The English Poetry Contest - July

Sweet Hermione · Geplaatst: Wo Jul 04, 2007 10:43

Winners of the June contest:

First place: Child Of The Other Side
Second place: Jalf
Third place: T O N K S

Welcome to the second English Poetry Contest!
This challenge will be organized every month, by Marlie (Child of the other side) and me (Sweet Hermione).

The idea is very simple. We decide the subject, you write the poem. (And of course, weâ€™ll try to make an entry as well.) This can be anything thatâ€™s inspiring; another poem, a lyric, a title, a picture, a word, etc. Weâ€™ll try to vary the subject as much as possible.

Every participant has to maintain the following rules:

- You are not allowed to write more than one poem per contest
- The poem must be yours
- The poem must have something to do with the subject. Please write a few words above/below your poem to tell us a little about it (just like you usually do)
- Donâ€™t comment on other people, you can do that via the pb-button or during the voting
- Donâ€™t make your poem too long, 5 pages about one subject is boring
- Let someone beta it. There are many beta-readers on HPF and Cotos, TONKS and I are willing to assist people who do want to compete but are not that good in English. With the right words your poem reads a lot easier. Donâ€™t be ashamed just pb
- You must post your poem before the given date. If not you canâ€™t compete

About the voting.
Last time, it went a bit... wrong. So, we got some new rules:

- Donâ€™t vote for yourself nor before Cotos or I give permission. If you do your vote won't count
- Explain with more then 15 words why youâ€™ve chosen a certain poem. â€œI love itâ€ wonâ€™t do
- You only have three votes. The first vote will be 3 points, the second vote 2 points, and your last vote will be 1 point. We will count all these points per person. The three poets with the most points are the winners. Please, place these votes in the same post and think before you make a choice, we donâ€™t appreciate cheaters
- You have to vote before the given date, if you cast your vote later it doesnâ€™t count

Well, those were the rules and now the most important part; PRIZES!

1st place - 40 sickles
2nd place - 30 sickles
3rd place - 20 sickles

No one can win the first price more than 3 times in a row. If so, Cotos and I will decide what to do. I hope you all understand why we do this.

The subject of this second contest will be this picture. You can use this picture for inspiration, you can tell what it means to you. Mabye this image illustrates a personal memory...
Whatever you like.

Please post your poem between the 4th and the 22th of July.
And you can vote between the 23th and 30th of July.

We wish everybody good luck and lots of fun. If you have any suggestions, tips, notes or ideas; feel free to use the lovely pb-button, itâ€™s begging to be pushed.

Marlie (Cotos) and Charlotte (Sweet Hermione).

Hippogriefje · Geplaatst: Wo Jul 04, 2007 14:10

So - I'll be the first one. I have to say first that it's a beautiful picture. It gives me a feeling like the boy is really happy with his life and everything around it. Here's my poem:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fly

Standing alone
At the top of the world
I stretch out my arms
And reach out for the sky.
I just feel like I could fly.

I see the world in front of me
Waiting for me to jump
'Cause they know I'm going to fly

I'm the king of the world
All hail me
You can't hold down
This little boy
That's what you're going to see

No-one can stop me
No-one knows me.
No-one ever can hold me still.
I just stand here,
Waiting to fly.
And I know I will.

LavenderBrown · Geplaatst: Do Jul 05, 2007 20:44

Last time I didn't manage to write a poem fitting the subject 'mirrordreams', but with this really inspiring picture, I got something on paper (well, on microsoft word);

The idea I got when I saw the picture was at first: "Oh he's going to jump, he's completely suicidal," but then I looked again and saw the prettiness of the image, and I realized it was more "I'm on top of the world!", so here's the poem I made up with that in the back of my mind.

Daydreams
I watch the world in black and white
As flowers wilt and bridges burn
The abyss sinks beneath my eyes
The whole world obeyes to me

And when high lords and lovers die
I will take their place
I sit upon my wooden throne and view
The world I will once rule

My Queen, my Lady, Goddess so high
Whatever name you take
You can sit beside me
And view our lands below

Perhaps one day my name is King
And I smile upon you, shy
We may own golden halls and silver rings
All we need is laughter

And a kiss to share
In our castle in the sky.

Kelly Griffel · Geplaatst: Do Jul 05, 2007 20:54

When I saw the picture, I imagined him playing with his friends, wanting to have their very own private place to play, and he had finally found that very special place (: I didn't quite know how to put it into words, but I'm fairly happy with the end result ^^

Ghost Town

Standing at world's end
Jumping up and down
There I finally found
My own ghost town

The mist shall be my clouds
The trees shall be my home
All I need are my friends
And this is were I'll belong

Standing at world's end
No longer alone
My friends are shouting in my ear
"This shall be Ghost Town,
our very own."

