Crown of Heroic Sonnets
Poetry Contest
Welcome to year 5 of our Crown of Heroic Sonnets contest!
This is my favorite form of all times. We had some amazing entries over the years. Sadly, three of the entrants have since passed, but the memory of their talent will forever live on in our hearts.
So, for those serious poets who attempted this form before, or for those who will dare it for the first time, here it is:
The Crown of heroic sonnets is a sequence of seven heroic sonnets usually addressed to one person . It is concerned with a single theme and each sonnet explores a different aspect of the theme and is linked to the preceding and succeeding sonnets by repeating the final line of the preceding sonnet as its first line and by having its final line be the first line of the succeeding sonnet.
The first line of the first sonnet is repeated as the final line of the final sonnet thereby bringing the sequence to a close.
The Crown consists of seven Heroic sonnets. What is a Heroic sonnet?
The Heroic Sonnet is an iambic pentameter based poem that adds a heroic couplet to either two Sicilian octave stanzas or four Sicilian quatrain stanzas. In other words, it's eighteen lines of iambic pentameter broken into three or five parts with the last part being a couplet. The rhyme scheme has usually been a,b,a,b,a,b,a,b - c,d,c,d,c,d,c,d - e,e OR a,b,a,b - c,d,c,d - e,f,e,f - g,h,g,h - i,i.
The higher entry fee is due to the complexity and magnitude of this challenge.
This is my own rendition of the form:
THE CROWN FOR VEGAS
I.
You came when grief was eating at my core
demolishing my substance piece by piece.
And now you are the Vegas I adore,
your incandescent aura brings release.
The Southern magic was a soothing balm
to heal the wounds of death and tragic loss.
The canyons, mountains and your desert calm
put out the flames on my inferno cross.
I breathed the healing air and I revived
I knew not all was lost, there was a chance --
You waved your magic wand, and I survived,
My Vegas, I submerge in our romance.
You touched where the decay began its work
and oiled the roughness of infected skin.
You penetrated where the demons lurked
and monitored the healing from within.
You came and conquered this illusive heart
From that day on we'd never be apart.
II.
From that day on we'd never be apart -
I left New York and came to be with you.
My mind prepared for the amazing start,
your mountains and the sky forever blue.
It was a daunting task, to leave the North,
but you were beckoning, and I obeyed.
Your chariot would drive my spirit forth
I listened to the message you conveyed.
It took five days to reach your magic land
The car was bringing me to your abyss ~
I felt the touch of your caressing hand,
my cheeks beheld the blessing of your kiss.
The warm dry air erased the Northern cold,
Excitement hard to hamper, heart afire,
I felt my failing spirit getting bold --
The Vegas witchcraft took away my ire.
Oh soon, so soon I will be in your arms
My Vegas, I look forward to your charms!
III.
My Vegas, I look forward to your charms ~
It was mid-summer, and your Southern sun
assailed my windshield glass in soft alarm.
I closed my eyes and thought of all the fun
of my amazing journey to unknown;
Relieved that I had left my grief behind.
Each mile along the yel'ow brick road had shown
how right I was to free my tortured mind.
Suicidal notions melted in the heat,
Oh no, life was too precious to forsake,
I was refusing to accept defeat.
Another mile, I'm drifting in your wake,
My Vegas king, the sov'reign of my choice.
My ear detects the voice from down below,
I hear "Nirvana" in your lilting voice,
I will be with you soon, my mystic beau!
The Arizona mountains - one more state
Just moments left till our clandestine date.
IV.
Just moments left till our clandestine date.
I crossed your kingdom's border in the night,
I made it to your threshold, it was fate.
And now, in your embrace, my errant knight
I'm safe and free, for many moons to come.
Your sky of perfect blue and vistas green
beseeched my soul; I knew I'd overcome
my writhing grief in this resplendent scene.
I reveled in your magnitude, tear eyed
refusing to believe that it was real -
I felt I was a Bonnie to your Clyde
Completely smitten by your bold appeal.
You were my Noah's ark to heartache's flood,
The secret key to life's metamorphose -
My heart, my inspiration and my blood
Are yours to hold, in poetry and prose.
I lost my loved ones, and you took my pain
Who said our suffering is not in vain?
V.
Who said our suffering is not in vain?
It strengthens our reserve, prepares the soul
for tribulations of the higher plane -
the life across the Gate, and for our role
in changing of the universal tides.
