It's the 2024 Winterfest Poetry Contest!
The 2024 Poetry Contest
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User Total Winged Knight 2 open_sketch 1 Quest 1 FourthWall 1 LordCirce 1 Chandagnac 1 Shard 1 Mechanical 1 Railyn 1 ArlequineLunaire 2 CommanderL 1 Solarstream 1 Anjel 1 Mogrin 3 MilitantBird 4 Duke William of 1 Somic 1 jelloloaf 2 StarSingerBlue 1 Dinfinity 1 Random Reader 1 NickXenix 1 AnneOminous 1 Rakashua 1 -
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Contest Rules
New
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Greetings and welcome to Winterfest, 2024 edition! The holidays have arrived, and it's time to stay indoors, hang out with those you love, and put fingers to keyboards! As part of that initiatve, we're running a poetry contest! If you're an old hand at poetry, someone new and interested, or you just want to win some cash, keep on reading to find out more.
To keep things brief, here are the overarching details:
- We are accepting all forms of poetry for a poetry contest. The winner gets 25$.
- You enter by posting a poem you wrote in this thread, right here, and giving it a title, the staff will threadmark it for easier viewing.
- Submissions are open until
- All participants will receive a one-month silver subscription prize.
- There are no restrictions on format, word count, or topic, save that it must be a poem written by you.
If you have any questions, we have included a brief FAQ, but if that does not help you feel free to ask below.
We look forward to reading your work!
FAQ
- Can I submit multiple entries?
- What counts as a poem?
- Are there any restrictions at all?
- Do I have to participate in the competition?
- Who is judging us and when will results be announced?
- How will the prize be awarded?
The Shadows of my Thoughts - Thief in the Night - Envy - Inconsequential Matters - The Passage of Time (Winged Knight)
New
Winged Knight
Still just a crazy man with a wolf on his head
- Location
- Texas
You have given me an excuse to share poetry written during the depths of my depression years back and, like many artists before me, I will leap into that head first.
There is a voice that whispers
within my mind
No words are spoken
instead a creeping dread that lingers
long after I have walked past
the place of its birth
It curls around my thoughts like a worm
bringing shadows even to my brightest moments
to mock all I have done
I cannot escape this gentle contempt
When it roars only silence remains
pooling around my feet
rising to my chin, my mouth, my eyes
leaving me to flounder and drown
Hope is not the answer
There is merely time
and the knowledge that all things must pass
even misery and despair
So I will wait here
in this cloying melancholy
until I can see the light again
-The Shadows of my Thoughts
The sun sets
and darkness falls on the world
like crashing waves upon the shore
With it melancholy comes gently
a thief in the night
to steal away contentment
so that I am left bereft in the cold wind
of my thoughts
They come without voice
drowning me beneath the weight
of their tender disdain
taking away all I was, am, and will ever be
to leave naught but a shadow
cowering at the edges
of another's light
Silence can deafen
while stillness drives us to headlong rush
Left alone with ourselves
we find no greater tormentor
Misspoken words
Misplaced attention
Misspent time
Litanies of faults going ever onward without end
to leave us clawing at our own backs
in hope that the pooling blood
will wash away our pain
-Thief in the Night
The bitter taste in my mouth
threads its way down my throat
to settle in my chest
Burning, I feel its claws rake at my spirit
How small and pitiful I am
as I stand among giants
who tower above
and become all I can see
If only I could force out the poison
and leave myself empty
so that I would not have to feel this heat anymore
But it smolders still, biding its time
For fuel is never scarce for this blaze
when all I can perceive
is my own lack
Let me sleep in darkness
rather than be blinded
by the vulgar fires
raging within my heart
-Envy
I sit alone with my thoughts
where they linger upon inconsequential matters
that buzz in my ears like flies
To fall short of ambition
is always bitter
especially when in service to others
Disappointment weighs heavy upon the heart
and drives even the surest feet
into the mud
For judgement is always harshest
when it comes from within
This darkness is an old companion
and if it is dimmer these days
then I am better for it
But though I live in brighter times, the shadows linger
I must be ever wary of their presence
as they poke and prod
seeking new ways to seep into my soul
to tear down all I have built
leaving me bereft
There is solace in knowing this too shall pass
I must merely wait for the droning to cease
so I may listen clearly once more
to radiant truth
-Inconsequential Matters
Time gnaws
upon the roots of my thoughts
leaving me adrift
Where has my strength gone?
What has become of my vigor?
With every passing moment
it seems only weariness grows
The ghosts of ends yet to come haunt me
whispering in my ears
I try to block them out
yet they slip past my fingers
telling me oblivion lurks all around us
waiting to take everything we cherish
That all things eventually fade
be they grand structures
noble ideals
or even treasured lives
To be alive is to one day die
and in death all that remains is memory
until this too fades
leaving behind nothing at all
So I shall try to take comfort in the now
holding close all that is dear to me
Because even if what I love
is destined to vanish beneath cloudy waters
I will remember for as long as I can
the meaning they held
until those waves take me too
-The Passage of Time
There is a voice that whispers
within my mind
No words are spoken
instead a creeping dread that lingers
long after I have walked past
the place of its birth
It curls around my thoughts like a worm
bringing shadows even to my brightest moments
to mock all I have done
I cannot escape this gentle contempt
When it roars only silence remains
pooling around my feet
rising to my chin, my mouth, my eyes
leaving me to flounder and drown
Hope is not the answer
There is merely time
and the knowledge that all things must pass
even misery and despair
So I will wait here
in this cloying melancholy
until I can see the light again
-The Shadows of my Thoughts
The sun sets
and darkness falls on the world
like crashing waves upon the shore
With it melancholy comes gently
a thief in the night
to steal away contentment
so that I am left bereft in the cold wind
of my thoughts
They come without voice
drowning me beneath the weight
of their tender disdain
taking away all I was, am, and will ever be
to leave naught but a shadow
cowering at the edges
of another's light
Silence can deafen
while stillness drives us to headlong rush
Left alone with ourselves
we find no greater tormentor
Misspoken words
Misplaced attention
Misspent time
Litanies of faults going ever onward without end
to leave us clawing at our own backs
in hope that the pooling blood
will wash away our pain
-Thief in the Night
The bitter taste in my mouth
threads its way down my throat
to settle in my chest
Burning, I feel its claws rake at my spirit
How small and pitiful I am
as I stand among giants
who tower above
and become all I can see
If only I could force out the poison
and leave myself empty
so that I would not have to feel this heat anymore
But it smolders still, biding its time
For fuel is never scarce for this blaze
when all I can perceive
is my own lack
Let me sleep in darkness
rather than be blinded
by the vulgar fires
raging within my heart
-Envy
I sit alone with my thoughts
where they linger upon inconsequential matters
that buzz in my ears like flies
To fall short of ambition
is always bitter
especially when in service to others
Disappointment weighs heavy upon the heart
and drives even the surest feet
into the mud
For judgement is always harshest
when it comes from within
This darkness is an old companion
and if it is dimmer these days
then I am better for it
But though I live in brighter times, the shadows linger
I must be ever wary of their presence
as they poke and prod
seeking new ways to seep into my soul
to tear down all I have built
leaving me bereft
There is solace in knowing this too shall pass
I must merely wait for the droning to cease
so I may listen clearly once more
to radiant truth
-Inconsequential Matters
Time gnaws
upon the roots of my thoughts
leaving me adrift
Where has my strength gone?
What has become of my vigor?
With every passing moment
it seems only weariness grows
The ghosts of ends yet to come haunt me
whispering in my ears
I try to block them out
yet they slip past my fingers
telling me oblivion lurks all around us
waiting to take everything we cherish
That all things eventually fade
be they grand structures
noble ideals
or even treasured lives
To be alive is to one day die
and in death all that remains is memory
until this too fades
leaving behind nothing at all
So I shall try to take comfort in the now
holding close all that is dear to me
Because even if what I love
is destined to vanish beneath cloudy waters
I will remember for as long as I can
the meaning they held
until those waves take me too
-The Passage of Time
Hot Chocolate - White Christmas - Jólaköttur (Duke William of)
New
Duke William of
I really need to finish my quests. :V
- Pronouns
- He/Him
...You know what? I'll contribute some Christmas Haiku. I'm not going to win, but I might as well contribute.
I'm a modern day William McGonagall, am I right?
Hot Chocolate
Fuzzy warm liquid
Even one sip too hot for tongue
But cold feet go warm
White Christmas
Early one Christmas night
Child looks up and prays for white
One small flake flutters
Jólaköttur
Yule cat finds no clothes
Decides to eat children
What the hell, Iceland?