05-07-2007

Smoky · Geplaatst: Do Jul 05, 2007 23:55

What I felt when I saw this picture, was a mix of happy and sad feelings. The little boy looks like heâ€™s about to fly away. There is something very glorious about that. The trees in the background play a special role in my poem. The boy looks like heâ€™s almost about to â€˜hugâ€™ the trees. But he canâ€™t because thereâ€™s some kind of barrier between them. And I feel like he would dÃ³ anything, he would gÃve anything, to be there with them.

--

The old oak trees

Deep down I feel, like I've left my peace,
far behind, by the old oak trees.
Making no effort to survive,
am I even willing to stay alive?

Hearing twisted phrases, of pleassure and delight,
feeling both homesick, and walloping fright.
Dare to be diffrent, walk in circles or squares,
but why make an effort, if there is no one who cares?

I did everything I was supposed to do,
I flew away, I fought my way through,
that closing gate, let me die in peace,
Iâ€™m finally home, by the old oak trees.

--

For what it's worth, I think it's pretty diffrent from all the other poems I've written before. It's much more darker in a way, but glorious at the same time. I'm happy with it.

T O N K S · Geplaatst: Vr Jul 06, 2007 4:52

When I saw the picture, it came to me as a very poor boy living in a third world country somewhere in Africa. A boy with nothing but his own being. A boy that has lost everything, and feels grateful for every little thing he gets. Someone that can make the best of anything, just with himself.
It resulted into a poem about a blind boy that can't do anything. He is poor, he lives in Africa and his only way of entertaining himself is by fantasy and imagination. How he defeats his blindness by using his other four senses. How he isn't dependend on other people anymore. Also because the foto is black and white; blind people don't know what colours are, at least when they are born with blindness.

That's why when in the poem he says he sees something, he's really using his other senses to 'see'.
The poem is quite long, sorry for that, but It's hard to put this idea into a short poem for me. Hope you like it.

--

Defeater of the darkness

The curse that was once cast upon me,
That was captured with my soul,
Was for always burnt in poison,
Is for always chained alone.

Now I can see everything,
Through the shadow of my sight.
I will be standing on my throne,
And catch the ruler of the light.

From here I see moist grass beneath bare feet,
I watch the trees dance gracefully.
I spot the star that shines real warm,
And even see the berries that I eat.

I am forever more,
The king of senses,
And the queen of feeling.
I am the prince of spirit,
And the counsel of imagination.

My knights rule the forests,
My people rule the sea.
And all in all we are together,
Distorted into God of night.

No man, nor deity will defeat,
This secret of myself alone.
A treasure that I carry blindly,
One that canâ€™t be swept away.

I am the leader of the world,
And I stand on my wooden throne.
I rule with pride,
I rule in peace.

I see everything with blinded eyes.

Sofie · Geplaatst: Vr Jul 06, 2007 9:43

Okay, I'm fuggin intimidated by you guys's vocabulary >.< All your poems make mine look like written by a ten year old, and so simple; gawd. Anywayz, well, before I read yours, I was satisfied with mine so I might as well post it to participate too.
My vision of the poem is a boy who has his own special place where he's overwhelmed by happiness and power. He feels awesome there, he's on top of the world and he wants to embrace his life. It's not the deepest poem around (well, mine will never be), but it's joyful :) The title, 'This day is yours', I have chosen because nothing could take the feeling away from him. Maybe he'll never be this happy anymore in his all life, but this day will always stay his.
And I know I'm not supposed to comment to other people's poems, but @ T O N K S: your interpretation of the picture is stunning, srsly (: Congrats.

This day is yours

Have you ever felt like
you were on top of the world,
and you wanted to embrace it
with wide-open arms?

Have you ever felt like
nothing could bring you down,
and you wanted to kiss all people
two times on each cheek?

Have you ever felt like
nothing could break your day,
and you had woken up on a bed
of four-leaved clovers?

Well, I have.
Itâ€™s the best thing that has ever happened to me.

Pottergirl · Geplaatst: Zo Jul 08, 2007 14:34

Surprise, surprise, I'm participating :') Usually I'm not a big poet, but when I saw the picture this immense feeling of loneliness and sadness came to me and I actually wanted to write a poem.
I could write a long story and explain the entire poem, but I don't think that's such a good idea. Just read it and have your own thoughts and ideas about it.

***

Forever

he didn't pay attention
to any worldly things.

for the last time
he embraced the skies
the only good
thing about this
rotten
world

taking the leap
a smile around his lips
all
fear
gone.
hoping this would last

forever.

