Strengthening Poetic Muscle

[Lipinski]

Muir/lipinski
***

Three witches dying; holy inverted spells; Holy matrimony tested; tasted in hell.
One witch dressed; cloaked in malevolence; unholy nipples erect; stroking her beastliness.

Second, seconds, second reality, unseen lives; lies, seductive lies! behind tempestuous eyes.
Crying/sighing wife; incidental whipping post, in seconds she dreams him again.
Vivid, alluring...dead? Alive? Surely she see behind lies? But what if the flesh speaks?

What dread words toll, corrupt warning

[Lipinski]

Lester/robin
***

Three witches dying; holy inverted spells; Holy matrimony tested; tasted in hell.
One witch dressed; cloaked in malevolence; unholy nipples erect; stroking her beastliness.

Second, seconds, second reality, unseen lives; lies, seductive lies! behind tempestuous eyes.
Crying/sighing wife; incidental whipping post, in seconds she dreams him again.
Vivid, alluring...dead? Alive? Surely she saw this coming?
Yet?
Yet this also fails; frozen.

Smile fractured, shattered, final breath imminent, ecstasy of pain.
Fade to white; black passion folded in upon itself, warm embrace stitched

[Lipinski]

Mark/robin
***

Three witches dying; holy inverted spells; Holy matrimony tested; tasted in hell.
One witch dressed; cloaked in malevolence; unholy nipples erect; stroking her beastliness.

Second, seconds, second reality, unseen lives; lies, seductive lies! behind tempestuous eyes.
Crying/sighing wife, incidental whipping post, in seconds she dreams him again.
Vivid, alluring...dead? Right said...Fred!
Naive derrrF; Evil; seeking naivete distractions, calls his name, marked...by indifference.
Her shame named, her beloved...him!

Third: Final witch; fearfully dreading unfamiliar love, she grasps and she died!
Leaving behind names
(names, ever the names. common as Mark or robin. to fall to the temptations only temptation can bring)
(thanks for the challenge Mark and for the title, 'Bewitching Sins'

[Lester Curtis]

Three witches dying; holy inverted spells; Holy matrimony tested; tasted in hell.
One witch dressed; cloaked in malevolence; unholy nipples erect; stroking her beastliness.

Second, seconds, second reality, unseen lives; lies, seductive lies! behind tempestuous eyes.
Crying/sighing wife; incidental whipping post, in seconds she dreams him again.
Vivid, alluring...dead? Alive? Surely she saw this coming?
Yet?
Yet this also fails; frozen.

Smile fractured, shattered, final breath imminent, ecstasy of pain.
Fade to white; black passion folded in upon itself, warm embrace stitched
Into cold winding-sheet

[Lipinski]

Three witches dying; holy inverted spells; Holy matrimony tested; tasted in hell.
One witch dressed; cloaked in malevolence; unholy nipples erect; stroking her beastliness.

Second, seconds, second reality, unseen lives; lies, seductive lies! behind tempestuous eyes.
Crying/sighing wife; incidental whipping post, in seconds she dreams him again.
Vivid, alluring...dead? Alive? Surely she saw this coming?
Yet?
Yet this also fails; frozen.

Smile fractured, shattered, final breath imminent, ecstasy of pain.
Fade to white; black passion folded in upon itself, warm embrace stitched
Into cold winding-sheet, a morgue slab

[Lester Curtis]

Three witches dying; holy inverted spells; Holy matrimony tested; tasted in hell.
One witch dressed; cloaked in malevolence; unholy nipples erect; stroking her beastliness.

Second, seconds, second reality, unseen lives; lies, seductive lies! behind tempestuous eyes.
Crying/sighing wife; incidental whipping post, in seconds she dreams him again.
Vivid, alluring...dead? Alive? Surely she saw this coming?
Yet?
Yet this also fails; frozen.

Smile fractured, shattered, final breath imminent, ecstasy of pain.
Fade to white; black passion folded in upon itself, warm embrace stitched
Into cold winding-sheet, a morgue slab three times occupied,

[Lipinski]

Three witches dying; holy inverted spells; Holy matrimony tested; tasted in hell.
One witch dressed; cloaked in malevolence; unholy nipples erect; stroking her beastliness.

Second, seconds, second reality, unseen lives; lies, seductive lies! behind tempestuous eyes.
Crying/sighing wife; incidental whipping post, in seconds she dreams him again.
Vivid, alluring...dead? Alive? Surely she saw this coming?
Yet?
Yet this also fail; frozen.

Smile fractured, shattered, final breath imminent, ecstasy of pain.
Fade to white; black passion folded in upon itself, warm embrace stitched
Into cold winding-sheet, a morgue slab three times occupied; living.
Living lies

[Lester Curtis]

Three witches dying; holy inverted spells; Holy matrimony tested; tasted in hell.
One witch dressed; cloaked in malevolence; unholy nipples erect; stroking her beastliness.