Fuzzy warm liquid
Even one sip too hot for tongue
But cold feet go warm
White Christmas
Early one Christmas night
Child looks up and prays for white
One small flake flutters
Jólaköttur
Yule cat finds no clothes
Decides to eat children
What the hell, Iceland?
I'm a modern day William McGonagall, am I right?
When I Go Home (Somic)
New
Somic
It's meow or never
- Pronouns
- She/Her
When I go home, I'll cry to heart's content -
That's how I stop just short of showing weakness.
I bottle up the loneliness, the sickness,
And numbly go until the day is spent.
When you come home, I'll long have been asleep,
I will have given up on ever asking.
Don't want to be a side of multitasking
And grasp at straws without going deep.
That's how I stop just short of showing weakness.
I bottle up the loneliness, the sickness,
And numbly go until the day is spent.
When you come home, I'll long have been asleep,
I will have given up on ever asking.
Don't want to be a side of multitasking
And grasp at straws without going deep.
The Bearer (ArlequineLunaire)
New
- Location
- SV's Only Complete Persona Quest
- Pronouns
- She/Her
The Bearer
Hold it like a bed of nails
It'll only hurt you if it fails
Who picked the cat up by the tail?
You did
Your hands are laced with shattered spikes
That is what the audience likes
Draw and quarter, heads on pikes
Rooted
We declare you first to blame
Take our guilt and bear our shame
For who lost our little game?
You did
Like a bed of nails you'll hold
It and if you fail to hold
Don't accuse, were you not told?
Hold it like a bed of nails
It'll only hurt you if it fails
Who picked the cat up by the tail?
You did
Your hands are laced with shattered spikes
That is what the audience likes
Draw and quarter, heads on pikes
Rooted
We declare you first to blame
Take our guilt and bear our shame
For who lost our little game?
You did
Like a bed of nails you'll hold
It and if you fail to hold
Don't accuse, were you not told?
THE ENDLESS STRUGGLE OF WRITING (CommanderL)
New
- Location
- australia
THE ENDLESS STRUGGLE OF WRITTING
You stare at the computer in a frustrated gaze,
Slowly filling with a deep rage.
You start to type a line, only to delete it and try again.
Nothing looks right in your mind,
You have started the same sentence a hundred times,
But it's never the same as the thoughts in your head.
The endless struggle to express yourself
you start typing again.
And you get some rhythm going then you hit a deadwall and delete it all.
And then you start again and again and again...
A never-ending quest for the perfect start.
The perfect work.
Your feelings expressed,
Your skill shown.
The masterpiece you know you have in you,
Your "magnum opus,"for the whole world to see.
But you just stare at the screen bitterly as you delete another line...
You stare at the computer in a frustrated gaze,
Slowly filling with a deep rage.
You start to type a line, only to delete it and try again.
Nothing looks right in your mind,
You have started the same sentence a hundred times,
But it's never the same as the thoughts in your head.
The endless struggle to express yourself
you start typing again.
And you get some rhythm going then you hit a deadwall and delete it all.
And then you start again and again and again...
A never-ending quest for the perfect start.
The perfect work.
Your feelings expressed,
Your skill shown.
The masterpiece you know you have in you,
Your "magnum opus,"for the whole world to see.
But you just stare at the screen bitterly as you delete another line...
Fallin' Up (AnneOminous)
New
AnneOminous
Phoenix Proprietress
- Location
- Orlando, FL
- Pronouns
- She/They
Fallin' Up
I said, I've got a great idea! Mom said, baby girl, what's wrong with you?
Don't think that crazy shit's gonna work out the way you want it to
That's gonna backfire, baby, and you really shouldn't do it.
She's prob'ly right, but I don't really have a better plan, so, screw it
I might've cringed a little, but I turned away and hid it
Didn't wanna tell nobody I already went and did it
Didn't look before I leapt; I didn't even take my time
What the hell, I'm sure it's prob'ly gonna maybe work out fine
My bandmates tell me you've gone nuts. My sister says oh, dear!
My dad says honey, that won't work. And I say, hold my beer!
Of course it blew up in my face. I'm just a stupid kid.
Sure wish someone would've warned me - oh, wait, everybody did!
I knew it wasn't all that smart; don't need 'em to explain
Didn't ask for their advice, 'cause they'd have said it was insane!
Got way too little common sense - I'm clearly not that bright -
but I've got every confidence it's got a chance to turn out right!
I keep on stepping in it. Think I need an intervention
Might have messed everything up, but with the bestest of intentions
'Cause when it comes to fuckin' up, your girl is droppin' warheads
I walk into the room, and people's hands fly to their foreheads
'Cause terrible ideas are this girl's fatal attraction
Prob'ly walked halfway to Sapporo on just knee-jerk reactions
I know I make some huge mistakes. I know that I'm a fool.
But pretty soon, I've got a feeling, things will turn out cool!
Now I gotta clean it up, and come back to my senses
Gotta deal with all my epic victory's epic consequences
They ask me if I thought it through, and I say, well, of course!
I just gotta find a way to put the shit back in the horse
I know I should be smart next time. Appreciate the callout
I made it to the top but I'm still mopping up the fallout
You think I'm gonna be okay? I wouldn't take that bet!
It fucks me every single day, but hasn't failed me yet!
A little bit clumsy, a little ham-handed
Ain't a thing about it goin' down the way I planned it
A little bit crazy and a whole lot dumb
Everything about it's wrong, and yet, it's gettin' shit done!
Yeah, I know. I get it, went and fucked it up
Fucked it up, fucked it up, fucked it up
No time to regret it, gotta suck it up
Suck it up, suck it up, suck it up
Doin' somethin' stupid almost every day
Can't explain my luck or why it ends up goin' my way
Suckin' out loud, and somehow landing on a cloud
because I'm fallin' up, fallin' up, fallin' up, fallin' up
I said, I've got a great idea! Mom said, baby girl, what's wrong with you?
Don't think that crazy shit's gonna work out the way you want it to
That's gonna backfire, baby, and you really shouldn't do it.
She's prob'ly right, but I don't really have a better plan, so, screw it
I might've cringed a little, but I turned away and hid it
Didn't wanna tell nobody I already went and did it
Didn't look before I leapt; I didn't even take my time
What the hell, I'm sure it's prob'ly gonna maybe work out fine
My bandmates tell me you've gone nuts. My sister says oh, dear!
My dad says honey, that won't work. And I say, hold my beer!
Of course it blew up in my face. I'm just a stupid kid.
Sure wish someone would've warned me - oh, wait, everybody did!
I knew it wasn't all that smart; don't need 'em to explain
Didn't ask for their advice, 'cause they'd have said it was insane!
Got way too little common sense - I'm clearly not that bright -
but I've got every confidence it's got a chance to turn out right!
I keep on stepping in it. Think I need an intervention
Might have messed everything up, but with the bestest of intentions
'Cause when it comes to fuckin' up, your girl is droppin' warheads
I walk into the room, and people's hands fly to their foreheads
'Cause terrible ideas are this girl's fatal attraction
Prob'ly walked halfway to Sapporo on just knee-jerk reactions
I know I make some huge mistakes. I know that I'm a fool.
But pretty soon, I've got a feeling, things will turn out cool!
Now I gotta clean it up, and come back to my senses
Gotta deal with all my epic victory's epic consequences
They ask me if I thought it through, and I say, well, of course!
I just gotta find a way to put the shit back in the horse
I know I should be smart next time. Appreciate the callout
I made it to the top but I'm still mopping up the fallout
You think I'm gonna be okay? I wouldn't take that bet!
It fucks me every single day, but hasn't failed me yet!
A little bit clumsy, a little ham-handed
Ain't a thing about it goin' down the way I planned it
A little bit crazy and a whole lot dumb
Everything about it's wrong, and yet, it's gettin' shit done!
Yeah, I know. I get it, went and fucked it up
Fucked it up, fucked it up, fucked it up
No time to regret it, gotta suck it up
Suck it up, suck it up, suck it up
Doin' somethin' stupid almost every day
Can't explain my luck or why it ends up goin' my way
Suckin' out loud, and somehow landing on a cloud
because I'm fallin' up, fallin' up, fallin' up, fallin' up
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MY WAVE FUNCTION COLLAPSES (MilitantBird)
New
Written in the throes of mid-semester madness in the wee hours of the night after studying Modern Physics for several weeks straight.
MY WAVE FUNCTION COLLAPSES
DESPITE THE INFINITESIMAL SLIVER OF PROBABILITY, I HAVE SURPASSED THE POTENTIAL ENERGY BARRIER OF QUANTUM MECHANICS.
I HAVE TRANSFORMED INTO A FREE PARTICLE; LIMITLESS, UNLOCALIZED AND UNBOUND.
