2009 Yule Poetry Competition

Iolanthe · Post by **Iolanthe** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 5:44 pm

Well done, Meliel, what a great start! It's a difficult type of poetry and I love that you chose Sam

. So - that's set the bar high for the rest of us!

Don't forget you can submit more than one poem, and others can chose the same hero if they like

.

Lindariel · Post by **Lindariel** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:23 pm

Well, here's mine. This was SOOOOO much more difficult than I initially expected, but a LOT of fun. I hope you like it!

Dauntless, Death-desiring Dernhelm
Fearlessly faced dark Death-Dealer.
“Depart Dark Dwimmerlaik, Carrion King!
Or my sword shall smite thee!”
Ringwraith replied, “No man may mark me;
Unharmed, unhindered, untouchable am I.
With flayed flesh, by demons devoured,
Long languishing shalt thou suffer.”

Lightly laughing, Dernhelm dared him,
“Woman shall wound thee, Death Demon,
Eowyn am I, Eomund’s daughter!
Woe-wielding, Death-defying!”
Winged wight flew fiercely upon her.
Mighty maiden, King’s kindred,
Fair and fearless, slight and slender,
With slashing steel slew craven creature.

Tall and towering the Nazgul knight
Smote her shield, bones breaking.
Cold and cruel, with mighty mace
The Dark Demon desired her death.
Sudden stab from hobbit hero
Magnificent Merry flouted their foe.
Then shivering Shieldmaiden, fainting, falling
Dealt Death to the Death-dealer.

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 2:02 am

Brava, Lindariel! The last line especially is a masterpiece.

Franni · Post by **Franni** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 2:45 am

Steady beat of friendship
Sam's devotion to a promise
made not to be broken,
nor to be shaken by deception.
A heart sturdy
gives all with out question.
Evil follows it's own path
changes form, without substance

Which one leader,
which follower.
an unknown end beckons;
Doom begins to prevail
Friendship holds to promise
in a black world.
His burden carried to fulfillment,
saved by a Hobbit hero's hand

Riv Res · Post by **Riv Res** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 3:51 am

Two fabulous new entries!!!

Choosing a winner on this one is going to be HARD!!

Iolanthe · Post by **Iolanthe** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 4:50 pm

This is fun - well done everyone! Great to see a poem here from you, Franni

.

I feel really behind now - I must get writing over the next week or so.

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 6:30 pm

I haven't even decided who my hero will be yet!

I had a couple of little doubts about asking people to write in this format, but this is AWESOME (as my students say)!

Lindariel · Post by **Lindariel** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 2:41 am

Woo hoo, Franni! Now we have three entries! We're on a roll! Come join us, ladies and gents. I won't kid you -- it is a challenging poetic style, even with the simplifications our mods have graciously allowed -- but it is well worth the effort to try. I may make a second attempt. Currently searching for inspiration.

marbretherese · Post by **marbretherese** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 11:35 am

Here's my first effort. Currently working on a second which may or may not work out. I'm enjoying the restrictions the format imposes on us - in my case, it cuts out a lot of dithering, because stuff either works or it doesn't!!

Swan on shield
And swan-helmed, Tuor
To the strand strayed,
Storm-clouds noting;
Wild the wind and
Waves revealing
Glorious Ulmo,
Lord of Waters!

“Messenger, my
mantle wear ye,
path & purpose
from peril shielded;
warn the wise and
wily Turgon:
dread downfall of
Doomed Gondolin!”

Transfixed, Tuor
Took the lappet,
Cast the cloak
With care about him,
Valiant vowed to
Voyage onward,
Seeking secret
City of Turgon.

Waves lashed wildly,
Washed ashore
Shipwreck survivor
Stunned Voronwë:
Guide to Gondolin,
Gift of Ulmo!
Swift they set to
Sea-god’s bidding.

Lindariel · Post by **Lindariel** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 6:45 pm

Wonderful marbretherese! OK, that's four entries. Who's up next? No one has chosen Aragorn yet. I'm shocked!

Meliel · Post by **Meliel** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 9:17 pm

WOW that was great!!

Awesome entry, marbretherese,

And happy holidays to everyone!

I apologize for the too many smilies.

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 10:45 pm

Never need to apologize for that, Meliel!

There's a major storm coming that may make it impossible for me to get home for Christmas, so I was thinking today, what will I do if I have to spend Christmas alone? I've never done that before. But my first thought was, I can work on my Weird Norse Poem for MeJ! I hope it doesn't come to that, but there are worse ways to spend one's time: e.g., moping about and/or watching reality TV.

marbretherese, masterful poem! His story matches this style well.

Iolanthe · Post by **Iolanthe** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 3:38 pm

Well - that's one way to spend Christmas

! I hope it won't come to that

. We expect you to write one anyway, even if you do make it home

. See, I can do smilies too....

Mabretherese, that was terrific! You've managed to pare it right down and it's a great scene to choose. Tuor and Ulmo has all the drama and magic of the great sagas. Good choice.

Franni, I meant to say in my earlier post that I love:

Franni wrote:Which one leader,
which follower.

How true that is! Frodo and Sam in a nutshell, when they near Mount Doom.

I've somewhat cowed by these four entries, the standard is so high. But I'm going to be dauntless and tackle mine (my first one at least

) over the next few days. There are so many great heroes to chose from that picking mine has been my main problem so far. I've been very cheered to see Sam (twice

) and Eowyn in the running, along with one of the old heroes from Tolkien's earliest writings. Maybe Aragorn is due for some extolling, but then there is poor cursed Turin (and you know I have a soft spot for him...) Hmmmmm

. And I might get Aragorn muddled up with Viggo and that really wouldn't do...

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 5:09 pm

Careful, Iolanthe: those bad boys will break your heart.

Lindariel · Post by **Lindariel** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:27 pm

Upon re-reading my entry, I realized that my first stanza had too many syllables per line, plus it did not break into 4+4 lines, but 5+3. I have reworked the first stanza a bit, and I'm very pleased with the result.

This really is a challenging style, but I'm enjoying it a great deal. I think I've settled on my second subject, so perhaps I'll attempt another.

Good heavens -- look at all the alliteration in that last line. It's contagiuos!