Post by Andorinha on Feb 7, 2009 10:10:12 GMT -6
January 2003 Poetry Contest
____________________________________________________
Reply
Message 1 of 22 in Discussion
From: Olórië
Sent: 1/3/2003 8:20 PM
January is here, the month named for the Roman god Janus, that two-faced chap who looked both forward and backward in time. With that as a background -- and with fresh inspiration from the Two Towers movie -- I hope you all will have fun with this month's two-faced topic:
Gollum/Sméagol
Your poem can be on any aspect of the topic; it may be written from any perspective. It can relate to the topic directly, or approach it in a roundabout way. Use your creativity and share your vision!
The contest begins NOW and all entries are due before midnight on January 31. Once submitted, the poem will be considered 'final' and no further modifications should be made. The poems will be judged by member votes after the close of the contest.
No length guidelines, although the "No Epics, please" rule still holds.
If you have any questions, just email me (click on my name at the top of this message to get my email address). Many thanks to the "Thursday night chatters" for the terrific topic suggestion.
NOTE: If you plan to participate in this contest, you may wish not to read the rest of this thread before you submit your own poem. It might affect your ability to remain "original." Then again, you may be able to draw inspiration from seeing others' work. It's your choice!
Have fun, and GO !!!
_______________________________________________
Reply
Message 2 of 22 in Discussion
From: Glorfindle
Sent: 1/8/2003 6:25 PM
GOLLUM/SMÉAGOL
We can't go back; we can't go back.
Can we precious?
The lake was smooth, the fish were biting
She shone above, cool water inviting
Something shinny near the bottom
Déagol saw it; it was my birthday
Give it here, my sweet, 'tis mine
It is my birthday and it's so fine
Déagols bloody throat lie open
His life exchanged for golden token
Her eyes can see us, we must hide
Somewhere dark must we abide
Down deep and cool by fish and pool
I miss Déagol; but it was my birthday
Look how it glistens and sparkles and shines
Here in my hand, here and all mine
We sits and we listens to what it tells us
How we are together until we are dust
So many years have come and gone
And precious, we, live on and on
Déagols voice is finally fading
Except at times when heart is aching
For once we lived by lake so smooth
And fished and laughed and sang a tune
Déagol and Sméagol with toes in water
But it was mine; it was my birthday
We can't go back; we can't go back,
Can we my precious?
Glor 1/03
*see if you can discover why the opening and closing lines are different
______________________________________________
Reply
Message 3 of 22 in Discussion
From: Storrmrider
Sent: 1/8/2003 10:48 PM
my
_________________________________________________
Reply
Message 4 of 22 in Discussion
Sent: 1/9/2003 1:15 PM
This message has been deleted by the author.
__________________________________________________
Reply
Message 5 of 22 in Discussion
From: Glorfindle
Sent: 1/9/2003 5:04 PM
Thanks Stormy ;-)
Deacon Blues
________________________________________________
Reply
Message 6 of 22 in Discussion
From: MSN NicknameIarwainBen-adar1
Sent: 1/12/2003 6:08 AM
I Remember
Iarwain Ben-adar
Flashes and glimmers of days long past,
Alone in the gloom they never long last;
Why did they treat so poorly back then?
No one could know I murdered my friend;
Hushhhisss my Precioussss, forget foolish wishesss,
Wassste not our time with things that we missesss;
Our presssent we need to lavisssh with kissesss,
And a deep and dark pool filled with ssweet fishesss;
But I’m remembering warmth and laughter as well,
I’m recalling us excited bout stories we’d tell;
I Recall Eggsesss! And climbing in trees,
The colors of flowers and buzzing of bees;
Stopss it my precioussss your acting the fool,
You should be thinking of fishessss swimming in pool;
Or think of the precioussss our presssent and tool,
But think not of our passts we ssshould make it a rule;
So who are you now, telling me what to do,
Turning to lies my dreams that were true;
I need thee not you foul scavenging wretch,
Poison and pain is all that you fetch;
Ohhh my preciousss, thinksss we’ss trickesy and clever,
Thinkses with wordsss our bond he might sssevere;
Thinkses you do, you can dimiss usss whenever,
But knowsess I do your peace will come never;
Thinkses you do you can livess without me,
You’ve Forgotten the preciousss extracts a high fee;
So I’ss ssslips from your fingresss so you will now sssee,
The soul of poor Sméagol is locked by my key ;
_________________________________________________________
Reply
Message 7 of 22 in Discussion
From: MSN Nicknamefallohide
Sent: 1/14/2003 12:13 PM
A small wretched creature called Gollum
had a fine ring which was stolen
he went after the thief
who had caused him such grief
"WE WANTS IT, My precious," he told 'em
____________________________________________________________
Reply
Message 8 of 22 in Discussion
From: MSN Nickname-_EndlessDream_
Sent: 1/16/2003 8:30 AM
I know that this doesn't even come close to the entries i've read so far... they are all so wonderfully written... but I just wanted to contribute to the contest. Just wish I had more time to work on it ;-)
Possession
A tale to tell, of one so well
Yet one so doomed to fall.