Second, seconds, second reality, unseen lives; lies, seductive lies! behind tempestuous eyes.
Crying/sighing wife; incidental whipping post, in seconds she dreams him again.
Vivid, alluring...dead? Alive? Surely she saw this coming?
Yet?
Yet this also fail; frozen.

Smile fractured, shattered, final breath imminent, ecstasy of pain.
Fade to white; black passion folded in upon itself, warm embrace stitched
Into cold winding-sheet, a morgue slab three times occupied; living.
Living lies, no more corrupt

[Lipinski]

Lester/robin
***

Three witches dying; holy inverted spells; Holy matrimony tested; tasted in hell.
One witch dressed; cloaked in malevolence; unholy nipples erect; stroking her beastliness.

Second, seconds, second reality, unseen lives, lies, seductive lies! behind tempestuous eyes.
Crying/sighing wife; incidental whipping post, in seconds she dreams him again.
Vivid, alluring...dead? Alive? Surely she saw this coming?
Yet?
Yet this also fails; frozen.

Smile fractured, shattered, final breath imminent, ecstasy of pain.
Fade to white; black passion folded in upon itself, warm embrace stitched
Into cold winding-sheet, a morgue slab three times occupied; living.
Living lies, no more corrupt than lust of love.

[Lipinski]

Iian/robin
***

Three witches dying; holy inverted spells; Holy matrimony tested; tasted in hell.
One witch dressed; cloaked in malevolence; unholy nipples erect; stroking her beastliness.

Second, seconds, second reality, unseen lives; lies, seductive lies! behind tempestuous eyes.
Crying/sighing wife; incidental whipping post, in seconds she dreams him again.
Vivid, alluring...dead? Alive? Surely she see behind lies? but what if the flesh speaks?

What dread words toll, corrupt warning of days ahead?
The third head

[Lester Curtis]

Three witches dying; holy inverted spells; Holy matrimony tested; tasted in hell.
One witch dressed; cloaked in malevolence; unholy nipples erect; stroking her beastliness.

Second, seconds, second reality, unseen lives, lies, seductive lies! behind tempestuous eyes.
Crying/sighing wife; incidental whipping post, in seconds she dreams him again.
Vivid, alluring...dead? Alive? Surely she saw this coming?
Yet?
Yet this also fails; frozen.

Smile fractured, shattered, final breath imminent, ecstasy of pain.
Fade to white; black passion folded in upon itself, warm embrace stitched
Into cold winding-sheet, a morgue slab three times occupied; living.
Living lies, no more corrupt than lust of love.
Dead truths, no

[Lipinski]

Three witches dying; holy inverted spells; Holy matrimony tested; tasted in hell.
One witch dressed; cloaked in malevolence; unholy nipples erect; stroking her beastliness.

Second, seconds, second reality, unseen lives, lies, seductive lies! behind tempestuous eyes.
Crying. sighing wife; incidental whipping post, in seconds she dreams him again.
Vivid, alluring...dead? Alive? Surely she saw this coming?
Yet?
Yet this also fails; frozen.

Smile fractured, shattered, final breath imminent, ecstasy of pain.
Fade to white; black passion folded in upon itself, warm embrace stitched
Into cold winding-sheet, a morgue slab three times occupied; living.
Living lies, no more corrupt than lust of love.
Dead truths, no life of love.

(thank you for the challenge Lester. this is your poem to title and I wish you good luck in doing so
for many have tried to place title and meaning upon the word, 'love'. some feel they have succeeded
and most have failed.)

[Lester Curtis]

Three witches dying; holy inverted spells; Holy matrimony tested; tasted in hell.
One witch dressed; cloaked in malevolence; unholy nipples erect; stroking her beastliness.

Second, seconds, second reality, unseen lives, lies, seductive lies! behind tempestuous eyes.
Crying. sighing wife; incidental whipping post, in seconds she dreams him again.
Vivid, alluring...dead? Alive? Surely she saw this coming?
Yet?
Yet this also fails; frozen.

Smile fractured, shattered, final breath imminent, ecstasy of pain.
Fade to white; black passion folded in upon itself, warm embrace stitched
Into cold winding-sheet, a morgue slab three times occupied; living.
Living lies, no more corrupt than lust of love.
Dead truths, no life of love.

(thank you for the challenge Lester. this is your poem to title and I wish you good luck in doing so
for many have tried to place title and meaning upon the word, 'love'. some feel they have succeeded
and most have failed.)

I won't try, then . . . title this one, "Three Divided By Zero."

[Lipinski]

Iian/robin
***

Three ~ ~ ~ witches ... ... ... dying; holy inverted spellllls; Holy matrimony tested; tasted in hell.
One ~ witch dressed; cloaked in malevolence; unholy nipples erect/; ~~~stroking her beastliness...

