise Village tramp fell over the bones In that pot right up to his thighs.  ----- Out of Body To walk down the path of loneliness A barren wilderness of no return It shall it be for some a salvation For others it could cause concern. This was not the path it used to be No songs of birds no longer trees All remains silent disturbingly still I listened but could hear no breeze. Far in the distance I thought were hills Somehow they were out of my range How I got here from whence I came Was a mystery I thought so strange. This path seemed to me never ending For I had walked for many long years Was I asleep or was it just a dream Why then could I have wept dry tears. Out of body experiences I had heard Could that be what happened to me Though I know I never left my inside I still felt a sense of longing to be.  ----- Spirit of the Lake When spirits of love shine upon thee Oh lady within darkness of thy tomb Thou shalt arise from thy silent sleep From the depth of a watery womb. Ye who hath valued the joys of love From a life that had ended too soon For a curse of death was upon thee From the darkest side of the moon. Forbidden love was the fated cause The final outcome of an evil word That ended her life within violence Slain by the edge of a long sword. Still she arises to make her claim Within life she did nothing wrong But love to extreme`s of intimacy Pledged for another lifetime long. Was this not the very oath of love To have loved honoured and obey Misdeeds hath now been delivered Her spirit returns to him this day.  ----- Tango of Love Soft the flow of music plays within the heart To hear and feel the rhythmic beat of dance To tango thro`a mystical world of fantasy That enduces dreams of love and romance. To express within a dance no stops taken Emotions of love dwelling deeply therein Softly their touches then fondly caress Special moments enhance charms within. The tango of love is but a moment long But sweet memories shall linger forever For both loving eyes shall mirror no wrong Nor shall desire within hearts ever sever.  ----- Trials of Nature When a summer sun hides behind the clouds And darkness weaves sudden flows of tears So bleak this earth that shows no sign of light When shadows of a rainbow disappears. Bleak the raging winds that violate this night That teased the calming ocean unto a storm. Causing floods and destruction thro' this land Ne-er a break the weather forecast informs. Too soon shall the birds on the wing follow Fooled by the onslought of unatural force Seasons are not as they were meant to be Weather patterns have diverted the course. But this does not mean our planet shall end Even this old World is overdue for a change Doing what it has done so many times before 'Tis why Earth appears so dark and strange.  3 days ago, as a huge wave crashes against a light house in Porthcawl. S. Wales.June. 2012. back to list |
Jem FarmerWhile walking through the store I caught your scent, A lady stood beneath the neon light, She held a bottle of perfume in hand, And memories returned into my sight. Outside the school gates waiting for the bell, I saw my mum; she's standing, waiting there, With me running out ready to go home, The essence of Charlie kissing the air. I see the old man stop all of those cars, In his white mac with his lollipop stick, Of course it was magic in a child's eyes, Like Paul Daniels performing a staged trick. Past the airfield and rails, Blue on her lead, Over the bridge to check the lizard hill, Were they bathing in early summer sun, Then on home where Peter was lying, still. Sweet memories that I have in my heart You may wonder on the what, why, and how My mum will always be my 'Charlie girl', Although it is me who wears Charlie now. ----- A Deeper Understanding When I was young the way ahead was clear, The simple choices lay in front of me, But easy street is such an empty one, And I forgot the thrill of living free. My heart must rue the blindness that held me, The chances missed as I embraced my fear, Those nightly dreams I thought could ne'er be mine When walls of doubt denied all I held dear. My eyes opened within a leap of faith, And I stepped out of normality's line, I took a chance to live and be myself, And there I saw my life could now be mine. My heart may break into helpless despair So it may know the wonder of a kiss, To know love is to know bitterest pain But love, wondrous love, makes life what it is.  ----- It's Not Working Dave From Old Father Thames, she waved to the crowds, 'Tis sixty years no matter the debate, Our Queen has reigned through challenging times, But governments have fallen to their fate. A graceful Queen, who makes us feel our pride, Again failed by those elected to rule, A jubilee as people suffered pain, Once more those in pow'r are shown to be cruel. The sunny times that warm the days of June, Were lost as the grey clouds melted in tears, The skies wept as they felt our sense of shame, As games reveal those vulnerable fears. The two-faced rat that lives at number ten, See him step back so the Queen takes the flack, O majesty we know you're not to blame, But who will dare give Cameron the sack? ----- Journey Into Darkness I feel her chilling touch here in my sleep, My girl of dreams is dressed in shades of night, Her hunger for fresh blood upon her lips, My senses know the darkness of her delight. Her hour has come and now she takes control, Such beauty burns in love's eternal fires, My weakness succumbs to her vampire want, For she, the woman of my dark desires. With one bite she purged and raped my soul, As blood-filled veins became her wanton feast, Yet beauty let me live another night As she left before the dawn kissed the east. Enchanted soul, I longed to feel her touch To come alive in pain that is my need, I wanted so much more than her sweet bite, My own desires had come to take their feed.  ----- Logic of Intuition O! listen to the whisper of the soul, The flutterings that caress on the breeze, A gentle sense of knowing the answers, That brings agitated stress to its ease. A distant ripple of laughter recalls The wisdom of time and the sacred truth, No words are written on a printed page Just a whisper of the soul is the proof. O! harken to the silence of a dream, Feel the purity of the inner light, The call of life that comes only within And grants the eyes the will of second sight. The dreams of love while learning give and take Instincts beyond the words of any man, To know the way the soul goes is right, For the soul alone knows destiny’s plan. ----- Shades of Deja Vu The same old questions lie in front of me, And knowing already there's no reply, Just like unanswered phones that always ring, And living just keeps on its walking by. Unsaid, the words then hover in thin air, An empty promise attracting more dust, Untaken chances, a meaningless dream All left behind to fade in silent rust. The dreams that offered a different hope, And slowly I believed they could be true, As knowledge shown within a golden light, The doors opened in shades of deja vu. ----- Sweet Goodnight Those delicate features whisper goodnight As feathered pillows welcome her to sleep To close her eyes and enter vibrant dreams Where love gives the heart no reason to weep. On her soft pillows the thoughts drift away, Restoring rest yet so much more than this, For dreams come alive with each rhythmic breath To waken the soul with the tenderest kiss. In her dreams fingers trace her curvy lip, And as they quiver with her passion’s need, They slowly open to exploits of love An act of possession for lust must feed. Oh sweet my love as I watch you sleeping, I see those lips curve in wilful delight, I wonder on the visions you may see, And hold you near me long into the night back to list |
Liz RuleEmmi Golightly has twenty-five fingers On each of her twenty-five hands. "Oh, what shall I do with these fingers" she gurgled, And burrowed them into the sand. As she looked at her nose, she saw it was dripping And feared it would bring her disgrace. "Oh, dear," she observed "my mama will start flipping If I allow this to sully my face." She wiped and she swiped with her sleeve at her top lip But those hands all got in the way. When a nose is a-dripping and hands are too many, It's sure to cause disarray. But this girl was smart; she called for Touille, Ever eager to obey her commands; Aided by Melvin, two tongues, wet and friendly, Licked clean her nose, lip and hands. back to list |
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