Napowrimo '10: Sestina Challenge :: War of the Soul
Author's Note: Writing this was a personal challenge to myself, even though I'm a first-year poet. I wanted to do something beyond basic free-verse rhymes and really write something meaningful. I really feel I did that with this piece, I think there are writers (and really other creative minds/artists) who can connect with this piece.
That being said, it's still largely imperfect. Iambic pentameter is the bane of my existence, but even despite that structure hiccup, I still think this piece came out very profound. I hope you enjoy it, and please feel free to leave a comment!
War of the Soul
A Writer's Sestina
My confidence destroyed, my dreams shatter
I gave way to hopelessness that drowned.
My thoughts all turned to despair and dismay,
never holding to hope that I could win free
of this self-defeat that now loomed above
me with its talons of disquiet and gloom.
Yet, I cannot give in to silent gloom
nor can I allow my heart to shatter.
I must find the strength within or above
else watch as all I hold dear is drowned.
Never! I struggle again to be free!
I will not lend my spirit to dismay!
Sending a prayer to Powers above
may they help me surmount all this dismay,
buoy my heart so hope is not drowned,
forever banish sad, weeping gloom.
May these chains that bind creativity shatter!
May imagination always roam free!
Superfluous ghosts of bygone dismay
linger half-heartedly soothsaying gloom,
too late now that my spirit's broken free.
There is nothing for heartache to shatter,
this chimera of disconsolation drowned,
in this my eleventh hour. Rise above!
I fight back and cry out, "Death from above!"
like knight versus dragon, combat dismay.
My creativity will no more be drowned,
imagination not fogged by gloom.
Glass shards of disheartenment now shatter.
Exhilaration of a mind now free!
I no longer fear being drowned,
revelations of a spirit that's free,
Excommunicated Stygian gloom.
Sunshine is bright from blue skies far above,
fields of flowers bloom, perplexing dismay,
a soul in high summer cannot shatter.
No longer drowned, thank my God above,
eternally free from shaded dismay,
gloom is a mirror I can shatter. Originally posted at Writerholic's Anonymous, my writing blog.
That being said, it's still largely imperfect. Iambic pentameter is the bane of my existence, but even despite that structure hiccup, I still think this piece came out very profound. I hope you enjoy it, and please feel free to leave a comment!
War of the Soul
A Writer's Sestina
My confidence destroyed, my dreams shatter
I gave way to hopelessness that drowned.
My thoughts all turned to despair and dismay,
never holding to hope that I could win free
of this self-defeat that now loomed above
me with its talons of disquiet and gloom.
Yet, I cannot give in to silent gloom
nor can I allow my heart to shatter.
I must find the strength within or above
else watch as all I hold dear is drowned.
Never! I struggle again to be free!
I will not lend my spirit to dismay!
Sending a prayer to Powers above
may they help me surmount all this dismay,
buoy my heart so hope is not drowned,
forever banish sad, weeping gloom.
May these chains that bind creativity shatter!
May imagination always roam free!
Superfluous ghosts of bygone dismay
linger half-heartedly soothsaying gloom,
too late now that my spirit's broken free.
There is nothing for heartache to shatter,
this chimera of disconsolation drowned,
in this my eleventh hour. Rise above!
I fight back and cry out, "Death from above!"
like knight versus dragon, combat dismay.
My creativity will no more be drowned,
imagination not fogged by gloom.
Glass shards of disheartenment now shatter.
Exhilaration of a mind now free!
I no longer fear being drowned,
revelations of a spirit that's free,
Excommunicated Stygian gloom.
Sunshine is bright from blue skies far above,
fields of flowers bloom, perplexing dismay,
a soul in high summer cannot shatter.
No longer drowned, thank my God above,
eternally free from shaded dismay,
gloom is a mirror I can shatter. Originally posted at Writerholic's Anonymous, my writing blog.