Second~~, seconds, second reality, (______ ) lives; lies, seeeductive lies! behind tempestuous eyes.
Crying/sighing wife; incidental whipping post, in seconds she dreams him again.
Vivid, alluring....dead? Alive >?< Surely she sees behind lies? but what if the flesh speaks...?

What dread words toll, corrupt warning of days ahead?
The third head lolls, eyes empty; third reality tilted

(just like the real world of security, a world with laws meant to be changed in a whim of free will, so too
the rules of this poem. Iian: I willed the poem to change yet remain the same, so too can you will it
without changing it if you so desire. a wisp of magical touches by that which sets the soul of man apart
from the spirit of the ape.)

[Lipinski]

Iian: a most wonderful conclusion to the collusion, thanks.

Mark is correct in that Iian should post more poems, and as Tao pointed out correctly, in the forum.

In a world, three people can be correct (Mark, Iian, Tao)

but there must be challenge for left to our own devices, well, words stray towards stale.

so...

Mark and Iian? A challenge.

You two, strangers in quill, I propose a 'short' marriage.

same rules apply as before except I retain right to give title, give name to what you both create, and Mark? You shall start,
and for the 'twist' the 'secret ingredient', three words must be used by either and used only once...

"Copper"
"Vine"
"Rome"

as for me, I shall depart and watch your progress. (write the poem long or short; vile or sweet; give the readers something
to ponder; surprise, maybe even please.)

"Bang" the race is off for you two, go start some magic.

[Lipinski]

Mark and Iian, the fetus of your growing collaboration is showing and is due to be delivered soon...neither a boy or girl but rather 'soon' becomes an important ingredient in what will 'soon' be the afterbirth waiting to be consumed.

From one of one perspective it is enjoyable to view the bulge, savor the scenery, smell the battle; words, only in a few
words.

Gestation length is up to you, the parents, but the name is now given, a title to an idea, as is 'soon'...
"Wait a bloody minute," is but one given, "Moment of the Thorn," another chosen, "Spare a Second for Civilization,"
oh my, names, names, names.

Maybe your poem will birth in twins or triplets? Or maybe it will just be the one, but title now is given in the parental
poem book of names. How the end begins or on how you both take it, these are the means.

[Lipinski]

Mark and Iian, you thought the challenge was over? My, my, sweet little precious writers of food for the mind,
it is only half over. Marriage, though short it was, still has the final moment to go. It is said at the end of your
poem that, "He begins again," and to begin again is to use what you have written and go backwards to reach
where you both started. And since you both spun the web of a grand story complete with history, spiders, space;
you now have the challenge of writing (using the same format) a completely new poem about the same. And I shall
not give you an example because I'm very curious to see how two separate human brains can now untangle that
which is tangled, just be careful with the spiders web. This time it would be fitting that Iian starts. Good luck should
you both choose to consume that which is still caught in the web.

[Lipinski]

it was wonderful to see how the two of you worked together. if i put on my pointy judge hat, i would say the second
poem was, "leaps and bounds", better for me to enjoy. there were many element to enjoy but the yin/yang effect
was most evident.

[Lester Curtis]

it was wonderful to see how the two of you worked together. if i put on my pointy judge hat, i would say the second
poem was, "leaps and bounds", better for me to enjoy. there were many element to enjoy but the yin/yang effect
was most evident.

Robin, I have to wonder if you've jumped the gun . . . it hasn't been titled yet, nor even declared finished. Which reminds me of a joke:

Q: What's the purpose of an orgasm?

A: It's so you know when to quit f***ing.

This joke has a profound message: that without some signal to quit, the activity can proceed way beyond the point where it's meaningful or even pleasurable. Extended to other areas of life, we wind up with such damaging things as a policy of endless economic growth.

There is no such kind of signaling apparent with these poems; one of the writers has to just decide unilaterally at some point to end it (unless they're colluding by PM or something).

I have a suggestion for future challenges: specify a definite endpoint for the poem. I think verse structure would be too obvious and restrictive, though -- maybe something like, "The poem must end with the word 'xxxxx', and that word must be used at least once somewhere else in the poem."

Otherwise, these things could go on f***ing forever.

[Lester Curtis]

The way Robin originally set up the first poem, was to do three, four line stanzas, alternating three word turns. I started the first poem and Iain the second. Robin told us to do the second poem with the same rules. The rules were posted in this topic prior to the first poem.

Damn. Excuse my Senior Moment. Maybe I got a little confused because the line-length had to wrap in a couple places and threw me off visually.

I do really like this poem, and I think it is better than the first one. Where the first one seemed like a word-association exercise, this one has more focus and direction -- no surprise in that, though, as it has a stated objective of sorts (I do remember that!).

