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Banned Book Club VII- 1984 Premiere Contest Winner

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Anaya's Banned Book Club VII
In 1966, school boards banned the novel for being "immoral," a move which made author Harper Lee publicly compare the criticism to that faced by 1984. More recently, the book has been banned for touching on "racial issues" and its use of racial slurs.
 
https://youtu.be/5Fuplg6MhPQ    Narrated by Arthur Lane
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell | 1984 | Full Audiobook
"1984" by George Orwell   
                                                                     Dystopian novel
 
What ultimately defeats totalitarianism? Winston believed the human spirit would overcome. You can approach this from any angle you wish, a mass uprising, divine intervention, corruption from within, even a cosmic occurrence.
1984 -The Fall of Big Brother Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Tom Woody
First Place
3.22.25

How I dread those fearful words: We are under attack! ~ Written in ’48  off by 77 years? There is no going back—poet

Midtone grey surrounds what’s left of a man’s soul Scenes of biblical abominations troll Inky are the hellish horizons appalled An okay is needed for anything at all Manipulating truth determines your life Erasing individuality is part of your strife Robotic neurotic, emotionless choice, nary a voice Force proles controlling every movement A new history engraves the stone 'tis not heaven sent Welcome to Big Brother, a new king for Englanders and now Oceania’s greatest symbol stirs Its omnipresent presence manifests a leader never seen On the other hand, pervasive propaganda and relentless mass surveillance Y.o.u.r world bordered by assailants of diseased disorder the new order Love only lasts ‘til tortured—T.O.R.T.U.R.E.D. here denigration lives and stifles the minds Rage is caged, his caged birds, for brainwash study A broken will, with allegiance and only to Big Brother An okay, you shan’t do anything for “the one you love”, for lost souls your betrayal punishment are Fear of rats the Fear of drowning, he knows you Love is for Big Brother, heil him A misplaced society replaced with overwhelming desires The pen archaic, the persona paranoiac yet he cannot resist A diary kept is punished by death— where no laws exist Let it be a real nib and not of scratch dipped into Trembling is the cobalt bottle of ink— write for the future? A doublethink (a newspeak word) what if the future is like the present? Meaningless are the words, and the ink has dried “Down with Big Brother!” across the pages, to the future or past, greetings! Thought criminals, thought police shoot you in the back of the neck Thought crime is death, motion sensed by the Telescreen Rotting houses are the new landscapes normal sites An air raid then maps they’ll remake Everything is backwards, everything's erased Coins, posters, bills, are black mustachioed faced in his soulless image ______ /_______\ <---not great again Real pain real people households? |^| |^| cannot survive without privacy extinct These are not the households made great again cardboard patched buildings musky, murky from yesteryears (sigh) atomic ashes Cabbage smells and the percolating of stale coffee drips, reeks of life bleak Victory gin Victory cigarettes eyes peeled vigilant and habits are instinct The Party’s (3) slogans War is Peace Freedom is Slavery Ignorance is Strength Another one you must construe; Big Brother is watching you Potential wars blaming terrorism No government email, no government address, can’t approach get shot in the neck? We stand upon your halls, lots, lawns fighting hard to reach United we just maybe while in a protest spree of impeach Impeach! the fear he makes us feel And the leech who stands by him, saps our strength ruthlessly, Pride goeth before the fall with the law makers they bash in town halls He may have brought us together after all Our time has run out here on Earth And our time has come to the crossroads A stolen wife from a rival tribe, oh oligarch, King David With God you’re not, when a first child’s birth is a certificate of death Even the powerful aren’t immune from God’s wrath

