The Crown of Heroic Sonnets III
Poetry Contest
Let's sharpen our poetic quills one more time!
The Crown of Heroic Sonnets III is knocking, let's say a hearty welcome to it with your brilliant entries.
This is our third contest, the last two were big success. I am always challenge driven, as I am sure many of you are as well; so I decided to give it one more try. This is quite a challenge and not the undertaking for those with a short attention span, but it the achievement that brings your poetry to the next level.
The hardest thing is to come up with a subject matter you feel strongly about to write 126 lines; but if we do - you are half way through (lol).
Now, for those serious poets who are willing to try it again, or attempt it for the first time, here it is:
What exactly is the Crown of Heroic sonnets?
The Crown of heroic sonnets is a sequence of seven heroic sonnets usually addressed to one person. It is concerned with a single theme and each sonnet explores a different aspect of the theme and is linked to the preceding and succeeding sonnets by repeating the final line of the preceding sonnet as its first line and by having its final line be the first line of the succeeding sonnet.
The first line of the first sonnet is repeated as the final line of the final sonnet thereby bringing the sequence to a close.
Our two prior contests had no repeat rhymes rule. However, I found that it was too challenging, not to mention time consuming, to come up with 56 fresh rhymes. So I am lifting this rule for this contest. Repeat rhymes are allowed.
The Crown consists of seven Heroic sonnets. What is a Heroic sonnet?
The Heroic Sonnet is an iambic pentameter based poem that adds heroic couplet to either two Sicilian octave stanzas or four Sicilian quatrain stanzas. In other words, it's eighteen lines of iambic pentameter broken into three or five parts with the last part being a couplet. The rhyme scheme has usually been a,b,a,b,a,b,a,b - c,d,c,d,c,d,c,d - e,e OR a,b,a,b - c,d,c,d - e,f,e,f - g,h,g,h - i,i.
An iambic foot is an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. We could write the rhythm like this:
da DUM
A line of iambic pentameter is five iambic feet in a row:
da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM
Here is an example of an iambic foot from Kaff-Kaff's poem "The Romantic Era". Kaff was a member here who created the original Crown challenge.
This is my soul's conception of a praise
This / IS / my / SOUL'S / con / CEP / tion / OF / a / PRAISE
da / DUM / da / DUM / da / DUM / da / DUM / da / DUM
Our Earl of Oxford graciously gave his permission to use his entry, "Seven Deadly Sins" (which was the winner of our last Crown contest) as an example. Thank you, Earl, that was quite a poem.
1 - LUST
When stricken sins in mind and soul are rife
Albeit when the lust's confined to heart
Intense desire for your neighbour's wife
Will segregate The Lord and you apart
Adultery admitted in the psalms
Upon a virgin, now considered Saint
Is Heavenly discounted, lacking alms
Required by such physical restraint
Divine, her pregnancy, was cherished when
Resultant saviour was fruition's gift
And shrift on earth will be condoned again
In magnitude when flesh is cast adrift
So love your neighbour's wife, though careful be
It's purely admiration of her soul
And not for genitalia's shallow spree
Or else be cast to Satan's damned parole
Where seed be sown as granted from above
But only in your lust and not your love
2 - GREED
But only in your lust and not your love
Despite endowed with urges by The Lord
Your weakness so inherited thereof
Ignored by Him, forgiving by the sword
Requirement for material wealth or gain
Will be your epitaph when cast aside
Regrets amid your wicked heart remain
To plunder satisfaction He derides
Excessive is the sentence then enjoyed
Amid the raging hellfire unbeknown
As feelings are bereft when unemployed
Just like a rotting rose's lost cologne
When disenfranchised from sweet spring's reprieve
Remaining as a compost born anew
Engenders plant's determined final heave
Far stronger than God's children it outgrew
The meek shall flourish, man shall disappear
As in His image we could not appear
3 - ENVY
As in His image we could not appear
Unless, remitting, patience He acquires
And damns us not from this, His planned frontier
Converting us from sellers to His buyers
Then we need envy not those better dealt
A fuller hand on earth's adventure spent
Instead be grateful rather than be dwelt
Upon percentage of our discontent
We need remain not jealous, but in joy
Omnipotent, contented in His Land
Our labours He would willingly employ
When setting standards better left unplanned
The grass appears much greener if enchained
When we perceive our destiny unfair
Though gratitude is surely ascertained
Appreciating life's no solitaire
We're not alone in envy; it's our cross
To bare as undercoat but not our gloss
4 - SLOTH
To bare as undercoat but not our gloss
Persona oft' distorts a mirrored frame
Portrayed outside as apathetic sloth
Wherein there prowls a lion lost in shame
From hunting and exertion less the need
For energetic waste of scant reserves
Spent in pursuit of accolades of deed
When praying silently brings just deserves
Instead of lecturing from moral ground
Pretending life is lead in purest form
Yet exploitation of those workers bound
Swells bank account to idle from the storm
And wile away in smugness and deceit
Ne'er needing break away from comfort's thief
In self-congratulation, incomplete
When unaware of charity's relief
