Category: Poetry

Poetry Competition Winner: The Ballad

Janus: The Ballad of 1871 (Pride)

I was unaware of this interesting theory on the ‘coded’ meaning of Mr Lear’s charming poem “The Owl and the Pussycat”. A clever, surprising ballad, and a pleasant reminder of Mr Lear’s excellent work. I don’t know why this poem wasn’t split into four line stanzas, but no matter. Thank you, Janus, a delightful ballad.

John Mackie: Avarice a Sin? (Greed)

A fine and grand ballad in the Border Tradition, encompassing a broad sweep of history. There is little doubt in my mind, given Mr Mackie’s frank admission in the last stanza regarding the traits of his countrymen, that in said Mason’s view, placement of Avarice as Sin and Charity as Virtue was as wrong as a factory farmed haggis and required correction. Brilliant, Mr Mackie!

JW: The Ballad of reading in Gaol (Gluttony with a touch of Lust)

This outrageous piece explodes across the page in a (prison) riot of decadence and big words. JW has broken all the rules with exuberant abandon and it is certainly not poetry as we know it. JW is, no doubt, ahead of his time. I am left with a burning need to taste the succulent jabuticaba, and a question: Was Oscar Wilde really a Spaniard? I think we should be told. Hilarious poem, JW!

Araminta: The Battle of Thermopylae: A Ballad (Pride)

Battles make great material for ballads; this one fairly romps along and scans beautifully. In the tradition of the early ballad, it could (perhaps) be set to music. By the way, I knew the Spartans were proud and courageous in battle, but I didn’t realise they were seriously into hairdressing. A lovely poem, Ara, and thanks for your heroic efforts in penning a second entry.

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Results for the August (2)Writing Competition

The entrants this time around are:

Janus http://vikinggoodtoo.wordpress.com/2010/08/15/the-bet/

O Zangado https://boadiceaschariot.wordpress.com/2010/08/21/salop-aug-cw-2/

Isobel http://wp.me/pMKim-dt

the royalist https://boadiceaschariot.wordpress.com/2010/08/26/showdown-at-horseless-gulch-august-cw2/

Araminta https://boadiceaschariot.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/council-house-blues-the-ballad-of-sharon-and-kev/

Bilby https://boadiceaschariot.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/possum-with-thanks-to-val-for-the-inspiration/

The parameters  were as follows:

1.an argument of any sort.

2. a childhood memory and

3. a phrase (or saying /quotation /word) which is particular to your family.

Deadline midnight GMT on 31st August 2010.

Continue reading “Results for the August (2)Writing Competition”

August Competition (2)

Here is the next writing competition.

Up to 2,000 words as a short story, which contains

1.an argument of any sort.

2. a childhood memory and

3. a phrase (or saying /quotation /word) which is particular to your family.


Or up to 50 lines as a poem,which contains

1.an argument of any sort.

2. a childhood memory and

3. a phrase (or saying /quotation/ word) which is particular to your family.

Deadline midnight GMT on 31st August 2010.
(01.00 am BST on the day immediately following the specified day and all and/or any other time zones pari passu)

Please post your entry on your own blog and add a link to this blog as the first comment and a link of your entry as a comment on this post.

Hills

So I’ve got this mate who is as keen as they get when it comes to cycling. To them, the best start to a day is to get out on the bike and sneak in a few miles before work. Foul weather or fine, muddy trails and water crossings make no difference, as long as they are out and about on two wheels, that’s what matters. So, I was particularly taken aback to find they don’t do hills. Or rather, they do them because they have to, in the same way that you have to finish your Brussels sprouts before you can have dessert.
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