Read • Contests • Groups • Learn • Forums • Store • Help
 

About your Person

 

 

Here is one of my favourite poems by a British writer, Simon Armitage:

 

 

 

 

About His Person
 		 
 

Five pounds fifty in change, exactly,
a library card on its date of expiry.

A postcard stamped,
unwritten, but franked,

a pocket size diary slashed with a pencil
from March twenty-fourth to the first of April.

A brace of keys for a mortise lock,
an analogue watch, self winding, stopped.

A final demand
in his own hand,

a rolled up note of explanation
planted there like a spray carnation

but beheaded, in his fist.
A shopping list.

A givaway photgraph stashed in his wallet,
a kepsake banked in the heart of a locket.

no gold or silver,
but crowning one finger

a ring of white unweathered skin.
That was everything.

Simon Armitage

 



 

 

 

 

 

 




 

 

Now tell me, what you have about your person

 

 

 

 



 

Rules:






 

Left align only

no end line rhyme- unless you are so bloody marvelous at it, that it will make me sing! (just for apples)

but do use other poeitc devices

do NOT copy the Armitage poem

make this your own style, but i want to see strength, weakness, sorrow, joy, pain, love, loss

whatever ...

keep it short-ish

keep it real!

keep it on the level

you can even add pictures



 

 

 

NOW GO WRITE IT...................................

 

 

 







SORRY ABOUT THE DELAY IN JUDGING THIS

IT WILL BE DONE SOME TIME SOON

SO DON'T PANIC

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE

 

GILLY. XXX
 

 

Contest is Over

  • Contest was judged on July 22
  • Rewards: Gold: 800, Silver: 400, Bronze: 200, Honorable mention: 2 people
  • Final notes:
    took me a while to get this sorted due to family and personal problems, so sorry for the delay

    they were all great entries and I enjoyed seeing how you all took your own view of the prompt and let it fill out.

    many thanks for participating

    well done to all

    Gilly.xxx

Contest Winners

  1. Let me See...
    Black fat leather wallet, holding all sorts like a ball,
    dollars, lira, gobbledygook, but not much sov-er'eign at all.
    by Thoughts-of-Soloman 28 lines, 29 comments, on Jun 21 11:12 AM. In Personal, Contest, Humor, My own style
    Gold trophy winner
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]
  2. Bare Essentials
    Perfume infused robe; patchouli, lavender and four kinds of Estee. Naked underneath.
    by Rowan 21 lines, 14 comments, on Jun 16 10:09 AM. In Humor, Life
    Silver trophy winner
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]
  3. In my Wallet
    My black wallet bulges
    So the thread comes loose:
    by judyjudyjudy 40 lines, 9 comments, on Jun 15 10:18 AM. In Contest
    Bronze trophy winner
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]
  4. Just Enough
    A few crumpled bills, and forty dollars
    Some mascara, and some brown eyeliner
    by SweetJane 7 lines, 5 comments, on Jun 16 8:22 AM
    Honorable winner
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]
  5. My pockets!!!
    Some verses by my favourites that make me laugh or sigh
    A pocket watch so I can tell the time
    by cricketjeff 35 lines, 6 comments, on Jul 4 4:19 PM. In Personal, Weird, Humour, Humor, true
    Honorable winner
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]

Entries [20]

1 - 20 of 20

Add a comment

    : Comment:

Comments

1 - 19 of 19

  • Lucy. gold member
    June 15
    Edit | Reply
    Ooh, nice one! I'm meant to be having a break, but think I'll have to try this one.

  • apples fell gold member
    June 15
    Edit | Reply

    That rhymes! Gilly, I am shocked.....
    *farts* But yes. I might. I could.

    Maybe.



  • apples fell gold member
    June 15
    Edit | Reply

    And you said "no end rhymes" in your rules
    and the poem has that... Silly Gilly.

    • NurseChilly gold member
      June 15
      Edit | Reply
      not silly.... i don't like it when the majority of folks do it on here.. badly!!! lmao... but i do like to read it when it's done well.. like mr armitage's

      cheeky git

  • evil tempest
    June 15
    Edit | Reply
    oooooooooooo we had a sonnet named "poem" by simon armitage for our o-level course


    i am bookmarking this one

  • apples fell gold member
    June 15
    Edit | Reply

    Oh and yes. That poem is lovely.

    Off to see my father.

    You have sexy thoughts about me now, ya hear.



  • neon nightmares gold member
    June 15
    Edit | Reply

    I LOVE SIMON ARMITAGE

    I remember studying this poem for my exams a few years ago, it's quite deep. Ive already got a PW in this style, I'll write another for the comp tho. IF I CAN FIND THE TIME TOO
    I've studied and performed one of his plays 'eclipse' you should give that a read. its well worth it. you can find it in the book 'cloud cookooland'

  • marlene47 silver member
    June 15
    Edit | Reply
    Oooo, such an ending to that Simon Armitage poem! Great idea for a contest.



  • Cat gold member
    June 17
    Edit | Reply
    excellent idea!

  • Cat gold member
    June 21
    Edit | Reply
    still thinking!

  • Grunts Girl
    June 23
    Edit | Reply
    you know... i like this idea..
    been scribbling

  • amid unnaked things
    July 6
    Edit | Reply
    I'm too late to participate in this contest, but I wanted to comment anyways...

    I had to study this poem (and others by Simon Armitage) in my English class! It was a lot of fun because my group and I got it to read it aloud in class. A bit hard, too, because our teacher had us try to solve the mystery on how the man died.

    I always love studying the metaphors in poetry, and this was one of my favorites to go through.

  • AliceinPoetryLand Moderators member
    July 22
    Edit | Reply
    Congratulations to the winners and thank you for hosting
    Gaylene
1 - 19 of 19