Who took the precious to keep himself
Betraying one and all.
Down and down, corruptive depths
Despair and bitter hell.
Withered away to nothing more
Than a pitiful empty shell.
Lost the precious to one that day
Soon rage set up it's home.
Cross its path later he did
Again it beckoned on.
"Gots to have the precious" he said
"We hates the Hobbitses so."
"Gots to have the precious" he said
As it pulled and tore at his soul.
Chance he had to redeem himself
When compassion came his way.
A Hobbit showed mercy but events would lead
To a different kind of day.
His bite would give him what he desired
But brought with it final pain.
To a life that was wounded but not yet beaten
Until the precious ended the game.
sting
_____________________________________________________
Reply
Message 9 of 22 in Discussion
From: Majah
Sent: 1/18/2003 1:15 AM
Smeagol's Might
When we sits and wonders how it all turned round to this
We think of that we left behind and whats we comes to miss
Sun sparkling on the water, fish frying in the pan,
Children laughing, playing, 'catch me if you can'
Ahhhh---sweet pleasures of a life
So long gone within a fight
Qver gold…so round and precious...
Our Gollum could never go back but
We believes that Smeagol might!
________________________________________________________
Reply
Message 10 of 22 in Discussion
From: MSN Nicknamefallohide
Sent: 1/18/2003 1:27 AM
Sting, I defy anyone to feel that their poem isn't up to par.(including the rising poet Majah) lol! you must not have seen mine!
___________________________________________________________
Reply
Message 11 of 22 in Discussion
From: MSN Nicknamefallohide
Sent: 1/18/2003 1:30 AM
by the way Majah, I'm serious when I say you are a rising poet! I loved your poem!
hmm. Perhaps I'm not supposed to comment on the poems?
oops!
much love
Fallo
______________________________________________________
Reply
Message 12 of 22 in Discussion
Sent: 1/21/2003 4:25 PM
This message has been deleted by the author.
__________________________________________________________
Reply
Message 13 of 22 in Discussion
From: Eight_Legged_Freak
Sent: 1/21/2003 4:32 PM
Gollum
Crawling in the dark,
Always thinking, talking
To his precious self.
Tells the story again and again.
*It was our birthday present.*
*It came to us, yes preciousss...*
Always the same
For years uncounted.
The same story;
How the Precious came
Long ago.
Now, in the darkness,
He watches it with pale eyes.
*Our precious...*
Bright gold, so beautiful
No one can see.
But he doesn't know,
The Precious has a master calling;
The Precious will leave him
To find its master.
Leave poor Smeagol,
Poor Gollum,
Leave him in the darkness
With his precious self.
Crawling in the dark.
__________________________________________________________
Reply
Message 14 of 22 in Discussion
From: Olórië
Sent: 1/21/2003 9:09 PM
Fallo and everyone -- Right, I do think it's best that we reserve the contest thread for the poems during the contest period, and not post our comments until the closing date. It just seems more fair. But everyone's feedback and encouragement are very welcome, so let me suggest that during the contest, we might send it privately in an email or mention it in chat, otherwise, we can stock up our thoughts until after the contest has ended and then post away on this thread.
Comments on this policy cheerfully accepted!
Thanks --
Olórië
_________________________________________________________
Reply
Message 15 of 22 in Discussion
From: Endirion
Sent: 1/23/2003 12:10 AM
Precious, Precious, breath and life,
More than freedom, sun or wife,
We chase it through the mortal strife,
And risk the Eye, the rack, the knife.
Precious, Precious, it is all,
Worth the evil and the fall,
Shame of Deagol-death is small;
Hear the Precious, hear its call.
Precious, Precious, joy and pain,
Rips our soul and heart and brain,
Calls us cross mountain, mire and plain,
We hears its evil sweet refrain.