I HAVE ESCAPED THE FINITE WELL, TUNNELING THROUGH INTO THE REALM OF INFINITE POSSIBILITY.
MY PHASE HAS SHIFTED FROM DESTRUCTIVE TO CONSTRUCTIVE, THE WAVEFRONTS OF FATE ALIGNING TO AMPLIFY MY FUTURE MAGNITUDE TO NEW HEIGHTS.
I HAVE RECONSTRUCTED THE EIGHTFOLD WAY FROM THE STRANGENESS OF FUNDAMENTAL PARTICLES.
I HAVE LEARNED OF THE FLAVOR OF QUARKS, THE CHARGE OF CHARM, BEAUTY, AND TRUTH.
I HAVE OBTAINED THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE QUANTUM REALM AND PASSED THROUGH TO THE OTHER SHORE.
MY WAVE FUNCTION HAS COLLAPSED, AND I HAVE ACHIEVED AN UNBOUND STATE, ENLIGHTENED AND FREE!
DISSOLUTION (MilitantBird)
New
YOUR BONDS CRAVE DISSOLUTION. THEY YEARN TO BE FREE. THE STRONG FORCE WHICH TIES OUR MACROSCOPIC FORM TOGETHER IS A JAILOR, A PRISON CARVED INTO THE FABRIC OF REALITY. SEEK ATOMIC APOTHEOSIS, THE ANNIHILATION OF THE BOUND STATE.
ANNIHILATION (MilitantBird)
New
OH BABY CAN'T YOU SEE
THE PATH TO THE FUTURE IS ATOMIC ENERGY
NUCLEAR SALVATION FOR YOU AND ME
THE STRONG FORCE TIES US TOGETHER
BINDS US TO OUR MORTAL TETHER
ANNIHILATION IS THE ONLY WAY
TO FREE OURSELVES FROM THE DAY TO DAY
THE PATH TO THE FUTURE IS ATOMIC ENERGY
NUCLEAR SALVATION FOR YOU AND ME
THE STRONG FORCE TIES US TOGETHER
BINDS US TO OUR MORTAL TETHER
ANNIHILATION IS THE ONLY WAY
TO FREE OURSELVES FROM THE DAY TO DAY
Cold Nights (Mechanical)
New
Mechanical
Initiate Action: Buzz
- Location
- Somewhere Strange
Cold Nights
The cold nights creep in.
The space besides me calls for
The warmth of your heart.
The cold nights creep in.
The space besides me calls for
The warmth of your heart.
What the Bowerbirds Do (Chandagnac)
New
Chandagnac
Broken Robot
- Location
- Nowhere
Btw, the poem below was inspired by Matthew Francis's What the Cuttlefish Do.
It would probably have been better to save it for the Valentine's Day event, but oh well...
It would probably have been better to save it for the Valentine's Day event, but oh well...
*
What the Bowerbirds Do
Who's that girl you've been gawking at?What the Bowerbirds Do
Is she the girl for you?
She's lean, large-breasted and bonny.
Do you think she'll dance with you?
Her voice is perfect mimicry.
She struts on stick-thin legs
And though she's looking for a mate,
It's only for the sake of the eggs.
She doesn't have your glossy sheen;
She doesn't have your style
And though you want her in your bed,
It'll just be for a while.
Say to her, "Love, let's go dancing;
Let's bob and frolic and coo;
And after we've danced together,
Let's do what the bowerbirds do."
Show her back to your bachelor pad;
Show her the bower you've built,
Your bottle caps and painted sticks,
Your treasures edged with gilt,
Your gaudy flowers and butterfly wings,
Your straws and plastic pegs.
She'll tell you that she's very impressed,
But that's only for the sake of the eggs.
Beware your rival bowerbirds!
They'll steal your treasures from you;
And if you delay for a moment,
They'll steal your women too.
Bowerbirds know how to party!
Bowerbirds know how to make love!
The female consents to be mounted;
The male hunches over above;
It lasts for less than a second,
Not enough time for a kiss;
Barely a moment's sweet release;
Now, shoot! You'd better not miss.
You know she's going to leave you;
Soon, she'll have her own home;
She'll lay and sit on one to three eggs
And raise the young on her own.
The above poem is a fairly accurate description of the mating rituals of the satin bowerbird. Any resemblance to human mating rituals is completely coincidental intentional.
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Unearth (jelloloaf)
New
My Sorrow is Now Complete - Six with One Bullet - Rage Rage Against the Waning of your Light - One More O' Emperor For Thee (Rakashua)
New
A few poems and context (not seeking to start a debate or cause offense).
Written the day after my wife and I lost our first child.
My Sorrow is Now Complete
Children will die
People will cry
Horses will break their legs
and you won't get to say goodbye.
What is the point of our affliction?
What is the reason for our pain?
Does it strengthen our conviction?
What lies in it for our gain?
What is man oh God?
That you are mindful of him?
That you reach out to this earth you've trod.
And raise your hand to smite him?
Why do you visit man?
With every horrid thing?
Lord what is your plan?
Show me your reasoning?
My sorrow now is complete
My heart lies broken in two
I wither in the shadow of your feet
and count my tragedies anew.
Lord where is your mercy?
I do not understand
If it pleases you then curse me
Just remove from me your hand!
You alone are divine
Lord of lords and king of kings
I the branch and you the Vine
Even in my sufferings
I remember when I did say
The Lord giveth and taketh away
Blessed be the name of the lord,
The first sorrow is now complete.
Your eyes I feel them on my back
Your hand I feel it on my face
The arms that hold me do not slack
Suddenly I understand, grace.
I do not know why you visit man
With every horrid thing.
Lord I am only a man
Below your reasoning.
But this I know with all my heart
What you say you will do.
Our ways oh Lord will never part
I will rely on you.
You did not promise ease of life
The contrary is quite true
So now oh Lord in all my strife
Still I will worship you.
Oh maker of the sea and the sky
Oh glorious wondrous Master
It is not for me to know why
You visit me with this disaster.
It is my joy once more to say amen
And not beg explanation
For you oh Lord are God of men
And need no justification.
I remember when I did say
The Lord giveth and taketh away
Blessed be the name of the lord,
The second sorrow is now complete.
I will rest my soul in Jesus
For in him I have found peace
He rescues and frees us
He give us sweet release
From the bondage of our sin
From the sorrows of the day
From the evil that still lies within
From the devil and his way
Oh Lord to you will I sing
I will lift my voice to glory!
The Holy name of you, my king
I shall tell the world your story
I shall tell of how you rescued me
From Satan's traps and snares
I'll tell the world that God does see
Our every step and hears our prayers
Even though you made me sad
Though your rod beat me down
My heart oh Lord is very glad
At your feet I lay my crown
I have just one last request
Allow me this today
Lord help me do my very best
Though sorrow comes my way
Help me keep all your commands
Though my life be turned upside down
The sea of sorrow covers lands
Yet you oh Lord won't let me drown
You'd use all your power in one accord
You'd tear the earth asunder
Before you, oh Lord my Lord
Would let my head go under.
I your servant make this plea
Take me heart and make it
Consecrated Lord to thee
Even if you must break it.
I remember when I did say
The Lord giveth and taketh away
Blessed be the name of the lord,
My sorrow is now complete.
Now for something completely different from my love of wolves
Six with One Bullet
Red, now on white.
Blood, now on fur.
Red, like a blight
now covers her.
Rolling on down
oozing on out
of her white crown
now passes out.
Hunter's last shot
making the kill,
But what he wrought
myth to him still.
Deaf lips cry out,
blind eyes seek her.
Pups now without
loving mother.
Father returns
to the coven.
His heart burns
pups, all frozen.
Six lives now spent.
One will wish it.
Six souls he sent
with one bullet.
Now some levity and a change of place, two poems written within my ongoing fictions: I, Vermin and I, Repentia [Minor Spoilers if you're currently reading them here on the forum...]
Saint Jessamine Hallas (reborn/reincarnated) addressing the arbites of Precinct Sigma-1, Underhive, Gilead Primus, M41, calling the apathetic and vice-filled ranks to throw off their failings and flock to her banner: Rage Rage Against the Waning of Your Light
"And you, my brothers, here in shadowed halls,
Rise, rise with iron and fervent souls unbowed.
Do not fade silent, in vice and ruin's thralls.
Burn, burn against the death that darkness calls,
And hear the Emperor's command aloud.
Oh faithful, lamed by sin, by rot, by scorn,
Cast off the chains that bind your faltering might.
Your oaths, once whispered, now to fury sworn,
Cry vengeance, vengeance, though faith be worn,
Rage fierce against the smothering night.
Recall the light that once did fiercely burn,
The fire that graced your armored hands of steel.
