A Dead Poems Society Production, Round 4, Contest and Community Building

in #contest6 years ago

A Dead Poems Society Production

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Image attribution

After a week a steemit post is a dead man bobbing in the blockchain. Could be the finest blog ever written but there is no rewarding it. And it is not even a week; it is six and half days. I learnt recently that in the last 12 hours before pay out, a post cannot receive a monetary upvote.

Another bloggers here has come up with a bit of a remedy to this situation. @whatamidoing hosts the the deadpost initiative. So keep you eyes peeled for that one too.

Along this vein, I would like to host a more specific contest. I am inviting all steemian poets to drop the link to an old poem below and the . I could never choose a winner and so I won't; you will, but I will read them and upvote as many comments as I can.
Here are the rules.

  • Upvote and re-esteem this post. The higher the turnout, the bigger the payout for the winners and the more people who will see and maybe upvote your comment.
  • The post must be at least a week old, but the older the better.
  • Depending on turnout, vote for 1-3 other entries in the comment section. Do NOT upvote the original post. That is a wasted vote. Upvote the comment here.
  • I will choose from among the poems that received the most votes and best quality comments and gave the best comments and did their diligent best to upvote 1-3 other entries.
  • Poems only, all forms of poetry welcomed.
  • Don't vote for yourself
  • The number of winners will be linked to the size of the payout. The bigger the payout, the more poems I can and will reward. This initiative is about strengthening the poetry community on steemit. But there will be at least a first place poem that receives the largest share of the payout, and then perhaps a second place, the second biggest payout and a so on.
  • Winner/winners and maybe participants, depending on the size of the payout, will receive the SBD from this post.

Last week post brought in 3.538 SBD. We were really fortunate to get curated by @msp-curation thanks to @sunravelme and so I can offer a larger payout to each of you than before. If you get a chance, please thank them for their kindness and aid in growing our poetic community. We had a three way tie for first place but everyone was amazing and got involved in participating and supporting each other. This was a great round and I am happy to reward everyone who participated.

These people will be receive the following SBD amounts:

@momzillanc 0.65
@liverussian 0.65
@kilbride 0.65
@marlyncabrera 0.53
@satorid 0.53
@acousticsteveo 0.53

I'll be heading over to my wallet to transfer the amounts right after I post this weeks round. Be sure to join in again.

So a scroll through your old poems and decide which poems you want to resurrect and then drop the link below. Be sure to upvote and reesteem. This post is about enriching the community. Here participation counts too:) Let's grow this thing. Good luck to you all.

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Hello everyone! I hope it's not too late. I brought them a dead poem, I got lost the week before, on Sundays it's harder for me to be here. I hope you enjoy it. I'll comment again later. A hug!

https://steemit.com/poetry/@zeleiracordero/phoenix-fenix-original-poem-100-days-poetry-challenge-day-62

"Attentive to the message of the earth
and the perfume of bittersweet stars
of wakefulness." Nice... I also like the musical theme, There is always some tune playing that pulls out the words from the ether when I write poetry, I feel more connected to the process of yours. =D

Great seeing you here. You already know how much I love your poetry. You never let me down.

I really like the phrase “discovery among other flavors the taste of life.” That is exactly how your poems make me feel.

Thank you for the love you give me, dearest @firststeps. I also love your beautiful self and your poetry.

Thin strings of mysterious lyres
that tunes the wind with long nails

Well, that was gorgeous, zeleira:)

Thanks for your appreciation, Pryde. It is so important to me, your opinion in this learning circle. I hug you with love!

These lines really spoke to me of swelling strains of a majestic orchestra of life:

feel the caress of light
in the cave of the love song
labyrinth of music not made,
amazed by the rhythm of the wings
Thin strings of mysterious lyres
that tunes the wind with long nails.
penetrating through infinite paths
of silence, at the beginning.
Attentive to the message of the earth
and the perfume of bittersweet stars
of wakefulness.
Uniting everything
with the astonishment
of feeling
inevitable
and primal.