Precious, Precious, we follows it,
Not to Dark Lord or fiery Pit,
Tricksy hobbitses throats we'll slit,
We loves It, We hates It...WE WANTS IT!
__________________________________________________________
Reply
Message 16 of 22 in Discussion
From: Stormrider
Sent: 1/26/2003 7:30 PM
Sméagol
Gollum
Sam
Frodo
A Night on Mount Doom
Why doess nice Masster go that way,
Into the Land of Mordor?
HISS firey eye iss ssearching far
Looking for my preciouss.
Every sstep Masster takess
Bringss preciouss closser to Him.
Quiet! You fool! Can't you guess?
Nassty Hobbitses tricked uss!
Open our eyess and ssee where he goess,
Up the burning mountain!
Nassty Hobbitses taking preciouss
To the Crackss of Doom!
Preciouss iss heavy about his neck.
See how it dragss him down.
Nice Masster is weak and can't go on.
The nassty Hobbit bearss him
Upon his back, doubling hiss load,
Dumping all their possessionss.
The Crackss of Doom iss where preciouss wass made
And nasty Hobbitses go there.
Wicked Masster cheatss Sméagol.
Into the flamess reaching sso high,
Preciouss will be hurt forever
And we will be lost and die into dusst!
Sshh! Quiet! Here they come!
Hide on the sside of the mountain.
Below uss now...sspring!
Knock them down and ssave preciouss.
Wicked Masster iss in our grassp
Give it to Sméagol, yess, give it to uss!
Rip and tear at the chain on hiss neck,
Wicked Masster is filled with fury!
We want preciouss and are afraid
But we are sstarved and hungry.
A sudden strength Masster hass
He has flung uss off and speaks:
"Down, creeping thing, out of my path!
Your time is at an end.
You cannot betray me now!
Begone! Should you touch me again,
You will be thrown in the Fire of Doom!"
Wicked Master is so powerful!
He terrifies uss so.
Slink away, hurry, we muss go.
No! We wantss preciouss, it is ours!
We musst ssave it from the fire!
Spring on wicked Masster,
Save preciouss!
Watch out for the Nasty Hobbit!
It drawss itss nasty cruel ssteel on uss.
We must grovel on the ground.
Don't kill uss, let uss live.
We are lost and when preciouss goess,
We will die and turn to dusst.
"It is right to slay this treacherous creature,
And the only safe thing to do!
I see it lying in the dust so forlorn and wretched.
Now I understand its agony, enslaved to the Ring.
Slaying it I cannot do.
Curse you, pitiful thing! Be off!"
Back away from the Nasty Hobbit. He will let us go!
Slink away--pretend to leave,
And when he returns to Wicked Master,
We will not be far behind!
Careful now, creep up behind.
Swiftly and warily, a shadow in the stones.
Wicked Masster iss tensse and erect
Standing on the chasm,
Flamess licking at hiss feet,
Grassping for Preciouss!
We musst save it now, but
What doess Wicked Masster ssay?
"I have come,
But I do not choose now
To do what I came to do.
I will not do this deed.
The Ring is mine!"
And with that, he vanished!
Wicked Master cannot claim it!
Preciouss iss ours!
Get the Nasty Hobbit out of the way
And save the Preciouss for us!
The mountain shakess
We feels HIS Eye piercing the shadows.
We have our handses on Wicked Masster,
Hiss strength iss very strong.
Preciouss iss ourss,
It belongss to uss!
We feelss the Preciouss on hiss finger!
Snap!
Preciouss, preciouss, preciouss!
My Preciouss! O my Preciouss!
You are mi....
...i...i...i...i...i...
...n...n...n...n...e!
Stormrider
_______________________________________________
Reply
Message 17 of 22 in Discussion
From: Olórië
Sent: 1/31/2003 11:30 PM
Déagol’s Song
Our last day upon the river
Was as bright as day could be
With the sun a golden circle
On the river running free
All around the greeny rushes
Lapping soft against the shore.
Golden sun and silver water
Happy hearts could ask no more.
Happy friends we went together
Catching fishes in the sedge
With the water birds a-peeping
As we floated by the edge.
Then a gift the river gave me
When I dove beneath the tide
Down among the greeny rushes
Where the silver fishes hide.
Down among the greeny rushes
Down below the silver flood
Lay a glad golden glitter
In the soft river mud.
Golden sun and silver water
Flowing o'er the rushy strand
Flowing o'er the golden circle
In the hollow of my hand.