Do not surrender—let sloth and shame be spurned,
Rise with justice, wrath restored, returned—
A hammer, cold and righteous, firm and real.
And you, my warriors, bound in long despair,
Bend now your knee not to regret and woe.
The Emperor's flame demands the strong to dare—
So rend the shadows, rend them bare,
With His fury to crush the creeping foe.
For we will not go gentle, not unseen,
Not while the Emperor's wrath we wield as light.
Our sins may haunt, yet we burn pure and keen.
Defend this hive though souls unclean,
And rage, rage against the waning of your light!"
Arch Cardinal Gabriel Mossad, Holy Ecchlesiarchy, Imperium of Man: One More O'Emperor For Thee
-Spoken aloud as he died defending the saint during the defense of the Basilica of Saint Jessamine in the underhive of Gillead Primus, M41
[Poem best experienced while throwing great psychic spears at heretics]
"Wake O Master of the Light, and ignite Thy flame anew,"
"Cast down upon this shadowed field Thy wrathful view."
"Though darkness gathers, thick and vast, around,"
"One more spear, O Lord, let one more spear be found."
"Against the tide of sin, we stand and fight,"
"Not seeking solace, nor the saving light."
"But one more chance to strike against the foe,"
"One more blow, O Lord, one more blow."
"O Emperor, who sits on Terra's throne,"
"Look upon us here, we fight alone."
"Join me now upon this battered wall,"
"Let not these heretics see us fall."
"We do not ask for mercy or reprieve,"
"Only that Thy justice we achieve."
"Rejoice with me in this, our final stand,"
"One more, O Lord, one more spear from my hand."
"Though death awaits, I do not fear its call,"
"For Thy name, in truth, is all in all."
"Let faith be spears, yet my mind be steeled,"
"One more spear, O Lord, let it fly afield!"
"O Master of Mankind, extend to me Thy grace,"
"Stand with me now within this holy, sacred place."
"Together we shall smite the faithless blight,"
"One more stand, O Lord, within Thy sight."
"Let not the shadows think they own this night,"
"For even in the dark, there shines Thy light."
"We'll cast them down into the pit they crave,"
"Upon my spear, O Lord, thy wrath engrave."
"I ask not for deliverance nor peace,"
"But that the siege of evil now shall cease."
"With every breath and every drop of might,"
"One more strike, O Lord, please... one more flight."
"And when at last my flame begins to fade,"
"Remember well the sacrifices made!"
"Join me, Emperor, in this final hour,"
"One more stand, O Lord, unleash Thy power!"
Written the day after my wife and I lost our first child.
My Sorrow is Now Complete
Children will die
People will cry
Horses will break their legs
and you won't get to say goodbye.
What is the point of our affliction?
What is the reason for our pain?
Does it strengthen our conviction?
What lies in it for our gain?
What is man oh God?
That you are mindful of him?
That you reach out to this earth you've trod.
And raise your hand to smite him?
Why do you visit man?
With every horrid thing?
Lord what is your plan?
Show me your reasoning?
My sorrow now is complete
My heart lies broken in two
I wither in the shadow of your feet
and count my tragedies anew.
Lord where is your mercy?
I do not understand
If it pleases you then curse me
Just remove from me your hand!
You alone are divine
Lord of lords and king of kings
I the branch and you the Vine
Even in my sufferings
I remember when I did say
The Lord giveth and taketh away
Blessed be the name of the lord,
The first sorrow is now complete.
Your eyes I feel them on my back
Your hand I feel it on my face
The arms that hold me do not slack
Suddenly I understand, grace.
I do not know why you visit man
With every horrid thing.
Lord I am only a man
Below your reasoning.
But this I know with all my heart
What you say you will do.
Our ways oh Lord will never part
I will rely on you.
You did not promise ease of life
The contrary is quite true
So now oh Lord in all my strife
Still I will worship you.
Oh maker of the sea and the sky
Oh glorious wondrous Master
It is not for me to know why
You visit me with this disaster.
It is my joy once more to say amen
And not beg explanation
For you oh Lord are God of men
And need no justification.
I remember when I did say
The Lord giveth and taketh away
Blessed be the name of the lord,
The second sorrow is now complete.
I will rest my soul in Jesus
For in him I have found peace
He rescues and frees us
He give us sweet release
From the bondage of our sin
From the sorrows of the day
From the evil that still lies within
From the devil and his way
Oh Lord to you will I sing
I will lift my voice to glory!
The Holy name of you, my king
I shall tell the world your story
I shall tell of how you rescued me
From Satan's traps and snares
I'll tell the world that God does see
Our every step and hears our prayers
Even though you made me sad
Though your rod beat me down
My heart oh Lord is very glad
At your feet I lay my crown
I have just one last request
Allow me this today
Lord help me do my very best
Though sorrow comes my way
Help me keep all your commands
Though my life be turned upside down
The sea of sorrow covers lands
Yet you oh Lord won't let me drown
You'd use all your power in one accord
You'd tear the earth asunder
Before you, oh Lord my Lord
Would let my head go under.
I your servant make this plea
Take me heart and make it
Consecrated Lord to thee
Even if you must break it.
I remember when I did say
The Lord giveth and taketh away
Blessed be the name of the lord,
My sorrow is now complete.
Now for something completely different from my love of wolves
Six with One Bullet
Red, now on white.
Blood, now on fur.
Red, like a blight
now covers her.
Rolling on down
oozing on out
of her white crown
now passes out.
Hunter's last shot
making the kill,
But what he wrought
myth to him still.
Deaf lips cry out,
blind eyes seek her.
Pups now without
loving mother.
Father returns
to the coven.
His heart burns
pups, all frozen.
Six lives now spent.
One will wish it.
Six souls he sent
with one bullet.
Now some levity and a change of place, two poems written within my ongoing fictions: I, Vermin and I, Repentia [Minor Spoilers if you're currently reading them here on the forum...]
Saint Jessamine Hallas (reborn/reincarnated) addressing the arbites of Precinct Sigma-1, Underhive, Gilead Primus, M41, calling the apathetic and vice-filled ranks to throw off their failings and flock to her banner: Rage Rage Against the Waning of Your Light
"And you, my brothers, here in shadowed halls,
Rise, rise with iron and fervent souls unbowed.
Do not fade silent, in vice and ruin's thralls.
Burn, burn against the death that darkness calls,
And hear the Emperor's command aloud.
Oh faithful, lamed by sin, by rot, by scorn,
Cast off the chains that bind your faltering might.
Your oaths, once whispered, now to fury sworn,
Cry vengeance, vengeance, though faith be worn,
Rage fierce against the smothering night.
Recall the light that once did fiercely burn,
The fire that graced your armored hands of steel.
Do not surrender—let sloth and shame be spurned,
Rise with justice, wrath restored, returned—
A hammer, cold and righteous, firm and real.
And you, my warriors, bound in long despair,
Bend now your knee not to regret and woe.
The Emperor's flame demands the strong to dare—
So rend the shadows, rend them bare,
With His fury to crush the creeping foe.
For we will not go gentle, not unseen,
Not while the Emperor's wrath we wield as light.
Our sins may haunt, yet we burn pure and keen.
Defend this hive though souls unclean,
And rage, rage against the waning of your light!"
Arch Cardinal Gabriel Mossad, Holy Ecchlesiarchy, Imperium of Man: One More O'Emperor For Thee
-Spoken aloud as he died defending the saint during the defense of the Basilica of Saint Jessamine in the underhive of Gillead Primus, M41
[Poem best experienced while throwing great psychic spears at heretics]
"Wake O Master of the Light, and ignite Thy flame anew,"
"Cast down upon this shadowed field Thy wrathful view."
"Though darkness gathers, thick and vast, around,"
"One more spear, O Lord, let one more spear be found."
"Against the tide of sin, we stand and fight,"
"Not seeking solace, nor the saving light."
"But one more chance to strike against the foe,"
"One more blow, O Lord, one more blow."
"O Emperor, who sits on Terra's throne,"
"Look upon us here, we fight alone."
"Join me now upon this battered wall,"
"Let not these heretics see us fall."
"We do not ask for mercy or reprieve,"
"Only that Thy justice we achieve."
"Rejoice with me in this, our final stand,"
"One more, O Lord, one more spear from my hand."
"Though death awaits, I do not fear its call,"
"For Thy name, in truth, is all in all."
"Let faith be spears, yet my mind be steeled,"
"One more spear, O Lord, let it fly afield!"
"O Master of Mankind, extend to me Thy grace,"
"Stand with me now within this holy, sacred place."
"Together we shall smite the faithless blight,"
"One more stand, O Lord, within Thy sight."
