Contest 13-line Poetry Contest [winner announced]

Wings aflutter
A quiet stutter
An exhale of breath
The stinging sharp tang of death

A candle’s flicker
Moths’ wings quicker
than the blink of an eye
and the death bell‘s cry

Hush hush don’t speak aloud
Blow out the flame
Don’t be to blame
if you close your eyes
to the doomed one’s cries

 

What can I see that two eyes cannot?
I can see colors the rainbow forgot,
Colors that whisper, mumble or yell,
With names that are secret, names I can't tell,
As many names as Eskimo snow--
Hues, tints and shades between and below
The colors that show.

Where can I fly with impractical wings,
Wings that can't take me to places or things,
To landscape or seascape, to city or farm,
To scenes that are frozen or worlds that are warm?
These wings of my mind go beyond earthly skies,
Flapping to Hades or Paradise.

 

Centuries spent sat out to light the way for those who need,
and nothing but wafting smoke for those deemed unworthy,
long days left alone to nothing but droning sound
longer nights made bright
only to those few chose to see the curvy
path overgrown and forged by foliage;
dangerous and beautiful
Made safe only by my warm candle light

Enternities gone by without a single soul
silend days, cold nights, all blurred into one,
the constant, stangnant sight of-
oh!
My flame burns, the night turned warm once more.

 

"Jack be nimble, Jack be quick"
Is what the poet said
But jumping over that candle stick
Is how I lost my head

Now I sit and watch the daily crowd
Upon this makeshift throne
Being immobile and much too proud
Is more horrible than I have ever known

So while my mobility was taken
The split in my forehead grew an eye
I can clearly see the future fates
Of who will live and who will die
And it leaves my brain quite shaken

 

Angel's feathers whisper deep in the night,
Only a child's innocence can see its blinding light.
Fear feeds its empty soul full all winter time.
Tears of pain run down the middle of its many eyes,
While Life shrieks at its presence, for it is not a familiar sight.
Beautiful, cold, static, and lifeless,
A statue made of love through art.
A song silent to those who cannot see the blinding light,
Only those who are innocent can hear its whispers deep at night.
Death feeds its famished soul all winter long.
Cries of anger barely escaping from its tighten mouth
While life shrieks in pain at its presence,
For it is not friend nor foe.

 

When my eyes beheld that woman, I knew she was divine.
At once I knew I had to make that angel become mine!
But when I spoke to her, she gave a cruel smile;
How could such an angel, speak with so much bile?

So her lips I glued shut, that she may never speak;
Her tears with makeup ran, they looked so much like ink.
The struggle scarred her skin, her body now looked bleak,
But with a simple blade, that can be fixed I think!

"You need not be scared, smile for me please!
For you are still an angel, but an angel just for me."
When her head I severed, her third eye opened wide.
She cried so much smoke; twas a fire in her mind.

But I cannot see her burning, for my love is far too bright!

 

Like the corners of my soul
Darkness eclipsed the room
Cavernous, empty, concealed
It could have become my tomb

In the shade of my chamber
The third eye detected all
It is watching as I rise up
It saw my bitter fall

Wings beat, dusting my domain
Something glistens below
What is it, you inquire?
Optimistic beam of hope

The best is yet to come

 

Come to my forest, child
Come to where I'm waiting, waiting
Come to my forest, child
And I will take you home

Light the candle, child
You can stop roaming, roaming
Light the candle, child
And you can rest your bones

Sleep deeply, child
Never ever waking, waking
Sleep most deeply
My dear child
And feed my hungry soul

 

Tell me what ails you my dear!
Better yet, tell The Virgin who lives in the woods.
Those who have seen her say she has a third eye—
Good for seeing into your troubled soul.
With wings upon her brow,
She flutters and flies into realms beyond our own.
Visit her in the evening when the world is dim!
She will light a candle just for you.
She will hold it as she navigates through the brambles of your troubled mind.
And maybe, just maybe,
She will ignite a fire in your thoughts,
Clearing away the diseased trees which plague you,
Making room for new growth.

 

the music played

the candles burned

(the eyes should be avoided.)

​

the memories; I struggle to recall:

escape,​

disjointed.

A light

a face

a trembling note
​

(of Israfeli's lyre?)

the white coat asked

sotto voce

"Do you recall the fire?"

 

i want you to tie me up in bondage baby.

i want you to pull my hair to tear it out
and mount my head upon your stick.
illuminate my virgin dark
make me beg to take your spark.

i want you to drip hot wax upon my ash
and reveal to me some godly truths.
with your fingers-tips open my third eye
make me an oracle as they pry.

tongue my lips to taste them black with bruises,
make my heart race, but let me come in last.

though our love factory is burning clouds of smoke,
the silver lining for me is all in the coke.​

 

Smoke speaks senselessly without a blaze
Maddened by dulled and dusty desires

Blinded by the burden of sight handed away
To he who hardly loved but flesh

Now alone save a sadistic psyche
Medusa's mind makes appalling motions

Which cold cuts your cortex the least
Solitude or silence?