Oh how glad I was to see it
And I claimed it full and free.
But he sidled up beside me
Saying soft, See, it's for me
Yes, it's mine, my dear, I wants it--
Threw me down beside the boat
With his hands a strangling circle
Round the hollow of my throat.
Oh how changed he was all sudden
With his eyes as cold as bone
With a smile like ice at midnight
Took the gold to be his own.
Deep below the tide he hid me
Deep below the silver flood
Tangled in the greeny rushes
Drained of life and breath and blood.
So now you've heard my story
A warning take by me--
For that glittering golden circle
Is as dark as dark can be
It led to cold hard murder
And fear and grief and pain
And my friend--for shame, no longer--
Lost home and heart and name.
Reply
____________________________________________________
Message 18 of 22 in Discussion
From: sparrow
Sent: 2/1/2003 8:50 AM
<DIR> <DIR>
The Story of Smeagol
</DIR></DIR>
Lore of long ago recalls of hobbit-kind,
The River-folk, reputed well, a curious root burrower,
Smeagol succombed to selfish desire,
Greedy, grasping, at the Great River,
Felled his friend, the Ring he fingered.
Now devious and deceitful, driven from his people,
Curséd cave-frog, grey night-creature,
Lingered there, lonely, lost to the outer world,
In bondage to a bauble, his soul bent.
Beaten by Bilbo, bereft of the Precious
Searching night-stalker, seeking his master.
Desperation drove him, unable to dispel the lure,
Found Frodo, furtively guided, and falsely,
Pursuing his prize, a helpless pawn,
Crept in the Cracks of doom, craftily, bit,
Gambling, grasped gold, and lost,
Descending deep and dark, mercifully
Released from the One Ring – finally at rest.
_______________________________________________________
Reply
Message 19 of 22 in Discussion
From: sparrow
Sent: 2/1/2003 8:54 AM
HTML commands. . .Grrrr.
Double spacing. . .GRRRRRR.
_________________________________________________________
Reply
Message 20 of 22 in Discussion
From: Stormrider
Sent: 2/1/2003 11:04 AM
OK! Olorie!
You need to ask Algy, Annie, or Soleil to be the judge this month! It is only fair! I am sure they will do it so that you can be an entrant in the contest, too. No IFs, ANDs, or BUTs from you!!!
What do you all think?
Stormy
______________________________________________________
Reply
Message 21 of 22 in Discussion
From: Olórië
Sent: 2/1/2003 3:04 PM
This post marks the official closing of the January 2003 poetry contest. I am so gratified that so many people chose to enter this month -- many thanks to you all!
It's time now to think about who you'll vote for, and -- thanks to me -- it's a little more complicated this month, because I wrote a poem myself. Now, my idea was that I'd just write for the pleasure of it -- not as an entry -- because, since I count the votes, that would be the ethical thing to do. That was fine with me. But when I expressed that thought in chat the other night, it caused a little flap; others felt strongly I should have the opportunity to enter, too. <Sigh> Would you guys please quit being so nice to me?
The suggestion was that I turn over vote-counting duties to a non-entrant manager, which is OK, except it's really my job and I don't feel it's right to foist it on someone else just so I can indulge myself. So, I've decided on a compromise that I think will work -- votes will still be emailed to me but will also be copied to a non-entrant manager. That way, I'll still do the work, but there will still be a neutral monitor. I don't know yet who that NM will be -- so everyone please mull over your choices for a little bit while I work out this detail.
As you mull, remember that you will be voting for first, second, and third places. As noted in this thread --
groups.msn.com/tolkiensring/general.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=12806&LastModified=4675399527885568872
-- all entries made before the time of this post are valid and may be voted for. Comments on this policy continue to be welcome.
I'll post voting details shortly --
Thanks,
Olórië
___________________________________________________
Reply
Message 22 of 22 in Discussion
From: Olórië
Sent: 2/5/2003 10:43 PM
OK, mulling time is over, and it's time to vote! Many thanks to Soleil, who has graciously volunteered to be our Neutral Monitor.
To vote in the January contest, email your choices for first, second, and third place BOTH TO ME AND SOLEIL. You can get my email address by clicking on my name at the top of this message, and Soleil's address is available here:
groups.msn.com/tolkiensring/_memberprofile.msnw?user=Soleil&pps=k
Voting will close at midnight, February 11 (that's an hour after 11pm Monday night). It's a tough choice again this month and a wonderful crop of poems.