Content in idleness, no doctrine's deeds
Will satisfy those pious, without needs
5 - GLUTTONY
Will satisfy those pious, without needs
With larders brimming full of servant's sweat
Encourages the gorging of the seeds
Before maturity of bloom beset
But if allowed to harvest in the sun
Would feed one dozen more deserving mouths
Disciples would then never be undone
To feel the need for point the finger howls
In growing fat from swallowing one's lies
Thrombosis is the sentence fed within
When clogging of the arteries implies
One's gluttony may be a deadly sin
Which satisfies those pompous in their pit
Whereby The Lord may scuttle all their plans
When diet is the order by remit
As fallen angels never feed the hands
But eyes may feast on burning human flesh
Where pain replaces touch of sweet caress
6 - PRIDE
Where pain replaces touch of sweet caress
Ignored by pride's appearance evermore
Imagined merely embers solely blessed
Upon the wearer of an outward sore
Who prances as some mutton dressed as lamb
So dandy in his coat of plastic silk
Disdain seeps from his 'couldn't give a damn'
For beggars in their tattered rags of 'guilt'
As he's the one who's risen through the clouds
Allowed to spit upon those lesser born
Without the wherewithal to don a shroud
To hide their loss and pain against the storm
In self-esteem of vanity's neglect
Where innermost is hidden from display
There dwells, grotesque, a devil left unchecked
Who'd trade in love for diamonds any day
Then barter souls for bangles at a stroke
And welcome pride, his wanton suit bespoke
7 - WRATH
And welcome pride, his wanton suit bespoke
The opposite of dearest God's advice
Demanding Faith, or else you'll surely choke
On brimstone when His wrath's your sacrifice
The sun shall disappear within your sky
And floods will wash away His seven days
Your Eden will disintegrate and die
And nothingness will be all He surveys
Take care your image stays to mirror His
As sins are unbeknown in Heaven's realm
You'll therefore simmer slowly, yet not fizz
With His almighty justice at the helm
Repent your sins so you may re-instil
Your ravage, rape and murder as you please
Though anger you may ne'er display until
You're willing to repent again at ease
Where be the meaning of a leaden life
When human sins in mind and soul are rife
Copyright @2012 Earl of Oxford
The higher entry fee is due to the magnitude of this challenge.
The contest winner will win half of the prize pool which is based on the number of entries. The second and third place winners will each share the remaining prize pool. The prize pool is currently 200.00 member dollars. There are 4 spots still open. If all open spots are used the prize pool will be 300.00 member dollars. In this contest at least 2 submissions must be made for the vote to begin.
Deadline: Contest is closed. Deadline was Thursday, December 27, 2012.
Full Contest Listing
The Crown of Heroic Sonnets III is knocking, let's say a hearty welcome to it with your brilliant entries.
This is our third contest, the last two were big success. I am always challenge driven, as I am sure many of you are as well; so I decided to give it one more try. This is quite a challenge and not the undertaking for those with a short attention span, but it the achievement that brings your poetry to the next level.
The hardest thing is to come up with a subject matter you feel strongly about to write 126 lines; but if we do - you are half way through (lol).
Now, for those serious poets who are willing to try it again, or attempt it for the first time, here it is:
What exactly is the Crown of Heroic sonnets?
The Crown of heroic sonnets is a sequence of seven heroic sonnets usually addressed to one person. It is concerned with a single theme and each sonnet explores a different aspect of the theme and is linked to the preceding and succeeding sonnets by repeating the final line of the preceding sonnet as its first line and by having its final line be the first line of the succeeding sonnet.
The first line of the first sonnet is repeated as the final line of the final sonnet thereby bringing the sequence to a close.
Our two prior contests had no repeat rhymes rule. However, I found that it was too challenging, not to mention time consuming, to come up with 56 fresh rhymes. So I am lifting this rule for this contest. Repeat rhymes are allowed.
The Crown consists of seven Heroic sonnets. What is a Heroic sonnet?
The Heroic Sonnet is an iambic pentameter based poem that adds heroic couplet to either two Sicilian octave stanzas or four Sicilian quatrain stanzas. In other words, it's eighteen lines of iambic pentameter broken into three or five parts with the last part being a couplet. The rhyme scheme has usually been a,b,a,b,a,b,a,b - c,d,c,d,c,d,c,d - e,e OR a,b,a,b - c,d,c,d - e,f,e,f - g,h,g,h - i,i.
An iambic foot is an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. We could write the rhythm like this:
da DUM
A line of iambic pentameter is five iambic feet in a row:
da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM
Here is an example of an iambic foot from Kaff-Kaff's poem "The Romantic Era". Kaff was a member here who created the original Crown challenge.
This is my soul's conception of a praise
This / IS / my / SOUL'S / con / CEP / tion / OF / a / PRAISE
da / DUM / da / DUM / da / DUM / da / DUM / da / DUM
Our Earl of Oxford graciously gave his permission to use his entry, "Seven Deadly Sins" (which was the winner of our last Crown contest) as an example. Thank you, Earl, that was quite a poem.
