this post was submitted on 22 Sep 2024
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Poetry

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A community to celebrate published and OC works of poetry.


Welcome to !poetry


Guidelines & Community Rules

In addition to the general rules of lemmy.world:

Published Poetry

1a: Poetry posts should include the title and the author, when the author is known.

O.C. Poetry

2a: Sharing original poetry is encouraged, but it must be preceded by the tag "[OC]."

2b: If an [OC] post is requesting feedback, it should also follow with the "[FB]" tag. It would look like the following example:
[OC] [FB] Nothing Gold Can Stay

Feedback

All feedback should be given in good faith.

3a: All [FB] requests should be met with comments constructive in nature. It is okay to dislike parts of a poem, but make sure to explain why you feel that way.

3b: Feedback does not need to be extraordinary in nature. Simply expressing how a work makes you feel is often enough.

3c: Use the honor system. When you receive good feedback, return it in kind to another author. Everyone appreciates knowing their work is being read and appreciated.

As this community develops, these guidelines may be adjusted.


Formatting Help
Work in progress

To create a line break, use two spaces at the end of a line.

To create empty space, type  . Use four of these at the beginning of a line to create a standard indent.

UPDATE:
Some methods of access do not format markdown correctly. I am currently testing various apps and web interfaces to see what does and does not retain formatting.

In the interim, it is encouraged to post text poetry as you normally would, but to include a link at the beginning or end of the post with access to a website or image that retains the formatting as intended.


Other Poetry Communities
Poetry lovers unite! In the style of the fediverse, multiple poetry communities have arisen, and will continue to rise. I will try to keep a list here of communities across instances that are worth checking out!


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submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by Kaelygon to c/poetry
 

I started writing a grimdark fantasy based in DnD (Dungeons and Dragons) in Forgotten Realms, where some outcomes are left to a dice roll. I have never written a poem or a book, but I got lost in the topic and building this character.

.

I see grimdark being about moral ambiguity, a gruesome world where there are no good choices or endings. This started as a freeform poem from the protagonist's perspective, which led to a tragic ballad-like structure.

-Quatrain

-AABB rhyme pattern

-8 or 9 syllables per line

.

The protagonist, "Aaneu", is a rogue/warlock who lost his past life. In the desperation, he made a pact with a trickster patron without realizing the extent of the contract. The ones Aaneu knew in the past, but they don't know him anymore. But they live.

If Aaneu were to defy the pact, he and his past would perish. Aaneu is tasked with cruel deeds, while his past is kept as a hostage. His sheer will and loyalty drive him forward regardless. Selfish acts for a selfless cause.

.

In this new life,

Aaneu is part of a collective "The Veiled Accord" that he is a loyal member and enforcer by choice. The few groups and individuals he's close with, he trusts by life. It's a story about betrayal, longing, and isolation, with contrasting themes about loyalty, nostalgia, and conflicting romance of "green scales".

In mental breakdown, either due to the deeds he did or surfacing memories, he falls into an apathetic state, reciting parts of the poem in tears. Trying to process, what is it that he is after?

.

This is just the surface of the character. You can call it edgy or cliche, but I'm really enjoying the theme.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Very nice, and I’m glad it’s a character and not personal because I was feeling a little worried about you lol

But this makes perfect sense for the character you’ve written though. Good work!

[–] Kaelygon 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Thank you! It's a very deeply flawed character, which is a nice contrast to many fantasy stories, that are about heroes and happy endings.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Do you anticipate writing more poetry with this character?

[–] Kaelygon 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I haven't planned any, but if an opportunity arises, I might try some proper poem structures and learn meters! As Finnish, I find differentiating syllable weights and half of the poetry terms look like gibberish to me.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Wow you’re for real writing a poem in your non-native language?! I hope one day to be that good at another language to capable of that. It’ll probably be Spanish - when I was first learning it, I remember thinking, “When you can write poetry in a language, you’ve really mastered it.”

[–] Kaelygon 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

English I have used nearly daily basis past 8-10 years (I'm mid 20s now), but I still struggle with few things like vocabulary or pronunciation. In the more recent years, talking in voice chat and reading or listening English has helped a ton.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

In the more recent years, talking in voice chat and reading or listening English has helped a ton.

That’s great advice, thanks!

[–] BonesOfTheMoon 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] Kaelygon 1 points 2 months ago