The galaxies ignite, and brilliant stars
are moving through Galactica in strides
Where are you, loved ones, on Pluto or Mars?
The Vegas moon bestowed its silver shine
on lonely pilgrim from the far East Coast,
It whispered in my ear: "I know, you're mine
and I will give you what you want the most.
The Lunar sorcery is stronger here,
In Vegas, this omnipotent resort -
Above its mountains paradise is nearer
And from now on this town is your consort."
I whispered: "Thank you, my resplendent moon,"
She smiled and disappeared in her lagoon.
VI.
She smiled and disappeared in her lagoon;
Her prophesies came true a thousand times
This town and its largess did make me swoon -
its mountains, canyons that appeased my rhymes,
casinos with their ever jingling slots,
the shows, and colored lights of Vegas Strip.
The globe has myriads of exciting spots
But it's Las Vegas that would make you flip.
I felt I was a kid on Christmas day
when I went out at night and here they were -
Belaggio, Luxor, Wynn and Mandalay,
A beauty feast for any connoisseur.
The sparkling riches of Aladdin's cave
would pale compared to their divine finesse
My Sultan Vegas, I'm your faithful slave,
I kneel 'fore your incredible largess.
And so, I fell in love with my new town ~
On Vegas' head I placed my poet's crown.
VII.
On Vegas' head I placed my poet's crown
The monarch worthy of the given name ~
In your celestial spell I'd like to drown,
I revel in your fortitude and fame.
You single-handedly erased my grief,
your magic power healed my broken wings,
your soothing desert warmness brought relief,
Such is the aurora and appeal of kings.
My Vegas, after two delightful years
I had to say good bye to you, my love -
We shared our joys and our perennial tears
I know that angels sent you from above.
There came a time when East Coast summoned me,
I had to leave you... but I can't forget
my Vegas love, my heart was left with thee,
I close my eyes and see your silhouette.
One day again I'll kneel upon your door -
You came when grief was eating at my core.
The contest winner will win half of the prize pool which is based on the number of entries. The second and third place winners will each share the remaining prize pool. The prize pool is currently 275.00 member dollars. There are 7 spots still open. If all open spots are used the prize pool will be 450.00 member dollars. In this contest at least 2 submissions must be made for the vote to begin.
Deadline: Contest is closed. Deadline was Tuesday, May 31, 2016.
Full Contest Listing
This is my favorite form of all times. We had some amazing entries over the years. Sadly, three of the entrants have since passed, but the memory of their talent will forever live on in our hearts.
So, for those serious poets who attempted this form before, or for those who will dare it for the first time, here it is:
The Crown of heroic sonnets is a sequence of seven heroic sonnets usually addressed to one person . It is concerned with a single theme and each sonnet explores a different aspect of the theme and is linked to the preceding and succeeding sonnets by repeating the final line of the preceding sonnet as its first line and by having its final line be the first line of the succeeding sonnet.
The first line of the first sonnet is repeated as the final line of the final sonnet thereby bringing the sequence to a close.
The Crown consists of seven Heroic sonnets. What is a Heroic sonnet?
The Heroic Sonnet is an iambic pentameter based poem that adds a heroic couplet to either two Sicilian octave stanzas or four Sicilian quatrain stanzas. In other words, it's eighteen lines of iambic pentameter broken into three or five parts with the last part being a couplet. The rhyme scheme has usually been a,b,a,b,a,b,a,b - c,d,c,d,c,d,c,d - e,e OR a,b,a,b - c,d,c,d - e,f,e,f - g,h,g,h - i,i.
The higher entry fee is due to the complexity and magnitude of this challenge.
This is my own rendition of the form:
I.
You came when grief was eating at my core
demolishing my substance piece by piece.
And now you are the Vegas I adore,
your incandescent aura brings release.
The Southern magic was a soothing balm
to heal the wounds of death and tragic loss.
The canyons, mountains and your desert calm
put out the flames on my inferno cross.
I breathed the healing air and I revived
I knew not all was lost, there was a chance --
You waved your magic wand, and I survived,
My Vegas, I submerge in our romance.
You touched where the decay began its work
and oiled the roughness of infected skin.
You penetrated where the demons lurked
and monitored the healing from within.
You came and conquered this illusive heart
From that day on we'd never be apart.
II.
From that day on we'd never be apart -
I left New York and came to be with you.
My mind prepared for the amazing start,
your mountains and the sky forever blue.
It was a daunting task, to leave the North,
but you were beckoning, and I obeyed.
