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BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest
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Subject: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Blackcatter Date: 24 May 04 - 12:24 PM OK, the idea is: If you're a poet - post your poems here. At some point, we might chose an (un)official Poet Laureate of the Mudcat. No rules unless someone can think of some. I'd suggest that this is for non-songs,but hey - it's the Mudcat - make up your own flippin' rules. And since I consider myself a junior Mudcatter (albeit one who's been here for nearly 5 years) I hope the Elders will eventually help to figure out how to judge the contest. Let the poetry slam begin! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Amos Date: 24 May 04 - 12:25 PM Blackcatter: Have you looked at the material already gathered in the Mudcatter POetry Corner thread? A |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Blackcatter Date: 24 May 04 - 12:26 PM Yes - just thought a thread like this might be interesting. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Ellenpoly Date: 24 May 04 - 12:30 PM Where is this Mudcat Poetry Corner? I tried putting it into "search" but nothing came up. Am I doing something wrong?..xx..e |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Amos Date: 24 May 04 - 12:30 PM Okay then. Consider all the material on the above thread as entries. Except those posts which are not poems, and those posts posted by those who are not actually poets (so we stay within the guidelines of this thread). Hmmmm... A |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Ellenpoly Date: 24 May 04 - 12:34 PM Amos, help me out here, where IS THE MUDCAT POETRY CORNER?..xx..e |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Ellenpoly Date: 24 May 04 - 12:35 PM Whoops! It's just been refreshed up on the top Forum...thank you!..xx..e |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Amos Date: 24 May 04 - 12:37 PM Sorry. I though I had made a link above but I goofed it: Mudcat Poetry Corner (http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=56732&messages=152) A |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Ellenpoly Date: 24 May 04 - 12:39 PM Thanks Amos, now to find time to read all 154 postings, not including all the goodies left by bearded bruce (and freda, among others) over on the Someone has to be the Last thread! Blackcatter, what have you done??..xx..e |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Ellenpoly Date: 24 May 04 - 12:41 PM Sorry, 153. I have to do all my postings now, because I won't have time from now on ;-D |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Ellenpoly Date: 24 May 04 - 12:44 PM Ya know, Shakespeare wrote 154 Sonnets.... Just procrastinating now that I've seen how many poems I'm going to be reading... ..xx..e |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Amos Date: 24 May 04 - 01:01 PM And logically, probably _some_ of those sonnets were better than some of the poems on the Mudcat... A |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 01:14 PM Ellenploy: I have 913 sonnets so far... 38 ballads, and a few hundred other poems. No plays, though... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Bee-dubya-ell Date: 24 May 04 - 01:15 PM I have no interest in being Poet Laureate of The Mudcat Cafe. I have already been named "Poet Lariat of Mississippi" by His Majesty Khing khandu of Mississippi and that is such an honor that being Poet Laureate of The Mudcat Cafe pales into nothingness by comparison. It's sorta like comparing a hangnail with being hit in the head with a sixteen-pound sledge hammer. What that comparison has to do with the subject of this thread, I have no idea, but at least it doesn't have anything to do with cat farts. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Amos Date: 24 May 04 - 01:18 PM BWL: I don't think you are eligible, mate, so no worries!! :>) A |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 01:24 PM Ballad of Gems (3) Would I had means to give muse bright Tokens of my desire: Diamonds to sparkle from the light That all of dreams inspire. I would send pearls, as smooth as dream, To rest upon her skin. Not quite a kiss to heart redeem, But touch to hopes begin. She feeds my dreams with her replies: My dreams would to muse send Emeralds, jealous of her eyes, To lesser beauties lend. Her lips arouse passions: I'd choose To give a gem of heat: Ruby, to blush beside my muse, And brighter fires meet. I cannot dreams of muse deny: I wish that I could give Sapphires to look as stars in sky That muse midst heaven live. I offer muse my heart, and hands To ease all of her aches. Not that she any gift demands, But for desires' sakes. 12 June 2003 |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 01:52 PM Triolet III I do not love you for your beauty, though You are more beautiful than I can say With words and from this distance. But, to show I do not love you for your beauty, though I love you, is beyond my verse. You know How much I care: Shall I at distance stay? I do not love you for your beauty, though You are more beautiful than I can say. 2/5/81 |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 01:52 PM I wish I was your seatbelt around your hips, to hold you, safe, from sudden stops. I'd keep you within my arms until, depressed, I release. 