Under the moonlight, a choice is made
sparked by the fury of resentment and regret

hear her wailing as the wick devours all that melts
until lastly even melancholia is lulled to sleep

Smoke chose silence; blind sorrow rendered voiceless

 

My thoughts are churning

My spirit yearning

I strive to see what’s ahead


What life I’ll live

In this sudden chill

Once your warmth has melted away


The passion you had

And the tears you shed

It was all too much to bear


I wished you were dead

But now I dread

Your burden will always remain

Though I’m finally flying again

 

Two eyes that weep
A third a seeks
What cannot be seen by day

By candlelight
We will take flight
For only I can lead the way

The cold of snow in winter
Will never make me wither

For it only make make me brighter
When I lift you even higher

You can't hide in my sight
By the pale moonlight
Come with me and we'll fly together

 

What the hell is that
I don't even know
Some kind of eye
Must mean something deep
Monotone art piece
I think its weird
Something something something
Too much hunger inside
Chips and salsa sounds good
Already bought a chicken
My sadness is real
And thirst also
Bacon

 

Lost amid the centuries,
pale eye flickering in the dark;
who remembers those who have gone before?

Who survives that may see those who remain?

Silent sentinels,
you precious few that weep in the dying light,
what may we who seek your wisdom
hope to find amid your treasured memories?

The flight of dreams, or wisps of failures?

Surely, there is little that remains unknown to you,
and yet,
with a single glance within that pale, flickering eye,
all may be remembered and lost to the ages.

 

What an amazing sculpt! It makes me thing of escape, ghosts and invisible things that can be seen when shifting perspective.

I look at you and I want to fly
Away from your face
I'd rather die,
Than sit next to you
Why oh why
Are you still here
Grandma?

I remember when your cane
'suddenly slipped'
And I fell down the stairs
You spiteful old bag,
you murderous dead hag
And now in spirit you're still here!​

 

The Valkyrie calls,
The Valkyrie calls.
Upon the battlefield the final head falls.

Though you lie on the ground the battle is won,
Fear not brave warrior your work here is done.

And lament not for those you leave far behind,
For their battle continues; they've not earned the right.

So let not your head cast down in shame,
Nor your knees touch the ground as they take you away.
The light of your bravery brightly will shine,
Guiding those souls home when comes their time.

For there is no greater honor O'maiden of shields,
Than the honor of death upon the battlefield.

 

Silent shines the goddess eye
Which once saw hope for men
Last idol from an Age gone by
Lost faith in mortals then

Primeval days bore souls of Gold
Unmarred by sins and scars
But evil spread as hearts grew cold
And drove her to the stars

Before the altar Iron-grey
Dull ash where once was light
With hope as frail as smoke we prey
That Justice end our plight

And lament Astraea’s flight

 

Awaken, Ajna!,
For your silence resonates louder than any drum.
Tear free the dam, allow your thick waxy tears to flow just once,
Like the river to the sea.

Ridged face of dappled grey stone,
Your soft flesh has already hardened,
A statue where you stand.

Spread your wings wide, Oh Fallen One.
Take flight and soar sky-high.
Do not fear the supernova:
For every star who once lived, must die.

Break away to face oblivion.
Millions of pieces scattered to garnish the land,
Where back to the Earth you must return, a brand new woman or man.

 

Pain

The cold

To be blind

Open to the world


I see your deepest pain

I feel the coldness within you

I am the blindness that you hide

No longer open to the world, but closed


The pain is crushing like the weight that binds

The cold spreads like wings from your mind to mine

Blind, you hide behind your third eye to wait for clarity

Now open to the world, moments before, a breath taken in fear


Wake from this nightmare and open your eyes, no pain, no fear, breathe

 

There was a man
Who wanted to enter
A contest that showed off his rhymes
Unfortunately
As the man could see
He was running short on time
So he took off his head
And to it he said
"We need to write these lines"
While his body was at work
His third eye was a perk
His heat sat in concentration
I guess you could say all he needed to do was use his head and a little cooperation

 

Luck

Chance Karma

Blessing Breaking Lighting

Fortune Smiles and Brings Triumph

Winning Gaining Fulfilling

Success Pride

Victory

Enthrall Entrance

Influencing Dominating Killing

The Wheel Turns and Power Shifts

Deteriorating Decaying Failing

Consequence Destiny

Fate ​

 

I was born from the earth, crowned in vines and flowers
I was goddess, virgin, lost child
I was mother and judge
I showed them how to till the soil, plant the seed
I stood before them in judgement, separating wheat from chaff
I gave them my torch to light their way when they wandered alone
And roots to ground them
I was honoured with offerings of seeds
And flesh in earthen pots
I saw all with my third eye
I saw their births, their unions, their deaths
I see them still
Though they no longer see me

 

"Goddess of Virgins,"
and yet "Mother to All,"
you abandoned your title,
to fulfill Passion's call.

