Challenge:In the Wake of Katrina

[tungtied2u]

My fellow poets,
Throughout history, poetry has often been used to catalogue crises of epic proportion, to lend a humanistic viewpoint to the tragic events which often befall us.
I propose such a challenge to you all. Lend your heart, thoughts and words and talents to help record the tragedy wreaked upon our brothers and sisters in the Gulf area.
Any form, any length, either epic or personal. Such tragedies as this deserve, no beg for remembrance in a means that touches all.

The deadline is September 11, no stranger to such cataclysm.
Post your responses on tne new poems thread.

Blessed be.

 

[My Erotic Tale]

Bows (~_~) Humble

 

[echoes_s]

an older poem written to reflect all tragedies, personal and widespread throughout humanity if I may post it here...

anon

yesterdays immoral winds howled,
wrestled roofs, snapping trees,
scuffled time, shredding lives,
certainty torn asunder,
mayhem suppurated,
then silence screamed…
anon

anon
trickled raindrops,
soundless tears of misery,
torn roots from history,
cyclic, yet more histrionic,
sadistic, devoid reasoning,
inclination, personal belief.

stragglers scattered incredulously,
anguish of entrenched abrasions,
inherent thoughts terrorized
a feather fallen through antecedents
fluttering precariously over adverse
disowned hearts, minds, eyes…
anon

 

[tungtied2u]

an older poem written to reflect all tragedies, personal and widespread throughout humanity if I may post it here...

anon

yesterdays immoral winds howled,
wrestled roofs, snapping trees,
scuffled time, shredding lives,
certainty torn asunder,
mayhem suppurated,
then silence screamed…
anon

anon
trickled raindrops,
soundless tears of misery,
torn roots from history,
cyclic, yet more histrionic,
sadistic, devoid reasoning,
inclination, personal belief.

stragglers scattered incredulously,
anguish of entrenched abrasions,
inherent thoughts terrorized
a feather fallen through antecedents
fluttering precariously over adverse
disowned hearts, minds, eyes…
anon

thank you , echoes....

 

[CharleyH]

My fellow poets,
Throughout history, poetry has often been used to catalogue crises of epic proportion, to lend a humanistic viewpoint to the tragic events which often befall us.
I propose such a challenge to you all. Lend your heart, thoughts and words and talents to help record the tragedy wreaked upon our brothers and sisters in the Gulf area.
Any form, any length, either epic or personal. Such tragedies as this deserve, no beg for remembrance in a means that touches all.

The deadline is September 11, no stranger to such cataclysm.
Post your responses on tne new poems thread.

Blessed be.

If I prefer to write of other tragedies that have befallen more than Americans in the past weeks, can I?

 

[BooMerengue]

Are you sure you want them posted on The New Poems thread? Why not right here on this thread, and those who wish can submit them and then they'll be in the New Poems?

Hiya Tung! How are you, baby?

 

[BooMerengue]

If I prefer to write of other tragedies that have befallen more than Americans in the past weeks, can I?

No! Either follow directions or take your licks!

grinning evilly

Its really up to Mr. Tung.

 

[CharleyH]

No! Either follow directions or take your licks!

grinning evilly

Its really up to Mr. Tung.

Well the board is very US oriented, and I have seen much worse in the world than a Cat 2 hurricane over the past few days. Why no? The rest of the world does not matter?

 

[BooMerengue]

I personally don't care, Charley- it's Tung's call. We did an "Inhumanity Challenge" once that covered the planet. I think its just a tribute to New Orleans and the surrounding area because a way of life many many of us loved is gone forever. (I almost said with the wind! lol) Also it's a tragedy of a magnitude we Americans are not at all used to. I think most of the country is in some degree of shell shock. I know I am.

Are you stalking me or am I stalking you or are we stalking each other??

 

[wildsweetone]

i thought it was a Category 5?

Charley, it wouldn't be a Challenge if you could write about anything, now would it?

 

[BooMerengue]

i thought it was a Category 5?

Charley, it wouldn't be a Challenge if you could write about anything, now would it?

It was a Cat 5, and then some with the levee breaking. It's an inhuman disaster, and our venerable George Bush and his admin has once again shown what a bumbling fool he is.

Charley will; she just likes to be difficult. lol

 

[tungtied2u]

Charley,
As much as I am smitten by your AV, in this case I must be firm and insist the poem be grounded in the Katrina catastrophe. Now it can be vague and even refer to other tragedies.

In the past , if you remember, we had the Humanity challenge which was much more wide open, and I have written about several tragic events such as the massacre at Beslan and the Southeast asian tsunami.

Part of what I find interesting about this is that it is about America, and how WE react to this happening in our own backyard, and actually makes us more a part of the world community.

I'm only giving a broad subject, focus how you like.

 

[tungtied2u]

I personally don't care, Charley- it's Tung's call. We did an "Inhumanity Challenge" once that covered the planet. I think its just a tribute to New Orleans and the surrounding area because a way of life many many of us loved is gone forever. (I almost said with the wind! lol) Also it's a tragedy of a magnitude we Americans are not at all used to. I think most of the country is in some degree of shell shock. I know I am.

Are you stalking me or am I stalking you or are we stalking each other??

As you can see, I failed to read Boo's comment, my bad.....spank me.....what she said.....

 

[BooMerengue]

As you can see, I failed to read Boo's comment, my bad.....spank me.....what she said.....

s'ok. i'm used to being invisible.