Copyright © | Year Posted 2025




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Date: 4/18/2025 7:30:00 PM
Back with congratulations, Anaya. Well-deserved! Robert
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Anaya Avatar
I Am Anaya
Date: 4/18/2025 7:47:00 PM
Delighted, Robert ty! Blessings
Date: 4/10/2025 9:27:00 AM
Back with congratulations on your trophy win! Powerful write!! Not easy impressing the tom woody (haha) you did it gracefully sweet Anaya! Love your mention of me in poem, and thank you for sharing that in comments with me! Sending you light always
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Empress Avatar
Ink Empress
Date: 4/10/2025 10:04:00 AM
No words belong to anyone, but when some rephrase a whole poem and consider their own thats when its worrisome: iv seen some do that . But well sometimes have to close my eyes. And just go with the flow. Blessings too tc
Anaya Avatar
I Am Anaya
Date: 4/10/2025 9:44:00 AM
Ty, i had time to think about it, and found hellish horizon works, not sure if that belongs to anyone, blessings
Date: 4/10/2025 6:58:00 AM
Anaya, you have masterfully presented a chilling ode to Orwellian dystopia...Congrats on your 1st Place achievement...loved it. Mickey G :)
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I Am Anaya
Date: 4/10/2025 7:01:00 AM
I did it as a banned book for book club, I managed it quite well then. Ty, Mickey!
Date: 4/9/2025 4:40:00 PM
Good write, Anaya! Congrats on your top placement!
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I Am Anaya
Date: 4/9/2025 6:23:00 PM
Congrats on your entry, Kim. Poetically political, first ever I've seen you write about totalitarianism!
Anaya Avatar
I Am Anaya
Date: 4/9/2025 4:43:00 PM
OMG, Kimmy! I am stunned ~ Than you, sweet poetess.
Date: 4/9/2025 3:38:00 PM
How could this insightful and engaging write not place? And number 1? I loved your use of newspeak mixed with neo speak and your not so subtle sub theme of modern day totalitarianism and its inescapable downfall. Exquisite
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Anaya Avatar
I Am Anaya
Date: 4/9/2025 4:22:00 PM
Screams of joy stop, OMG Hey Tommy I'm speechless. Thanks a Zillion times! I poured my little heart and soul into this to please ~ Am I blushing like a pink flamingo? TY, ty, did I say Ty? Ha I'm off to celebrate Oops I mean have a shot of something!! :D
Date: 3/30/2025 4:18:00 PM
Anaya, I like how you end with biblical proportions. I recall that in one room in 1984 the tele screen in the room in question was installed so that there was a small area not surveilled. In any case, we're in trouble when regular people don't get what you're talking about. Amazing how quickly we'll give up our freedom for the sake of having an all powerful leader. My goodness, there were even episodes of Star Trek about how bad this would be. I really like how this reads...not how we end!!
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I Am Anaya
Date: 3/31/2025 3:00:00 PM
It was in the second chapter the telescreen was positioned in an usual area in the hallway adjacent to the window. There is no escaping the bad news and no excuses, the bible notes that somewhere, although there still may be a window of hope!
Date: 3/29/2025 1:21:00 PM
We don't know what is in store but the Book of Revelation in the Bible tells so much of what is to come. Thanks for sharing this one with us. Sara K
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I Am Anaya
Date: 3/31/2025 2:55:00 PM
Sara, We seem to be pre-destined no matter how the world wants peace and freedom, it aches for intervention and suffering to end. Ty !
Date: 3/28/2025 12:10:00 PM
Dear sweet anaya, I did not know that this book was banned, but i did see some poets on instagram too protesting poetically regarding this and how so many books were banned then, not now but maybe a year or more ago. I studied the book animal farm by george orwell, and it is a very intelligent book and portrays the reality we see today too. Its like as if he knew what the world would be like even many years from then. And this book i think has quite a few similarities to it! I love your word pairings like heinous horizon etc! Pleasure visiting your page today. Always a powerful soul one from your ink, sending you light always. Best wishes
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I Am Anaya
Date: 3/28/2025 2:47:00 PM