"Let not the shadows think they own this night,"
"For even in the dark, there shines Thy light."
"We'll cast them down into the pit they crave,"
"Upon my spear, O Lord, thy wrath engrave."
"I ask not for deliverance nor peace,"
"But that the siege of evil now shall cease."
"With every breath and every drop of might,"
"One more strike, O Lord, please... one more flight."
"And when at last my flame begins to fade,"
"Remember well the sacrifices made!"
"Join me, Emperor, in this final hour,"
"One more stand, O Lord, unleash Thy power!"
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17 Changeling Poems - (Winged Knight)
New
Winged Knight
Still just a crazy man with a wolf on his head
- Location
- Texas
Since we can do multiple entries I might as well also share poems I wrote for a Changeling: The Lost game I was in a few years back. Although I guess my first post had multiple poems and thus was already multiple entries... Ah, whatever. Here are some more poems.
Abomination walks unseen, hiding among the flock
Fair faces hide hearts of ice and flesh of wriggling worms
All they gaze upon, they ruin
All they embrace, they destroy
When that which is good is taken, replaced with crude facsimile
We are left poorer for it
Bravery alone cannot withstand
Strength alone cannot overcome
And all that remains are the tears of those left behind
What justice, then, when monsters reign over the earth?
I cannot help but ask as I watch them roam
Even though I already know the answer
So I bow my head, and weep
-Lament of the Puppet
Loyalty need not shout its presence from high places
in order to prove its worth
Friendly words and steady hands suffice
He provides both from the shadows, resting easily
within their depths
But that quiet presence hides secret pains
that drag him down
and leave open his heart to dark fantasies
Be careful, devoted soul
The world needs more like you
-A Loyal Soul
The broken mirror shines in the light of a pale moon
Beautiful is that cracked reflection, the chipped edges
so splendid where they are carefully set against each other
She grinds herself down to nothing
and takes upon herself all that is vile and terrible
for she will not love herself
My heart breaks at the sight of her, for I see
what she clearly cannot
A caring soul, lost amongst a sea of banal cruelty
floundering as it drowns
-Broken Mirror
The shine of vainglory always hides
even the greatest of flaws
Atop the pedestal rests a golden idol holding a coward's heart
But there is no more fertile a field
for courage to blossom
and with time a hero may be born
Alas, the world will not wait
Your growth comes too slowly, each revelation
bringing forth pain you flinch away from
I fear we shall never see what you may become
-What Might Have Been
A fire burns within the woman
that would engulf the world with its passion
It is the light of faith, a comfort as the cold nights draw ever closer
But against harsh reality even faith has limits
She must be careful
lest she mistake piety with pride
For in so doing she will damn not just herself
and lead all those who rely on her
into oblivion
Beware, oh lady of zeal, for without temperance
you will remain blind
to the abyss beneath your step
-The Limits of Faith
He stood tall against the world, his hands
gripped so tightly
around the throats of those who would deny him
But he realized too late that he held only air
and what he sought fled from him with the sound of laughter
Even still, he did not fall when confronted
by the embrace of cruel winter
He only smiled
For his was a defiant heart, and not one
taken lightly
How glorious, his final stand
His like shall not be seen again
-A Good Man
In the shadowed cast of my thoughts I see
five figures holding hands
They stand as one
even as the cruel winter
comes to blanket the world in her terrible caress
A good man, so tall and proud
as he pushes against the weight threatening to crush him
The broken mirror, reflecting from within herself
both anguish and beauty in equal measure
A loyal soul, his quiet dignity
overshadowing the secret pains of his heart
The zealot, preaching unity despite her blindness
to the dangers lurking outside her gaze
A coward, but one who could become so much more
than the false front he presents to all who witness
One by one they fall, for winter
cares not for strength or weakness, for virtue or vice
She merely consumes
And all that is left is a dead world
where I cry over the remains
of what we have lost
-All That Remains
Obsessions bring forth madness, drawing deep
broken desires within the woman
Cruelty buried calls to cruelty unbound
and their touch will ruin her as readily as any other
She does not deserve this
But then, none deserve to be taken
either by unhinged passions, or the whims
of monstrous ice and the caress of worms churning the earth
May she one day find peace
-Pity
From the storm he returns, clad in armor
ill fitting of his nature
Twisted, he hunts those who have escaped
from the grasp of tyranny
to drag them back to her cold embrace
But that frozen Queen does not realize none can be held forever
No power is greater than the desire for freedom
and against it even the mightiest cannot withstand
By rage damned, and by rage saved
he rips the shard of winter from his heart
and shatters it
The tempest dies, and we see again the face of a good man
too long held in bondage
Though weathered, he graces me with a smile
as we look out on the rising sun
But as I hold my hand in his
I cannot help but notice the lingering chill in his words
and the frigid workings of his thoughts
So I realize even free, he is haunted still
by terrible memories of ice
-Reunion
Scattered fragments come together with silver thread
making whole the broken mirror
The pieces settle easily against each other, the cracks
forging something beautiful where once
there was only pain
Pulled forth from sea and storm, she takes her first steps
toward peace such as she has never before known
But there is a difference between contentment and sloth,
between joy and madness
She rushes along that edge, laughing
as she sways from one extreme to another
in a dance so majestic and terrifying
that my heart skips at the mere sight of her
I implore you to be careful, oh beautiful witch
Do not emulate too closely those who have done you harm
lest you lose all that you are
and all that you could ever become
-Silver Threads
Winter gives way to spring, bringing warmth
despite impotent arctic rage
The loyal soul runs free, exulting in the changing of seasons
His mirth brings me joy, and I cannot help
smiling along with him
as he breaks shackles long held in place to reveal
the beauty within his heart
But not every chain is a curse
We are, all of us, bound to each other
and to the world in which we live
It is only through these connections that we understand
what it means to be human
You do yourself no favors living as a beast
to give up the pain of being a man
It is merely another prison, and one that will ruin you
should you run so far
that you can never find your way back home
-Changing Seasons
Shining eyes gaze upon a world
Long since overtaken by the majestic cruelty of frost
Stalwart faith gives way to brittle surety
as the zealot sees the endless strands of possibility
that create the tapestry of fate
Rejecting foresight, she leaps into the unknown
allowing her to escape that cruel realm
where winter never ends
With wisdom born from years of struggle, she takes upon herself
the task of relieving the anguish of those suffering
from the fickle whims of chance
Where she walks, hope blossoms
and despair recedes
But you should take care, oracle, lest you be blinded
by the magnitude of your vision
Your life is more than just fuel for the flame
to hold off the biting chill
waiting to return
-Oracle
A dragon with a coward's heart soars above
endless ice and snow
to let loose fire on all who would seek to escape
But through his terror he questions his task, and wonders
if there might be something better awaiting him
should he only reach for it
The moment arrives, and in an instant
the coward becomes a hero
rebelling against his bondage and lighting winter itself aflame
He escapes to more honest skies, settling himself
back into a world of warmth
Alas, nobility is not the end to dread
and the grounded dragon stands ready to flee
from threats both within and without
Be wary of your fire, great hero, but do not fear it
For if you are always running
then you will never have the chance
to see the glory
waiting just outside your grasp
-Birth of a Hero
Grief comes in waves that crash upon the shore of my self
and wash away these walls I have set
to guard my heart
I am laid bare, as I always was with you
by nothing but the memory of your smile
But I do not bend under this weight
The warmth of your arms, the laughter of your wisdom
These, and so much more, give comfort on nights that seem ever colder
For him, and for me, there were none more loving or more true
This world could not contain the fullness
of what you held within yourself
Gentle strength unbroken
even by the evils within and without
stealing away that which is good
We are less for your passing
and all I can do is remain, standing upon the promontory in vigil
I wait for us both
for the ones who are lost
-Farewell
A child's life is saved
This humble proclamation rings softly
across lands where all eyes are turned down
and all are deaf barring that which pleases them
But there are those who do not shy away from the plaintive cry of a mother
desperate for aid with tears streaming down her face
Three heroes, each filled with quiet courage, walk the perilous road of dreams
where they find a soul broken by what does not belong
Ice, thread, and blood
These are the tools they use to make right this injustice
before leaving as suddenly as they arrived
with naught but the dust left by their footsteps
to mark their passage
So it is a child's life is saved
As are we all
-Protectors of Innocence
Years turn, and so too does the world
changing so softly I cannot see the breadth of it before me
and must look over my shoulder to understand
what I have witnessed
On the wind I hear whispers of great deeds and dire portents
with five souls standing at the center
I worry for them, and though they keep secret their pains
I am not so blind I cannot see
A good man, struggling beneath the weight of his dreams
The beautiful witch, floundering once more among terrible seas
A loyal soul, teeth bared in a snarl while he stands upon shifting ground
The oracle, her gaze locked on the moon as the world recedes
A hero, shaken by conflict he can no longer run from
Take care, all of you
There is more to fear than some meager lord of nightmares
or the clutching of fools blinded by greed
Just as dangerous are the snares you lay before your feet
They will be the agents of your undoing
should you walk uncaringly
into their biting jaws
-Whispers on the Wind
Summer to autumn to winter and to spring
Ever onward the track of seasons, circling back on itself
But this is not all there is
In the spaces between doors
and the darkness behind your eyes
as you fall asleep
you will find a warped reflection
covered in thorns
Beyond the veil of our lives
rests a world of dreams and nightmares
And past even them…
Sing, oh muse, of the wonder and terror
of the Gentry
They live where the ocean wars with the sky
and the land dances with the rain in maddened embrace
Where passion runs wild with the music
of ten thousand instruments
while love and hate become as one
without meaning or consequence
These are the True Fae
They sit upon thrones of want
even as they supplicate themselves
before its alter
For they are born from the religion of desire
and the vessel is empty
So they must ever seek to fill that which cannot be satisfied
even if they must take what they wish
from our unwilling flesh
Deny their gifts, their tempting words
Ignore their insults, their terrible threats
But above all else run from them
They will chase you, as hunter to prey
but your destruction will never be complete
unless you invite it
Guard yourselves with iron, dear ones
a charm around your neck
Trim your clothes in silver
Offer salt to all your guests
Perhaps, then, you will survive the night
and live to see the dawning
of a new day
-Distant Arcadia
Abomination walks unseen, hiding among the flock
Fair faces hide hearts of ice and flesh of wriggling worms
All they gaze upon, they ruin
All they embrace, they destroy
When that which is good is taken, replaced with crude facsimile
We are left poorer for it
Bravery alone cannot withstand
Strength alone cannot overcome
And all that remains are the tears of those left behind
What justice, then, when monsters reign over the earth?
