It’s Poesý 20/10 season again!

Welcome back, friends, to Poesý’s August 2014 Edition. The theme for this year is Fantastic (or fantasy) Poetry and we have three great poets who took the challenge and wrote amazing poetry inspired by our Fantasy Theme. Poesý is welcoming back Michael Muller and Bernice Sosa, and new comer to our event Rich Villar. You will learn more about them during the event that starts tomorrow. On the first day, you’ll read their Fantasy poem and on the second, a free theme one.

An introduction to Fantastic Poetry is at hand, which has been part of our literature for the longest time. It is part of the genre of Speculative poetry, which “focusses on fantastic, science fictional and mythological themes. It is also known as science fiction poetry or fantastic poetry. It is distinguished from other poetic genres by being categorized by its subject matter, rather than by the poetry’s form. Suzette Haden Elgin defined the genre as about a reality that is in some way different from the existing reality (Wikipeida)”.

Here are two examples of this genre, so you can get a sense of it.

J. R. R. Tolkien is one of my favorite authors, he also was a poet and you may find some of his Fantasy Poetry in his books. This one is so beautiful and has a serene flow to it:

Journey’s End

In western lands beneath the Sun
The flowers may rise in Spring,
The trees may bud, the waters run,
The merry finches sing.
Or there maybe ’tis cloudless night,
And swaying branches bear
The Elven-stars as jewels white
Amid their branching hair.

Though here at journey’s end I lie
In darkness buried deep,
Beyond all towers strong and high,
Beyond all mountains steep,
Above all shadows rides the Sun
And Stars for ever dwell:
I will not say the Day is done,
Nor bid the Stars farewell.

– See more at: http://allpoetry.com/

This second one is from William Allingham and it has a Gothic style, still is considered fantastic.

The Witch-Bride

A fair witch crept to a young man’s side,
And he kiss’d her and took her for his bride.

But a Shape came in at the dead of night,
And fill’d the room with snowy light.

And he saw how in his arms there lay
A thing more frightful than mouth may say.

And he rose in haste, and follow’d the Shape
Till morning crown’d an eastern cape.

And he girded himself, and follow’d still,
When sunset sainted the western hill.

But, mocking and thwarting, clung to his side,
Weary day! – the foul Witch-Bride.

See more at poemsofthefantastic.com

Hope you enjoy this season of Poesy 20/10 August 2014 Fantastic Poetry and don’t forget to share it with your friends and social media. Thanks for joining us! And remember from inspiration to the written word.

A. R. Román