Yes, they ban the books from the public libraries and schools, away from students reach. I made sure Inky was nearby it, 'heinous horizon' from your line "swaying across the heinous horizon" loved it. ;D I found my own H word for my latest dramatic monologue "hesitant horizon". ha! Ty Empress, for you encouragement and brilliant comments ~
Date: 3/27/2025 2:46:00 AM
Banning a book which is used mainly metaphorical, is a disgrace.
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I Am Anaya
Date: 3/28/2025 2:49:00 PM
Out of the reach of babes, Victor. so sad ~ good to see your avatar! Be well
Date: 3/26/2025 6:14:00 PM
very sensitive and powerful, time change, not paranoia, i did'nt know either about the book, made me think of a Truffaut Movie ? farenheit 451, thanks poet for resisting
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I Am Anaya
Date: 3/27/2025 8:49:00 PM
the madness such . and not jolie ! Ah cheers Truffaut.
Date: 3/24/2025 12:09:00 PM
I've long ached that so many feed from forces and voices of external seeds, ignorant to the falseness and inherent soul illnesses mankind grows embracing them. Such is sadly growing the world's condition and will continue to until people realize it is from our internal forces that will learn who we really are, what our truth really is and how we should live. Ignorance is louder than truth, I believe. I felt your words and the wise gifts of your ink in this write ... CayCay
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I Am Anaya
Date: 3/26/2025 7:57:00 AM
What a great comment and your thoughts on this matter. If we do not unite and fight the right fight, it may be like the book predicted. Our rights are being destroyed. Together we can do something good. Ty CayCay for reading my banned book club choice, and contest entry~
Date: 3/24/2025 6:11:00 AM
You've ended your chilling tale with the perfect lines, my friend.
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Tom Woody
Date: 4/25/2025 2:51:00 PM
Coo coo cachoo Jerry brotherton
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I Am Anaya
Date: 3/26/2025 7:52:00 AM
Ty for reading this very long dramatic verse, Jerry. I too am glad I've chosen a way out thru God's help~
Date: 3/23/2025 11:11:00 AM
A good portion of the world lives in those exact circumstances. We're the lucky ones, so far but we must be vigilant. I started the book and viewed both films, a very important cautionary tale. For making antisemitism a focal issue, the banning. I've never known Orwell to be antisemite. Robert
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I Am Anaya
Date: 3/28/2025 2:51:00 PM
I'm doing more research on why banned or if Orwell was antisemite or racially prejudiced who knows! I'll get on it. Thanks for your support always, Robert!
Date: 3/22/2025 8:01:00 PM
WOW!!! What a powerful write you have here. Many have not read this old book. There was a movie made but I like the book better. Many said crazy then. Many say crazy now but is it??? The reader must decide after reading the book. Your last line is priceless. God has the last say. "Good Luck" Looks like we both did this one. Have a blessed weekend writing away..............
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Tom Woody
Date: 4/9/2025 3:55:00 PM
I read the book and saw the movie Paula
Anaya Avatar
I Am Anaya
Date: 3/22/2025 8:44:00 PM
I never saw the movie or read the book, Paula. I heard 2 chapters on the above audio book, the narrator recited in a English, resonant voice, I l enjoyed it while doing tasks ! I'll be there soon.:)
Date: 3/22/2025 1:40:00 PM
Dear Anaya, your poem is a chilling portrayal of an authoritarian regime and its impact on both society and the individual. The imagery and references to Orwell’s 1984 highlight the dangers of absolute power, surveillance, and propaganda, creating a reflection on contemporary issues like loss of privacy, government overreach, and the manipulation of truth. It invites readers to question the cost of freedom, individuality, and truth in a world where power is unchecked and the will of the people is subjugated by fear. .. Great choice for the contest, best of luck
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I Am Anaya
Date: 3/22/2025 8:39:00 PM
Ty, SO! It's so sad that this can happen, your sagasious thoughts are much appreciated. Hope you are doing well, free from the Craziness of Americans, ha. ~

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