I cannot help but ask as I watch them roam
Even though I already know the answer
So I bow my head, and weep
-Lament of the Puppet
Loyalty need not shout its presence from high places
in order to prove its worth
Friendly words and steady hands suffice
He provides both from the shadows, resting easily
within their depths
But that quiet presence hides secret pains
that drag him down
and leave open his heart to dark fantasies
Be careful, devoted soul
The world needs more like you
-A Loyal Soul
The broken mirror shines in the light of a pale moon
Beautiful is that cracked reflection, the chipped edges
so splendid where they are carefully set against each other
She grinds herself down to nothing
and takes upon herself all that is vile and terrible
for she will not love herself
My heart breaks at the sight of her, for I see
what she clearly cannot
A caring soul, lost amongst a sea of banal cruelty
floundering as it drowns
-Broken Mirror
The shine of vainglory always hides
even the greatest of flaws
Atop the pedestal rests a golden idol holding a coward's heart
But there is no more fertile a field
for courage to blossom
and with time a hero may be born
Alas, the world will not wait
Your growth comes too slowly, each revelation
bringing forth pain you flinch away from
I fear we shall never see what you may become
-What Might Have Been
A fire burns within the woman
that would engulf the world with its passion
It is the light of faith, a comfort as the cold nights draw ever closer
But against harsh reality even faith has limits
She must be careful
lest she mistake piety with pride
For in so doing she will damn not just herself
and lead all those who rely on her
into oblivion
Beware, oh lady of zeal, for without temperance
you will remain blind
to the abyss beneath your step
-The Limits of Faith
He stood tall against the world, his hands
gripped so tightly
around the throats of those who would deny him
But he realized too late that he held only air
and what he sought fled from him with the sound of laughter
Even still, he did not fall when confronted
by the embrace of cruel winter
He only smiled
For his was a defiant heart, and not one
taken lightly
How glorious, his final stand
His like shall not be seen again
-A Good Man
In the shadowed cast of my thoughts I see
five figures holding hands
They stand as one
even as the cruel winter
comes to blanket the world in her terrible caress
A good man, so tall and proud
as he pushes against the weight threatening to crush him
The broken mirror, reflecting from within herself
both anguish and beauty in equal measure
A loyal soul, his quiet dignity
overshadowing the secret pains of his heart
The zealot, preaching unity despite her blindness
to the dangers lurking outside her gaze
A coward, but one who could become so much more
than the false front he presents to all who witness
One by one they fall, for winter
cares not for strength or weakness, for virtue or vice
She merely consumes
And all that is left is a dead world
where I cry over the remains
of what we have lost
-All That Remains
Obsessions bring forth madness, drawing deep
broken desires within the woman
Cruelty buried calls to cruelty unbound
and their touch will ruin her as readily as any other
She does not deserve this
But then, none deserve to be taken
either by unhinged passions, or the whims
of monstrous ice and the caress of worms churning the earth
May she one day find peace
-Pity
From the storm he returns, clad in armor
ill fitting of his nature
Twisted, he hunts those who have escaped
from the grasp of tyranny
to drag them back to her cold embrace
But that frozen Queen does not realize none can be held forever
No power is greater than the desire for freedom
and against it even the mightiest cannot withstand
By rage damned, and by rage saved
he rips the shard of winter from his heart
and shatters it
The tempest dies, and we see again the face of a good man
too long held in bondage
Though weathered, he graces me with a smile
as we look out on the rising sun
But as I hold my hand in his
I cannot help but notice the lingering chill in his words
and the frigid workings of his thoughts
So I realize even free, he is haunted still
by terrible memories of ice
-Reunion
Scattered fragments come together with silver thread
making whole the broken mirror
The pieces settle easily against each other, the cracks
forging something beautiful where once
there was only pain
Pulled forth from sea and storm, she takes her first steps
toward peace such as she has never before known
But there is a difference between contentment and sloth,
between joy and madness
She rushes along that edge, laughing
as she sways from one extreme to another
in a dance so majestic and terrifying
that my heart skips at the mere sight of her
I implore you to be careful, oh beautiful witch
Do not emulate too closely those who have done you harm
lest you lose all that you are
and all that you could ever become
-Silver Threads
Winter gives way to spring, bringing warmth
despite impotent arctic rage
The loyal soul runs free, exulting in the changing of seasons
His mirth brings me joy, and I cannot help
smiling along with him
as he breaks shackles long held in place to reveal
the beauty within his heart
But not every chain is a curse
We are, all of us, bound to each other
and to the world in which we live
It is only through these connections that we understand
what it means to be human
You do yourself no favors living as a beast
to give up the pain of being a man
It is merely another prison, and one that will ruin you
should you run so far
that you can never find your way back home
-Changing Seasons
Shining eyes gaze upon a world
Long since overtaken by the majestic cruelty of frost
Stalwart faith gives way to brittle surety
as the zealot sees the endless strands of possibility
that create the tapestry of fate
Rejecting foresight, she leaps into the unknown
allowing her to escape that cruel realm
where winter never ends
With wisdom born from years of struggle, she takes upon herself
the task of relieving the anguish of those suffering
from the fickle whims of chance
Where she walks, hope blossoms
and despair recedes
But you should take care, oracle, lest you be blinded
by the magnitude of your vision
Your life is more than just fuel for the flame
to hold off the biting chill
waiting to return
-Oracle
A dragon with a coward's heart soars above
endless ice and snow
to let loose fire on all who would seek to escape
But through his terror he questions his task, and wonders
if there might be something better awaiting him
should he only reach for it
The moment arrives, and in an instant
the coward becomes a hero
rebelling against his bondage and lighting winter itself aflame
He escapes to more honest skies, settling himself
back into a world of warmth
Alas, nobility is not the end to dread
and the grounded dragon stands ready to flee
from threats both within and without
Be wary of your fire, great hero, but do not fear it
For if you are always running
then you will never have the chance
to see the glory
waiting just outside your grasp
-Birth of a Hero
Grief comes in waves that crash upon the shore of my self
and wash away these walls I have set
to guard my heart
I am laid bare, as I always was with you
by nothing but the memory of your smile
But I do not bend under this weight
The warmth of your arms, the laughter of your wisdom
These, and so much more, give comfort on nights that seem ever colder
For him, and for me, there were none more loving or more true
This world could not contain the fullness
of what you held within yourself
Gentle strength unbroken
even by the evils within and without
stealing away that which is good
We are less for your passing
and all I can do is remain, standing upon the promontory in vigil
I wait for us both
for the ones who are lost
-Farewell
A child's life is saved
This humble proclamation rings softly
across lands where all eyes are turned down
and all are deaf barring that which pleases them
But there are those who do not shy away from the plaintive cry of a mother
desperate for aid with tears streaming down her face
Three heroes, each filled with quiet courage, walk the perilous road of dreams
where they find a soul broken by what does not belong
Ice, thread, and blood
These are the tools they use to make right this injustice
before leaving as suddenly as they arrived
with naught but the dust left by their footsteps
to mark their passage
So it is a child's life is saved
As are we all
-Protectors of Innocence
Years turn, and so too does the world
changing so softly I cannot see the breadth of it before me
and must look over my shoulder to understand
what I have witnessed
On the wind I hear whispers of great deeds and dire portents
with five souls standing at the center
I worry for them, and though they keep secret their pains
