SLAM!

INSTRUCTIONS - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

1. There are two prompts for Finale Round 3:
Seduction - not all of us are seduced by the same lures. Some are seduced by people, money, fame, power -even our own writing. Write a poem of or about seduction.

Write a poem that gives life to death - personifying it in some unique way. Whether you portray death as kind or cruel, gentle or harsh, welcome or feared is not the key point. It's how you personify death itself.

2. There are two forms for Finale Round 3:
One of your poems must be a FREE VERSE (no rhyming) poem of 15 lines or less (and yes, we'll count the lines).

The other poem must be a PANTOUM, no less than 4 and no more than 8 quatrains (rhyming or non-rhyming is up to you). Here are a couple of good sites that explain the Pantoum form, and offer nice grids/charts for how to organize them ...
http://sfpoetry.org/sagan/pantoum.html
http://www.creative-writing.ch/pantoum.html

3. In other words:
You may write a Pantoum personifying death, and a Free Verse about seduction.
OR
You may write a Pantoum about seduction, and a Free Verse that personifies death.
BUT
Do NOT write two Pantoums or two Free Verses. Write one of each - the choice of which prompt to use for which form is up to you - but we want both forms used, and both prompts, for a total of two poems.

4. List the Prompt and the Form at the top of each poem, above the title. (See samples below).

5. Grammar, spelling, consistent punctuation ... it ALL counts! Especially now, as we'll be crowning the TOP FIVE SLAMMERS after this round. So check, double check, and then check it ten more times!

6. Put both poems in ONE post, replying to THIS post. Do not put your poems in two separate posts - post them just like they appear below - 2 poems/1 post.

7. Your ONE post with TWO poems is due by Sunday, June 25 at 10am w.com time. As usual, you may edit your post up to the deadline. Top five SLAM winners will be announced sometime Monday.

8. If you have questions, post them in the "The SLAM! Green Room" . GOOD LUCK!



Here are my samples - Joy and Belle will also post samples:

PANTOUM - Death Personified
"Last Laugh" 

I never imagined that Death would arrive as Laughter,
but I'll be damned if he wasn't laughing when he came for you.
I told him I'd expected a heartless figure, veiled in black
appearing, before we were ready, to take you home.

But I'll be damned if he wasn't laughing when he came for you,
his face brightened by the very humor that carried you to the end --
appearing, before we were ready, to take you home,
it appeared as if the last laugh was on him.

His face brightened by the very humor that carried you to the end,
he sat and toasted you, and life, with us around your bed.
It appeared as if the last laugh was on him,
and the truth was, he really didn't seem to mind at all.

He sat and toasted you, and life, with us around your bed,
as he listened to the stories we told about the man you had been.
And the truth was he really didn't seem to mind at all,
that we were keeping him from the job he'd come to do.

As he listened to the stories we told about the man you had been,
I told him I'd expected a heartless figure, veiled in black,
and the truth was, he didn't really seem to mind at all.
I never imagined that Death would arrive as Laughter.


FREE VERSE - Seduction
"Seduce Me" 

Tell me you never felt this way
about anyone before -- say that
you love me just the way I am,
that I shouldn't change a single thing.
Cup my face in your hands,
look into my eyes and whisper
how beautiful I am, inside and out,
then kiss me, softly, gently,
on either side of my gasping mouth.

I'm a sucker for a good line
or two, or three ...
even if I know
it's all lies.




Sophy