Email me if you have any questions. Thanks, all!
____________________________________________________
Reply
Message 1 of 22 in Discussion
From: Olórië
Sent: 1/3/2003 8:20 PM
January is here, the month named for the Roman god Janus, that two-faced chap who looked both forward and backward in time. With that as a background -- and with fresh inspiration from the Two Towers movie -- I hope you all will have fun with this month's two-faced topic:
Gollum/Sméagol
Your poem can be on any aspect of the topic; it may be written from any perspective. It can relate to the topic directly, or approach it in a roundabout way. Use your creativity and share your vision!
The contest begins NOW and all entries are due before midnight on January 31. Once submitted, the poem will be considered 'final' and no further modifications should be made. The poems will be judged by member votes after the close of the contest.
No length guidelines, although the "No Epics, please" rule still holds.
If you have any questions, just email me (click on my name at the top of this message to get my email address). Many thanks to the "Thursday night chatters" for the terrific topic suggestion.
NOTE: If you plan to participate in this contest, you may wish not to read the rest of this thread before you submit your own poem. It might affect your ability to remain "original." Then again, you may be able to draw inspiration from seeing others' work. It's your choice!
Have fun, and GO !!!
_______________________________________________
Reply
Message 2 of 22 in Discussion
From: Glorfindle
Sent: 1/8/2003 6:25 PM
GOLLUM/SMÉAGOL
We can't go back; we can't go back.
Can we precious?
The lake was smooth, the fish were biting
She shone above, cool water inviting
Something shinny near the bottom
Déagol saw it; it was my birthday
Give it here, my sweet, 'tis mine
It is my birthday and it's so fine
Déagols bloody throat lie open
His life exchanged for golden token
Her eyes can see us, we must hide
Somewhere dark must we abide
Down deep and cool by fish and pool
I miss Déagol; but it was my birthday
Look how it glistens and sparkles and shines
Here in my hand, here and all mine
We sits and we listens to what it tells us
How we are together until we are dust
So many years have come and gone
And precious, we, live on and on
Déagols voice is finally fading
Except at times when heart is aching
For once we lived by lake so smooth
And fished and laughed and sang a tune
Déagol and Sméagol with toes in water
But it was mine; it was my birthday
We can't go back; we can't go back,
Can we my precious?
Glor 1/03
*see if you can discover why the opening and closing lines are different
______________________________________________
Reply
Message 3 of 22 in Discussion
From: Storrmrider
Sent: 1/8/2003 10:48 PM
my
_________________________________________________
Reply
Message 4 of 22 in Discussion
Sent: 1/9/2003 1:15 PM
This message has been deleted by the author.
__________________________________________________
Reply
Message 5 of 22 in Discussion
From: Glorfindle
Sent: 1/9/2003 5:04 PM
Thanks Stormy ;-)
Deacon Blues
________________________________________________
Reply
Message 6 of 22 in Discussion
From: MSN NicknameIarwainBen-adar1
Sent: 1/12/2003 6:08 AM
I Remember
Iarwain Ben-adar
Flashes and glimmers of days long past,
Alone in the gloom they never long last;
Why did they treat so poorly back then?
No one could know I murdered my friend;
Hushhhisss my Precioussss, forget foolish wishesss,
Wassste not our time with things that we missesss;
Our presssent we need to lavisssh with kissesss,
And a deep and dark pool filled with ssweet fishesss;
But I’m remembering warmth and laughter as well,
I’m recalling us excited bout stories we’d tell;
I Recall Eggsesss! And climbing in trees,
The colors of flowers and buzzing of bees;
Stopss it my precioussss your acting the fool,
You should be thinking of fishessss swimming in pool;
Or think of the precioussss our presssent and tool,
But think not of our passts we ssshould make it a rule;
So who are you now, telling me what to do,
Turning to lies my dreams that were true;
I need thee not you foul scavenging wretch,
Poison and pain is all that you fetch;
Ohhh my preciousss, thinksss we’ss trickesy and clever,
Thinkses with wordsss our bond he might sssevere;
Thinkses you do, you can dimiss usss whenever,
But knowsess I do your peace will come never;
Thinkses you do you can livess without me,
You’ve Forgotten the preciousss extracts a high fee;
So I’ss ssslips from your fingresss so you will now sssee,
The soul of poor Sméagol is locked by my key ;
_________________________________________________________
Reply
Message 7 of 22 in Discussion
From: MSN Nicknamefallohide
Sent: 1/14/2003 12:13 PM
A small wretched creature called Gollum
had a fine ring which was stolen
he went after the thief
who had caused him such grief
"WE WANTS IT, My precious," he told 'em
____________________________________________________________
Reply
Message 8 of 22 in Discussion
From: MSN Nickname-_EndlessDream_
Sent: 1/16/2003 8:30 AM
I know that this doesn't even come close to the entries i've read so far... they are all so wonderfully written... but I just wanted to contribute to the contest. Just wish I had more time to work on it ;-)
Possession
A tale to tell, of one so well
Yet one so doomed to fall.
