Post by Andorinha on Feb 12, 2009 22:22:48 GMT -6
May 2003 Poetry Contest
___________________________________________________
Reply
Message 1 of 9 in Discussion
From: Olórië
Sent: 5/1/2003 10:06 PM
They are larger than life or plain as a furrowed field. Their strength may be their weakness, or their weakness make them strong. They can be constant and sure, or arrive when they're least expected. They are often found in the last place you would look. But for this month's topic, we know where to find them, for in Arda, there is a wealth of ...
Heros
You might write about one hero or many. You might even answer a favorite TR question: Who was the true hero of the Lord of the Rings? Here's your chance to get inside Tolkien's heroic stories and show us what really inspires you.
Your poem may 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 May 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).
NOTE: Please reserve this contest thread for the poems alone during the contest period -- out of fairness to all, please don't post comments here about the poems until after the closing date. You can, of course, send your encouragement privately in an email or mention it in chat.
ANOTHER 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 9 in Discussion
From: MSN NicknameMcDLT-777
Sent: 5/10/2003 10:48 PM
FRODO'S BURDEN
I sit on the hard rock
All about me is cold and dreary
I stare up at the pale grey sky
Wiping sleep from my eyes
Remembering better days,
Of laughter and green fields.
Now I look on ahead
All I see is dismall and bleak
Shadows and darkness fill my path
Each step is sluggish and painful
A heavy burden weighs me down
Away from home and towards doom
To the fire I must walk
Bowing my head between my knees
I try to think of a way to escape
Begging to have it taken from me
I see my home a fresh
Friends and family gathered together
And am once again encouraged
Nay, inspired to move onward.
To succeed or fail, still I must try
My fate or is it destiny.
By McDLT ~ May 5, 2003
__________________________________________________
Reply
Message 3 of 9 in Discussion
From: Illadria
Sent: 5/29/2003 12:31 PM
In Fear I Walk
- Illadria
In fear I walk
though not alone
This heavy burden
is not my own
There is no strength
inside me
Only he who walks
beside me
In fear I walk
though not alone
through land I tred
so far from home
I'll see it through
until the end
this trial I
can never win
In fear I walk
though not alone
This heavy burden
is not my own
_________________________________________________
Reply
Message 4 of 9 in Discussion
From: Fangorn
Sent: 5/30/2003 6:04 PM
OK, I spent countless hours trying to get an mp3 file to attach to this poem. It is so sad the establishment put a stop to free sharing of music. John Lennon himself would probably turn over in his grave if he saw the state of music today. He of all people championed the working class, and would probably have put all his music on a free mp3 download site. It is with this spirit in mind, that I offer the following poem, done to John Lennons's immortal song, "Working Class Hero". I originally wanted the Marianne Faithful version to play while you read the poem, but the pigs that be, have put a stop to it. So if possible, listen to John's version, or Marianne's before reading the poem.
Samwise Gamgee exemplified a working class hero. His story is both a sad and familiar one:
A WORKING CLASS HOBBIT
A WORKING CLASS HOBBIT IS SOMETHING TO BE
WHEN I WAS BORN I WAS VERY SMALL
A PROPER YOUNG HOBBIT, THOUGH NOT VERY TALL
BUT I GREW INTO YOUTH IN SPITE OF IT ALL
I LOVED IT AT HOME, THOUGH I HAD NO REAL SCHOOL
BILBO LEARNING ME LETTERS WAS REALLY A JEWEL
BUT I STILL HAD TROUBLE FOLLOWING THE RULES
A WORKING CLASS HOBBIT IS SOMETHING TO BE
I GREW AND I LEARNED FOR 20 ODD YEARS
AND FINALLY THE TIME TO PICK A CAREER
BEING A SIMPLE GARDNER WAY-LAID MY FEARS
A WORKING CLASS HOBBIT IS SOMETHING TO BE
FRODO WAS CLEVER AND CLASSLESS AND FREE
I SAW IN HIM EVERYTHING I WISHED I COULD BE
BUT I'M STILL JUST A PEASANT AS FAR AS I CAN SEE
A WORKING CLASS HOBBIT IS SOMETHING TO BE
AND ALL THE BIG FOLK, THEY ARE TELLING ME THINGS
ABOUT EVIL AND POWER AND VERY GREAT RINGS
I JUST WANT TO SIT AND LISTEN TO ELVES SING
A WORKING CLASS HOBBIT IS SOMETHING TO BE
AND THIS ROAD I AM ON IS KILLING ME SLOW
PROTECTING MY MASTER IS ALL I CAN KNOW
THEN GOLLUM HIMSELF GIVES THE LAST BLOW
THE DOOM OF THE MOUNT, SWIRLED IN FAST
HERE WITH MY FRIEND, HERE AT THE LAST
I CARRIED THE RING, AND THE EAGLES FLY PAST
FLY PAST, FLY PAST
A WORKING CLASS HOBBIT IS SOMETHING TO BE
AND NOW BACK AT HOME THEY CALL ME A PRINCE
'CAUSE OF HOW IT WAS THEN AND HOW IT IS SINCE
BUT I AM JUST SAM, IF THAT GIVES YOU A HINT
A WORKING CLASS HOBBIT IS SOMETHING TO BE!
FANGORN 5/03
__________________________________________________
Reply
Recommend (1 recommendation so far)
Message 5 of 9 in Discussion
From: Kendal
Sent: 5/31/2003 7:26 AM
Having GREAT difficulties with HTML... apologies for all the repeats, after this one, I quit!
A HOBBIT SETS OUT ON A HOPELESS QUEST
The brown leaves have dried at last
and in the quiet pause that comes
between the final rains of September
and the first snows of December
I have these few days in which to walk alone
and listen to the crackle of their speech
as they break beneath the passing of my feet.
This track leads me to the river
where the reeds and the rushes
have lost the supple green of the summer
and their wind-stirred voices
are now the whispers of the dead.
"Well, someone has to do the job."
I say this outloud,
although I fully realize
I'm the only one to hear
any word that I might utter.
"I guess I'll be a hero, then.
Lonely work for those that get it."
"But WHY me?"
Now that's a hero's question,
right enough,
and the answer is the usual flat silence
that follows all heroic questions...
or does the creak of one dead reed against another
and the running spread of a ripple across the quiet waters
scream out some answer
that I alone just cannot hear?
What do I know of these high magics?
What skills or gifts have I
to take up such a burden,
and see it safely held through all the perils
of the Wide-World running madly
toward some god-built destiny
that few of the Wise could map
and none of them could alter?
A Hobbit shall hold the Great Ring?
Astounding!
A Hobbit shall keep this poisoned thing
safe
from Wizards, Elves, Men and Ghosts?
Astounding!
What wondrous Valar thought up this cosmic joke?
I am becoming the fulcrum point
upon which the life of this world turns.
They have bidden me take up this burden
-- that none of them dares carry --
and let the full pounding might
of this flaming Ring
gnaw secretly away
the tattering remnants of my mind.
I suppose such sacrifices will make me a hero?
I tip back my head and laugh
as loudly as a mad Hobbit may,
"OK! I'll take the contract!"
I'll become the hero of this epic
though I win no honor for it
and give up everything I have and am
or could have realized.
For I possess to a surpassing degree
that one virtue which alone will see
this dreary task to its hateful end:
I Covet.
My heroic hunger for this Ring
has now become
the Ruling Passion of this Age.
********
"Behind that there was something else at work, beyond any design of the Ring-maker. I can put it no plainer than by saying that Smeagol [sic] was meant to find the Ring..." Gandalf - FOTR p. 88
"Why, even Gollum might be good in a tale ... I wonder if he thinks he's the hero or the villain?" Sam - TTT p. 409
_________________________________________________
Reply
Message 6 of 9 in Discussion
From: sparrow
Sent: 5/31/2003 10:04 PM
Heroes brave, they fought and died,
their deeds worthy of great renown.
Appropriate words I have tried
to articulate and put down
to no avail, and time draws near;
my quest for verse has failed I fear.
Yet others offer noble rhyme;
It seems this month is not my time.
____________________________________________________
Reply
Message 7 of 9 in Discussion
From: Majahsheart
Sent: 5/31/2003 10:33 PM
The Destiny of Éowyn
The most heroic deed may be performed from love
Love for a father who might have been
Love for a man who never will
Love for a people who might not know
While others despaired and lost their way
Strength crystalized in a heart of pure love
Illuminating a will of steel, a warrior's soul
Winning admiration and gratitude from people served
Slayng a Beast most powerful
She gave her all most admirably
No thought of self she gave her all
A womans' power made evil fall
But fates design gave her life
In the House of Healing she became a wife
A Shield Maidien bound and true
She did what lesser men could not do
Majah 5/31/03
*Dedicated to my special elven friend who always believes in me and my talent.
_______________________________________________________
Reply
Message 8 of 9 in Discussion
From: Olórië
Sent: 6/1/2003 6:17 PM
The May 2003 poetry contest is now closed. Thanks to all of our poets for their wonderful entries! Now it's our turn to be heros by rewarding our poets with our votes. And just think how easy we have it compared to the average Tolkienian hero: To cast a vote, do you have to face a winged Nazgul? Hold a fortress against a gazillion ravening Orcs? Infiltrate the Dark Lord's lands and reach Mount Doom? No such tough stuff--all you need do is send me an email. Get the address by clicking on my underlined name at the top of this post. Indicate your choices for first, second, and third place.
Votes are due by Sunday night at midnight (an hour past eleven p.m. on June 8). I'll tabulate them and post the results on Monday. If anyone has any questions in the meantime, just email me.
The winners will receive a prize ribbon sig file which they will have the right to display in each of their posts through the end of June.
Poets, congratulations again on this set of fine "heroic" works. Voters, do your stuff!
______________________________________________
Reply
Message 9 of 9 in Discussion
From: Majahsheart
Sent: 6/1/2003 7:23 PM
Very interesting group of poems this month...great topic Olorie!
i am glad to be in such great company. i have enjoyed stretching my talents to learn to write better and participate with all of you!
and i thank all of you for your support and encouragement!
now go out and VOTE!!!
Majah
___________________________________________________
Reply
Message 1 of 9 in Discussion
From: Olórië
Sent: 5/1/2003 10:06 PM
They are larger than life or plain as a furrowed field. Their strength may be their weakness, or their weakness make them strong. They can be constant and sure, or arrive when they're least expected. They are often found in the last place you would look. But for this month's topic, we know where to find them, for in Arda, there is a wealth of ...
Heros
You might write about one hero or many. You might even answer a favorite TR question: Who was the true hero of the Lord of the Rings? Here's your chance to get inside Tolkien's heroic stories and show us what really inspires you.
Your poem may 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 May 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).
NOTE: Please reserve this contest thread for the poems alone during the contest period -- out of fairness to all, please don't post comments here about the poems until after the closing date. You can, of course, send your encouragement privately in an email or mention it in chat.
ANOTHER 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 9 in Discussion
From: MSN NicknameMcDLT-777
Sent: 5/10/2003 10:48 PM
FRODO'S BURDEN
I sit on the hard rock
All about me is cold and dreary
I stare up at the pale grey sky
Wiping sleep from my eyes
Remembering better days,
Of laughter and green fields.
Now I look on ahead
All I see is dismall and bleak
Shadows and darkness fill my path
Each step is sluggish and painful
A heavy burden weighs me down
Away from home and towards doom
To the fire I must walk
Bowing my head between my knees
I try to think of a way to escape
Begging to have it taken from me
I see my home a fresh
Friends and family gathered together
And am once again encouraged
Nay, inspired to move onward.
To succeed or fail, still I must try
My fate or is it destiny.
By McDLT ~ May 5, 2003
__________________________________________________
Reply
Message 3 of 9 in Discussion
From: Illadria
Sent: 5/29/2003 12:31 PM
In Fear I Walk
- Illadria
In fear I walk
though not alone
This heavy burden
is not my own
There is no strength
inside me
Only he who walks
beside me
In fear I walk
though not alone
through land I tred
so far from home
I'll see it through
until the end
this trial I
can never win
In fear I walk
though not alone
This heavy burden
is not my own
_________________________________________________
Reply
Message 4 of 9 in Discussion
From: Fangorn
Sent: 5/30/2003 6:04 PM
OK, I spent countless hours trying to get an mp3 file to attach to this poem. It is so sad the establishment put a stop to free sharing of music. John Lennon himself would probably turn over in his grave if he saw the state of music today. He of all people championed the working class, and would probably have put all his music on a free mp3 download site. It is with this spirit in mind, that I offer the following poem, done to John Lennons's immortal song, "Working Class Hero". I originally wanted the Marianne Faithful version to play while you read the poem, but the pigs that be, have put a stop to it. So if possible, listen to John's version, or Marianne's before reading the poem.
Samwise Gamgee exemplified a working class hero. His story is both a sad and familiar one:
A WORKING CLASS HOBBIT
A WORKING CLASS HOBBIT IS SOMETHING TO BE
WHEN I WAS BORN I WAS VERY SMALL
A PROPER YOUNG HOBBIT, THOUGH NOT VERY TALL
BUT I GREW INTO YOUTH IN SPITE OF IT ALL
I LOVED IT AT HOME, THOUGH I HAD NO REAL SCHOOL
BILBO LEARNING ME LETTERS WAS REALLY A JEWEL
BUT I STILL HAD TROUBLE FOLLOWING THE RULES
A WORKING CLASS HOBBIT IS SOMETHING TO BE
I GREW AND I LEARNED FOR 20 ODD YEARS
AND FINALLY THE TIME TO PICK A CAREER
BEING A SIMPLE GARDNER WAY-LAID MY FEARS
A WORKING CLASS HOBBIT IS SOMETHING TO BE
FRODO WAS CLEVER AND CLASSLESS AND FREE
I SAW IN HIM EVERYTHING I WISHED I COULD BE
BUT I'M STILL JUST A PEASANT AS FAR AS I CAN SEE
A WORKING CLASS HOBBIT IS SOMETHING TO BE
AND ALL THE BIG FOLK, THEY ARE TELLING ME THINGS
ABOUT EVIL AND POWER AND VERY GREAT RINGS
I JUST WANT TO SIT AND LISTEN TO ELVES SING
A WORKING CLASS HOBBIT IS SOMETHING TO BE
AND THIS ROAD I AM ON IS KILLING ME SLOW
PROTECTING MY MASTER IS ALL I CAN KNOW
THEN GOLLUM HIMSELF GIVES THE LAST BLOW
THE DOOM OF THE MOUNT, SWIRLED IN FAST
HERE WITH MY FRIEND, HERE AT THE LAST
I CARRIED THE RING, AND THE EAGLES FLY PAST
FLY PAST, FLY PAST
A WORKING CLASS HOBBIT IS SOMETHING TO BE
AND NOW BACK AT HOME THEY CALL ME A PRINCE
'CAUSE OF HOW IT WAS THEN AND HOW IT IS SINCE
BUT I AM JUST SAM, IF THAT GIVES YOU A HINT
A WORKING CLASS HOBBIT IS SOMETHING TO BE!
FANGORN 5/03
__________________________________________________
Reply
Recommend (1 recommendation so far)
Message 5 of 9 in Discussion
From: Kendal
Sent: 5/31/2003 7:26 AM
Having GREAT difficulties with HTML... apologies for all the repeats, after this one, I quit!
A HOBBIT SETS OUT ON A HOPELESS QUEST
The brown leaves have dried at last
and in the quiet pause that comes
between the final rains of September
and the first snows of December
I have these few days in which to walk alone
and listen to the crackle of their speech
as they break beneath the passing of my feet.
This track leads me to the river
where the reeds and the rushes
have lost the supple green of the summer
and their wind-stirred voices
are now the whispers of the dead.
"Well, someone has to do the job."
I say this outloud,
although I fully realize
I'm the only one to hear
any word that I might utter.
"I guess I'll be a hero, then.
Lonely work for those that get it."
"But WHY me?"