1 - LUST
When stricken sins in mind and soul are rife
Albeit when the lust's confined to heart
Intense desire for your neighbour's wife
Will segregate The Lord and you apart
Adultery admitted in the psalms
Upon a virgin, now considered Saint
Is Heavenly discounted, lacking alms
Required by such physical restraint
Divine, her pregnancy, was cherished when
Resultant saviour was fruition's gift
And shrift on earth will be condoned again
In magnitude when flesh is cast adrift
So love your neighbour's wife, though careful be
It's purely admiration of her soul
And not for genitalia's shallow spree
Or else be cast to Satan's damned parole
Where seed be sown as granted from above
But only in your lust and not your love
2 - GREED
But only in your lust and not your love
Despite endowed with urges by The Lord
Your weakness so inherited thereof
Ignored by Him, forgiving by the sword
Requirement for material wealth or gain
Will be your epitaph when cast aside
Regrets amid your wicked heart remain
To plunder satisfaction He derides
Excessive is the sentence then enjoyed
Amid the raging hellfire unbeknown
As feelings are bereft when unemployed
Just like a rotting rose's lost cologne
When disenfranchised from sweet spring's reprieve
Remaining as a compost born anew
Engenders plant's determined final heave
Far stronger than God's children it outgrew
The meek shall flourish, man shall disappear
As in His image we could not appear
3 - ENVY
As in His image we could not appear
Unless, remitting, patience He acquires
And damns us not from this, His planned frontier
Converting us from sellers to His buyers
Then we need envy not those better dealt
A fuller hand on earth's adventure spent
Instead be grateful rather than be dwelt
Upon percentage of our discontent
We need remain not jealous, but in joy
Omnipotent, contented in His Land
Our labours He would willingly employ
When setting standards better left unplanned
The grass appears much greener if enchained
When we perceive our destiny unfair
Though gratitude is surely ascertained
Appreciating life's no solitaire
We're not alone in envy; it's our cross
To bare as undercoat but not our gloss
4 - SLOTH
To bare as undercoat but not our gloss
Persona oft' distorts a mirrored frame
Portrayed outside as apathetic sloth
Wherein there prowls a lion lost in shame
From hunting and exertion less the need
For energetic waste of scant reserves
Spent in pursuit of accolades of deed
When praying silently brings just deserves
Instead of lecturing from moral ground
Pretending life is lead in purest form
Yet exploitation of those workers bound
Swells bank account to idle from the storm
And wile away in smugness and deceit
Ne'er needing break away from comfort's thief
In self-congratulation, incomplete
When unaware of charity's relief
Content in idleness, no doctrine's deeds
Will satisfy those pious, without needs
5 - GLUTTONY
Will satisfy those pious, without needs
With larders brimming full of servant's sweat
Encourages the gorging of the seeds
Before maturity of bloom beset
But if allowed to harvest in the sun
Would feed one dozen more deserving mouths
Disciples would then never be undone
To feel the need for point the finger howls
In growing fat from swallowing one's lies
Thrombosis is the sentence fed within
When clogging of the arteries implies
One's gluttony may be a deadly sin
Which satisfies those pompous in their pit
Whereby The Lord may scuttle all their plans
When diet is the order by remit
As fallen angels never feed the hands
But eyes may feast on burning human flesh
Where pain replaces touch of sweet caress
6 - PRIDE
Where pain replaces touch of sweet caress
Ignored by pride's appearance evermore
Imagined merely embers solely blessed
Upon the wearer of an outward sore
Who prances as some mutton dressed as lamb
So dandy in his coat of plastic silk
Disdain seeps from his 'couldn't give a damn'
For beggars in their tattered rags of 'guilt'
As he's the one who's risen through the clouds
Allowed to spit upon those lesser born
Without the wherewithal to don a shroud
To hide their loss and pain against the storm
In self-esteem of vanity's neglect
Where innermost is hidden from display
There dwells, grotesque, a devil left unchecked
Who'd trade in love for diamonds any day
Then barter souls for bangles at a stroke
And welcome pride, his wanton suit bespoke
7 - WRATH
And welcome pride, his wanton suit bespoke
The opposite of dearest God's advice
Demanding Faith, or else you'll surely choke
On brimstone when His wrath's your sacrifice
The sun shall disappear within your sky
And floods will wash away His seven days
Your Eden will disintegrate and die
And nothingness will be all He surveys
Take care your image stays to mirror His
As sins are unbeknown in Heaven's realm
You'll therefore simmer slowly, yet not fizz
With His almighty justice at the helm
Repent your sins so you may re-instil
Your ravage, rape and murder as you please
Though anger you may ne'er display until
You're willing to repent again at ease
Where be the meaning of a leaden life
When human sins in mind and soul are rife
Copyright @2012 Earl of Oxford
The higher entry fee is due to the magnitude of this challenge.
The contest winner will win half of the prize pool which is based on the number of entries. The second and third place winners will each share the remaining prize pool. The prize pool is currently 200.00 member dollars. There are 4 spots still open. If all open spots are used the prize pool will be 300.00 member dollars. In this contest at least 2 submissions must be made for the vote to begin.
Deadline: Contest is closed. Deadline was Thursday, December 27, 2012.
