Finished
Round 4: Poetry

From "The Haunted Palace":

But evil things, in robes of sorrow, Assailed the monarch's high estate. (Ah, let us mourn! - for never sorrow Shall dawn upon him, desolate!) And round about his home the glory That blushed and bloomed, Is but a dim-remembered story Of the old time entombed.

And travelers, now, within that valley, Through the red-litten windows see Vast forms that move fantastically To a discordant melody, While, like a ghastly rapid river, Through the pale door A hideous throng rush out forever And laugh - but smile no more.

Write a simple bit of poetry or prose about seeing the river of souls swirl about the Anchorage. Tarentum believes in a veil that separates the dead from the sight of the living, but their most powerful and eldest are able to pierce that veil, if only for a short time. It has been pulled back from your eyes, and even if only for the briefest moment, you can see the souls tied to the ship swirling to and fro, or staring out windows into the vast depths of space. What do you see?

Judging based on feel and flow, with attention paid to remaining within the "reality" of this event.

Competition Information
Parent Competition
Plagueis-Tarentum: Forged Alliances (Cooperative Event)
Organized by
Teylas Ramar, Master Selika Roh di Plagia, Adept Farrin Xies Tarentae, Master Zsarion Bloodfyre
Running time
2015-11-09 until 2015-11-16 (8 days)
Target Unit
Entire DJB
Competition Type
Poetry
Awards
Second Level Crescents
Participants
7 subscribers, of which 7 have participated.
Results
Member
Envoy Taranae Rhode
Textual submission

Soaked In Memory
---------------------------

A Tarentum Seer said to me,
"Pierce the veil and you will see."
His hand he passed before my eyes,
and then they opened with surprise.
For all around me spun and swam,
a sea of spirits, woman and man.

The Elder forms so slow in speed,
Stopped so sporadically and had to weave,
Throughout the throng of gathered souls,
Who went about their daily roles.
The younger spirits restless were,
And moved with vigour and not a care.

A lone figure gazed through window marred,
accompanied by some lowly ward.
The depth of space was all that looked back,
And the figure seemed to sigh and backed
Away from the viewport, sad and frail,
Whilst others all around him wailed.

Ghosts and spirits in combat locked,
others watching on in shock,
As the figures spun in circles fighting,
Still seeing clearly despite the lighting.
One last thrust and the opponent fell,
The clatter of his lightsaber his death knell.

The Anchorage in all it's splendour,
Gave up its ghosts for us to remember.
The stories buried in its walls,
Would forever remain inside these halls,
Maybe for others to come and see,
If only they were granted what was granted to me.

Placement
1st place
Member
Scion Tarentae
Textual submission

It was a trickle, a speck in the eye
The first drop of rain ahead of the storm.
The inkling of something beyond perception
A creeping miasma of shade beyond form.

I lingered too long, deep in the station
The Anchorage draws me into its core.
What ancient essence awaits in its center?
Malicious embers are starting to soar.

A river, a torrent, of spirits unleashed
My eyes unblinded to the awful truth.
A world beyond worlds, Death's veil has broken
Restless dead wander, exposed to my view.

Pale specters writhing, skimming, colliding
The phantoms surge with an ominous groan.
Monsters engorged on souls of the living
Silken constructions of muscle and bone.

As fast as it started the spirits are gone
Empty halls silent as Palpatine's tomb.
I know the ghosts still lurk around me
Forever cursed and confined to their doom.

Placement
2nd place
Member
Dr. Giyana Jurro
Submission
Dr. Giyana Jurro opted out of publishing her submission.
Placement
3rd place
Member
Warlord Brimstone aka Seabr'imsto'nedansr
Submission
Warlord Brimstone aka Seabr'imsto'nedansr opted out of publishing his submission.
Placement
4th place
5th place
Constantine
Member
Constantine
Textual submission

Caesar Pin 10484 Entry

The river moved slowly with little or no way to get out
You fall down and down
Your Heart sinks to the deep bottom
Death and Torture live here

You want to live in the bottom of the sea come here
and the dead will see you and you will die
the souls of the living and the dead are here
you soul is somewhere

Placement
5th place
6th place
Geosh Romanae
Member
Geosh Romanae
Submission
Geosh Romanae opted out of publishing his submission.
Placement
6th place
Member
Ranarr Kul-Tarentae
Textual submission

What... By all means! Don't my eyes deceive me? If never heard about this place, not even I would beleive me.

Placement
7th place