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The Pen is Mightier than the Sword

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Posted (edited)

Dear all,

 

It's been a while since last I put something out here, but I guess my writing goes like that. My muse doesn't inspire me as often as some of you people, damn you. ;)

 

The following poem is something I wrote in a state of depression. The story described within was meant to end in cataclysmic disaster, the end of everything and evil's final defeat over good. But I write depression out because it helps my mood, and so did this one. As such, the story's ending changed from horrible to better, along with my mood as I finished the poem.

 

I hope you like it, though perhaps more importantly, understand it. The title is not necessarily the final title as I thought it too cliché, though it fits the contents well enough for now. Suggestions for another title are more than welcome, as is any other constructive criticism, naturally.

 

Gothic Redemption

 

It was a cold evening in fall

And Jinn walked alone

Through alley and darkest hall

They broke her every bone

 

No comforting chiming bell

Nor watchtower’s ray of light

No beacon in this hell

To chase away the night

 

Only the thick of gloom

And raindrops’ drum

Against rock lit by the Moon

And betrayed by the Sun

 

Her dress cleaned the street

Her blood the souls of Men

The rocks cut her feet

From now to way back when

 

And fall turned to winter

As final rest was nigh

She the final splinter

Life’s last sigh

 

And she marched, this child

Face of stone, toward her grave

Lost and hope defiled

Standards no longer wave

 

Creaked open cemetery door

As dead trees greeted her

To bloom in spring nevermore

What once was, now were

 

And there they waited for Jinn

Belial, Lillith, Asmodai

To commit their wretched Sin

For their House of Lie

 

Purity march to defeat

As lamb to the slaughter

Eyes rending meat

And heart of Nature’s Daughter

 

...

 

But their eyes grew

As her pace quickened

A single dove flew

And their power weakened

 

And she no longer paced

Steel to readily pierce

This enemy they faced

Never before this fierce

 

Their knives dug deep

And drained her for life

Blood spilled, world weep

Though die did Adam’s Wife

 

And ferryman took her away

Eyes widened in denial

Banish Evil Astray

And gone was Belial

 

And the dove did return

Soared o’er hallowed sky

Never to fall and burn

Took with her Asmodai

 

Left is but a humble cross

Red dirt amongst many graves

Testimony to lives lost

 

Though humanity’s banner waves

Edited by Thinas
Posted (edited)

Yay! I'm a closet Goth. So I liked this. :)

 

While the second stanza really sounded great to me, I thought the first seemed stressed. As if you only said "they broke her every bone" so you'd have something to rhyme. I don't have much of a suggestion for it. Maybe clear you mind and come back to the poem some other day, and you'll have an idea.

 

As for the title, if you're still keen on changing it, you might take a line from the poem. Such as "Humanity's Banner Waves," or some variation. Yes, I'm just brimming with ideas when it comes to other people's stuff!

 

Your strong point is vivid description. You bring a picture to my mind. That's very cool! I'm not sure if I'm capable of that or not... not in the poetic way that you are. So good job!

Edited by Jareena Faye
Posted

Nice narrative poem, Thinas. :-) The story told through it is an interesting one, and I liked how the tone of the poem became slightly more optimistic in the second part. In terms of what I understood it to mean, the story of the poem read to me as a metaphor for how good will be martyred in order to triumph over evil, despite being overcome by it. One potential title for this poem could be "Jinn," since the story it tells is centered around her.

 

In terms of potential improvements: while I found the rhyme schemes of the poem well done for the most part, the syllable count struck me as a bit awkward at times. I think that Jareena Faye's remark on the discrepancy between the first and second stanzas may be related to this. The ABAB CDCD rhyme scheme is very consistant throughout the poem, but due to differing syllable counts the stanzas sound very different in rhythm, and I found the transitions from one rhythm to another distracting at times. You might consider strengthening the structure of the poem further by adding a syllable pattern of some sort, though that's entirely up to you and your intentions with the poem. :-) I also found the "pierce-fierce" rhyme in the eleventh stanza a bit awkward, as I thought it had a very different stress and sound than the other rhymes of the poem.

 

Nicely done overall. :) Thanks for sharing this, it's always great to see your writing.

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