1/7/80 |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 01:53 PM Ingestion of a Toxic Substance I swallow lines, chewing words into letters. I choke on a comma, and vomit out a poem. 29/3/78 |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 01:58 PM To My Coy Penpal Had I but stamps enough, and wit, This coyness, woman, were not shit. I would perhaps then wish to write And of my simple dreams make light. You in your books might seek to find Some gem-like phrase; I'd let my mind Wander to subtle quotes. I'd try To find some verse to virtue ply; And you could, if you wish, require An epic poem to light your fire. This High Poetic love would grow, Stanza by stanza, to skill show. A hundred lines should serve to lend A likeness of your face; I'd send Two hundred to adore each tit, And thousands more, to show my wit. An ode to least to every part: Perhaps a sonnet for your heart. For, woman, you deserve no less, Nor would I shorter verses bless. But at my pen I often see The cost of postage's rising fee: And all I'll send will be one page - A verse or two to set a stage For fond farewells. You will alone Seek out the verse, now cold as stone, That I once thought. Then worms shall taste The letters Post has often raced. Your green-inked words will turn to dust; And into scrapbooks, all my lust. A poem's a fine and fancy thing, But does not quite reveal love's sting. Now therefore, while the chance remains To meet again without the pains, And while our letters can still find Each of us without other binds, Now let us think that we might play With more than words, at least today: Rather than wait until the years Have chewed us up with all our fears, Let us now risk an evening's time Without the bother of this rhyme, And see if what we each desire Might match, and thus our pens retire. Thus though we cannot make our mail Show thought, yet we can souls empale. 27/2/78 |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 02:04 PM Cinquain X My love, I still can smell Strawberry scented hair Even after you have left me To dream. 13 April 77 |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 02:06 PM VILLANNELLE I do not have the heart to this love lend, For what would be a moment: not, to fade, For even you, my distant green-eyed friend. I am too set upon my ways to bend, Even to save my soul. I am afraid I do not have the heart to this love lend. There is something wrong, that I must defend The reasons I am so, my dreams unplayed, For even you, my distant green-eyed friend. When we first met, then I did not intend To sink so deep into your eyes of jade: I do not have the heart to this love lend. I do not now desire to this love rend To shreds of dream, but will not soul abrade For even you, my distant green-eyed friend. The time is past that you might comprehend, But I must still try, as then, to persuade: I do not have the heart to this love lend For even you, my distant green-eyed friend. BALLADE 1 Feb 77 This iced, bitter night finds me Alone, with but my books to sate Desire. Yet now, amid debris Of shattered dreams, no words sedate These saddened thoughts, to educate My mind to this, this silken blow. What brought me to this present state? My love, why do you haunt me so? I look out at the world, and see Only the clouds; no stars await My vision: No moon, to agree, Or to with inner thoughts debate, Is in my heaven. Is this fate, To only lonely sorrow show? Are visions what I must create? My love, why do you haunt me so? You are now far too far to be Even a shadow of that state That lured me to you. Yet my plea Is but attempt to supplicate That shadow in my mind. How great The power your eyes hold: The glow. In memory controls my fate. My love, why do you haunt me so? I do not know long I'll wait Before I'll understand and know, The cause of my sorrow, of late. My love, why do you haunt me so? RONDEAU The moon is full tonight, but I can Can feel no warmth. Some poets ply These images, but I am far Too tied in my own thoughts to mar My misery with dreams. To cry Out for lost love, or even sigh, Is much expected, but eyes dry Are safer when, to my soul char, The moon is full. This evening my thoughts are awry, As are my dreams - I now rely On what reality would bar From even vision. Will this scar Last forever? Yet, to my eye The moon is full. 2 Feb 77 ODE III Do not think that you've lost my love, Since I've not seen you for a year: I love you still, though the time past Has claimed its toll of me, and of My dreams. But I must make it clear, My love, that, though this love will last, I do not think that I could see your eyes And not, from the past year, know my heart cries. I dream about you, love, too much To think about you clearly, or To realize just how dead these dreams Became in daylight's glare. Could such Mists last the night? Would such a store Of memory survive Life's schemes? E'en dreams are not enough to quench the fire Of my desire, or even words inspire. Let me dream on, though: Dreams remain Long after Hope has turned to ash. Rather the corpse of that past joy Than nothing. I should best disdain The thought of seeing you, to gash My wound so, but with such I toy. If I should see you, though and touch your lips, How long before that moment, too, would slip? 13 March 77 |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 02:08 PM I died last Saturday: Words pierced my soul at five-forty-two: My heart stopped beating; voice ceased. I slipped into a stupor and then into death. By nine-twenty -eight rigor mortis had set in. 28 June 76 |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 02:09 PM Son coeur est un luth suspendu; Sitot qu'n le touch il resonne. De Beranger And you have touched my heart, dear Star; your glow Enough to light the gloom that I once knew, Your smile within your sparkling eyes, they show Reason enough for these words. I have few Reasons, now, to speak of my thoughts. Yet you Have freed my words, given me hope, and so I think of you and hope that you will find Reason to think of me, within your mind. Perhaps I love you: how can one be sure