 

[tungtied2u]

Are you sure you want them posted on The New Poems thread? Why not right here on this thread, and those who wish can submit them and then they'll be in the New Poems?

Hiya Tung! How are you, baby?

Hi BooBoo......long time no talky....you're as cute as ever though.....Mwuah.

Did I hear you're a Yankee now?

 

[BooMerengue]

Hi BooBoo......long time no talky....you're as cute as ever though.....Mwuah.

Did I hear you're a Yankee now?

Hi dollboy. I was a Yankee for awhile but my sis got well and I'm back in Tennessee. I hear your in the Land Of Earthquakes! Watch where you step, ok? lol

 

[tungtied2u]

Hi BooBoo......long time no talky....you're as cute as ever though.....Mwuah.

Did I hear you're a Yankee now?

Oh yeah...my point was you may have a point.....posting them here may be a better idea , then people can access them more easily....

Let's do it that way, and then if people want to submit them to the New Poem's they can.

Should we vote, or just have comments? I feel comments may be more appropo, I hate making a contest out of tragedy.....it's abusive.

 

[tungtied2u]

Hi dollboy. I was a Yankee for awhile but my sis got well and I'm back in Tennessee. I hear your in the Land Of Earthquakes! Watch where you step, ok? lol

Yes, like Fagin in Oliver!, "I'm reviewing the situation" in light of current events.

 

[BooMerengue]

I think just comments. You could make it part of the Criteria that each entrant comment in some way on each other entry. I've done that before and it worked very well.

 

[tungtied2u]

I think just comments. You could make it part of the Criteria that each entrant comment in some way on each other entry. I've done that before and it worked very well.

Yes...I think that's a good idea....encourages involvement and feedback. Wow...good looking and SMART too.....

(and a damn fine poet)

what other talent's you have Boo?

 

[BooMerengue]

what other talent's you have Boo?

lol I'm a ShapeShifter! What you see here is not necessarily the real me.

Hell... not even close!

 

[average gina]

Oddly enough, my "Wasted" poem was going to be about a minute observation regarding Katrina.

FYI, Katrina was a category "worst in US history." I've never been so directly affected by a disaster before in my life. I've got family from New Orleans who may need to live here on a long term basis, I've seen a shaken people who are glassy-eyed with emptiness, I've consoled strangers who have cried on my shoulder, wishing I could give them more (ironically enough, they left me a huge tip), and have seen people hovering and lining up at gas station as if they were awaiting manna.

I'm glad that I'm not the only one that thought of reflecting it through words. I can't find mine.

 

[bogusbrig]

It's diificult to say anything of meaning in the wake of such tragedy other than the same old sentiments that always feel so false to me. How can one write about such misery if one hasn't experienced it without sounding mawkish? I'd prefer to remain silent on the personal human tragedies that are unfolding, a blank page and a few silent thoughts, to me, say much more.

However, I hope the families of the victims get to look GWB in the eye and ask him why he slashed flood defence spending to pay for his unnecessary Iraqi war.

 

[Angeline]

It's diificult to say anything of meaning in the wake of such tragedy other than the same old sentiments that always feel so false to me. How can one write about such misery if one hasn't experienced it without sounding mawkish? I'd prefer to remain silent on the personal human tragedies that are unfolding, a blank page and a few silent thoughts, to me, say much more.

However, I hope the families of the victims get to look GWB in the eye and ask him why he slashed flood defence spending to pay for his unnecessary Iraqi war.

Yes. The lack of a swift, massive national response to aid victims of a homeland tragedy--most of whom are poor and minorities and couldn't evacuate New Orleans--compared to the time and labor (not to mention loss) poured into the Gulf War speaks volumes. Bush justifies the Gulf War on the basis of September 11. Apparently if you're a victim who isn't the right race or economic status i.e., second- or lower-class American, you get a second or lower-class response.

It's a disgrace. Where are the family values, the morality now? They vanish when the wrong people are involved.

I'm sorry tung, but I can't seem to pull a poem out about this yet. My good friend karmadog lives very near New Orleans. I haven't heard from him since last week.

 

[bluerains]

as you,

Oddly enough, my "Wasted" poem was going to be about a minute observation regarding Katrina.

FYI, Katrina was a category "worst in US history." I've never been so directly affected by a disaster before in my life. I've got family from New Orleans who may need to live here on a long term basis, I've seen a shaken people who are glassy-eyed with emptiness, I've consoled strangers who have cried on my shoulder, wishing I could give them more (ironically enough, they left me a huge tip), and have seen people hovering and lining up at gas station as if they were awaiting manna.

I'm glad that I'm not the only one that thought of reflecting it through words. I can't find mine.

I posted my Katrina poem on wasted challenge...

http://english.literotica.com/stories/showstory.php?id=216531

but, maybe I can write a more positive spin...I don't have a very good feeling about the outcome for the whole country at this point...this event is just a catalyst for more
wake up calls...as the oil barrens have left us all in bondage...instead of developing alternative fuels ..we are seeing now the outcome....
also, posted this one in relief that Northern Florida was spared her wrath...

Katrina

flames glow
in dark caverns
spaces not of this
dimension
grip natures
soft caress
superiority feeds
beauty of
dark shards
of a crimson
huntress as she
bleeds her trail
binding threads
into the web of
her prey
we lick our paws...