(I commented on your original post too)

You're poem has left me thinking about the recurrence of the—apparently—ephemeral (the myth of eternal return). It's a paradox; you need to finish so you can start over, you need to die so you can be born again—and out of the same matter of all. New orders have been established once and over again since the beginning of history—and before. It's a mirroring reality. It’s a metaphor. Metaphysical and fascinating, @zeleiracordero. Loved it. ♥

Thank you very much, my dear friend!

Que hermoso... Transmite la esperanza de un renacer, de resurgir, de levantarse... Y solo cuando caemos, sentimos la fuerza que nos empuja a seguir adelante.

Tocando fondo
con el misterioso sentimiento
de la naturaleza,
de todo lo sensible.
Uniendo todo
con el asombro
de sentir
lo inevitable,
lo primigenio.
La cúspide,
el fénix.

Mis respetos @zeleiracordero y lluvia de bendiciones para ti¡

¡Awww... Gracias, poeta!

I have a deep respect for poetry, I consider it a genre that requires such sensibility to rhythm, to the images that come to live in every stanza... I find it very hard to write, though (I'm more inclined to try prose) but, since I joined Steemit, I've found myself giving it a shot as a way of practicing my English, a way to share some part of me with this community... I'm not sure if I succeeded but I really appreciate this deadpost initiative! So, here it is: https://steemit.com/poetry/@devinalivaudais/not-a-bedtime-story-i

I really liked how you used the imagery of tiny birds to represent the feeling of being abused, small and helpless. The bird will never fly again and neither will the child and his mother. Your english is pretty good.
You should #steemitschool discord server. They have a poetry class.

Thank you for your kind words, @firststeps, especially when it comes to my use of the language. I read the "poem" once more and realized that I missed a verb that should have been written in past tense jajajaja I'll be looking forward to joining the discord server you mentioned, sounds interesting!

A very powerful poetic narrative, Devina. The symbolism is very strong:)

Thank you very much, @prydefoltz n.n I hope you enjoyed it.

Powerful language and symbolism, @devinalivaudais.

Something dark crawls between the lines. Daddy's been evil. As I read your poem and found those little birds, I thought about defenseless children and wives being abused. The poem really got me to feel.

Your use of apostrophe in the second stanza plus the archaic pronoun to speak directly to the Fairy Queen is genius, for it takes the reader both to the ongoing event and to old times--at once! I loved that transition.

Finally,

I step into a mushroom ring
and wait for the lights to bring me back to thee
you asked for a price
in order to grant my wish
and I said I would give away -what was left of me-

This is something left out in children's bedtime stories, the price. Terrible! (Powerful words).

P.S. I might be a little sleepy, but I could not figure out whose hands are "their hands" in the second to last line. If you please, tell me. Thanks ☺

Hi, dear @marlyncabrera, as usual, your skills as a sharp reader fascinates me. I'm glad that you liked this experiment of mine (I have to insist that I'm not fond of writing poetry but I try it anyway). And as for your question, "their hands" relate to the bad daddies, it was supposed to be a metaphor but I had two misspelling errors in the poem (which I realized just now) one of them was that I wrote "daddys" instead of "daddies", I get that's why you end up confused in that line.

Note to self: I have to be more careful with my writing from now on.

Thank you for reading! <3

Well, that makes sense. Thanks ☻ I think it's cool you've brought horror into poetry. Makes me want to try it out.

One of My Favorite Things on Seemit: The Dead Poems Society!
For this week: I am more Me, within the context of US

"and this is the way things have always been
this is the way things are suppose to be
I am more Me, within the context of US"

https://steemit.com/poetry/@satorid/i-am-more-me-within-the-context-of-us

Terrific poem. And the closing lines are brilliant. (I commented on the original post too)

thanks! yea that deep eternal feeling, doesn't have to be with romantic love either, its this dejavu feeling, like have I done this before, maybe it's just your "suppose to be" doing that, or have always been doing this, the felt experience of everything =D

IKWYM about that feeling of deja vu. And, yes, that sense of having done it before is very much a sense of supposed to be doing that. It’s like finding home when you didn’t even realize you’d lost it.