Who took the precious to keep himself
Betraying one and all.
Down and down, corruptive depths
Despair and bitter hell.
Withered away to nothing more
Than a pitiful empty shell.
Lost the precious to one that day
Soon rage set up it's home.
Cross its path later he did
Again it beckoned on.
"Gots to have the precious" he said
"We hates the Hobbitses so."
"Gots to have the precious" he said
As it pulled and tore at his soul.
Chance he had to redeem himself
When compassion came his way.
A Hobbit showed mercy but events would lead
To a different kind of day.
His bite would give him what he desired
But brought with it final pain.
To a life that was wounded but not yet beaten
Until the precious ended the game.
sting
_____________________________________________________
Reply
Message 9 of 22 in Discussion
From: Majah
Sent: 1/18/2003 1:15 AM
Smeagol's Might
When we sits and wonders how it all turned round to this
We think of that we left behind and whats we comes to miss
Sun sparkling on the water, fish frying in the pan,
Children laughing, playing, 'catch me if you can'
Ahhhh---sweet pleasures of a life
So long gone within a fight
Qver gold…so round and precious...
Our Gollum could never go back but
We believes that Smeagol might!
________________________________________________________
Reply
Message 10 of 22 in Discussion
From: MSN Nicknamefallohide
Sent: 1/18/2003 1:27 AM
Sting, I defy anyone to feel that their poem isn't up to par.(including the rising poet Majah) lol! you must not have seen mine!
___________________________________________________________
Reply
Message 11 of 22 in Discussion
From: MSN Nicknamefallohide
Sent: 1/18/2003 1:30 AM
by the way Majah, I'm serious when I say you are a rising poet! I loved your poem!
hmm. Perhaps I'm not supposed to comment on the poems?
oops!
much love
Fallo
______________________________________________________
Reply
Message 12 of 22 in Discussion
Sent: 1/21/2003 4:25 PM
This message has been deleted by the author.
__________________________________________________________
Reply
Message 13 of 22 in Discussion
From: Eight_Legged_Freak
Sent: 1/21/2003 4:32 PM
Gollum
Crawling in the dark,
Always thinking, talking
To his precious self.
Tells the story again and again.
*It was our birthday present.*
*It came to us, yes preciousss...*
Always the same
For years uncounted.
The same story;
How the Precious came
Long ago.
Now, in the darkness,
He watches it with pale eyes.
*Our precious...*
Bright gold, so beautiful
No one can see.
But he doesn't know,
The Precious has a master calling;
The Precious will leave him
To find its master.
Leave poor Smeagol,
Poor Gollum,
Leave him in the darkness
With his precious self.
Crawling in the dark.
__________________________________________________________
Reply
Message 14 of 22 in Discussion
From: Olórië
Sent: 1/21/2003 9:09 PM
Fallo and everyone -- Right, I do think it's best that we reserve the contest thread for the poems during the contest period, and not post our comments until the closing date. It just seems more fair. But everyone's feedback and encouragement are very welcome, so let me suggest that during the contest, we might send it privately in an email or mention it in chat, otherwise, we can stock up our thoughts until after the contest has ended and then post away on this thread.
Comments on this policy cheerfully accepted!
Thanks --
Olórië
_________________________________________________________
Reply
Message 15 of 22 in Discussion
From: Endirion
Sent: 1/23/2003 12:10 AM
Precious, Precious, breath and life,
More than freedom, sun or wife,
We chase it through the mortal strife,
And risk the Eye, the rack, the knife.
Precious, Precious, it is all,
Worth the evil and the fall,
Shame of Deagol-death is small;
Hear the Precious, hear its call.
Precious, Precious, joy and pain,
Rips our soul and heart and brain,
Calls us cross mountain, mire and plain,
We hears its evil sweet refrain.