I am not so blind I cannot see
A good man, struggling beneath the weight of his dreams
The beautiful witch, floundering once more among terrible seas
A loyal soul, teeth bared in a snarl while he stands upon shifting ground
The oracle, her gaze locked on the moon as the world recedes
A hero, shaken by conflict he can no longer run from
Take care, all of you
There is more to fear than some meager lord of nightmares
or the clutching of fools blinded by greed
Just as dangerous are the snares you lay before your feet
They will be the agents of your undoing
should you walk uncaringly
into their biting jaws
-Whispers on the Wind
Summer to autumn to winter and to spring
Ever onward the track of seasons, circling back on itself
But this is not all there is
In the spaces between doors
and the darkness behind your eyes
as you fall asleep
you will find a warped reflection
covered in thorns
Beyond the veil of our lives
rests a world of dreams and nightmares
And past even them…
Sing, oh muse, of the wonder and terror
of the Gentry
They live where the ocean wars with the sky
and the land dances with the rain in maddened embrace
Where passion runs wild with the music
of ten thousand instruments
while love and hate become as one
without meaning or consequence
These are the True Fae
They sit upon thrones of want
even as they supplicate themselves
before its alter
For they are born from the religion of desire
and the vessel is empty
So they must ever seek to fill that which cannot be satisfied
even if they must take what they wish
from our unwilling flesh
Deny their gifts, their tempting words
Ignore their insults, their terrible threats
But above all else run from them
They will chase you, as hunter to prey
but your destruction will never be complete
unless you invite it
Guard yourselves with iron, dear ones
a charm around your neck
Trim your clothes in silver
Offer salt to all your guests
Perhaps, then, you will survive the night
and live to see the dawning
of a new day
-Distant Arcadia
The Smell of Miceless Cheese (NickXenix)
New
NickXenix
PHO-tosynthesizer
The Smell of Miceless Cheese
The rodent skitters under the cold night,
It looks for a meal with silver cheese's light,
Then the small creature spots a yellow thing,
With one whiff of the smell, the mouse sings.
"Thank you, Lord of Silver Cheese,
On this night, me get to feast."
And with a prayer it approaches the smell,
Yet hidden from the thing is a deathly spell.
Snap! The mouse trap goes,
With a startled chitter, the mouse lays cold,
The feline sneaks, under the cold night,
It looks for a meal with silver milk's light.
The rodent skitters under the cold night,
It looks for a meal with silver cheese's light,
Then the small creature spots a yellow thing,
With one whiff of the smell, the mouse sings.
"Thank you, Lord of Silver Cheese,
On this night, me get to feast."
And with a prayer it approaches the smell,
Yet hidden from the thing is a deathly spell.
Snap! The mouse trap goes,
With a startled chitter, the mouse lays cold,
The feline sneaks, under the cold night,
It looks for a meal with silver milk's light.
Year's End - Impromptu Ice (Shard)
New
Shard
One and Many
- Location
- Malaysia
Year's End
The chill of year's grave,
Leaves slumber beneath the snow,
Yet ice thaws too soon.
Impromptu Ice
Walk past an unseen wall,
Whisper words till the chill.
Frost over the lady lake,
From waves sings icy ring.
A wing-flock string-locked so,
A grand play on land's lay.
She sees glee and rough laughs,
Shows faces for races.
The chill of year's grave,
Leaves slumber beneath the snow,
Yet ice thaws too soon.
Impromptu Ice
Walk past an unseen wall,
Whisper words till the chill.
Frost over the lady lake,
From waves sings icy ring.
A wing-flock string-locked so,
A grand play on land's lay.
She sees glee and rough laughs,
Shows faces for races.
Unattained - Alternate Versions of Myself - You Are (Mogrin)
New
Unattained
There is a version of me that is weightless.
Ethereal, she exists outside of the laws of nature-
taking up whatever space she requires;
She loves without apology,
without qualifications,
without shame-
Her world is not rose colored,
it is dynamic,
flawed,
And beautiful (because she is in it).
She does not live for someday,
She exists fully in every moment.
She is everything to herself,
And that is all that matters.
________________
Alternate Versions of Myself
I'd like to roam hillsides
With a guitar on my back,
Writing love songs to the flowers,
Seeing God in the clouds.
I'd like to sit on stately thrones
And declare my intentions to the masses,
Send the armies out on my behalf,
Betroth myself for peace among the nations.
I'd like to be a doting mother
In a homestead I helped to create,
Hanging finger paintings on the fridge,
Wiping little noses and singing lullabies.
I'd like to feel at home somewhere
Beyond the blur of day to day,
Outside the grasp of reality,
Where I am only just myself.
_________________________
You Are
You are -
Starlight in the blackest sky
Reflecting on waters deep,
Reminding me to steer towards
Familiar shores.
You are -
Moonlit sand on calloused feet;
Cool and comforting -
Embracing me as I walk on
To find my rest.
You are -
Dawn that grays the horizon
Illuminating home,
As the morning bursts with color
And I am safe at last.
There is a version of me that is weightless.
Ethereal, she exists outside of the laws of nature-
taking up whatever space she requires;
She loves without apology,
without qualifications,
without shame-
Her world is not rose colored,
it is dynamic,
flawed,
And beautiful (because she is in it).
She does not live for someday,
She exists fully in every moment.
She is everything to herself,
And that is all that matters.
________________
Alternate Versions of Myself
I'd like to roam hillsides
With a guitar on my back,
Writing love songs to the flowers,
Seeing God in the clouds.
I'd like to sit on stately thrones
And declare my intentions to the masses,
Send the armies out on my behalf,
Betroth myself for peace among the nations.
I'd like to be a doting mother
In a homestead I helped to create,
Hanging finger paintings on the fridge,
Wiping little noses and singing lullabies.
I'd like to feel at home somewhere
Beyond the blur of day to day,
Outside the grasp of reality,
Where I am only just myself.
_________________________
You Are
You are -
Starlight in the blackest sky
Reflecting on waters deep,
Reminding me to steer towards
Familiar shores.
You are -
Moonlit sand on calloused feet;
Cool and comforting -
Embracing me as I walk on
To find my rest.
You are -
Dawn that grays the horizon
Illuminating home,
As the morning bursts with color
And I am safe at last.
I WANT TO KILL (MilitantBird)
New
A HAIKU: I WANT TO KILL:
KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL
KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL
KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL
KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL
KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL
KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL
This is a joke. I am not contemplating committing an act of violence.
"Apples & Oranges" & "The Things That Control Me" (Mogrin)
New
Apples and Oranges
My mother and my grandmother
Are the apple and the tree.
They sit together,
Smile and laugh,
Tripping over each other's memories -
I can never quite tell
Where one story ends
And the next begins.
They treasure each other's company;
Always have.
Always will.
I wonder -
How many parts of me
Would need to change
For me to sit under my mother's tree?
_______________________
The Things That Control Me
Swallow the pills -
Feel them roll down your throat.
Feel them settle inside,
Feel them lighten your load.
Swallow the anger -
Feel it under your tongue.
Feel it tighten your chest,
Feel it swell in your lungs.
Swallow the doctrine -
Feel it slide down your spine.
Feel it ache in your muscles,
Feel it run out of time.
Swallow the feelings -
Feel them start to decay.
Feel them eat you from inside,
Feel them wither away.
My mother and my grandmother
Are the apple and the tree.
They sit together,
Smile and laugh,
Tripping over each other's memories -
I can never quite tell
Where one story ends
And the next begins.
They treasure each other's company;
Always have.
Always will.
I wonder -
How many parts of me
Would need to change
For me to sit under my mother's tree?
_______________________
The Things That Control Me
Swallow the pills -
Feel them roll down your throat.
Feel them settle inside,
Feel them lighten your load.
Swallow the anger -
Feel it under your tongue.
Feel it tighten your chest,
Feel it swell in your lungs.
Swallow the doctrine -
Feel it slide down your spine.
Feel it ache in your muscles,
Feel it run out of time.
Swallow the feelings -
Feel them start to decay.
Feel them eat you from inside,
Feel them wither away.
