Historical Poetry

Question

Midnightpoet's challenge sparked an idea in my head. A challenge that deals once again in poetry. Write something historical, doesn't matter what or when as long as it deals with history. No word list, or length requirements.

Comments

wow...a very interesting challenge. I'll have to give this some thought.

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Realized in my absence I had never picked a best response for this!

Answer 1

War is Hell

Caught in the crossfire of a thousand wars
We the people have become the whores

To countless presidents past and present
They think of new enemies to hell they have sent.

Believing in our divine right of freedom
We enslave the poor nations and kill their kingdoms.

Arsenals of bombs and soldiers galore
Where is the peace that we so implore

Iraq, Afghanistan, CIA operations
Hidden in cover we attack all nations

Maybe someday we’ll learn the lesson
Of freedom without wars expression.

Comments

An amateur effort at best, I do apologize, but poetry is not my thing.

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If you say that one more time, I'll slap you. xD

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Oh yeah, the poem. Well, I'll tell you the same thing I told Giraffe - I don't think "present" really rhymes with "have sent". A word added/subtracted here and there might have helped the rhythm, but all in all not bad for someone whose thing is not poetry. Try and see if you can fix it up a bit and start making poetry your thing.

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Keep it up, Doug.  Take poetic license when you want to.  No offense to Spots, but we ain't all perfect all the time.

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Why thank you giraffe!  Spots, I promise not to say it again...Well...

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Careful what you promise, Doug. And Giraffe, you can't blame me for wanting you to be perfect.

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absolutely loved it. kinda reminded me of a Green Day song XD

Answer 2

MARRIAGE

George, decked out in his finest silks,
had not had a bath for weeks.
He scratched himself with with a beautiful wand
and got the relief he seeks.

"Liz, go fetch me my perfume.
I can't stand my own stench."
She went out to get his oils.
Liz was such a very good wench.

"Now go and get my cape.
I have a meeting with Charles at noon.
We have a date for hunting, Dear,
and tonight is the full moon.

My carriage has arrived, Liz.
On the Morrow I'll be back.
There are many witches out there.
We'll have them on the rack."

"Yes, M'lord.  I'll have your meal
upon your desk by seven."
George stepped into the buggy
on his mission to protect Heaven.

"Four were reported in Essex"  Charles said.
"The neighbors are in a fright.
We must find them and test them
if it takes all night."

"We know witches  float magically
so we'll take them to the water.
And any one of them that lives
Must be Satan's daughter."

Liz was scratching her head.
'Shall I poison him now or later?
He stinks and farts and kills my kin
and loves to be a hater.'

George's life ended the next day
when Liz put the hemlock in his broth.
She had done her mission.
Whom would she next betroth?

Comments

I really like that :) I could hear it spoken well in my head. Extra funny because my name is Liz xD

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I loved this and Yeah it WAS very funny :-D I love the rhyming and it flows together so nicely . . . great work! :-D

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Thanks, DL.  I think you have to understand the absurdity (that people used to really think like this) before you get the humor.  Live and learn.  I'm glad you "got it".

Answer 3

Ashes

Ashes flying
rising higher
flames dancing around bones
flesh eaten
devoured by the starving flames
shouts in a guttural voice
stirs terror in my heart
gripping it in an ice vice
as we are herded
separated into two groups
lead into one corridor or another
at a fork in the hallway
what are these ashes?
that putrid smell in the air?
is it freedom?
like the guards repeat over and over
or is it death?
like the hairs on the back of my neck
are telling me
yelling at me
"This is Auschwitz."

Comments

Tragic, realistic and hisorically accurate.  Hats off to you Liz or Beth or Betty.  I was introduced to a man in about 1975 who showed me the tattooed numbers on his arm.  A very kind person.  A survivor.

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Thank you. And yes, it's Liz.

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Outstanding Liz.  I loved the rhythm you had going and I knew it was leading towards Auschwitz the whole way through.  A very good poem.

Answer 4

LIMERICK

There once was a man from Spain
who got caught up in the reign
of Inquisitors,
rude visitors
who loved to inflict pain.

He wondered 'Do I join them,
or simply avoid them?'
He dropped to his knees
and prayed for his needs.
They took him on their voyage.

