whirlpool -

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Abaft the beam the aberration spun
Below the turbid surface like a pearl
Commanding all attentions, overrun

Dissolving as colloidal midst the swirl
Encircled tons of matter as dissolved
Fierce vortices, toroidal in their whorl

Gesticulating with his mates, involved
Hypotheses suffused the captain's ire
Intense 'twas this anomaly, unsolved

Just as a jester moon dipped to retire
Kinetic phosphorescence flit the mast
Low on the mizzen, as St. Elmo's fire

Miraculous, a beam shone in its caste
Now tying ship to sea by water brake
On deck the crew were timidly aghast

Pervading all, their need to undertake
Quick means to thus escape adversity
Relinquishing to flee that eddy's wake

Surmising that the undertow would be
Too close to e'er escape its pearly skin
Unhesitant the captain plunged the sea

Virulent, boiled the brine, he in its spin
With sword held tight, defiantly above
Xiphoidals sliced the vortex from within

Yet with the ebbing sea his crew thereof 
Zeus in his glory, never knew such love.







~ 2nd Place ~  in the "Quirky Tercets" Poetry Contest, Nina Parmenter, Judge & Sponsor.

~ 3rd Place ~  in the "Abecedarian Contest" Poetry Contest, Caren Krutsinger, Judge & Sponsor.

( This form is called "ABC" or "Abecedarian", and it's also an Epic Terza Rima in Iambic Pentameter, with 10 syllables/line, counted @ HowManySyllables.com )

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Connie Marcum Wong

Date: 3/7/2020 2:11:00 PM

This is so impressive Greg. I am happy this made the list. Mine didn't make it. This form shines with your expertise! Congratulations on your win! xxoo

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 5/9/2020 12:40:00 AM

What a sweet comment - thank you so much, Connie - I so appreciate it, Dear Poet! :o) <3

Eve Roper

Date: 3/4/2020 12:20:00 AM

Great write, Greg, not only a 10 syllable and rhyme verse. This would have been so difficult for me to do. Congratulations on your win. Hugs Eve

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 5/9/2020 12:39:00 AM

That's very kind of you, Eve, thank you so much, my friend! :o) <3

Mark Toney

Date: 3/3/2020 7:00:00 AM

Brilliant, Greg! Congratulations on your placement. ~Mark

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 5/9/2020 12:39:00 AM

Many kind thanks to you, Mark! :o)

John Hamilton

Date: 5/19/2019 6:53:00 PM

Took a bit of work you say!!! Mind blown by the complexity of this write, and the lexical execution. ABC plus terza rima(my fave form) in Iambic pentameter nonetheless!! I don't know anyone else who could pull this off. No more words, I'm not easily thrown off but...speechless!

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 5/20/2019 1:16:00 AM

This means a lot to me, John, as your opinion always DOES, but also that you appreciate its complexity and intricate phrasing ... I honestly didn't think it would get many comments, so I am pleasantly surprised and so appreciative of all of you. This took some extra time, but was very rewarding, and I'm quite proud of it. Many thanks and blessings, Brother - much love & respect! :-)

P.S. Awtry

Date: 5/3/2019 9:42:00 AM

Stunned! My first thought was HOW? And I see someone else said that! Brilliant! And congratulations!

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 5/20/2019 1:07:00 AM

You are very kind, PS, I greatly appreciate it ... this was a bit intense, but very rewarding, and I'm so glad you enjoyed the result! Blessings! :-) <3

Kurt Ravidas

Date: 4/29/2019 10:21:00 AM

Sweet heaven, tell me how, HOW can a human write such a poem? Are you a Terza Rima god, let say, Terza Rama? The human has no chance. Another contest lost.

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 4/30/2019 11:16:00 PM

LOL - you are very kind, Kurt, and I got a chuckle from this wonderful comment ... I think you do me far too much credit, but I'm so pleased that you found my poem worthwhile - it was a labor of love. This is actually my first "true" Terza Rima ... I wrote one other, but I think it's the wrong meter, so this is really the first one to "officially" qualify. Many kind thanks and blessings, friend! :-)