Catie · 01-2004/31-12-2009

I decided to join the contest again. The picture was actually making me... happy. Well maybe not happy but a feeling off that no one can hurt you. And this boy is standing like he can take the world. Well, the poem is speaking for itself. So I'm not going to explain much more XD I don't even know how to :')

------

Iâ€™m not alone

Standing on this edge
Just for myself
Realizing my thoughts
With this single look

With feathered wings
I fly over this world
That is made
For only my good

Iâ€™m not alone

And when the skies
Turn blue
And the grass
Turns green

I will spread my arms
And welcome everyone
Iâ€™m ready for the world
Iâ€™m ready for the hate and pain
Iâ€™m ready for the love and joy
Because I know

Iâ€™m not alone

child of the other side · Geplaatst: Di Jul 17, 2007 19:42

First; this picture will always remind my of Nicolas (one of my characters) because Iâ€™ve made a banner with a picture of this boy. Nicolasâ€™ life was quite dramatic so I donâ€™t get happy feelings when I look at this picture.
Second; the poem that Iâ€™ve written is even more gloomy. Itâ€™s about a boy in war, both mentally and â€œcountryâ€. Heâ€™s lost a lot and received nothing, yet he has so much to give. And thatâ€™s probably the worst thing that can happen to a child.

Everybody loves me

Loneliness is a harsh word to bear
A laugh makes more skin crawl
I buy my qualms and whispers
Going upwards is a long fall

Yet thereâ€™s no need to close my eyes
For darkness has by now surfaced
Raw, piercing ashes on my skin
The whole world is being chased

The dread is more than tangible
Making me sweat in the cold air
Streams of water down my spine
But in reflection theyâ€™re not there

Can you hear me coming tonight
My little feet on the frozen floor
Thick layers of blisters trailing behind
Another pair of prints on the front door

A chair has fallen on solid land
The wood battered of age and years
A single tear must slip away unseen
Collaborating with my loverâ€™s fears

And all I can do is wait for this
Save time for a second of grace
Two spare limbs to draw out
None there to receive my embrace

Lupos-freak · Geplaatst: Do Jul 19, 2007 11:10

I decided to join this contest, because I like poetry. In fact I 'm not so good in English poetry, but I just give it a try. When I saw that [beautiful] picture, I felt one thing; happiness. A child who is happy. And I thougt that where the most important things of the picture; he's a child and he's happy. So, with a few simply words I made this poet. I made it very simply for two reasons; he's just a child and I don't know so much about English...
Ow, and Charlotte has beta read it. And T O N K S has alsof support me. Thank you!

---

The King of Happiness

Look what I can!
Look what I see!
Look why everyone wants to be me!

I can see the world.
The world can see me.
That's the reason why I am so happy!

And yes, I'm alone.
But I don't care.
Now I can be everywhere!

I just like this nature,
My life and my feelings.
And I await what freedom will bring...

But I know,
What I will be,
If everyone is looking at me.

I will be the King of Happiness!

---

child of the other side · Geplaatst: Di Jul 24, 2007 13:18

Dear fellow writers,

since the forum has been closed for 3 days, weâ€™ve decided that you can post your poems until 12 oâ€™clock tonight. So the people who still want to write a poem; you can! Though you do have to be quick. :â€)

SH and Cotos

Sweet Hermione · Geplaatst: Di Jul 24, 2007 13:45

Yeah, I made it, I made it... ^^

I made this poem in the middle of the night, and I didn't really knew why. It just came out. I was thinking about the picture, and some experiences and emotions I had lately... It's pretty personal.
And this was it.

Drained palace

Suddenly
the flammable icing of
your fingers fell
through

As you touched your
skeleton. As if the world
were mine
You do

got it collapsed.

Ask for the rain
Speak
in Babylon

Tarantallegra · Geplaatst: Wo Jul 25, 2007 0:50

Bit late, but then IÂ´m usually delayed at whatever IÂ´m doing... anyhow... these are the words that kinda bumped into my head when I saw the pic. Or actually it was just the last line that bumped into it and the rest came bumping about just a few minutes later... No title. Nothing fancy.

I see the fragrant shades of green
Still present where the mists are seen
The poppyâ€™s there, a warm wind blows
And hugs the petals of a rose
I feel the sun, I watch the sky
See geese and swans float there, up high
I spread my arms, embrace this place
Run through my life, in gentle pace
Sometimes I may not seem content
When grief and sorrow are at hand
Iâ€™ll hide myself, flee from the Earth
Forget myself for what Iâ€™m worth
But in the end Iâ€™ll come unfurled
I stand up for life and challenge the world.

-x-

Sweet Hermione · Geplaatst: Wo Jul 25, 2007 13:31

It's time to vote!

About the voting
- Donâ€™t vote for yourself nor before me or Marlie give permission. If you do, your vote doesnâ€™t count;
- Explain with more then 15 words why youâ€™ve chosen a certain poem. â€œI love itâ€ wonâ€™t do;
- You have to vote before the given date, if you cast your vote later it doesnâ€™t count;
- You have to give 2 votes, but you can place 3 votes if you like.

You can vote between the 25th and 31th of July.

How to vote:

My first/second/third vote goes to:
Because: