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The Pen is Mightier than the Sword

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Posted (edited)

Have you ever had an idea and wondered whether it would be better as a poem or as prose? Well, I have, and it gave me the idea for an event.

 

Either take a poem and convert it to a short-story format, or take a short-story and convert it to poetry. The elements that get reused are entirely up to you; if you assure me that the vital idea remains the same, I'll trust you.

 

The logistics: 20 geld for one poem and 20 geld for one story. You may earn 40 geld by doing one of each but two or more of either is still only worth 20. Please post Stories-turned-Poetry in this thread and Poetry-turned-Story in the thread in the assembly room. Include a link to the original. I'll post an example in each, soon.

 

 

Edit: After having actually competed this exercise, I'm upping the geld amount! 20 is much more appropriate to the effort involved. I may ask around and up it again actually, I'm pretty indecisive...

Edited by Peredhil
Posted

Soft dirt, fine sand, thin wooden border,

Round a playground that's old like the sun.

Many have played here, many grown older,

But centered here has been the life of one.

 

First as an infant, wrapped in a blanket,

Brought to the park in a stroller.

Pushed by her mother on the swing set,

She'll spend much time here, growing older.

 

Then as a preschooler, full of spirit,

Trying to climb up the slide.

Frustration, delight, coming just near it,

Happier for simply having tried.

 

Older now, she's ready for the bars.

Once, twice, she crosses without falling.

Then, determined - can't be that hard -

She goes two at a time without stalling.

 

On the tire swing, in the sandbox with a boy.

Growing older as they run around,

Tumbling and tickling and acting coy.

Then digging in the sand, 'till an object is found...

 

Already on his knees, he hands her the ring,

The proposal can come as no surprise.

So happy that he asked her, she could sing,

And happy that his choice of spot was wise.

 

This playground is where she's spent her life,

In a total sum of months or years.

This playground is where their days will be rife,

Of laughter and learning and joyful tears.

 

They raise their children in this park,

Continue the cycle of time.

Swinging on the tire, staying up 'till dark,

They'll love this place well past its prime.

 

Kids will age and times will change,

Though they age and grow and leave,

The parent's home stays in range.

This place is part of threads they weave.

 

It's in this park that her husband dies,

And though she mourns his going,

It comforts somehow, amidst her sighs,

He died here, and that she's happy knowing.

 

A few more years and she goes when she can,

Feeling some connection with his soul.

From girl to lady, from boy to man,

When here, the years don't make her old.

 

She sees him then, he's reaching out,

Asking if she can let go.

Happy with her life, she knows what it's about,

She stands and lets the memories flow.

 

Empty Playground

Posted

Dreams of Summer

 

a prison of winter

cages of dark and ice

makes me pace

tread a circular path

 

dreams of summer

green fragrance of grass

blue crystal of sky

dance through my mind

warm my cold bones

 

solitary confinement

apartment shrinking to a point

turning me into a hermit

fading people away

 

dreams of summer

golden sunlight

sparkling on the soft waves

gulls calling

to stay in the fantasy

 

cold smashing against

the hoarfrosted glass

chill's bitter fingers

reaching towards me

 

dreams of summer

take me away

 

Dreams of Summer

Posted

OK a question---can I use a poem that I wrote in past that's somewhere here in the files of the Banquet Room??? (of course I'd post it in the same post as the prose I'd change it into)????

Posted Image

Posted

Yes, the intention was that you'd use an already-written piece and alter it, although if anyone wants to write two new ones I may consider what sort of geld to award that. You shouldn't need to post the whole text, you can just link it. Unless you're not sure how to link, then go ahead and use the copy & paste method.

 

Am I misunderstanding your question, or does that answer it?

Posted

Katz: Would it be possible for me to post the text seperately, from one of my poems that I know was posted up here? I just do not feel like back and hunting through 35 pages of poetry to find it...

Posted

Yeah I understand...I am gonna just copy the poem, b/c I already found it and I don't want to hunt it down to make a link (it's not too long anyways).

 

Oh and yeah you answered it perfectly--thank you!!! :D

Posted

Gratitude

 

Hospital Visits, where aseptic stench cloys nostrils,

This is a utilitarian place without luxury frills.

Free to flee the pain of wrecked bodies at last,

Exiting thoughts, only counting how fast.

 

A glance through a doorway seizes my eye,

It's a golden-haired girl across a bed that I spy.

She lies on the bed where two legs should be,

but legless and only one arm has her Daddy.

 

He looks up at the door and gives me a smile

Inviting me in to chat for a while.

I ask the soldier how this came to be,

"Blown off", he replies, "by an I.E.D."

 

"How's she taking it," I quizzically ask.

"Let's ask her," says he, interrupting her task.

"Well, my Daddy's hurt bad and has come to bad harm,

"But God left him his writing and his hugging arm.

 

"And now I'm here to give him his help daily,"

She concluded with a nod, and kissed him gaily.

"And so," he said, "you can clearly see"

"There are few men still living, luckier than me."

 

My eyes were blurring I'm not shamed to say,

As I walked away from that room where they lay.

As far as dues go, they were still paying their fees--

with prayers, 'cause Mommy is still overseas.

Posted

This is a poem version of a story Degenero Angelus started to write some ages ago.... he liked the poem the first time I showed it to him, so I've decided to post it here even if it isn't exactly what Katz asked (as the prose version isn't mine). The original story is untitled and also unfinished, and can be found here.

 

 

DARKNESS AND RAIN

 

I. FADING LIGHTS

 

In a tower high

an Elven lady

sits and stares

at skies that weep.

Da'Ni by name,

Summer by nature

beautiful as sunset

fierce as the sun,

swears and frets,

looking at the rain.

 

Born Sh'Rali, also a Queen

born to magic, and also to chaos

Thirteen summers named

then Talent awakens.

 

Talent.

Chaotic.

White.

Forbidden.

 

So locked she was

By the few Black talents,

Chaotic White

in Black Order bound

in the tall tower

surrounded by steel,

cold, so cold...

by iron and by pain.

 

But a mistake they made

the Arcanum they left

magic of thirteen thousand years

powerful, black, and white.

A white passage she reads

decipher she tries

how to disapparate

the framework of order,

steel and iron,

that hold by pain

and freedom keep away.

 

 

II. THE DARKNESS INSIDE

 

Gray.

All colors blended together

All colors fading away

Even midnight-black robes,

Zaritha's robes,

Fade away,

Washed by thirteen rain-grayed days.

 

Kalthan beautiful,

Kalthan Talentless

Harbors the exiles

of White Farchai.

Yearning for her capital

A Black in exile

fights for Balance

as demanded by the Oath.

No killing, no injuring,

No destroying

to keep the Balance

the Black are bound.

But to upset the Balance

The White seem to be born.

 

The Two Taverns Inn

Double-taverned as the name

Offering refuge

to wandering ones.

Zaritha enters,

A Black in exile,

Eyes that rest

upon Minotaur's bulk.

In leather's clad,

bigger than most

katana at his back,

He looks and ponders

when Zaritha calls.

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