User Poetry

[griffonwing]

Here's the poem story I wrote ages ago. Some of the rhymes seems a bit kooky right now, so I probably have to go through and rewrite it. But here it is anyway.

------------ THE SATYR & THE MAIDEN ---------

In eventide, when sun's orange tint doth makes the heavens glow,
And casting on the waters of the sea
A brazen yellow rich enough to make a blind man know
What heaven has in store for him to see;

When twilight peeks above the peaks of eastern summit high,
And good old men retire with mate to bed,
Not all drift off in slumber, to the dreams of their good-nigh,
Not all, indeed, not all as I have said.

In garden of the Rose Hill, lost in thought about her beau,
The virgin mistress dreams of joyful days
When she and her beloved, on the ships of Maldeen Loue,
Left port one year ago, the ides of May.

It was then, upon this ship, whilst sailing on the sea,
They pledged their lives to be made whole and one;
But fate is cruel as daggers black upon the backs of thee,
Dark hilts whose steel can swallow out the sun.

They sailed across the Pools of Meurk, a black foreboding slough.
The ship a-sail through fog and murky brine.
The rumors of some evil magic flowed from men's borough,
As inky swells disclosed an ominous sign.

Thunderclaps and lightning flashed, bringing on the squall,
The young man came up deck and grabbed the rails.
The safety of his love, his only mission, only call
As the wind came ripping through the sails.

Her suitor fell into the murky depths, or so it seemed,
that night along the portside of the hull.
Now among the blooms of dahlias, rich in midnight beams,
The maiden sings a song to rend the soul.

She sings of days of glory fill, the times they spent together.
She sings of love so strong no spell can tear.
The embrace of her lover, lying down upon the heather.
Her mind's eye holds the image of her dear.

Now lurking in the garden, hidden deep among the copse
Of foliage that screens a shallow lair,
A satyr, keenly tracking out a rabbit as it hops,
Erects himself as perfume fills the air.

The satyr, with his pan pipe resting softly on his lip,
Begins to play a melancholy strain.
So true and sad, his aim to catch the young girl in his grip.
He knows she's here, somewhere, in grief and pain.

He plays his notes of hopeful heart, a haunting lowly chorus
Sure that she will follow to his calls;
She hears upon the wind a whispering core of deep remorse.
She follows to a rock, the tune then falls.

She sits upon the boulder, looking out into the night,
Reflecting notions of music in the breeze,
When all at once she feels a grasp around her, thick and tight.
Unconsciously, she falls down to her knees.

She's taken to a rocky cliff, the face of which is endowed
With bones of unnamed things on which he's preyed.
Into the cavern depths, they fade, the chamber she's bestowed,
And then upon the ground, the maiden's laid.

She wakes to find herself alone, forlorn in cavern grand.
Unbounding, brooding silence sets the mood;
But there behold, in corner dim, upon a table stand,
There lies a table cloth, red wine, and food.

She eats her fill, her hunger slaked, and sitting down to rest,
She stares into the darkness, all enthralling;
And stepping through the black, the satyr, gazing at his guest,
Says "Do not fear, though you see me appalling."

The voice of this atrocity, the power of his plea,
In shadow, perceives this to be her love.
"But darling, you were drowned a year ago, into the sea.
What manner are you, by the gods above?"

"There were two witches in the mire, sisters of evil ways.
They pulled me from the embrace of the storm.
That fateful night", the satyr said, "has haunted all my days,
Eternally I'll walk in goat-man form"

"I refused to give my liege to the Disciples of The Curse.
They held me captive, tortured by their hands.
I broke their snares and bonds, and then was damned among the worse;
I barely nigh escaped to other lands.

"This wretched life I can endure no longer, so much pain.
I ask you, one small favor to perform."
"What is it dear", she said, "It's done. The deed is your to name."
"I beg you take my life, as should the storm."

"My love," she said, "I cannot, will not lose the one I lost.
For I've now found you, saved you from your plight."
"O foolish child, you'll never know what burdens great you've caused."
And sadly turned and fled into the night.

The aching heart, the dying soul, the passing of the storm,
The urgent need to heed the forest's call,
The satyr, in the distance, turned a last glance at her form,
Then headed once again toward wildwood's wall.

The ghostly whispers of the wind come blowing through the cave,
A bitter air, the evening chill becomes.
The sullen heart has broken, spilling out the hidden grave,
As morning sun in hiding, never comes.

The muted silence rang as loud as thunder on the moor.
At last, contented peace the maid has found.
Her body lays upon the dusty earthen cavern floor,
But, oh, her soul, in spirit realm, abounds.

[GeoffC]

a wonderful read - thanks for sharing ....

i found a little bit of the illiad in the story - at least that's my un-tutored take on parts of it ....

[GeoffC]

Isochronous motion
Worlds’ clocks go round and round
trusting always to emotion.

Cosmic streams alive
Starlight music performs
And planetary bodies do jive.

Time Travellers with vocation
No time now to really spare
As Gallifrean Lords provide eternal devotion.

