Most anthologies of poetry have an index of first lines to help the reader find the poems. I present here a fairly random list of first lines. They come from an anthology called Flash Point which, in 1964, was a collection of modern poetry. I got it as a prize at school. Halcyon days, eh?
Your mission, if you wish to accept it, is to take one of the lines and use it to begin a poem of your own. You may, if you wish, blend more than one of the lines into a single poem. And you may enter as often as you wish.
You may recognise some of the lines. There are no bonuses for doing so, but the poems may be well worth reading in their entirety. However, you'll probably produce better work if you don't read the poem first.
I'm looking for creativity and originality. No other rules occur to me.
Good luck.
1. A touch of cold in the Autumn night
2. At midday they looked up and saw their death
3. Born of my voiceless time, your steps
4. Fireballs and thunder augment the wailing wind
5. Ghost-grey the fall of night
6. Had I but lived a hundred years ago
7. I looked into my heart to write
8. Law, say the gardeners, is the sun
9. Out of the wood of thoughts that grows by night
10. Perfection, of a kind, was what he was after
11. Remember me when I am dead
12. Stone against stone, they are building back
13. The seagull, spreadeagled, splayed on the wind
14. There is a dark planet striking against us. Invisible
15. The dove descending breaks the air
16. When snow like sheep lay in the fold
17. What seas what shores what grey rocks and what islands
18. Whether dog will eat dog, likes boot leather frozen or boiled
19. You know what is is to be born alone
20. You remember Davies? He died you know
Your mission, if you wish to accept it, is to take one of the lines and use it to begin a poem of your own. You may, if you wish, blend more than one of the lines into a single poem. And you may enter as often as you wish.
You may recognise some of the lines. There are no bonuses for doing so, but the poems may be well worth reading in their entirety. However, you'll probably produce better work if you don't read the poem first.
I'm looking for creativity and originality. No other rules occur to me.
Good luck.
1. A touch of cold in the Autumn night
2. At midday they looked up and saw their death
3. Born of my voiceless time, your steps
4. Fireballs and thunder augment the wailing wind
5. Ghost-grey the fall of night
6. Had I but lived a hundred years ago
7. I looked into my heart to write
8. Law, say the gardeners, is the sun
9. Out of the wood of thoughts that grows by night
10. Perfection, of a kind, was what he was after
11. Remember me when I am dead
12. Stone against stone, they are building back
13. The seagull, spreadeagled, splayed on the wind
14. There is a dark planet striking against us. Invisible
15. The dove descending breaks the air
16. When snow like sheep lay in the fold
17. What seas what shores what grey rocks and what islands
18. Whether dog will eat dog, likes boot leather frozen or boiled
19. You know what is is to be born alone
20. You remember Davies? He died you know
Contest is Over
- Contest was judged on March 29, 2008
- Rewards: Gold: 300, Silver: 150, Bronze: 75, Honorable mention: 2 people
- Final notes: This contest had excellent entries
I thought it might stop in the twenties
But a whole thirty one
What wonderful fun!
I'm glad the response was so plenteous.
To judge was a problem for me
And I've tried to be fair as can be
I like verse that flows
And is different from prose
With a natural rhythm, you see.
And I do like a message as well
As you may be able to tell
Something special to say
In a memorable way
So you think: Now, these words ring a bell..
Well, this contest is now at an end
Thank you all for the words you have penned
And if you haven't won
Then I hope you had fun
I regard you, each one, as a friend.
Contest Winners
-
You remember Davies? He died you know. When? Oh, two or three weeks ago.• Commented on by judge. [remove]
- Error: Unable to find finalist item 4064055, it seems to have been deleted :( [remove]
- Error: Unable to find finalist item 4025953, it seems to have been deleted :( [remove]
-
Line used: Whether dog will eat dog, likes boot leather frozen or boiled. Inspired by Museo del Jamón in Madrid, Spain.by Your Alter Ego. 54 lines, 2 comments, on Mar 28 1:39 PM 2008• Commented on by judge. [remove]
-
When snow, like sheep, lay in the fold
With touch of cold on Autumn night ...• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
Had I but lived a hundred years ago I could have danced in my grandpa's shadow• Commented on by judge. [remove]
Gold trophy winner
Silver trophy winner
Entries [25]
1 - 25 of 25
-
At midday they looked up and saw their death,
And were struck by a feeling of intense regret.• Commented on by judge. -
Remember me when I am dead...by sunflowers21573 14 lines, 8 comments, on Nov 21 8:35 PM 2008. In Sadness• Commented on by judge.
-
At midday they looked up and saw their death
streaming down from high aboveby howlinginpain 20 lines, 4 comments, on Mar 15 1:17 PM 2008• Commented on by judge. -
I looked into my heart to write 7
a touch of cold in the autumn night; 1by myrataal 24 lines, 10 comments, on Mar 19 2:34 PM 2008. In Melancholy, Life, Creative, Index Lines• Commented on by judge. -
• Commented on by judge.
-
by SideburnsThePJ 24 lines, 4 comments, on Mar 26 3:21 PM 2008. In A prolonged derangement of the senses• Commented on by judge.
-
Perfection, of a kind, was what he was after;
A sense of peace, that he knew would only come with the end.• Commented on by judge. -
Remember me when I am dead Remember all the time we spent together• Commented on by judge.
-
Remember me when I am dead i sayby righteousme 23 lines, 3 comments, on Mar 28 3:24 PM 2008• Commented on by judge.
-
A touch of cold in the Autumn night,
creeps across my skin.• Commented on by judge. -
You know what it is to be born alone in a world of mortal men.by Dark Otter 21 lines, 4 comments, on Mar 28 11:23 PM 2008• Commented on by judge.
Add a comment
Comments
-
Thank you for hosting a wonderful contest and for awarding me a HM, Congrats to the other winners, Josie
Adding your comment:
