The Planets - a challenge.

[Guest]

The challenge is to write a form poem - any form but no free verse - taking one of the planets as you inspiration. I think it should be left open for anyone to participate. Perhaps Laurel can be coerced to pick the final seven to be posted under The Poets banner - one poet for each planet.

The date for submission in this thread is Tuesday, November 1st


Participants to be added as necessary.


Mars - the bringer of war. - Lauren Hynde

Venus - the bringer of peace. - Tristesse

Mercury - the winged messenger. - cymry, WickedEve

Jupiter - the bringer of jollity. - maria2394, champagne1982

Saturn - the bringer of old age. - jthserra

Uranus - the magician. - flyguy69

Neptune - the mystic. liar, bluerains

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Mars - the bringer of war. - Lauren Hynde

This should be fun to screw with some people's brains... (a bit further )

I only just now saw the form requirement. Damn you.

 

[wildsweetone]

an enquiring mind wants to know why there's two planets missing?

 

[Guest]

an enquiring mind wants to know why there's two planets missing?

The challenge was inspired by Holst's orchestral suite The Planets - he doesn't include the earth or Pluto. I really don't know why. Come join us.

link

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Gustavus Theodore von Holst (September 21, 1874 – May 25, 1934) was an English composer with Latvian, Swedish, and Spanish roots. Born in Cheltenham, where he was educated at Pate's Grammar School, he went on to study at the Royal College of Music in London. His best-known work is probably his orchestral suite The Planets, completed in 1916, although the composer himself did not count it as one of his best creations and later often complained that other works were completely eclipsed by it*. The Planets (1914–1916) was partly inspired by meditations on his own horoscope/natal chart and dealt with the "seven influences of destiny and constituents of our spirit."

*funny guy, too.

 

[wildsweetone]

i would but i'm trying to avoid form at the moment.

 

[Guest]

an enquiring mind wants to know why there's two planets missing?

I just fornd this - never knew it before.

Only seven planets had been discovered in our solar system when Gustav Holst penned The Planets. While Pluto was discovered in 1930, four years before his death, Holst apparently never thought about appending his most famous work. Holst thought of this work as much a commentary of the seven ages of man (as penned by William Shakespeare in As You Like It) as of his short-lived interest in astrology. Does this mean Holst equated "Mars - The Bringer of War" with childbirth, "Venus - The Bringer of Peace" with youth, and so forth? It's an interesting concept, and not as outlandish as it may seem at first when you consider the musical content of each section. However, it also means that Holst probably thought of the work as complete regardless of subsequent astronomical discoveries.

 

[Guest]

This should be fun to screw with some people's brains... (a bit further )

I only just now saw the form requirement. Damn you.

I just saw this.

and as for the form stipulation - at least we're all in the same boat.

 

[cymry]

I would love to join in...but don't have a clue which planet to choose.
I thought maybe Mars since I'm an Aries...but it doesn't really matter.
Thoughts?

 

[eagleyez]

hmmm...

Well, pm floating celestially towards you.

 

[eagleyez]

The challenge was inspired by Holst's orchestral suite The Planets - he doesn't include the earth or Pluto. I really don't know why. Come join us.

link

heh,

I once played Double Bass in a community symphony to "The Planets" by our man Holst.

Sleepily, as I recall. You know, all that bowing and shit. I wanted to bust out my Mingus rip off, but, alas, I was a good boy. I have a couple of versions of the Symphony, on CD.

I'll listen for inspiration. Ive always loved the piece. BTW, what's a form poem?

*snicker*

 

[jthserra]

Am I seeing double??

Or are there two threads... I'm skating with Saturn unless someone else has it already.


jim : )

 

[Guest]

Jim it's open to all. I'm hoping Laurel - as the only totally unbiased member - will agree to judge the final poems to be posted.

I have a problem, however. I find I'm going to be too busy to work on a poem for a couple of weeks so...........should I drop out - I am quite happy to - or should I put back the date? Anyone?

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Jim it's open to all. I'm hoping Laurel - as the only totally unbiased member - will agree to judge the final poems to be posted.

Why can't all be posted, if there happens to be more than one poem for each planet. Cymry also said she wanted Mars; I'm cool with Mercury if it has to be, or else we can share.

I have a problem, however. I find I'm going to be too busy to work on a poem for a couple of weeks so...........should I drop out - I am quite happy to - or should I put back the date? Anyone?

We'll wait for you. It will give us time to research new and exotic forms.

 

[Tzara]

Jim it's open to all. I'm hoping Laurel - as the only totally unbiased member - will agree to judge the final poems to be posted.

I have a problem, however. I find I'm going to be too busy to work on a poem for a couple of weeks so...........should I drop out - I am quite happy to - or should I put back the date? Anyone?

For shame, Tess!

Pose a challenge, then drop out yourself? Hmmph.

Put the date back. I need to learn something about form poetry anyway, if I even want to try and participate.