Your chariot would drive my spirit forth
I listened to the message you conveyed.
It took five days to reach your magic land
The car was bringing me to your abyss ~
I felt the touch of your caressing hand,
my cheeks beheld the blessing of your kiss.
The warm dry air erased the Northern cold,
Excitement hard to hamper, heart afire,
I felt my failing spirit getting bold --
The Vegas witchcraft took away my ire.
Oh soon, so soon I will be in your arms
My Vegas, I look forward to your charms!
III.
My Vegas, I look forward to your charms ~
It was mid-summer, and your Southern sun
assailed my windshield glass in soft alarm.
I closed my eyes and thought of all the fun
of my amazing journey to unknown;
Relieved that I had left my grief behind.
Each mile along the yel'ow brick road had shown
how right I was to free my tortured mind.
Suicidal notions melted in the heat,
Oh no, life was too precious to forsake,
I was refusing to accept defeat.
Another mile, I'm drifting in your wake,
My Vegas king, the sov'reign of my choice.
My ear detects the voice from down below,
I hear "Nirvana" in your lilting voice,
I will be with you soon, my mystic beau!
The Arizona mountains - one more state
Just moments left till our clandestine date.
IV.
Just moments left till our clandestine date.
I crossed your kingdom's border in the night,
I made it to your threshold, it was fate.
And now, in your embrace, my errant knight
I'm safe and free, for many moons to come.
Your sky of perfect blue and vistas green
beseeched my soul; I knew I'd overcome
my writhing grief in this resplendent scene.
I reveled in your magnitude, tear eyed
refusing to believe that it was real -
I felt I was a Bonnie to your Clyde
Completely smitten by your bold appeal.
You were my Noah's ark to heartache's flood,
The secret key to life's metamorphose -
My heart, my inspiration and my blood
Are yours to hold, in poetry and prose.
I lost my loved ones, and you took my pain
Who said our suffering is not in vain?
V.
Who said our suffering is not in vain?
It strengthens our reserve, prepares the soul
for tribulations of the higher plane -
the life across the Gate, and for our role
in changing of the universal tides.
The galaxies ignite, and brilliant stars
are moving through Galactica in strides
Where are you, loved ones, on Pluto or Mars?
The Vegas moon bestowed its silver shine
on lonely pilgrim from the far East Coast,
It whispered in my ear: "I know, you're mine
and I will give you what you want the most.
The Lunar sorcery is stronger here,
In Vegas, this omnipotent resort -
Above its mountains paradise is nearer
And from now on this town is your consort."
I whispered: "Thank you, my resplendent moon,"
She smiled and disappeared in her lagoon.
VI.
She smiled and disappeared in her lagoon;
Her prophesies came true a thousand times
This town and its largess did make me swoon -
its mountains, canyons that appeased my rhymes,
casinos with their ever jingling slots,
the shows, and colored lights of Vegas Strip.
The globe has myriads of exciting spots
But it's Las Vegas that would make you flip.
I felt I was a kid on Christmas day
when I went out at night and here they were -
Belaggio, Luxor, Wynn and Mandalay,
A beauty feast for any connoisseur.
The sparkling riches of Aladdin's cave
would pale compared to their divine finesse
My Sultan Vegas, I'm your faithful slave,
I kneel 'fore your incredible largess.
And so, I fell in love with my new town ~
On Vegas' head I placed my poet's crown.
VII.
On Vegas' head I placed my poet's crown
The monarch worthy of the given name ~
In your celestial spell I'd like to drown,
I revel in your fortitude and fame.
You single-handedly erased my grief,
your magic power healed my broken wings,
your soothing desert warmness brought relief,
Such is the aurora and appeal of kings.
My Vegas, after two delightful years
I had to say good bye to you, my love -
We shared our joys and our perennial tears
I know that angels sent you from above.
There came a time when East Coast summoned me,
I had to leave you... but I can't forget
my Vegas love, my heart was left with thee,
I close my eyes and see your silhouette.
One day again I'll kneel upon your door -
You came when grief was eating at my core.
The contest winner will win half of the prize pool which is based on the number of entries. The second and third place winners will each share the remaining prize pool. The prize pool is currently 275.00 member dollars. There are 7 spots still open. If all open spots are used the prize pool will be 450.00 member dollars. In this contest at least 2 submissions must be made for the vote to begin.
Deadline: Contest is closed. Deadline was Tuesday, May 31, 2016.