[Lipinski]

A poem can end at anytime or go on forever (Homer)
Mark and Iians second poem could go on and take new twists and tangents or have ended many words ago.
I enjoy Lesters honesty
and I enjoy what Mark said about being honest with writing.

I have a suggestion for both Lester and Mark, once the current challenge is complete I think a new challenge between
Mark and Lester is in order.

Nothing fancy or long but definitely interesting.

Thirteen words (not including title)

Each person writes one word per turn. The writing can be a poem, a long sentence, an ad in a paper, a suicide note,
whatever is created. Both can be angry writers, or happy, or crazy, or whatever feels best for the piece.

An example: Mark- death, Lester- funky death, Mark- naked funky death.

If you two decide to go for it after Iian and Mark have finished, the first to say, "I do" gets the privilege of starting,
oops, I mean ending the piece.

Good luck.

[Lester Curtis]

Bravo!

I'd been reading only the newest additions throughout the process, and today I read the whole, complete work, and it's very nice.

[Lipinski]

I see many poems within poems which is a style I enjoy reading.
The ending summed it up completely.
I think this poem should be posted next months edition of Aphelion poetry as some readers do not read the forums.

[Lester Curtis]

Auger-Headed Gut Wrencher
By Mark Edgemon


Artificial intelligent, emotions far reaching and not artificial,
Atomic by design, he could not control his rate of fission,
Thinking of her, his nuclear rod pulsating, waiting for discharge
By the female scientist, who constructed his frame.
He, warm to hers, spewed lubricant through a leaking hose.

"I need" the lonely robot sputtered, while she loosened his bolts.
"I want" he stuttered, while she lightly finger traced his wires.
"I'm oscillating, palpitating, pulsating, heart pumper throbbing;
I shudder, tremble, quiver, shiver"; He screamed, "You know what I need, baby!"
She quieted him down by tightening his nuts.

Happy, smiley robot.

The End

Oh, now that's just RUDE!!

[Lester Curtis]

Ziggy played guitar, jamming good with the scent of pot and patchouli
and some kind of foreign cigarettes I can't pronounce
maybe German, maybe French

people who say the French are all pussies have never smoked a Gauloise, never
even been in a room with one
my God, those things are murder weapons. I don't know how the company stays in business;
one pack would last a man a lifetime. Germans threw gas grenades and the French
inhaled and laughed. People who say the French are all such wimps have
never seen what they eat, dearest Lord, an opossum would run away from it. French poodles are one generation removed from
velociraptors, and the French drive Citroens at highway speeds

the Scots aren't half as tough as they used to be
the last people in the West to put on shoes, running up and down the Highlands thorns and jagged rocks and ice barefooted. now
they all wear sturdy shoes and don't eat haggis. they cry like Irishmen
well -- they still listen to bagpipes
not many people can do that

so where are the Spiders?
it's said that nowhere on Earth are we more than six feet from a spider
statistically an average man standing could fall over and land on one
statistically, several. then why don't we see any?
spiders recycle their silk by eating it, otherwise we'd never see the ground
we'd wade all day through a cloud of webs
arachnophobia would be instantly fatal

the contents of a Gauloise cigarette are nothing anyone would recognize as tobacco
maybe imported by the spiders from Mars
spidercrap, recycled cobwebs
this poem can't be titled, all I can give it is a designation.

[Lester Curtis]

Yes, I wrote it. And I had to shut the cat out of the room so I could get most of it written before it left my head (which might have been a good thing).

Ethnic stereotypes not intended to offend; it's just what I woke up with.

You can thank me for the earworm; maybe it displaced a commercial jingle.

[Lester Curtis]

Philosophical Waxing

Yeah, it is a lot of work, but
Once in a while, it needs done.

Gotta start with a good wash; get off all the mud and dust
Accumulated by daily use and travel. Then smear this stuff on
And wait for it to dry.

The buffing is the hardest part; gotta rub real firmly
Gotta get into all the little folds and detail spots;
Sometimes have to do it twice.

Pay someone else to do this -- ?
Huh! No.
Tried that before, but
They never get it right;
They don't care, because it's not theirs.

Look, now, how it shines --
And it won't dull or blister under criticism.

Why don't I do that other one over there?
You can see I've abandoned it;
It failed me.
No need to haul it away; it'll dissolve into the ground.

Besides, I can't see paying the price they want for
Turd polish.

[Lipinski]

Mark: enjoying your enjoyment
Jay: wonderful rendition. reading it backwards from the last line, and it became another wonderful poem.
Marla: nice flow. the tree falling the woods and one can hear it.
Lester: fun to see you exercise and express.
***

No

No, I don't know
yet I know I won't say it
and yet?
Could I say yes?
No, I just know I can't take it...
Maybe?

[Lester Curtis]

Mark,
You wrote:

The base human primates do trimate God's patience -

"Trimate"? Is that a typo?

Just wondering . . .