But his Eye did wander,
and though you stood tall,
without love's breezes,
your wings let you fall.

An extinguished soul,
under a mourning shawl,
your soul turned to ash...,
"I thought he loved me."
He threw you out like a doll.​

 

Open your eyes
Banish the shadows
A spark of magic
A breath of light

You come

Trading tears for the flame
Casting aside the waters
Rising instead from ash
On wings to carry you heavenward

All seeing
The breath of a spell
Banish the darkness
And open your eyes​

 

This one true eye:
Entry beyond consciousness
Into the constellation of falling stars
That whisper of what lies within

This one true eye:
Key to the limits of perception
That frees the soul to feast on the wisdom
Of my own intuition

This one true eye:
Lifts the veil like a lover's hand
Revealing the indigo blue clarity
Of the spirit guide's prophecy
Transcendence is mine

 

A light to hold
When all grows cold
And the world is dark.

This light you've spied
Will be your guide
Behold my burning spark.

Grasp me tight
And all will be right
I'll protect you through and through.

To chase away
And keep the dark at bay
The only hope you ever knew.

Because after all, what else would a good friend do?

 

Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
Here comes a chopper to chop off your head,

Here the Pale Rider to make your skin white,
And here the Sibyl to give you new sight,

Better than two, one eye will see,
The wings of your mind will fly feverishly,

But corporeal limbs are severed for this,
No hands shall you take, no lips shall you kiss,

Seized from the earth up into the sky,
You wanted the fire but now you will cry:

"Is this what I sought to be?
What, my hunger, have you made of me?

I only wanted to be free!"​

I'm just competing for fun! I'm not competing for the prize (as interesting as it is!), but I couldn't resist continuing after I thought of the first two lines (which are from "Oranges and Lemons," a traditional English nursery rhyme).

 

As night dawns upon thee,
my eyes see everything.
Your soft touch among the brush,
coming closer to me.
My ears start to ring
and my feet start to rush.

But the cold night beckons me,
as I try to fly away
with these fragile wings.
But my eyes cease to see,
as I am led astray.
As a frail voice sings,
I melt into the darkness.

 

Save me, you begged with body unmarked
Fearing the decline of age and the lurk of disease
The price of living too great for you
So I gave you these things:

Wings to give your spirit flight
But no hands to reach out or be held.
No soft flesh to sag or bones to break
But no way to free words behind stony lips.

A pedestal to keep you safe
And unable to reach those the flame lets you see.
Fire paints sooty art round eyes you cannot close
But ashen tears slide down your cheeks.

O Virgo, unspoiled one, was this not what you wanted?

 

Will-o'-the-wisp

Little one lost in the woods,
I watch your wandering ways.
Bloodied feet and dimming eyes.

Come near, come closer.
Hush your cries and brush your tears.

Little one so far from home,
I fly above on feathered bones.
Drifting smoke and floating sparks.

Come near, come closer.
Hush your cries and brush your tears.

Little one sleep deep and long,
I keep and hide my treasured one.
Stilling feet and sealing eyes.

 

The mist that settles on my overcoat,
like diamonds glistening in the distant streetlamp,
snuffed the guttering candle
that danced shadows in the deep relief carving
of your name.
Just letters. Like so many others before them, next to them,
Like so many that will come after
But these...these are yours
And while they brand you, they are inadequate to capture you,
And without the flame, even those letters are lost.
There is nothing here for me.
I take the memories and leave the rock and the rain
And the other gravestones will stand silent sentinels.

 

I stand alone with the past in my eye
My thoughts are a wind
- blow to set the fire
get birth to the new light and new life

Beauty of the present hurts so much
that I barely stay still
I am not for the move
I just watch everything

The future is coming with every breath
turns the world once the dark once the bright
my spell never fails
silence covered with quicksilver

Just light the candle and come with me

 

what is providence but a myth and a noose around the neck
but for you, my dearest, beloved, I will craft the most beautiful lie

I'll walk the path before you
and when you lay to rest for final time
I'll be the light that guides your steps in this never-ending hell

for you I'll change my shape, defile my body
discarding every unnecessary part
My broken arms, my feet that have ceased moving forward
all to achieve the Perfect form to lead you
a candlelight in this world saturated in regret and uncertainty

So close but never enough to feel your warmth
despite everything we'll carry on this beaten path because for me there is only you
my lace winged moth chained to the glow of false hope