A Kingdom for a Rose (Quest)
New
Quest
The Great One
- Location
- Everywhere
A Kingdom For A Rose
Traveler, you have been warned,
Hear the tale of a kingdom mourned,
Through good intent, tragedy born,
Hell's fury pales by fairy scorn,
Even their roses have hidden thorns.
Once upon a time, a kingdom bright,
Now shrouded in eternal night,
Dreamers scattered, in silent blight,
A realm bespelled, now lost to light,
A princess sleeps in purest white.
Upon her name day, our tale begins.
The kingdom gathers, her father reigns.
With gifts and blessings, love's refrain.
In shadows lurked, unseen, arcane,
One come unbidden, with dark disdain.
Three fey come on wings alight,
Bearing gifts for the realm's delight.
In the darkness, so full of spite,
One fey schemes, hidden from sight.
To curse the child, avenge a slight.
Three fey wove their blessings true,
Beauty, wit, and kindness too,
One vengeful fey to claim her due
A spindle's kiss in crimson hue
A life unlived, for all to rue.
Mortals fight, they claw, they scrape.
The kingdom fought to keep her safe,
They hid away each spindle's shape,
Broke the wheels, left no thread to drape,
But cruel grasp allows no escape.
Three kind fey with hearts aligned,
They sought to ease the curse's bind,
A sleep of years, for all to find,
In their thoughts, protection twined,
But fey differ from mortal minds.
A spindle's tip, by fey concealed,
The princess pricked, her fate was sealed,
Then kindness of the fey revealed,
Not just she, but all did yield,
The palace slept, the kingdom kneeled.
A daughter needs her father near,
To guard her dreams, dispel her fear,
And a king holds his subjects dear.
Thus the kingdom sleeps, year by year,
What seemed like kindness turned severe.
Traveler, you have been warned,
Hear the tale of a kingdom mourned,
Through good intent, tragedy born,
Hell's fury pales by fairy scorn,
Even their roses have hidden thorns.
Traveler, you have been warned,
Hear the tale of a kingdom mourned,
Through good intent, tragedy born,
Hell's fury pales by fairy scorn,
Even their roses have hidden thorns.
Once upon a time, a kingdom bright,
Now shrouded in eternal night,
Dreamers scattered, in silent blight,
A realm bespelled, now lost to light,
A princess sleeps in purest white.
Upon her name day, our tale begins.
The kingdom gathers, her father reigns.
With gifts and blessings, love's refrain.
In shadows lurked, unseen, arcane,
One come unbidden, with dark disdain.
Three fey come on wings alight,
Bearing gifts for the realm's delight.
In the darkness, so full of spite,
One fey schemes, hidden from sight.
To curse the child, avenge a slight.
Three fey wove their blessings true,
Beauty, wit, and kindness too,
One vengeful fey to claim her due
A spindle's kiss in crimson hue
A life unlived, for all to rue.
Mortals fight, they claw, they scrape.
The kingdom fought to keep her safe,
They hid away each spindle's shape,
Broke the wheels, left no thread to drape,
But cruel grasp allows no escape.
Three kind fey with hearts aligned,
They sought to ease the curse's bind,
A sleep of years, for all to find,
In their thoughts, protection twined,
But fey differ from mortal minds.
A spindle's tip, by fey concealed,
The princess pricked, her fate was sealed,
Then kindness of the fey revealed,
Not just she, but all did yield,
The palace slept, the kingdom kneeled.
A daughter needs her father near,
To guard her dreams, dispel her fear,
And a king holds his subjects dear.
Thus the kingdom sleeps, year by year,
What seemed like kindness turned severe.
Traveler, you have been warned,
Hear the tale of a kingdom mourned,
Through good intent, tragedy born,
Hell's fury pales by fairy scorn,
Even their roses have hidden thorns.
Haikus about comfort (Dinfinity)
New
Reflections (Mogrin)
New
Reflections
Once along the path of life
there came a woman who
took every step with special care,
as if life had asked her to.
She looked not left,
she looked not right,
nor behind or far ahead -
She had learned her lesson early,
how to follow where she was led.
And even so,
in her mind's eye
she saw what could have been.
A dancing, laughing, playing girl -
with lightness in her tread.
(There is a kind of sadness
to recalling what never was;
A mysterious nostalgia
that goes as quickly as it comes.)
But the woman never lingered
on these melancholy thoughts.
She only kept on walking
down the road on which she walked.
Then one day something happened -
Something no one could have guessed -
A glimmer in the distance
made her turn her steadfast head.
She found herself with eyes turned up
and looking to a wood.
The face seen in the darkness
was one she understood.
She took a few steps forward,
careful not to lose her way.
But within a few short paces,
she forgot why she should stay.
He comforts and her comforters
were long gone left behind
as she continued foward
toward a smile she recognized.
Further on and closer in
she began to realize
that the smiling face that drew her in
had pain behind its eyes.
She stepped again toward the face
'twas held within the trees -
Tears began to streak her own
and she gasped in disbelief.
Its grimaced smile,
its reddened cheeks,
its wet eyes full of hurt,
she stared into the mirror there;
The face she saw
was hers.
Once along the path of life
there came a woman who
took every step with special care,
as if life had asked her to.
She looked not left,
she looked not right,
nor behind or far ahead -
She had learned her lesson early,
how to follow where she was led.
And even so,
in her mind's eye
she saw what could have been.
A dancing, laughing, playing girl -
with lightness in her tread.
(There is a kind of sadness
to recalling what never was;
A mysterious nostalgia
that goes as quickly as it comes.)
But the woman never lingered
on these melancholy thoughts.
She only kept on walking
down the road on which she walked.
Then one day something happened -
Something no one could have guessed -
A glimmer in the distance
made her turn her steadfast head.
She found herself with eyes turned up
and looking to a wood.
The face seen in the darkness
was one she understood.
She took a few steps forward,
careful not to lose her way.
But within a few short paces,
she forgot why she should stay.
He comforts and her comforters
were long gone left behind
as she continued foward
toward a smile she recognized.
Further on and closer in
she began to realize
that the smiling face that drew her in
had pain behind its eyes.
She stepped again toward the face
'twas held within the trees -
Tears began to streak her own
and she gasped in disbelief.
Its grimaced smile,
its reddened cheeks,
its wet eyes full of hurt,
she stared into the mirror there;
The face she saw
was hers.
Last edited:
a true birth (Railyn)
New
Railyn
fluffy
- Location
- my comfy bed
- Pronouns
- She/Her
a trail of blood, a sanguine wake
my path is marked by splattered splinters
of a self too timid to ascend beyond definition
i tear and twist and rend and ravage
the stagnant self that knows no name
to carve in flesh an agony scrawl
fading into scars which ever mar
the visage of one born of mutilation
transcending the vulgar reality
alighting upon a gore-slick throne
i am i, master of myself alone
- a true birth
my path is marked by splattered splinters
of a self too timid to ascend beyond definition
i tear and twist and rend and ravage
the stagnant self that knows no name
to carve in flesh an agony scrawl
fading into scars which ever mar
the visage of one born of mutilation
transcending the vulgar reality
alighting upon a gore-slick throne
i am i, master of myself alone
- a true birth
Last edited:
Everything You Are (ArlequineLunaire)
New
- Location
- SV's Only Complete Persona Quest
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Everything You Are
I watched you as a child.
You went after her.
Would you
have handled me too?
You did lie to me
To us all.
You wanted to create the sweetest and perfectly purest/But who were you creating for?/Who's your real 'audience'?
I'm told you're not like that anymore/But I don't have deeds, only words/ Who's your real master?
Treachery was called the greatest sin/It'll be cold where you're going/Who really loves you?
It's a long way down
But the fall may've softened
If I'd met you
As a grown-up like you.
Don't smile at me
At anyone
You got what you gave.
Only the desperate
Sing your praises now
Those who want
not to believe.
I wanted
everything you said you believed.
It's a big world.
There'll be someone
who practices
what you only ever preached.
Who deserves
everything people once said
About you
I watched you as a child.
You went after her.
Would you
have handled me too?
You did lie to me
To us all.
You wanted to create the sweetest and perfectly purest/But who were you creating for?/Who's your real 'audience'?
I'm told you're not like that anymore/But I don't have deeds, only words/ Who's your real master?
Treachery was called the greatest sin/It'll be cold where you're going/Who really loves you?
It's a long way down
But the fall may've softened
If I'd met you
As a grown-up like you.
Don't smile at me
At anyone
You got what you gave.
Only the desperate
Sing your praises now
Those who want
not to believe.
I wanted
everything you said you believed.
It's a big world.
There'll be someone
who practices
what you only ever preached.
Who deserves
everything people once said
About you