That homecoming is just the very best feeling of all, isn't it!

Absolutely

Extraordinary poem I feel that it is about the annulment of the "I", on the part of "oneself". Strange, but that's how it feels. Greetings @satorid, I love the challenge of your writing.

thanks! i'm glad you get 'IT' =D

It was an interesting reading for me, @satorid. I went from reading about a girl, then drugs, then meditation, Satori, then maturation (settling down?). It was like riding a roller coaster; great effect if you ask me ☻

awesome, i was in a roller coaster when i wrote this, so am glad you felt that

I am not usually a fan of love poems but this was beautiful and deep.

I am deleting all Old World programming
I am getting in tune with my true self
and I have a eternal dance partner

Oh, I do remember this write:) It is a good stage when we get to this one:)

yea it was one of the first one you comment on, i believe

Thanks for the invite, @prydefoltz (and for my share ☻). This time I've brought a sonnet for your #deadpoems project:

"Sweet Basil"

I'll be back for commenting on the other poems ASAP ☻

I love basil. I also love the imagery of motherhood in this poem. Sweet!

Thank you, @firststeps ♥; that's what motherhood be like: sweet; but children grow up.

The ere bright buds are now shadowy pits
and doze in muddy beds a quite brief sleep,
before they come to be the slender ladies
which are to mourn her own silvery babies

I feel so privileged to have read that, Marlyn:) Fabulous work:)

That's my favorite stanza to read aloud ☻ Thanks, @prydefoltz

This is an organic poem full of life, multiplying generations and, consequently, motherhood. So pleasant and full of suggestions of the constant movement of light, color, shapes and life. Excellent work, dear @marlyncabrera.

Thank you, @zeleira ♥ As always, you're deep (not only when writing but also when reading).

An homage to basil… Well, I love basil and your poem! (I commented on your original post too)

Thank you, @momzillanc ♥ I'm gonna check immediately ☻

The ere bright buds are now shadowy pits
and doze in muddy beds a quite brief sleep...

The tone in those two lines reminded me of a lullaby. The lyric subject, as @firststeps has said, points to the "imagery of motherhood" and seems to sing its evolving circle in a lullaby to the Bassil's sprouts "before they come to be the slender ladies/ which are to mourn her own silvery babies". Really beautiful indeed, gives you a mother-daugther bonding feeling. <3

A humorous #SpokenWord piece on understanding women – or NOT. “Listen Up” https://steemit.com/humor/@momzillanc/listen-up

With his charming poem, he plays a key very alert of us humans and, in addition, of us women: curiosity, gossip, wanting to discover the scoop. But, you play with our feelings, you told us something without meaning: =) and, nevertheless, we enjoy your good humor. You made me smile, @momzillanc ... Good job!

Thank you.

I loved listening to your poem, @momzillanc. Some of its meaning lies on your using this casual register plus slang, which is also difficult to follow sometimes. Some language may be alien to some audiences just as women may be undecipherable not only for men but to other women. Genius; excellent post ♥

Thanks so much.

I remember that one:) A lot of fun to read and listen to:) Love the sass in your voice, girl:)

“Sass…” LOL – Thanks, Pryde.

"Not jokin’ when I say this… seriously, brother!
We ladies really don’t understand each other!"
awesome spoken word, really enjoy your reciting of this,
nice shot of joy to get me thru the day!

Thank you! I’m sincerely honored to have spread a little joy in your day.

So am not sure if your aware but on June 6th am having this event 24hr Imaginarium its like a creative Holiday, but I been working on stuff leading up to the 6th, and I been in a video/audio editing zone. I was thinking of maybe having something like The Dead Spoken Word Society. At any rate your "Listen Up" sparked a lil connect and played around with it. Here's What came out of that: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17A54avx2rDVjItp_JksMp17Yjr5LZriI/view?usp=sharing

Curious if want to play a lil more, maybe send me your favorite spoken word or maybe write something new for the 6th. No pressure, totally what you want/can do. I just like to connect, collaborate and create. =D

P.S. @prydefoltz or anyone else want to do some spoken word stuff or have some old spoken word stuff, and want to join in on the fun, let me know! [email protected]

I adore the video images. It’s a terrific, yet understated feminine empowerment visual. I don’t think the video is in keeping with the facetious spirit of my spoken word piece. However, Pryde has written several feminine empowerment poems that I think would make great spoken word pieces and to which your video would be better suited.