Precious, Precious, we follows it,
Not to Dark Lord or fiery Pit,
Tricksy hobbitses throats we'll slit,
We loves It, We hates It...WE WANTS IT!
__________________________________________________________
Reply
Message 16 of 22 in Discussion
From: Stormrider
Sent: 1/26/2003 7:30 PM
Sméagol
Gollum
Sam
Frodo
A Night on Mount Doom
Why doess nice Masster go that way,
Into the Land of Mordor?
HISS firey eye iss ssearching far
Looking for my preciouss.
Every sstep Masster takess
Bringss preciouss closser to Him.
Quiet! You fool! Can't you guess?
Nassty Hobbitses tricked uss!
Open our eyess and ssee where he goess,
Up the burning mountain!
Nassty Hobbitses taking preciouss
To the Crackss of Doom!
Preciouss iss heavy about his neck.
See how it dragss him down.
Nice Masster is weak and can't go on.
The nassty Hobbit bearss him
Upon his back, doubling hiss load,
Dumping all their possessionss.
The Crackss of Doom iss where preciouss wass made
And nasty Hobbitses go there.
Wicked Masster cheatss Sméagol.
Into the flamess reaching sso high,
Preciouss will be hurt forever
And we will be lost and die into dusst!
Sshh! Quiet! Here they come!
Hide on the sside of the mountain.
Below uss now...sspring!
Knock them down and ssave preciouss.
Wicked Masster iss in our grassp
Give it to Sméagol, yess, give it to uss!
Rip and tear at the chain on hiss neck,
Wicked Masster is filled with fury!
We want preciouss and are afraid
But we are sstarved and hungry.
A sudden strength Masster hass
He has flung uss off and speaks:
"Down, creeping thing, out of my path!
Your time is at an end.
You cannot betray me now!
Begone! Should you touch me again,
You will be thrown in the Fire of Doom!"
Wicked Master is so powerful!
He terrifies uss so.
Slink away, hurry, we muss go.
No! We wantss preciouss, it is ours!
We musst ssave it from the fire!
Spring on wicked Masster,
Save preciouss!
Watch out for the Nasty Hobbit!
It drawss itss nasty cruel ssteel on uss.
We must grovel on the ground.
Don't kill uss, let uss live.
We are lost and when preciouss goess,
We will die and turn to dusst.
"It is right to slay this treacherous creature,
And the only safe thing to do!
I see it lying in the dust so forlorn and wretched.
Now I understand its agony, enslaved to the Ring.
Slaying it I cannot do.
Curse you, pitiful thing! Be off!"
Back away from the Nasty Hobbit. He will let us go!
Slink away--pretend to leave,
And when he returns to Wicked Master,
We will not be far behind!
Careful now, creep up behind.
Swiftly and warily, a shadow in the stones.
Wicked Masster iss tensse and erect
Standing on the chasm,
Flamess licking at hiss feet,
Grassping for Preciouss!
We musst save it now, but
What doess Wicked Masster ssay?
"I have come,
But I do not choose now
To do what I came to do.
I will not do this deed.
The Ring is mine!"
And with that, he vanished!
Wicked Master cannot claim it!
Preciouss iss ours!
Get the Nasty Hobbit out of the way
And save the Preciouss for us!
The mountain shakess
We feels HIS Eye piercing the shadows.
We have our handses on Wicked Masster,
Hiss strength iss very strong.
Preciouss iss ourss,
It belongss to uss!
We feelss the Preciouss on hiss finger!
Snap!
Preciouss, preciouss, preciouss!
My Preciouss! O my Preciouss!
You are mi....
...i...i...i...i...i...
...n...n...n...n...e!
Stormrider
_______________________________________________
Reply
Message 17 of 22 in Discussion
From: Olórië
Sent: 1/31/2003 11:30 PM
Déagol’s Song
Our last day upon the river
Was as bright as day could be
With the sun a golden circle
On the river running free
All around the greeny rushes
Lapping soft against the shore.
Golden sun and silver water
Happy hearts could ask no more.
Happy friends we went together
Catching fishes in the sedge
With the water birds a-peeping
As we floated by the edge.
Then a gift the river gave me
When I dove beneath the tide
Down among the greeny rushes
Where the silver fishes hide.
Down among the greeny rushes
Down below the silver flood
Lay a glad golden glitter
In the soft river mud.
Golden sun and silver water
Flowing o'er the rushy strand
Flowing o'er the golden circle
In the hollow of my hand.
Oh how glad I was to see it
And I claimed it full and free.
