sinews reverberate with power of the strike,
as the chisel cuts into the rock on hillside,
his face glistens in sweaty heat of summer light,
lost in the passion of his work no shade to hide!
with every hit the sound echoes around the site,
the rock crumbles to his wishes as he desires,
he works all day and rarely stops at cold of night,
some pass by in wonder while some stop to admire!
his heart will not rest till this hardened rock is carved,
until he creates in stone what he lost in flesh,
his mind is set, fabric of his being love starved,
no one has seen him eat, sleep or pause to refresh!
seasons go by as the figure slowly takes shape,
an exquisite beauty stands where once was cold stone,
serene face most delicate in finery draped,
an embodiment of love that his heart bemoans!
what can restore a love that is lost for ever?
his catharsis from her depthless pool of romance,
stands she alone, the result of his endeavour,
see how a flame of passion does a stone enhance!
2nd placement
Catharsis poetry contest
Written 4/12/2020
Silent One sponsored
12 syllables each abab cdcd rhyme sequence
5 quatrains 20 lines
Categories:
carved in stone, 10th grade, 11th grade,
Form: Rhyme
Carved in stone (sonnet to Ishtar)
Hail beauty, still as death, in smooth stone hewn,
The Great Earth's Queen in regal posture stands,
Who in the underworld sings out her tune
Of justice, law and power o'er her lands.
The land of Kur, the realm of all the dead
Is her domain. With eagle wings and claws
And serpent hair entwined about her head,
Athene's owls are there to give just cause.
She rules supreme, in nakedness and pride
On lions' backs her feet grip with sharp hold,
Four thousand years an image petrified
Her regal glare still dreadful to behold.
Carved in stone, as Queen of night she reigns
O'er gardens of the fertile crescent's plains.
I was inspired to write this poem after visiting the 'I am Azurbanipal' exhibition in the British Museum. One of the exhibits, a stone relief of the goddess Ishtar, the deity associated in Mesopotamian mythology with love, sex, death and war, displayed carving of startling clarity and beauty even though it was made around 4000 years ago in ancient Babylon.
Categories:
carved in stone, culture, fire, god, history,
Form: Sonnet
They've buried his bones
beneath this stone.
But God knows now
where he chooses to roam.
He said his work would not be done,
even when earth's life was run.
So watch and listen
and tread with care.
For wherever you are
he may be there
The laugh in the air
or a giggling brook
may be on the pathway Ivor took.
But there’s one thing certain,
when all is done
.....a simple grave won't stop his fun.
Ivor G Davies
Categories:
carved in stone, eulogy,
Form: Rhyme
Cold bleak winter rain has fallen
On your velvet hair and skin;
Once a masterpiece in color,
Now washed clean and white again.
Visions paint a flower of beauty
From your love grown through the years;
Now within my storm of silence,
Petals shake from all my tears.
Through the pain I see the rainbow
Where you’ve found the pot of gold;
From your non-regretful outlook,
And your selfless servant mold.
Still from lost dreams shared together,
That I’ve hoped for like a child;
I must give them back to heaven,
Since my “what ifs” have run wild.
Now I stand beside the marker,
Looking at your granite stone;
Knowing well your soul was lifted
Straight to God at heaven’s throne.
As I see your name is etched there
With your birth date in the sun;
It seems wrong to carve your ending,
Since your true life’s just begun.
Categories:
carved in stone, death, dedication, lost love,
Form: Elegy
Here lies Bea At a hundred and three
In the place she vowed She’d never be
She always swore She’d never die
Till all who bugged her
In the grave would lie
She hung on tight To the very end
No foe was left For flowers to send
Let’s raise a glass And shed a tear
She sure raised hell while she was here!
Copyright©2004 Beatrice Boyle
(All rights reserved
Categories:
carved in stone, death, funeral, funny,
Form: Light Verse
Restless is the sleep,
inward we cry,
so many forsaken,
too many will die.
Triumphs give hope,
then reality sets in,
why, O why,
and when, O when.
Givers of freedom,
takers of time,
whether it be wrong,
whether it be right.
Memories will linger,
long after we are gone,
as another generation,
is carved in stone.
Categories:
carved in stone, life, loss, time, visionary,
Form: Free verse
As I walk through tomorrows door,
anxious to behold what life has waiting there,
praying for serenity on God's given shore.
Twilight awaiting as another day ends,
a comfort of knowing my heart forgives,
misfortunes, and people, when rules they bend.
The passage that awaits, only I can consent,
no anger is harbored, my cheek is turned,
my spirit not broken, only slightly bent.
He who matters, and His commandments of truth,
carved in stone by His mighty hand of time,
believers of His word, shall witness to you.
Categories:
carved in stone, hope, life, love, time,
Form: Narrative