I think your “Dead Spoken Word Society” podcast idea has real merit. I have a few pieces on my SoundCloud account that I might be interested in seeing what you could do with imagery on them, like “Ra’qedyet.” I have another humorous one about road etiquette, entitled, “Mo, Ron, and Morhonda.”

As to the 24hr Imaginarium, the date is rather too close for me plan around, especially as I’m still recuperating after a recent medical crisis.

yea I feel you on"understated feminine empowerment visual", I can still play around with the visuals to better suit this one, but I wanted to show you instead of say this and that, I found it better in a creative collaborative back and forth. sweet "Ra'qedyet" and "Mo, Ron, and Morhonda" I'll play around with those and see what happens.

No worries, this whole 24hr Imaginarium is kind of on the fly, it started over on minds.com, I thought I would bring it over to steem, kind of worlds collide. But its the first step, I will evolve this idea.

But my poetic friend rest up and wish you the best, because The Imaginarium is Infinite and there is a lot of poetic mischief to be had.

Let me know if you come up with something you feel fits the piece better. I’d be very interested to see it.

And, thanks.

I love this generous deadpost initiative. Very cool.

Here is mine: https://steemit.com/poetry/@sue-stevenson/handiwork

cool stuff, keep those fingers typing away at those "F1, Control, Alt, Delete"

Thank you :) Actually, the typing is exactly what I don't want to be doing (transcribing). My fingers itch for more creative pursuits :)

So happy to see and new face join in:)

Can't sell that remedy
in a pharmacy:
Apply forever once a day
twice for withered souls

I have to admit to loving the sound that keys make when you type upon them:) Just love it:)

It's kinda like rain, isn't it :)

The creative drive unanswered is an itch that can only be treated by letting the creative impulse lead. Well penned. (I commented this on your original post too)

It is the most awesome dance partner, isn't it, when you allow yourself to be led! Bliss, bliss, bliss :)

And thank you.

As I read your beautiful poem, I thought about that time in our lives when we retire; that itch, that uneasiness is definitely akin to creative minds and bodies which still have some work to offer (maybe then more than ever). Thanks for the opportunity to read you, @sue-stevenson

Then they smoothed
over clay
cut collages
with scissors
dipped brushes
into paint
scratched pens
onto poems
&
then they
stopped itching

There is no better medicine than the one that rejoices the psyche (?). Thanks for sharing this poem @sue-stevenson

What a great idea. Thank you @prydefoltz for this oppurtunity.

I wrote this almost at the start of my journey here. It combines my love of earth and hatred of trafficking. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Earth Trafficking

wow vivid and powerful, like a poetic shot to the gut...

Powerful writing about the damage that humans do to Mother Earth, also extrapolated to any mother, in some turns and, perhaps, even to the "voice". Excellent work, @firststeps.

Wow. A powerful conviction of humanity’s usurious stewardship of our only earth. (I commented with the preceding on your original post)

I’d vote twice for it, if I could!

Read it twice. Loved it. Every word is strong, the first and final line of each stanza gives you a deep, cyclic feeling. It also made me remember Aronofsky's movie Mother.

So would I've found your work on Steemit, @firststeps

Powerful lines.

Old and New World slavery, white slave trade, women trafficking, prostitution, clandestine pornography... You got me to imagine terrible scenes from news, tales and movies. Vexation is the word that defines the mood in your piece.

Any writer can learn from this piece the importance of objective correlative to convey message and effect--and affect.

Excelente iniciativa, que permite valorar la obra de otros autores y al mismo tiempo, dar a conocer la propia... Me atrevo a participar¡
https://steemit.com/spanish/@oscarina/soneto-de-un-caminante

Hola, @oscarina. Me sorprende ver una entrada en español. Supuse que la participación acá era solo era en inglés.

