Nature Poems Contest

In this contest, you write a poem about nature. Any form, any style, it doesn't have to rhyme, at least two stanzas... you get the point.

One rule though: You may not write simply about nature. You must use nature as a metaphor in your poem. For and example, look at my poem Sin-Shine. Yours doesn't have to look like that, just the same concept of a metaphor.

Good luck, contest ends in one week, or one Thursday from the 19th. No reserve nessecary. I decide on prizes after you win. Enter please!

Bob Shank: done
Debbylyn: done
*Gem*: Done
Kyles Woman: Done
xTheEcstasyOfSuicidex: Done
J.E.S.S.Y: Done
.K.i.T.t.Y.: done
Corrine: Done
XXoo: Done
Carrie: Done
J. Lau: Done
Endlessly in the Dark: Done

Welcome Spring

April's resplendent
With showers of pain
Teardrops on daffodils
Windmills of rain

Endless May mourning
Blossoming screams
Hearts bleeding sunshine
Willows weep dreams

June welcomes Heaven
Immaculate shroud
Smiles from a rosebud
Laughs in a cloud

Let me know if this ok?

Xx Turn My Sky To Blue xX

One upon a time
My sky was dark
Shrouded in shadow
Empty and stark

There was no light
No room for dreams
It's just depression
As the common theme

But then came a spark
A small ray of hope
It was a lifeline
A magical rope

It lit up the night
Banished the grey
Gave birth to colour
Started a new day

It painted a portrait
With brilliant dye
Displaced the darkness
And lit up the sky

This brand new me
Is all because of you
The day you came along
And turned my sky to blue

*Gem*

Copyright©GemmaStott2007

Equilibruim

I walk around
Watching the leaves fall
On the dead ground
Nothing makes a noise
It's silent everywhere
As I watch the animals with odd poise
As a tear lands on a leaf
The moon comes out, but does not shine
Because it is sad, and is in grief
The wind blows softly
Like it's whispering to me
It says"The moon and the sun
Are in a quarrel
And not having any fun
That is why nothing will stir
Please fix this problem
Restore happiness so it won't be a blur"
The noise picks up
Wanting me to go
As I see a wolf pup
Walk into the opening
It has no seen light in years
Asking me silently
As it sheds silent tears
I call for the stars
And they come at my call
Crying for me to mend the scars
I step up on them
One by one
As I get closer to the big white gem
She is weeping
While the world is sleeping
"Why are you sad?"
Ask ask in a soft tone
"The moon made me mad"
Is her reply
"She gets in front all of the time
Because she wants to be the center
And won't let my light shine."
I look at the sun
With such sympathy
I can relate being outdone
"It's has to be that way"
I tried to explain
"It creates equilibrium with night and day"
The sun brightened
Now understanding
I called to the moon who came up frightened
"I'm sorry for being jealous"
The sun said to the moon
The moon because zealous
"I'm happy again"
The world awakened
Happy as can be when
Equilibrium was restored once again
The forest was alive
Animals out to frolic
Able to live and survive

Equilibrium is important to you and me
But just as important to the animals and tree

Yes Gem, that's perfectly fine. I've updated the first post with all of the entries.

Weakened Butterfly
by J.E.S.S.Y

Slowly spreading embroidered wings
Gently fluttering from flower to flower
With each quiver, a slight breeze it brings
Sparkles fall from each wing creating a shower..

Delicately watching which way she goes
Carefully hiding the damage that was done
Wings still sparkle, but she no longer glows
Her beauty, confidence, and life he left undone..

A beautiful butterfly slowly floats to the ground
Wings lightly slowing down, taking a lengthy doze
The gentle wind and birds cries the only sound
A weakened butterfly slowly dies beneath a rose..

Tell me if this is all right. I think it is, but just incase...
`````````````````````````````
Have You Ever {Sedoka}

Snowflakes

Have you ever seen
Snowflakes dancing to the ground?
Lost in dreams of tomorrow?

Speaking graciously,
They fall to the ground, dancing,
Waiting to be accepted.

Rain

Have you ever seen
Rain glisten in deathly sun?
Sparkling for tomorrow.

Crying out to hear
What tomorrow left behind;
Forgotten, they sing of time.

````````````````````````````````

A Sedoka is an unrhymed poem made up of two three-line katauta with the following syllable counts: 5-7-7, 5-7-7 . A Sedoka, pair of katauta as a single poem, may address the same subject from differing perspectives
And a Katauta is an unrhymed three-line poem the following syllable counts: 5-7-7

xTheEcstasyOfSuicidex

A Sinful Slaughter

The mockingbirds whistle
A sorrowful tune,
Telling the story
Of slaughtered songbirds.

Winds join in harmony,
Trees sway the melody,
And clouds darken,
Lashing lightning lilt.

So listen carefully,
They will only warble once
Of a death,
That led to no right.

An innocent bird,
So wrongly accused
Of taking away,
A young maiden's youth.

Lies that cover,
Another's abuse,
Fall into the lap,
Of a crippled victim.

To jail he is caged,
To trial he is summoned,
To the town he is trash,
And to death he is shot.

Because of white men's rule,
He had no voice,
Save himself,
Just one aid...

