I think I met Mark Twain
Once.
If I did, he was a drunk
But he treated me
With the utmost kindness
Braving the stares
Of the onlookers
Too astonished
To look away.
I was always drawn
To Lincoln
If I’ve seen a poem
Of his, I don’t remember it,
But it seems to me
As if most, if not all
Of his historical words
Remain poetry
Here,
In this day.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
I don’t even Know
What to say
About this man’s
Beauty
Or the depths
Of his love.
Thoreau, Emerson, St. Francis of Assisi, Buddha, Mohammed, Jesus, Allah, Yahweh, and yet, still, we find more to say……..
I’d add Cohen, too
But he’s still a
Kid with a crazy dream
Leading us on a journey
That requires nothing
Of us
Except our
Faith
And Commitment
To Keep.
Author notes
Prompt:
"I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened."
Mark Twain
A contest entry
- Contest ( Mark Twain quote) by Stickboy.
1050 points, ended November 1, 8 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 11 of 11
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I like Cohen been reading his last book and this is a cool poem and a joy to read
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lol - would that be his last book (as he's written a couple novels, too) or his last book of poetry "The Book Of Longing"? I was made aware of the his existence in mid-September from his PBS special "Live in London" - went out days later and bought the book. The man is all over the place - and I love it & him. Fascinating on many levels.
Thanks so much for reading and commenting. Let me know if you have any favorites in the book!
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Wonderful! What a joy to read and enjoy! I can easily see why you earned the Silver Chalice. I was there wityh you on your journey. Thanks for letting me tag along to meet all the greats you met. Congratulations!
Much Love & Respect ♥
Renee
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I think it was an honorable mention, but that doesn't matter. I quite enjoyed the prompt and the response it provoked within.
Thank you so much for your kind comment!
ya All~Ways,
~ Jan ~
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Totally raw take on the prompt. I wasn't expecting this. You threw in some powerhouse names adding extreme punch and emotional effect. Congrats on your honor.
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I think the opening stanza is great because it flows well, sets an informal tone and 'hooks' the reader with an original idea (meeting a drunk Mark Twain invites the reader to respond by imagining the setting for such a meeting and you prompt by your description of a crowd of astonished onlookers). If I were revising the poem I'd perhaps try to maintain the informal tone in your comments on Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. and try giving them a setting too. I'm a big fan of Cohen and I like the last stanza. I reckon it's worth revising this because you've got some great ideas.
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This was excellent. A very nice tribute.
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Thank You So Much!
Other poets/people do so inspire us, don't they? -
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Yes, very much
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what beautiful dedication to some truely fine men,,, loved this, thank you for entering , best of luck
Sean
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Thank You for such a grand compliment! Whether or not it places, it was a Joy to write & participate. I can't wait to read the other entries!
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