Tu soneto me produce ternura por dos motivos. Uno ligado al análisis y otro por cuestiones personales.

Primero, por el tema que trata, rescata la tradición castellana del soneto amoroso (italiana en sus orígenes); me produce una sensación de calidez, puesto que suelo trabajar el "soneto inglés" (que, como sabrás, es una estrucutra diferente y trata los temas desde una reflexión menos sentimental y más bien filosófica). Tu poema es hermoso y musical, una virtud tomando en cuenta que es arte mayor.

El segundo motivo es personal, como te dije. No suelen gustarme los poemas de amor (aunque habré escrito algunos, muchos nada buenos); uno se encuentra con muchas cosas que desearía no haber leído jamás, pero tu poema es dulce, es nostálgico y tiene fuerza; por eso, te aplaudo y te doy mi voto que aunque es pequeñito, va con admiración.

Saludos

P.S. No sé si notaste que el antepenúltimo verso es dodecasílabo. Solo una observación que no pude evitar dejar por aquí☺

Gracias @marlyncabrera, en realidad, fue una osadía de mi parte postear mi soneto,( y en español ) ya que mis conocimientos sobre el tema son básicos, solo le di forma a palabras que fluyeron inspiradas en una fotografía... Viniendo de ti esta apreciación:

tu poema es dulce, es nostálgico y tiene fuerza...

Me anima a seguir intentando, a seguir escribiendo y a continuar aprendiendo, para algún día, acercarme un poco a la calidad que he visto acá. De nuevo gracias, valoro mucho tu aporte. Saludos¡

Saludos y sigue escribiendo sonetos. El mundo los necesita ☻

El soneto es una composición poética exigente y, sin embargo, lograste acoplarlo a ese sentimiento de espera y búsqueda al mismo tiempo. Esa caminata por la vida buscando lo que falta, el complemento, un amor perdido... ¿una madre, una hija, una pareja? No lo tengo claro, porque siento que el hablante lírico es masculino.

Dulce y amada mía, yo te encontraré,
porque tu recuerdo, a ti me conduce;
y jamás dejaré yo de adorarte...

Buen trabajo @oscarina.

Gracias @zeleiracordero por tomarte el tiempo de leer y comentar, de verdad valoro tu opinión... En efecto, el "hablante lírico" como dices es masculino, y en cuanto al amor perdido, puede ser cualquiera de las opciones que mencionas, lo dejo a la interpretación del lector. Saludos¡

En los últimos versos la musicalidad me hizo sentir como si estuviera "escuchando un bolero" <3

Que buena observacion @devinalivaudais, es cierto. Tu comentario me hizo releer y caer en cuenta en lo que dices... Crecí escuchando boleros, gracias a mi padre; puede que en mi subconsciente quedará grabada esa musicalidad y cadencia. Gracias por leerme y por comentar¡

Que buena observacion @devinalivaudais, es cierto. Tu comentario me hizo releer y caer en cuenta en lo que dices... Crecí escuchando boleros, gracias a mi padre; puede que en mi subconsciente quedará grabada esa musicalidad y cadencia. Gracias por leerme y por comentar¡

Thanks for the entry, Paramind. Be sure to upvote and re-esteem the post as well as upvoting some of the other entries:)

Hi, @parapimd.

First of all, I liked the straightforward tone of your poem. From thevery first line, intentions are clear.

I could not find the credits to the picture on this post. Is it yours?

(I've just noticed you sign "@paramind," but your username is @paramimd. I guess, I'll just say, nice poem and nice to meet you @paramimd ☻)

I'll be back to upvote when it bumps up.

Yeah the picture is original. Thats my very good friend. She took the picture with my phone while we were in class. @marlyncabrera

Well, she's cute. It's a nice picture. I think you should say somewhere on your post the picture is yours, so you won't any problems regarding copyright (even though you specify the post is yours). I'm not sure, but still.