Whose best,
Just wasn't
Good enough...

Elixir

I ask the Mockingbird
In the midst of his aria:
"Oh restless Romeo in search of a mate
Have you a bit of sympathy
For we clamorous, earthbound humans?"

His only answer:
His song

And in my surrendering to this
Embrace of notes
I am reminded that there is something
Finer in life
Than the constant falling
Into ones past

I drink in this overflowing
Elixir

Infinite wisdom
Sung by my feathery
Fellow companion

Yes xTheEcstasyOfSuicidex, that is fine. Keep the entries coming, I've updated the top page with the newest entries.

Blooming

Waiting for the sun to complete you,
This tiny seed,
Breaking forth,

Clawing through the earth,
Striving to breathe,
Hungering for life,

Bursting from the ground,
In all of your glory and splendor,
You do not disappoint me,

Reborn with petals of beauty,
You reach for the sky,
Drawing for an eternity,
My loving gaze....

Nature's Paintings
by J. Lau

Misty air fills the icy cold sky,
High above the sea of clouds.
This first canvas dominated with black,
Is barely visible to the naked eye.
Starring closely long enough,
A glimpse of gold slowly shows.
Growingly visible, this painting of golden sunrise,
Slowly fades away it's canvas,
And opens the painter's show...

Prepared with colour palettes and a fresh new canvas,
The painter's brush introduced the riches of hue.
Shades of yellow, orange and red was used,
To contrast against the clear blue sky.
This breathtaking landscape, tall and mighty,
Stretches beyond the canvas, as far as one can see.
This, he calls... "The Grand Canyon".
Painted with the richest of colour,
Is most definitely one of his masterpieces.

Moving along the gallery of paintings,
Another canvas glistens for the dying attention.
This simple piece of a freezing ice storm,
Paints a Winter Wonderland that sparkles and twinkles.
An ordinary tree transformed,
Into a glistening crystal tree.
Houses, cars and all visible objects frozen in a shell of ice,
Glittering like diamonds from golden streaks of sunlight.
Rarely was this seen,
Yet a true gem of a scene.

Another common painting sets the standard,
Definitely a favourite under the painter's brush.
All shades of colours from blue to gold,
Fills the entire canvas from day to night.
Purple and blue dazzle the skies,
While gold and amber reflect elegantly off the lake.
Minutes later as the sun sets down,
Darkness swallows it's canvas,
And this unique painting slowly dissipates.

These are just a few examples of his work,
With over a billion paintings every day,
This painter's show lasts only hours each day.
The painter close off with a challenge,
For any artist to compete against his works.
No one dares to compare,
The ever-changing landscapes he creates.

The painter also left a note,
Reminding all his viewers to stop and think.
To take the time to appreciate all his work.
Not bound only to what one can see,
But to all his creations... including you and me.

< - - - - - - - - - - - >

Yes, those are all perfectly fine. Please keep the entries coming, you only have until thursday!

Beyond the Storm

The storm comes
Its darkness consuming the sun
Its thunder roaring across the Earth
Its lightening brightening the horizon
The little bird
Fights the storm
The wind fighting back
It soars and tumbles
Flapping its wings
But the gusts are too strong
Feeling exhausted -
Too tired to carry on -
The little bird gives in
The storm sends out a victorious streak of lightening
Its thunder rumbling throughout the land
The little bird
Liftd its weary head
And looks up to the sky through teary eyes
In the distance it sees a crack of light -
The storm has a weakness
The bird spreads its wings
And takes flight once again
With renewed energy
It fights the storm again -
The crack of light its goal
Soaring and tumbling
Struggling and flapping its wings
It finally makes it through
Beyond the storm
The sunshine shimmers
The darkness gone forever more.

Josie
Copyright Josie Wentzel 23 April 2007
___________________________________________
* The poem is about depression(the storm) and how one soul (the litlle bird) battles against it. Finally the depression is gone and there is a new bright life ahead (the sunshine beyond the storm).

Is that ok?

I am closing this contest tomorrow. Prizes will be:

1st: Faves, 7 r/r/c (rate, read, comment)
2nd: Faves, 5 r/r/c
3rd: 3 r/r/c (If I really like it, Faves)
Honorable Mention (probably two or three people): 2 r/r/c

(Sorry about the delay!)

Winners!
1st: Corrine
2nd:J. Lau
3rd: .K.i.T.t.Y.
HM:debbylyn
HM:xTheEcstasyOfSuicidex

Please tell me which poems you would like me to comment on, or I won't do them. You can post it on here or just PM me if that's easier for you. :)

Thank you! =]]]

Please do:

Oh, Bright Morning Star
And
The Sharpest Lives

Thanks!!

xTheEcstasyOfSuicidex

Wow... thanks for the placing. Please r/r/c the following:

"Fate. ... that was never meant to be..."
"Wishing you well..."
"You once said to me "
"True Feelings..."
"One day..."

Thanks!

J. Lau

I've commented on those, thanks for letting me know.

UPDATE: If you don't tell me by Thursday/Friday which poems you want commented, I'll just pick your newest ones to do.

UPDATE: I am going on vacation, so your comments will hopefully all be delivered by monday night. Please, tell me which poems to do!