Say this out loud: BUMpa. Notice how the first syllable is emphasized. That is one trochee. If you say, "Bumpa bumpa bumpa!" not only are you talking in trochees, but you have also created a fun beat! They're very fun to write in, once you get the swing of it. One famous trochaic poem is
The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe (though I admit it's a rather dark example). Please note that a trochee is not the same as an iamb. Trochees go BUMpa, while iambs go baDUM. They're opposites.
Alright, so this is a contest of poems written in trochees. Yes, that's
any sort of poem, as long as it's in trochees. I don't care if you rhyme or how many syllables you have, as long as they're trochees. If you're interested, please enter, and
have fun!
~Contest maintained by [
Linderel] (original contest idea by [
Kiddalee])
Back to Writing Contests
Contest Rules:
1. Of course, your poem must be all your work.
2. Don't forget to sign your name at the bottom of your poem!
3. The poem must be predominantly made of trochees. One or two lines that break the rhythm for emphasis or some other reason is allowed, as long as most of your poem is trochaic. Also note that this is the only formatting rule.
4. The contest closes when there are 15 entries, and we'll choose the winner with a poll.
5. No more than two entries per person, please.
6. The winners and participants will all get nibs for their bios. Right now, the partially finished nibs are at
Kidda's Elftownized Images. Go see them!
7. This one's only a guideline, but it would be great if you advertised this contest somewhere so we'll actually fill up and you'll have some competition.
The Entries:
Example (not a real entry)
Singin' scat is not something I do because I have no choice,
Nor particularly is it just so I can show my voice,
But, despite the way the world sucks, I have chosen to rejoice.
Written by [
Kiddalee]
1.
True Bliss
Watch while skies all over cloud
Watch as Lightning Strikes
Watch the jagged Beauty
Race across the grey.
Watch the fright’ning Flames erupt
And watch them fade away,
Watch, for there’s no better sight
Than Lightning on a moonless night.
Written by [
Seamus Schwathe]
2.<cold soul>
Your heart rest on my chest
deep down i feel it beating
i hold your hand but it feels so cold
look into your eyes as if staring into your soul
it's bleeding just like mine
lost forever
written by [
sweet sacrifice]
3. A Trochaic Adventure With Sugar
White and bright the sugar glowed,
In a heap upon the road.
Glitter, glitter, crystals sweet,
Crystals of this lovely treat.
Traffic rushed across the lane, it
Made me do something insane.
Racing over pavement black,
I ran to the sugar stack.
I leaned down and took a bite,
Oh my gosh the sheer delight.
Screeching tires hurt my ear,
Braking cars were drawing near.
To the sidewalk I jumped back, while
Cars mowed down the sugar stack.
Sighing, sad, I ran away, my
Thoughts on sugar the whole day.
Don’t do stupid things like me,
Even if the sugar’s free.
You’ll live longer, safer too,
Trust me, what I say is true.
[
DeadSockMonster]
4. Seasong
Seasong, seasong, in my ear
Waves upon the shore so near
Blue-green sea, so bold and wild,
Roaring sea, so freely riled,
Glitter on, flitter on, from shore to shore
Tell me stories, sailor’s lore...
Splash on, roar on, beat the shore, with
Waves with sparkles at their core.
Chase my feet with bright-light foam
Up the shore your waves will roam.
Sing on, glow on, tell me tales, of
Pirate ships and great blue whales,
Siren songs, billowing sails,
Great sea slugs and maybe snails...
Squid and eels and turtles green
Deep dark kraken ever mean
Sharks and clams and oyster pearls
Half-fish mermen and mer-girls
Rip on, chant on, sing me crazy
Full of songs of fish so lazy
Silly head atop my neck
Wants to see Titanic’s wreck
Sea sunsets, the pretty things,
Seagull birds with white-smoke wings,
Seashells, crabs, and soothing sands
Make me love your rocky lands.
Sweet soft sand, remember me,
Silky grains tossed by the sea.
Whispering waves, don’t forget
I’ll come sail a great ship yet
Blowing softly, salty wind
Sings of fish so cutely finned.
See yah, sea yah, great blue sea
Off to bed I now should flee...
[
DeadSockMonster]
5.
Slowly, gently came the night
And with the dying of the light
Hues of verdant blue to red,
Then orange, purple in their own stead,
Until the inky shades of sable,
Unfurl with diamond pinpricks white
And in the dying of the day,
Hectic labors fade away,
The harsh cacophony of haste,
Slows itself to gentler pace,
Only the silent watchers white,
Remain to make their languid circuit.
The way prepared, their Lord arrises,
Silently regal, magestic his guises,
Ever brilliant, his changing face,
Unfaltering in stately grace,
And from his perch among the stars,
Serenely rules his shadowed realm.
Until the graying creep of dawn.
by [
dmeredith]
6. A Stroll
I was walking down the street when
Suddenly I saw a huggy bunny!
So I stoop'd to pick it up and hug it,
When I did it leapt and bit my nose off!
Then I knew I hadn't entered bunny bliss (no!),
Rather I had entered bunny hell (AH!)!
All around me bunnies started closing in and
One by one their little eyes shined evil!
Lost and scared, I knew not what to do, but
Then a person bounded down to me and
Swung his fearsome fists around and round 'till
All the bunnies lay in heaps of flowers
Sleeping lovely snoring creatures,
Now I must be here - in bunny heaven!
by [
Annie T.]
7.
The sky is clear and clouds are gone
someday it'll be the same again
I never thought this day would come
The tears I cried were not in vain
Roads are long and take you far
All of them might not be yours
Confused by signs I see you are
Different ships to different shores
Most important is maybe not
which way you choose to go
But that for every step you take
Learn from places you come to
by [
Easterling]
8. Ethereal
Defer to rejoice upon the refuse of war.
Riots occur daily during storms of wind and rain.
Throughout and within, they rage like a tempest.
They cry no longer in sorrow, but in delight.
Weary as they have become, their work remains unfeigned.
Peace now roams inside the halls of the lurid and obscure.
No longer bleak, is the pathway unto accord.
By [
Deus Ex Taco]
9.
Finality
Finally, you have arrived,
I must say I have tried.
Now we must commence,
In the ritual of life.
Fear all for you demise is close,
But fear no remorse,
For it only gets worse.
Soon you will understand,
What it's about.
Your finality.
By [
Jayy Will Murder]
10.
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15.
Stumble!