How is the valiant fallen
on the mountain?
Swifter than eagles
stronger than lions
the arm of Rome fallen
to cunning.
Give me back my legions
Quinctilius Varus!
Had you been diligent,
as you are with denarius,
strategically planning
the battle
you might have uncovered
the heart of the barbarian
and Rome would not have fallen
to Germania.
Tell it not at the gathering
Senatus
weep not at the forum
via Appia
lest the enemy glut!
First Place Winner: William Kekaula-A Historic Event- 9/24/20
9AD battle of Teutoburg. Ambushed by the Germans Varus lost three Roman Legions.
in my lowliness you remembered me
after man had torn wrappings
of my soul leaving only
my flesh to devour
small things withered
beneath my earthly realm
oh how i'd beckoned your rapture
i wasn't as pure as sister agnes
nor sister margaret fruitful an yet
you'd entered me craving my soul
my heart filled with such desire
as i'd prayed for human compassion
pure affection was totally absent
from a broken woman bleeding
my flesh mascerated
shredded in the haste
of a car bomb equivelent
to one rib of man child an yet
you remembered me taking my soul
on a tour of ruinen auf des.via appia
while di vatican called my name
trumpets roared throughout
this granduer of openess
wholeness occured weeping flushed
from mine eyes dining in your diviness
the purity of the holy spirit
desiring me a flower blooming
clinging to thorns blood soaked
matted hair cradled my skull an yet
you entered my being creating
an eternal finding above
the santity and salvation
catered untimely to him
Nero was a cruel, unfair emperor playing
the lyre as his disguise to conceal his consuming guilt;
and he caused destruction without feeling
an ounce of pity for those he governed with distrust.
Why did he want to destroy a city so mighty and glorious,
and replace it with a Golden Palace and magnificent gardens?
It seems inconceivable, but it was confirmed by many as the Great Fire
which ravaged Rome for six horrible days...who dared to call Nero a liar?
On the rooftop, with the widest view of Rome burning underneath,
Nero played the lyre as his disguise...singing,"The destruction of Troy" with derision.
And while looking so innocent and sad, he did nothing to control it;
wasn't his madness an evident sign of that contemplated act brought to completion?
Finding the scapegoats was too easy for him, to cover up his evil deed...
he blamed the Christians and had them thrown to the beasts of the Colosseum,
but many more were crucified along the Via Appia and was Nero appeased?
No, he still continued to play the lyre as his disguise with increased delirium.
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.