Hold true to patience of practiced precision,
when dry earth greedily drinks of rain foretold,
to guide and mold each delicate decision;
your subject descends, weighted persuasions fold
heavy upon conscience rests all division,
each vision remembered through dreams seeking gold.
The conditions feel right to sever the limb.
Oh! Sacrificial lamb; let the time begin.
Strength arises answers for nature’s own needs
new growth - obedient child to well-placed lights;
taunt aroused desires and temptation feeds,
will’s cooperation bought with conjoined sights;
unseen plans; exposed, off-center and skewed deeds
awaking lullabies for deity’s flights.
An ancient art of restrictions abated,
together are such illusions created.
Exploiting handpicked placements of life concise;
elements supporting tiniest details
frail and vulnerable fragments to suffice
as fostered dependency thrives and prevails;
witness bloom’s promise emerging to entice
all heaven and earth - one container entails;
song sung story told as the judges agree
Oh! Bonsai with pride and love I set you free.
Author notes
Prompt: Manipulation
Ottava Rima
A Ottava Rima is a poem written in 8-line octives. Each line is of a 10 or 11 syllable count in
the following rhyme:
one octive poem. abababcc
two octive poem. abababcc, dededeff
three octive poem. abababcc, dededeff, ghghghii
"The artist never duplicates nature but rather expresses a personal aesthetic philosophy by manipulating it. The bonsai may suggest many things, but in all cases must look natural and never show the intervention of human hands"
"The bonsai with its container and soil, physically independent of the earth since its roots are not planted in it, is a separate entity, complete in itself, yet part of nature. This is what is meant by the expression "heaven and earth in one container". A bonsai tree should always be positioned off-center in its container, for not only is asymmetry vital to the visual effect, but the center point is symbolically where heaven and earth meet, and nothing should occupy this place. Another aesthetic principle is the triangular pattern necessary for visual balance and for expression of the relationship shared by a universal principle (life-giving energy or deity), the artist and the tree itself. Tradition holds that three basic virtues are necessary to create a bonsai: shin-zen-bi standing for truth, goodness and beauty."
quotes from: http://bonsaisite.com/intro1.html
A contest entry
- Calling On The Big Dogs Of AP 2008 by blondone.
1375 points, ended May 27, 2008, 20 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
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Awe deep and powerful you have out done yourself here I gave you what I thought would be a hard prompt but you have written this with ease struck a core with me lovely grand flow and full of imagery thank you for the authors notes...
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Excellent. Form is spot on and this sings. Well done and best of luck in the contest. Wow. So good.
~Pamela 
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Beautiful form Your prompt will be: Manipulation
take this where you wish -
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