Best Sibyl Poems
Then Cronus, son of Heaven and Earth
accepted steel and cut the twain
Dead Earth descended low in sterile regions
of the sundr'd Soul
And a cry went up from mortal'd man -
"Great one what hast thou done to us?"
A part of time is cut in twain
repeating o'er and o'er the strain
And A begat him B and B begat him C,
and on and on
The boredom of the turning ball the reaching out
the anguish'd call -
"Great Cronus Son of Heav'n and Earth
why hast thou done this thing to us?"l
POSEIDON
Sleep, Lord Poseidon,
Deep, everlasting sleep,
While sailors watch with bated breath.
Old planking creaks –
The pitiable splintering sound –
Old planking creaks.
Old sailor,
Splintery-kneed old sailor,
Keeps his watch,
With ever a thought of life’s futility,
Down deep,
Where dolphins stay.
But Lord Poseidon never sleeps,
And dolphins play….and play.
HERMES
Young wears the winged sandals,
holds the winged staff.
When old has cried, “Lost spring!”
young laughs in the verdant bush,
And will dance at wedding and wake alike.
Prophetic powers draw dark
eyes toward opportunity
hidden in ball of fire
predicting future.
Sibyl speaks. Boldly foretells
her lift over the threshold
and willfully conjures a
hunk of burning love.
Graceful, posing hands present
a strikingly handsome face
uplifted—scrutinizing
the love of his life.
Caryl Ramsdale
Copyright © 2011 All rights reserved.
Dodoitsu Poetry Form
September 6, 2011
"CRYSTAL BALL" poetry contest sponsored by Linda-Marie The Sweetheart of P.S.
~ 1st Place ~
9/18/2011
Ibycus was on his way to a music festival when he was set upon by robbers. While dying a wave of cranes flew over. Ibycus implored the cranes to avenge him. The robbers, with their spoils attended the music festival. There were thousands in attendance. Mid way through a choir performance, a flock of cranes flew over the stadium. The robbers, recalling Ibycus' dying words, panicked and were arrested
THE CRANES OF IBYCUS
“Look! Look, comrade,
There, yonder flow
The cranes of Ibycus!”
Above the stadium,
In perfect row,
The cranes of Ibycus,
Above the Fury’s chorus,
In dissonance, crow,
The cranes of Ibycus!
Above the bedlam crowd
Their numbers grow,
The cranes of Ibycus!
Above the hoard of voices,
Become now low,
The cranes of Ibycus.
Above the perfect silence,
Flying slow,
The cranes of Ibycus.
Above ten thousand heads
Which lowly bow,
The cranes of Ibycus.
Beyond the tiers and fading
In the distant glow,
The cranes of Ibycus
Dave Austin
a la W.H. Auden
Sleep, Lord Poseidon,
Deep, everlasting sleep
While sailors watch with bated breath
Old planking creaks -
The pitiable, splintering sound -
Old planking creaks
Old sailor,
Splintery-kneed old sailor,
Keeps his watch
With ever a thought of life's futility,
Down deep,
Where dolphins stay
But Lord Poseidon never sleeps
And dolphins play.....
And play
Some wildness runs in Artemis
As silver streaks in a jet of coal-black hair
This beauty wrought to tempt a man
Is by her lesbian air a beauty wasted
Her eyes to thine reflect a dream
Where senses numb and leave the lips untasted
David Austin
THE SIBYL
ASTARTE’S BIRTH
Aphrodite-wed on summer’s noon I lay me long
reflecting
And glad my eye the sky as hillcrest partner
shares this view;
Fond Cytherea seems at nature with a point
In thought-fixed time;
All else, save lady with her doting nymphs,
is show’ring green about,
And I, intruder at her foaming birth,
rebuke the modern scandal.
Nothing lurid, naught impure,
my naked lady stands at bath,
While soon doves, blithely perch’d,
(wet wings do mark a chilling breeze)
Most amorous white birds praise
my passion’s woozy lightness ‘neath the trees.
The proverbial victim immortalized forever
Seeing Prince Charming when you gazed into his eyes, but, beyond your
delusion stood Satan himself fantasizing about how he was to devour your flesh.
Sibyl's true love for Dorian did not see deceit's nasty warnings.
Narcissistic Dorian could not be abated.
The torment of others didn't reach his conscience.
He craved only masturbation material for his wicked ego.
His evil heart overpowered all.
His sinister desires are all that ruminated through his diabolical mind
Loving Dorian only left Sibyl starving.
His heart was not capable of returning the undying devotion she felt for him.
He was no man.
Only a hollow shell, pretending to feel love while concealing his laughter for his
unsuspecting prey.
Loving Dorian only killed you.
He compromised your integrity
Stole your innocence
Taking from you what you could never retrieve
Just because he could
But, don't worry your pretty little head, Sibyl.
You will never be forgotten.
Especially by Sir Dorian Gray
Though I imagine that he would give anything to have a moment of peace from
the horrifying images of your tragic ending, for all eternity his thoughts will be
haunted by images of your ruby red blood, desperate cries and the contortion of
your dying body.
Sometimes he will think it is just a nightmare, but this is something from which
he will never wake.
He will pray for an ending to his torment, but his wish will never be granted.
Though ultimately Sibyl, you took your own life there is blood dripping from
Dorian's claws.
Evil must be punished like everyone else and that is the embodiment of Dorian
Gray's icy heart.
Now Dorian must cloak his own sins.
His evil soul destroyed himself and all those who had the misfortune to love him.
Though he salivated at the thought of his next conquest, time and time again,
Dorian's self hatred and inner demons engulfed him until he plunged into his
darkened abyss from which he will never escape.
His most unfortunate transgression of all was choosing to live a superficial
existence, choosing eternal youth and beauty over true love.
Sybil Vane was the only woman whose love was pure enough to rescue him.
Dorian will forever be tormented knowing that he obliterated his guardian angel,
the only one that could have saved him - from himself.
Midi bright October night,
In the sky-eyed clouds,
Gold and silver then my Lord
Did radiate thy wondrous light.
At each few steps I paused,
Turned my face upward
To bathe in your suspended strength -
Bearded Zeus,
Thy razor-sharp nose,
Square-cut head,
Ulotrichous beard,
Blazing away so near above -
Old Zeus
Cloud gatherer.
Aphrodite-wed on summer's noon
I lay me long reflecting
And glad my eye the sky
as hillcrest partner shares this view -
Fond Cytherea seems at nature with a point
in thought-fixed time
All else save lady with her doting nymphs
is show'ring green about
And I intruder at her foaming birth
rebuke the modern scandal
Nothing lurid naught impure
my naked lady stands at bath
While soon doves blithely perched
(wet wings do mark a chilling breeze)
Most amorous white birds praise
my passion's woozy lightness 'neath the trees
Young wears the winged sandals
holds the winged staff
When old has cried, "Lost spring!"
young laughs in the verdant bush
And will dance at wedding and wake alike
Come, Sibyl, speak of ancient times and ways
Marpessan youth, Apollo's golden days.
Come, Sibyl, o'er time's countless grains of sand,
That shades now lost to night mght guide my hand
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Beads
String of beads
In marble fancy
Cut form out the center core
Some Grecian column
Days of yore
They spill all clackclattery
Down entrance steps
Gaining color from sun and sky
And splash my basket to overflow
Sparkle my eye
Then scoop those glistening beads
Unto skinny shallow hands
Enough enough for angel bands