Of that? Would this image of you remain Before me, if your touch were not the cure That I have sought, to help to ease the pain Of past emotions? How can I refrain From thoughts as these? Without, my dreams are poor. I do not mean to ask, nor would I say That you should feel towards me the self-same way. Yet if you did find thoughts as these could mean More than mere words, my joy would know no end. To hold you in my arms remains a dream: Do such dreams harm my cause? Do they offend, These honest thoughts I write? Will you then send Some answer to these questions? Would I seem To ask too much for that? My heart controls My pen: Yet your words would my thoughts console. How can I tell you how I feel, tonight, With you so far? I could prize our friendship No bit more if you were within my sight: Yet perhaps I could then let these words slip, And show my thoughts. Now, only the bare tip Of my dreams show. Is that concealment right? Can these lines bare my soul? I think not, yet I would not this small chance ever forget. 16/8/76 |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 02:10 PM I cannot feel another's thoughts, unless they're dopplered down away from blue from green from yellow, down to deeper, weaker lambdas. I only feel the longer wavelengths of emotion; deep in the red, where warmth leaks out of radiation, 6220 angstroms, or so, and more. I see only what rushes away. 1/3/76 |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Amos Date: 24 May 04 - 02:13 PM Do you get points for volubility? A |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 02:15 PM Any other forms required to qualify? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: GUEST,tang the orangutan Date: 24 May 04 - 02:22 PM Fleas black hopping biting sucking my blood itching my skull picking them from my head popping them in my mouth providing me with sustenance cleaning my red haired bride eating her lovely blood fattened fleas a supper fit for kings tang the orangutan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: George Papavgeris Date: 24 May 04 - 02:24 PM Blimey - that's serious stuff! But anyway, here's one poem what I wrote. It's at least topical, being related to the 2004 Olympics in Athens: Athens 2004 George Papavgeris, July 2001 The Greeks are known far and wide as people that are full of pride And also given to good wine, as well as food and groping; But now all that we will forego, for in 2000 and 4 To people from around the world our doors we will throw open. The Olympics are for everyone, all races, creeds and nations come, Bolivians, Germans, Russian, French, Indians and Esthonians. We're open-minded and fair, all nations this event may share Although we hope no-one will dare invite the Macedonians. We know that some athletes take drugs as pills and syrups, even jabs And they will try all sorts of tricks to enhance their own performance, But Greeks will have no need of that, our boys will train and give up fags (NB "cigarettes" in the UK!) And we'll sing our lads to victory, we won't depend on hormones. So our National Anthem for to sing, to make the Olympic Stadium ring, You might well see us practicing with yodels and with gargles; Don't worry, it's not another anti- -NATO demonstration, but You might be excused for thinking that we lost our Elgin Marbles. Now, in the Marathon you know, we were the first there, long ago, Anyone else who thinks to take the gold, is just myopic. The Bounty of Marathon is ours, Maltesers, Galaxy and Mars; Our boys won't Flake, we'll also take all Yorkies, Twix and Topics. As for the rest of the events, we'll not be greedy, we are gents, We 'll have plenty of chance to show our calibre as losers. Our lads will eat and drink the night away, and all will fear the sight Of our weightlifting team led at the head by Demis Roussos. To the occasion we will rise, though it's true that we're disorganised And it's well known that we have had problems with preparations; Our brand new airport's now complete, but try our bus queues in the heat, And our famous taxi drivers' speed will give you palpitations. It's true that we have more church bells than guest rooms in our few hotels, Though that's not counting the ones we rent out by the hour; Our hospitality's well known, our home will simply be your home; That's if you have the dollars, or you're in for a cold shower. It's true that in the midday sun the Olympic Stadium is no fun And Athens air in summertime can be full of pollution. But me and some good friends of mine discussed this over a case of wine And we have come up with a smart and elegant solution: We'll make a deal with all airlines to fill up all returning flights To take the Greeks to cooler climes, where summer is no bother, And we will leave the Athens sun to all the tourists – do have fun, Just leave the keys under the mat and tell us when it's over. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 02:29 PM I will NOT repeat my Sonnet Redouble here.... ( send cash donations of thanks to the FSGW Getaway) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Nigel Parsons Date: 24 May 04 - 02:36 PM A Haiku: Martians came to Earth In Merc'ry powered rockets Fuelled from Hg Wells! A Limerick: Bill Shatner wrote all of "Tek War", So he claims, although I'm not too sure. Reviews I've seen posted Suggest it was 'ghosted' But watch out for that damn libel law! Nigel |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 02:41 PM Good Haiku! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Peace Date: 24 May 04 - 02:46 PM Hep? Yep! Dope? Nope! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 02:48 PM Monometers Itty Bitty Pretty Kitty. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 02:49 PM Dimeters To dream, to touch, To seek too much: To ask for more Than words call for. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 03:10 PM btw, I would argue that the answer to the title of this thread is impossible to determine. Is the "best" poet the one with the "best" poem, the most skilled, the most productive, with the widest variety of topics, or the most popular? Perhaps it should be just "Mudcat Poem Contest". I will stake out the love sonnet as my strong point- as for the rest, there are those here that may very well be more skillfull, or more inspired than I am. I do not think that makes them better, or worse poets than I am- just different. My Haiku are weak, and not sufficiently focused; my limericks are lame. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: freda underhill Date: 24 May 04 - 03:11 PM I nominate Micca. his poetry is brilliant. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: GUEST,tang the orangutan Date: 24 May 04 - 03:23 PM On Contemplation of Sex in the Jungle She sits there licking fleas and lice From the reddish brown hair of my thigh Her black face chomping the insects Swallowing She gets up, her lips smacking With the tastiness of her feast I toss her down and jump aboard Thrusting myself inside her As she screams and sighs and moans Animal lust ripping through our organs With each wild thrust And then I am done. TTO |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Dave the Gnome Date: 24 May 04 - 03:27 PM I tried to write a poem to the Mudcat, a good verse but everything I writted just got worse and worse I tried to mention music and of politics very little but someone took my ode over and because they couldn't make it rhyme they started to go on and on about Iran and Bush and Blair and then someone said that guests have got to go and that Hull was rubbish and there was a plot to assisinate Max and Joe was power mad and the Mudcat was terirble and... Arrrgggghhhh! Cheers DtG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Amos Date: 24 May 04 - 03:32 PM Mercury from Hg Wells?? That is ATROCIOUS!!!!! A |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Amos Date: 24 May 04 - 03:57 PM Actually, I don't know if there's anyway to make an adjudication; there is an awful lot of stuff out there that might pass structurally but be of little value cognitively, to use the term loosely, and even more stuff out there that might have some sort of cultural value cognitively while being a ocmplete mess structurally. Even unstructured poetry has rules, sometimes explicit and sometimes tacit. There is a discipline to it that gets trampled in the rush to print (believe me, I have been there). All this makes it really hard to pass judgement anonymously and harder to do so overtly. A |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 03:58 PM hmmm... we get oil from oil wells, water from water wells, treacle from treacle wells..... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Amos Date: 24 May 04 - 04:07 PM And ink from ink wells, and mercury from Hg Wells, exactly. But if that is the level of aesthetic sensibility we're gonna be about, the thread is misnamed... A |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 04:12 PM ok, how about "Mudcat's Beast Poet Contest"? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Amos Date: 24 May 04 - 04:33 PM LOL!! A |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: beardedbruce Date: 24 May 04 - 04:41 PM btw, what do we get from ne'er-do-wells? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Donuel Date: 24 May 04 - 04:50 PM What ever gets done or created are in the cracks of my life the little spaces in between the waves of epiphany and anguish. Someplace where a root can take hold or seedling sprout. Conceiving a child finding a treasure thinking the master piece being lucky beyond my measure. These things are from a space so small as to be another dimension. That is where I live. Against the grain of spacetime and in between everything else I am told is important. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Micca Date: 24 May 04 - 06:18 PM For those who have ever been "divorced" SHIPS THAT PASS In the night that has lasted years the ships we are pass The ripples you make shift and change my life create adjustments corrections of course and having rocked the boat they pass At dawn on the empty sea I watch the sun rise. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: GUEST,tang the orangutan Date: 24 May 04 - 07:12 PM The Unscratchable Itch White and brown lice Black blood soaked fleas Hold arms together and dance They dance in the jungle Of hairs upon my back Where my long lanky arms Cannot reachI yearn to reach out to them Scratch them from my body Toss them into my gaping maw And chew, protien from their crunchy flesh But alas I cannot reach I cannot reach them as I itch Driving me mad with irritation As I rub my back against the tree Rubbing myself bloody Stroking myself raw. tang the orangutan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat's Best Poet Contest From: Amergin Date: 24 May 04 - 07:16 PM Here Take My Heart Here take my heart Cold and empty as it is Because you are not beside me Gracing me with your glowing smile Your hand grasped in mine Shining eyes moist with your love Here take my heart Filled with the pain and hurt Of our seperation Parted by endless miles Of roving ocean But parted only in body Here take my heart And clasp it gently in your arms For it is yours To do with it what you will Smash it, shatter it, break it Caress it, love it, treasure it Here take my heart Scarred by past hurts Made beautiful by your love Alone, Here take my heart For you have my soul And soon my life as well Just as it should be Forever. nt |