I am leaning towards further enhancing my outsider status and writing something on Pluto. The British composer Colin Matthews wrote an "add-on" movement to The Planets in 2000. Whether it be considered part of the overall poem or not, if I have the time to do anything, that's probably what I would do.

I may not have the time, as I am busy the next couple weeks.

Also, I don't know the conventions of what is allowable as "form" here. Shakespearean and Petrarchan sonnets, obviously. Villanelles, terzanelles (learned about those here). Triolets and sestinas (ditto). What else would qualify?

Do heroic couplets count? (Not that I would use those.)

It's cold and lonely way out here.
Am I still planet? Let's have a beer!

er... something.

 

[Guest]

Why can't all be posted, if there happens to be more than one poem for each planet. Cymry also said she wanted Mars; I'm cool with Mercury if it has to be, or else we can share.


We'll wait for you. It will give us time to research new and exotic forms.

All posted? If that'll work, great! I'd really like everyone to try some form. Listen, if I can do it anyone can

For shame, Tess!

Pose a challenge, then drop out yourself? Hmmph.

Put the date back. I need to learn something about form poetry anyway, if I even want to try and participate.

I am leaning towards further enhancing my outsider status and writing something on Pluto. The British composer Colin Matthews wrote an "add-on" movement to The Planets in 2000. Whether it be considered part of the overall poem or not, if I have the time to do anything, that's probably what I would do.

I may not have the time, as I am busy the next couple weeks.

Also, I don't know the conventions of what is allowable as "form" here. Shakespearean and Petrarchan sonnets, obviously. Villanelles, terzanelles (learned about those here). Triolets and sestinas (ditto). What else would qualify?

Do heroic couplets count? (Not that I would use those.)

It's cold and lonely way out here.
Am I still planet? Let's have a beer!

er... something.

OK - you're both very kind. I'll set it back then anyone keen to learn a form has time to do so.

tzara - any form poem that you fancy trying. In the past we even invented a few but if you invent one it behooves you (heh!) to explain it's workings.

 

[cymry]

Why can't all be posted, if there happens to be more than one poem for each planet. Cymry also said she wanted Mars; I'm cool with Mercury if it has to be, or else we can share.


We'll wait for you. It will give us time to research new and exotic forms.

I have no preference...I'll take Mercury since it is the one left. Hmmm...already have thoughts fighting for attention...

 

[Guest]

DATE CHANGE - NOVEMBERr 1st

All welcome to play. Pick your planet and simply write a form poem (your choice).

Well, at least give it a try.

 

[The_Fool]

I'm curious to see what forms are chosen.....

 

[cymry]

Hoping this is where they go...

If not, then I will submit for punishment later.

Here goes my attempt at modern pantoum...be gentle.

Message from the Gods

Mercury the winged messenger
an ember in Sol’s eye.
Elliptical orbit of a God
skimming the astral plane.

An ember in Sol’s eye
bearing words of import.
Skimming the astral plane,
clutching caduceus of paired serpents,

Bearing words of import.
Swift journeyman of the heavens
clutching caduceus, of paired serpents.
Intermediary of the four elements,

swift journeyman of the heavens
owning a hard dense heart.
Intermediary of the four elements.
Forever marked by myriad scars

Owning a hard dense heart.
Elliptical orbit of a God
forever marked by myriad scars
Mercury the winged messenger.

 

[champagne1982]

I'm in with Maria! I think writing a jocular poem about the jolly ruler of the skies, Jupiter, should be a requirement of every Saggi-Scorp cusp!

 

[Maria2394]

I'm in with Maria! I think writing a jocular poem about the jolly ruler of the skies, Jupiter, should be a requirement of every Saggi-Scorp cusp!

OMG!! are you 11/22 or 11/23? Im 11/23/1962 its a pain sometimes being one of us!!...theres another one here too, he might show himself ...

 

[eagleyez]

Wait a minute.

I just realized I may not have the credentials to participate.



Will I get moderated if my words are "out of line?"

*cackles and goes back to bed*

 

[WickedEve]

Can I do Mercury? I hope so. I wrote a terzanelle last night.

Editing to add the poem which probably needs much more editing itself.

Mercury The Winged Messenger
a D/s themed terzanelle


I heard them beat against the pane,
beat, beat, and beat again,
like the rhythm of his cane.

Thought it was a little wren
come to see my candlelight,
thresh the glass with wings again.

I know of birds and winter fright.
One had spied us in the chill
when I died by candlelight.

Sir had split the air too shrill.
Swung his arm just like a sickle
through my rushes--hot and chill.

Fallen stem, a steam, and trickle,
I was spent and left to ponder
how my pleasure was a sickle.

Was "into the light" written yonder.
No wren that beat against the pane.
I was spent and left to ponder
love and rhythm of his cane.

 

[Guest]

Changes noted and applied.