Unsold Poems from the May 1, 2012 Poetry Fishbowl
This fishbowl is SOLD OUT. Thank you for your support!
The following poems from the May 1, 2012 Poetry Fishbowl are currently available. They may be sponsored via PayPal -- there's a permanent donation button on my LiveJournal profile page -- or you can write to me and discuss other methods.
The Poetry Fishbowl also has a landing page nbsp;with full details about the project.
" Balancing In Action" -- 60 lines, $20 SOLD (Sort Of Heroes)
The prompt about lawful evil and chaotic good tied in neatly with Nib and Brod's efforts to discover what heroism really is. "Balancing In Action" touches on some previous thoughts about the local power dynamics and then adds some crackpots with more ideals than sense.
" The Craftsman's Cause" -- 70 lines, $35 SOLD
siege left a backchannel prompt about patience and a craftsman. This led to "The Craftsman's Cause," a free-verse poem in which the proprietor of an adventuring supply shop deals with customers of various moral persuasions.
" The Fading Tower" -- 98 lines, $49 SOLD (Sort Of Heroes)
The henchmen Taro and Hicket reappear in "The Fading Tower," a free-verse poem about their arrival at the Tourmaline Tower to apply for work with the Myrklord. In the rain, of course. This is a sequel to " Call to Duty" and "A Catalog of Flaws."
" A Fork in the Road" -- 24 lines, $10 SOLD
Inspired by V for Vendetta, the poem "A Fork in the Road" deals with characters who are both hero and villain, destruction and salvation, at the same time in the same action. It's written in free verse.
" Fucking For Virginity" -- 35 lines, $15 SOLD
Your prompt about the changing expectations of soldiers before and after their first battle led to the free-verse poem "Fucking For Virginity." It follows a process of discovering how war destroys not just out peace but inner peace, and draws on some experiences mentioned by returning soldiers. The title comes from a popular protest slogan.
" Good Help Is Hard To Find" -- 116 lines, $58 SOLD
From your prompt about the dark lord, I got the free-verse poem "Good Help Is Hard to Find." Shaeth, God of Evil, grows bored with destruction and quits his position. But nobody wants him around, he doesn't have any other skills, and he fails utterly to teach his followers anything new. He's not the only one lost in the woods, though...
" Swimming Against the Tide" -- 78 lines, $39 SOLD Path of the Paladins)
Swimming Against the Tide" is a free-verse poem from Path of the Paladins. Your hapless mercenary finds himself kicked out of Gorrein's employ by an evil paladin for behaving like a decent human being. Well, that's awkward...
" Tough Love" -- 9 lines, $5 SOLD
From the prompt about parents as heroes and anti-villains, I got the poem "Tough Love." It's mostly a litany of frustrating but healthy boundaries.
" Uneasy Things" -- 200 lines, $100 SOLD Path of the Paladins)
From the prompt about Einar, I got the free-verse poem "Uneasy Things." Einar and Johan meet in a market where Einar is selling off his ready stock and some secondhand goods. Among the things they talk about are their experiences with less than respectable orders. And sometimes, things that were lost may be found again, all unlooked for.
" What Evil Must Be Done" -- 19 lines, $10 SOLD
I liked the prompt about evil deeds saving the world from good but disastrous deeds. The result is a villanelle, "What Evil Must Be Done." Tolerance and diplomacy lead to inviting aliens to Earth, where they promptly hijack human reproduction. The only way to stop the invasion involves killing not just the guilty, but also the innocent, for the sake of species survival.
" Within the Wolf's Jaws" -- 226 lines, $113 SOLD The Asgard Eddas)
Your prompt about species survival conflicts between humans and aliens led to "Within the Wolf's Jaws," a free-verse poem. Herein lies one of the greatest tragedies of my main science fiction setting, when human starfarers crashland on an alien planet and come into conflict with the natives. When peace falls, war rises; and when war falls, only sacrifice remains.
"Within the Wolf's Jaws" is the second poem I've written in my main science fiction universe that features characters from the colony of Asgard, although neither is set there. The first poem was "The Forging of Brisingamen" from the February 19, 2008 session; it's still available (96 lines, $48). They deal with motifs of Norse mythology rendered in science fiction context.
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Spillover Poems
" Dead Soldiers on Parade" -- 97 lines, $48.50SOLD One God's Story of Mid-Life Crisis)
Shaeth tries to find ways of preventing Trobby from getting too drunk too often. His skills as a former God of Evil are only somewhat useful in this endeavor. There is fire, mayhem, and impromptu wargaming with improvised props. Free verse.
" Manning the Handbasket" -- 56 lines, $20SOLD One God's Story of Mid-Life Crisis)
Hevarre, God of Good, comes to Shaeth asking after a replacement God of Evil. Shaeth is not exactly overflowing with sympathy here. Unrhymed quatrains.
" Blood Will Tell" -- 52 lines, $20SOLD One God's Story of Mid-Life Crisis)
People are still pestering Shaeth about the need for a successor -- only now there is a prophecy too. Then his former high priestess shows up, and she is not happy with him. Unrhymed quatrains.