All alive, five by five
Multiverse lores made to form
Space bees fly, one giant hive.

Isochronous motion
Worlds’ clocks do fool around
trusting always to the laws of motion.

[GeoffC]

The Three

the oak, the ash and the hawthorn too,
earth’s own trinity by druid true;
each bound one by one unto the ground
each one bends but trusts the wind, whilst very earthen-bound.
each one seeks the link ‘tween earth and sky.

the oak, the white, she seeks the heights and nods
her majestic crowns to lightning gods;
with roots she delves beneath to depths unseen
whilst yearning to lift her boughs of fertile green
up high to seek the link between
the lands of shamanic worlds with balance
and revere the dance
of merry maidens under light of sweet Selene.

from ash we came for good or ill,
by grace of Zeus or Yggdrasil;
like oak she soars and seeks
the heavens miles above mountains peaks,
and in our names she speaks
of witches brooms and rods divine
which echoes Hellenic rites and sign
of dew 'pon thine maidens’ cheeks.

hawthorne, but one of three,
more a bush, they say, than tree;
but anger not the Faerie, do not fell
the marking here of spring or well.
spirit tales can often tell
like oak and ash, she marks the way
mayhaps be found on lines of ley.
at first of blooms, Beltane she marks, as maidens dance the pole for we.

the oak, the ash, the hawthorn too,
earth’s holy trinity by druid true;
ancient lore inspired by mead
Melial to guide, Dryad to lead,
Faerie tales in balance
and perfect reverence.

[griffonwing]

very nice. I greatly enjoyed the last one, The Three. It has a sense of something you might read in the Mabinogi. Very nice read.

[griffonwing]

A Limerick


A skunk, quite bereft of his scents,
Dispensed to make use of his sense.
With a handful of cents
He bought some insense,
And since came his incense to cense.


I had noticed long ago that the sound "since" had multiple spellings. Since, Cents, Sense, Since, Cense. Add in multi-syllabic ending with the 'sense" sound and you can create a cacophony of rhymes. It took a bit of wordplay, but I managed something mediocre. It definatley needs a few changes.

If anyone has any ideas on it, some rewording, feel free to add or rewrite.

Also, a short quiz. There are 2 parts.

1) What 2 words in the English language sound the same, but mean the opposite. They have different spellings.

2) What 2 words in the English language sound the same, are spelled the same, but mean the opposite.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

very nice. I greatly enjoyed the last one, The Three. It has a sense of something you might read in the Mabinogi. Very nice read.

thanks, i had to go and find a reference on that ....

cheers for your kind comments ...

[GeoffC]

…..stayed at home..

Onward went they for freedom
whilst the leaders stayed at home.
Marched out they in order
with heads held high in pride.
Hoping for gold and glory
whilst the leaders stayed at home.

Quiet stole over countrysides
whilst factories did so too.
The workers heeded same calls
and swapped their tools for war.
Hoping they win victory
whilst leaders stayed at home.

Silence now in victory,
as marched they did back home.
What becomes of honour, Sir?
when foes of yourn lay low.
History often tells,
My Lord,
The Leaders stayed at home.

[GeoffC]

Just one?

one stray unjust word that slipped the leash
from errant tongue
but loose, now free, to batter, to cut and drive
a wedge between.
one word unjustly penned or typed by feeble hands,
in quick riposte:
and idle despatch
with nary a thought, now free
to wing with sharpened barb, or razor slice, or
withering thump.

just one word to hurt.
pity if that were so.
a breath inhaled
a shock
delivered.


now stirred, the maelstrom
feeds,
that one becomes
a storm, no mercy.
torrential barrage
that hammers, and batters, and breaks
defences.
barraged with no care,
the give, the take,
to wound
to bleed
by slings and arrows
aimless maim.

now spent
time
now to pause
and mayhap
relent.

the tide doth break,
wax and wane
more gentle now.
but bruised.
mere words
but powered
nonetheless.
strength of heart
a beat quiesce.

a spark of shame
no one to blame
no one to make the claim
will it stay the same.
does the flesh somehow tame.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

1) What 2 words in the English language sound the same, but mean the opposite. They have different spellings.

I will offer two verbs ...

raise

raze

[griffonwing]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

I will offer two verbs ...

raise

raze

Correct. Now can you find the one word in the English lexicon that has opposite definitions?

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

Correct. Now can you find the one word in the English lexicon that has opposite definitions?

The pair I gave has often raised a chuckle in my mind_but it only came to mind by accident; so I'm still waiting to see what my brain comes up with for the other ..... word you are looking for..

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

Correct. Now can you find the one word in the English lexicon that has opposite definitions?

Dust?

To dust a table is to remove dust, to dust a doughnut with sugar is to add 'dust'. Same word, totally opposite meanings.

I somehow doubt that this is the one you are after, but it kind of works.

[griffonwing]

Right. This word is a verb, in both meanings. This might make it a bit easier.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

Right. This word is a verb, in both meanings. This might make it a bit easier.

thinking logically it has to be a verb ...