But he sidled up beside me
Saying soft, See, it's for me
Yes, it's mine, my dear, I wants it--
Threw me down beside the boat
With his hands a strangling circle
Round the hollow of my throat.
Oh how changed he was all sudden
With his eyes as cold as bone
With a smile like ice at midnight
Took the gold to be his own.
Deep below the tide he hid me
Deep below the silver flood
Tangled in the greeny rushes
Drained of life and breath and blood.
So now you've heard my story
A warning take by me--
For that glittering golden circle
Is as dark as dark can be
It led to cold hard murder
And fear and grief and pain
And my friend--for shame, no longer--
Lost home and heart and name.
Reply
____________________________________________________
Message 18 of 22 in Discussion
From: sparrow
Sent: 2/1/2003 8:50 AM
<DIR> <DIR>
The Story of Smeagol
</DIR></DIR>
Lore of long ago recalls of hobbit-kind,
The River-folk, reputed well, a curious root burrower,
Smeagol succombed to selfish desire,
Greedy, grasping, at the Great River,
Felled his friend, the Ring he fingered.
Now devious and deceitful, driven from his people,
Curséd cave-frog, grey night-creature,
Lingered there, lonely, lost to the outer world,
In bondage to a bauble, his soul bent.
Beaten by Bilbo, bereft of the Precious
Searching night-stalker, seeking his master.
Desperation drove him, unable to dispel the lure,
Found Frodo, furtively guided, and falsely,
Pursuing his prize, a helpless pawn,
Crept in the Cracks of doom, craftily, bit,
Gambling, grasped gold, and lost,
Descending deep and dark, mercifully
Released from the One Ring – finally at rest.
_______________________________________________________
Reply
Message 19 of 22 in Discussion
From: sparrow
Sent: 2/1/2003 8:54 AM
HTML commands. . .Grrrr.
Double spacing. . .GRRRRRR.
_________________________________________________________
Reply
Message 20 of 22 in Discussion
From: Stormrider
Sent: 2/1/2003 11:04 AM
OK! Olorie!
You need to ask Algy, Annie, or Soleil to be the judge this month! It is only fair! I am sure they will do it so that you can be an entrant in the contest, too. No IFs, ANDs, or BUTs from you!!!
What do you all think?
Stormy
______________________________________________________
Reply
Message 21 of 22 in Discussion
From: Olórië
Sent: 2/1/2003 3:04 PM
This post marks the official closing of the January 2003 poetry contest. I am so gratified that so many people chose to enter this month -- many thanks to you all!
It's time now to think about who you'll vote for, and -- thanks to me -- it's a little more complicated this month, because I wrote a poem myself. Now, my idea was that I'd just write for the pleasure of it -- not as an entry -- because, since I count the votes, that would be the ethical thing to do. That was fine with me. But when I expressed that thought in chat the other night, it caused a little flap; others felt strongly I should have the opportunity to enter, too. <Sigh> Would you guys please quit being so nice to me?
The suggestion was that I turn over vote-counting duties to a non-entrant manager, which is OK, except it's really my job and I don't feel it's right to foist it on someone else just so I can indulge myself. So, I've decided on a compromise that I think will work -- votes will still be emailed to me but will also be copied to a non-entrant manager. That way, I'll still do the work, but there will still be a neutral monitor. I don't know yet who that NM will be -- so everyone please mull over your choices for a little bit while I work out this detail.
As you mull, remember that you will be voting for first, second, and third places. As noted in this thread --
groups.msn.com/tolkiensring/general.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=12806&LastModified=4675399527885568872
-- all entries made before the time of this post are valid and may be voted for. Comments on this policy continue to be welcome.
I'll post voting details shortly --
Thanks,
Olórië
___________________________________________________
Reply
Message 22 of 22 in Discussion
From: Olórië
Sent: 2/5/2003 10:43 PM
OK, mulling time is over, and it's time to vote! Many thanks to Soleil, who has graciously volunteered to be our Neutral Monitor.
To vote in the January contest, email your choices for first, second, and third place BOTH TO ME AND SOLEIL. You can get my email address by clicking on my name at the top of this message, and Soleil's address is available here:
groups.msn.com/tolkiensring/_memberprofile.msnw?user=Soleil&pps=k
Voting will close at midnight, February 11 (that's an hour after 11pm Monday night). It's a tough choice again this month and a wonderful crop of poems.
Email me if you have any questions. Thanks, all!