They sailed off to the New World
where there, a new flag they unfurled.
"The Pope hates you
and all that you do.
We demand your flesh uncurled."

He flowed with the story
'cause he understood the glory
of being the winner
over every sinner.
Too bad it had to get this gorey.

While heathens were tortured by whips,
their fortunes were stowed on our ships.
We stole all their gold
and it's been told
by many unfortuate lips:

"There was a young man in Mexico
who knew he was the next to go..
His feet in the fire
his wife on the pyre
of what would become Texaco.

The armada sailed off for home.
They were swollowed in ocean foam.
The weight of the gold
was too much to hold
It's written in many a tome

They sank in the Carribean
where very few sailors have been.
Their devistation and death
had taken the breath
from the victims they all had seen.

Now it's their turn to suffer.
There is no Godly buffer
for those who ignore
the horrors of war
when they only want to bolster their coffers.

There once was a woman from Spain
who rode her horse in the rain.
Her husband had drowned
but she was crowned.
Queen of the damned - vision of pain.

Comments

Wow, I really liked that :)

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Witch hunts, the Holocaust, the Inquisition.  There's a theme here.  We need something cutesy like Indian reservations or crucifiction.

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I don't do poetry, but I always participate so I'll be along sometime with an historical poem.  Good grief!!!

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Very nice. Just a thought - does "Carribbean" really rhyme with "been"? And "voyage" seems to be an orphan. Or am I just picky?

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Poetic license, dear.  Been doesn't rhyme with seen or Carribean.  Voyage doesn't rhyme with anything that would matter to the story line.  I take my liberties.  HaHa.  Thanks for noticing.

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It's all good. As long as you're aware of it. =P

Answer 5

Dover Castle

I looked upon this wintry sky,
With dew filled eyes upon ancient stone.
Carved granite walls fixed up on high;
Warding Albion against invasion.

Two thousand winters duly passed,
Since Rome held sway along this shore,
A reminder of our ancient past,
This bastion of Masonic lore.

It stands upon whitened cliffs, this fort,
With the screech of gulls and roar of sea,
And below the bustle of a busy port;
By a town nestled in a valley.

Dover Castle is its name,
A most daunting stone edifice,
Forever it will stand in fame,
Staunch, whilst we reminisce

 Stephen Martin (C) 2010

Comments

Oh my bama!!!! I LOVED it!!!!!! I usually hate history because it's my worst subject in school and it completely confuses me, but this makes me want to read up on the history of Dover Castle!! . . . Wow that says alot because-have I mentioned this?-I HATE HISTORY!!! So yeah I REALLY love it! I love how you describe it :-D

     SIGH . . . I wish I was as good at poetry as you are!! You're very talented so keep on writing!!!! :-D

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Thank you it really is an impressive Walled Keep built by the Norman's 1000 years ago on the ruins of a Roman fort which was a 1000 years older, the Pharos lighthouse remains are still there and was built by the Romans and still stands within the grounds of the Castle.

Answer 6

The Count Mondego

I remember when he stood so tall-

Like a god bringing down a wall.

And he would rule them with an iron hand.

Heads would bow as his feet would stand.

Watching from his golden throne.

Saw the world as if it was his own.

Crushing maggots that got in his way-

“Untouchables shunned. Rich ones can stay.”

One minute he stood so tall

But his Kingdom soon would fall.

And I can see now that he sits so small

and he's looked down upon as flies on the wall.

A blind betrayal as crowd's are waiting

Come to your window-

they're still parading.

Warning signs that his end is near

But far too proud to admit his fear.

In one hour his fate has come.

Sweat drops heavy.

But it’s anger that turns him from King to stone.

This was the destiny he chose.

It was the moment they sealed his fate

Clouds and fog would surround the place.

Plots against him as he turned his back

Understudies he trusted picked up the slack.

Returned the favor of conspiracy.

Cuz revenge is oh, how sweet.

Just to drag him up to Sinner’s Cliff.

How did he deserve all this?

A blind betrayal as crowd's are waiting

Come to your window-

they're still parading.

Warning signs that his end is near

But far too proud to admit his fear.

In one hour his fate has come.

Sweat drops heavy.

But it’s anger that turns him from King to stone.

This was the destiny he chose…