Now that's a hero's question,
right enough,
and the answer is the usual flat silence
that follows all heroic questions...
or does the creak of one dead reed against another
and the running spread of a ripple across the quiet waters
scream out some answer
that I alone just cannot hear?
What do I know of these high magics?
What skills or gifts have I
to take up such a burden,
and see it safely held through all the perils
of the Wide-World running madly
toward some god-built destiny
that few of the Wise could map
and none of them could alter?
A Hobbit shall hold the Great Ring?
Astounding!
A Hobbit shall keep this poisoned thing
safe
from Wizards, Elves, Men and Ghosts?
Astounding!
What wondrous Valar thought up this cosmic joke?
I am becoming the fulcrum point
upon which the life of this world turns.
They have bidden me take up this burden
-- that none of them dares carry --
and let the full pounding might
of this flaming Ring
gnaw secretly away
the tattering remnants of my mind.
I suppose such sacrifices will make me a hero?
I tip back my head and laugh
as loudly as a mad Hobbit may,
"OK! I'll take the contract!"
I'll become the hero of this epic
though I win no honor for it
and give up everything I have and am
or could have realized.
For I possess to a surpassing degree
that one virtue which alone will see
this dreary task to its hateful end:
I Covet.
My heroic hunger for this Ring
has now become
the Ruling Passion of this Age.
********
"Behind that there was something else at work, beyond any design of the Ring-maker. I can put it no plainer than by saying that Smeagol [sic] was meant to find the Ring..." Gandalf - FOTR p. 88
"Why, even Gollum might be good in a tale ... I wonder if he thinks he's the hero or the villain?" Sam - TTT p. 409
_________________________________________________
Reply
Message 6 of 9 in Discussion
From: sparrow
Sent: 5/31/2003 10:04 PM
Heroes brave, they fought and died,
their deeds worthy of great renown.
Appropriate words I have tried
to articulate and put down
to no avail, and time draws near;
my quest for verse has failed I fear.
Yet others offer noble rhyme;
It seems this month is not my time.
____________________________________________________
Reply
Message 7 of 9 in Discussion
From: Majahsheart
Sent: 5/31/2003 10:33 PM
The Destiny of Éowyn
The most heroic deed may be performed from love
Love for a father who might have been
Love for a man who never will
Love for a people who might not know
While others despaired and lost their way
Strength crystalized in a heart of pure love
Illuminating a will of steel, a warrior's soul
Winning admiration and gratitude from people served
Slayng a Beast most powerful
She gave her all most admirably
No thought of self she gave her all
A womans' power made evil fall
But fates design gave her life
In the House of Healing she became a wife
A Shield Maidien bound and true
She did what lesser men could not do
Majah 5/31/03
*Dedicated to my special elven friend who always believes in me and my talent.
_______________________________________________________
Reply
Message 8 of 9 in Discussion
From: Olórië
Sent: 6/1/2003 6:17 PM
The May 2003 poetry contest is now closed. Thanks to all of our poets for their wonderful entries! Now it's our turn to be heros by rewarding our poets with our votes. And just think how easy we have it compared to the average Tolkienian hero: To cast a vote, do you have to face a winged Nazgul? Hold a fortress against a gazillion ravening Orcs? Infiltrate the Dark Lord's lands and reach Mount Doom? No such tough stuff--all you need do is send me an email. Get the address by clicking on my underlined name at the top of this post. Indicate your choices for first, second, and third place.
Votes are due by Sunday night at midnight (an hour past eleven p.m. on June 8). I'll tabulate them and post the results on Monday. If anyone has any questions in the meantime, just email me.
The winners will receive a prize ribbon sig file which they will have the right to display in each of their posts through the end of June.
Poets, congratulations again on this set of fine "heroic" works. Voters, do your stuff!
______________________________________________
Reply
Message 9 of 9 in Discussion
From: Majahsheart
Sent: 6/1/2003 7:23 PM
Very interesting group of poems this month...great topic Olorie!
i am glad to be in such great company. i have enjoyed stretching my talents to learn to write better and participate with all of you!
and i thank all of you for your support and encouragement!
now go out and VOTE!!!
Majah