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Sapphic Odes (in the style of Alexander Pope)

There is a very ancient form of Ode called a Sapphic after the Greek poet Queen of Lesbos Sappho.
The form requires an exact and slightly awkward meter and uses 3 lines of 11 syllables and one of 5 syllables. Swinburne and even Ezra Pound wrote Sapphics (Pound even using Spondees as the Greeks did) But some poets such as Pope preferred to simplify things and write in three lines of Iambic Tetrameter followed by a line of Iambic bimeter
(8 syllables three times then 4) rhymed ABAB although classic sapphics don't rhyme.

It is this form we want here

Three themes rather than prompts

Either

1. write from a painting, include the image if you do this
2. write a fantasy story, elves, dragons, unicorns all that stuff
3. something dark, not too gruesome but decidedly dark

You shouldn't need to tell me which theme you have picked, if I cannot guess you got it wrong!

Say 3-20 stanzas please.

Contest is Over

  • Contest was judged on June 16
  • Rewards: Gold: 600, Silver: 300, Bronze: 100
  • Final notes:
    Wow
    and again
    Wow
    There are some seriously good poems in this contest, I am almost grateful that Mairi's poem did not fit the themes given because that allowed me to rule out one entry that should have been on the podium, only leaving me with about 9!!!
    I wanted to be strict about the form given that as far as I know this is the first time this, one of my favourite forms of poetry has been celebrated on AP, So although there were some delightful poems in a looser meter I favoured the iambic ones, that said the winner has a few substitutions that to my ear would have been better smoothed over.
    However, anyone who does not object to adult themed poetry should read the winning entry, I have almost decided to become a lesbian on the strength of it. Superb poem.
    Second place goes to a wonderful poem and a tribute to a close friend (and AP sister) I am pretty sure I managed to sweep that aside and judge it fairly as a poem.
    Third place I adored the moment I read it.
    I have been through ticking off grammatical reversals and skips and burrs in the meter but in the end I have judged mainly on the gut. The three winning poems all make me go oooooooo
    On another day another set of three could have won, AP will not allow me to give out 9 golds, fantastic work from all entrants, and I hope you all write more Sapphic odes, in all styles and especially this one, I loved them all.

Contest Winners

  1. An Empty Room
    This garden once a meeting place
    Where lovers touched and left thei
    by Sue Cardwell 34 lines, 15 comments, on Jun 1 4:43 AM. In Form, Art, Love, Life, Sad
    Silver trophy winner
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]
  2. The song of girls
    by Mairi bheag 35 lines, 33 comments, on Feb 28 2:03 PM. In Hope
    • Commented on by judge. Prewrite [remove]
  3. Goddess Of The Moon
    Goddess Of The Moon
    Arisen from her dream soft bed
    by Sue Cardwell 17 lines, 20 comments, on Feb 4 10:32 AM. In Form, sapphic ode Life, Contest, Love
    • Commented on by judge. Prewrite [remove]
  4. A Woman's Worth (Sapphic Ode - Pope Style)
    Image credit:
    George Frederic Watts - She Shall Be Called Woman
    by Pamela A Lamppa 37 lines, 24 comments, on May 29 12:59 PM
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]
  5. Ode on Time ~ [Dedicated to Myra, George, SA
    by Winklings 61 lines, 24 comments, on May 30 9:29 AM. In Sapphic Ode, Rhyme & meter, Life, Love, Time., Dyad
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]
  6. He Came
    by The Painting Poet 35 lines, 4 comments, on Jun 10 7:46 AM. In Contest, Fantasy
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]
  7. The Sculptor
    The Sculptor
    Many years he’d thought he
    by Sue Cardwell 28 lines, 12 comments, on Feb 20 12:02 PM. In Sapphic Ode, Life, Contest, Love, Thoughts
    • Commented on by judge. Prewrite [remove]
  8. Forever Tied
    by Sprite 71 lines, 4 comments, on May 30 3:00 PM. In Society, Contest, Dark
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]
  9. Ode To Yon Sky
    by Sprite 39 lines, 1 comment, on Jun 1 7:27 PM. In Ode (Pope style), Contest, Nature
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]
  10. At the Deep End of the Blue Sea
    by The Painting Poet 37 lines, 4 comments, on Jun 8 12:43 PM. In Fantasy, Dark, Picture Inspired
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]
  11. The Forever Dream (Sapphic Ode)
    Dark carnival glass colored scales,
    impenetrable to the world,
    by KayJay 41 lines, 10 comments, on May 28 7:56 PM. In Fantasy, Nature, Society, Sapphic Ode
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]

Entries [14]

1 - 14 of 14

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Comments


  • Pamela A Lamppa silver member
    May 28
    Edit | Reply
    Just what I was looking for.

  • Pamela A Lamppa silver member
    June 16
    Edit | Reply

    Jeff

    Thank you for an amazing contest. I am so pleased to have been considered in the top 10 with both my entries. Truly an amazing form and I recommend everyone read the top three poems. Superb and skillfully written by exceptional poets.

    Great contest. Might I suggest another? Thank you again. ~Pamela

  • Winklings gold member
    June 24
    Edit | Reply

    Congratulations to trophy winners

    Lovely ladies, all! And, to all contestants.