Poetry

[Cyhirae]

And so does she stand defeated;
Head bowed and beaten down.
In ideas too obscure her thoughts seated-
So in sea of similarity they drown.

[rocket]

umm... ?

[Lumi]

I believe I just heard MJ's brain go kasplooey.

Anyway, being in the know about those last two poems, I might as well repeat the fact I love your poetry, Cy.

Especially when it tends to center around characters I have some hand in creating...

[Del Stimpson]

Cy if it helps I got your poem loud and clear.

[Lumi]

I suspect it takes a literary mind.

[rocket]

umm... I see lumi you say i am in left field still that explains the white flag... ya you maybe right about the literary mind. Alough i did understand all the others. apparently that one goes right over my head.

[rocket]

do either of the two of you want to clarify from your perspective?

[Cyhirae]

Thank ya, Del. ^^; I was starting to think I might've gotten a little too obscure on that one. O.o;

-----------

Alright MJ....how good are you at playing pretend/roleplaying? Because I want you to try to adjust your thinking, very briefly to these lines:

You're someone who's never known anyone who ever had any use for them- be it as a friend or tool. Your family is distant- always busy with this or that important matter and having no time for you. Those who'd be your 'friends' saw you only as a tool to get those oh so important parents' attention and then promptly dropped you like a hot potato on realizing your parents were not swayed by things involving you.

You're nothing. Unwanted, useless, worthless- you know it's true because it's been said to you enough times. You were supposed to inherit from your parents one day by virtue of being the only child, but they are so disgusted with your failure to be what they demanded you be that they're looking elsewhere for an heir/inheritor. There's no loving words, only the simple information you were plainly a mistake. And no one disagrees - you were born into a game of politics as politically useless. A pointless tool.

You live like this up until your early twenties. You've learned well enough your place in things- you've been told of it several times, daily.

Then someone disagrees. In a world where people ignore or mock you, someone stands to face you and holds out their hand to you; offering to never mock you or call you useless. The catch? You belong to them. Not as a friend or even a lover: you're a possession. You have no say, no rights beyond what they grant you. A pretty living doll to be put in the case or broken on the floor as they say.

But they will not simply ignore you, leave you behind, or call you worthless. As long as you belong to them, you're something to them. And you're willing to become whatever they want you to- either a doll or an attack dog or a bit of both as needed- if it just means they keep looking at you. You do not care if they even love you- all you care is that they are not ignoring you.

-That is the low to which the prince's side of the poem "What is mine, I keep" is coming from. The other side is someone who saw all of this and found a way it could be of use....and besides, the prince would make a lovely trophy- be it on display or back in the bedchamber.

Love does enter this picture- but it isn't your pretty, "The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music" kind of love, either. It's the dark, smothering kind- the obsessive love that allows for no denial by lover or loved. It obeys no borders of self respect or decency- the one that 'loves' will take what they want from the one they 'love'...and the returned 'love' is just as dark and twisted in its own way: a willingness to be demeaned and used as nothing but a tool or trophy if it just means the other stays near.

If this doesn't snap it into perspective- I will wave the white flag again.

---

And because there isn't a poem on this page yet...And I've had a long standing request: Here you go, Lumi!

Please note that like "Ancient Dream", this one is written to music from "Ar Tonelico". The song's name is "EXEC PAJA/.#Misya extracting"...and yes, it's every bit as weird as the name makes it sound.

As usual- regular font is one 'singer', italicized is a second 'singer'...bold and italicized is both singers joining on the same line.

---Phoenix Egg---

Raise your eyes to the sky above,
Know what awaits there....
Close your heart to all fear;
Prepare for what is to come....

Stars are raining down, burning tears of pain;
The sky is aflame, the clouds are writhing-
Phoenix wings are this world enfolding in ash;
Now from fire it will be reborn!

See now the end as it comes down;
The finishing point of time's beginning-
The final chapter written;
Look on!

Don't turn your eyes away-
Watch as the world is reformed;
Take your place in its future-
Live ever on!

All around you the world is slowly reviving,
Rising from the Phoenix ash of the past-
The beginning has ended and made way for you;
Reborn and begun in the Phoenix's Egg,
It unfolds!

Vestiges of the past;
Corrupting what should be new-
A world proven tainted...
Misborn from the Egg.
A nightmare before a dream;
What is to become of the new tale;
How can it continue on like this?

Gather up your will and desire;
We must fight to cleanse away this taint-
To war we shall now march.
Baptize the new world in blood.
We will never surrender this tale;
Yet too much like the past it already is;
Lost in the shadow of our nature....

Stand and fight for your world;
You cannot stand down, you cannot run away.
Begin your tale in the blood of the past-
This is the beginning of your fate, your new tale;
Fight on!

Raise your eyes to the sky above,
Life is an existence ruled by death;
Know what awaits there....
Live if you wish to shape it;
Close your heart to all fear;
Die if you cannot...
Prepare for what is to come....

This world is only just begun,
Is it to be already damned?
Only just now finding its place in the Weave;
The tale has just started,
Life has barely begun;
This is not how it should end....

[Lumi]

^.^ It's lovely stuff, Cy. Thanks for throwing your muse in my direction. Your song-verse poems are some of your best, if you ask me. Ones like this have a sort of Greek chorus aspect to them that I can't help but love.

I'm happy now! XD

[Cyhirae]

^.~ Glad y'like it, Lumi! I admit I was stuck for awhile past the first verse until somehow..a Phoenix entered the mental equation. Aaand..the rest is there for you to see. ^.^

Greek chorus hn? O.o?

One of these days...I'll actually write a sequence of poems for a full out story rather than just brief ones like Phoenix Egg and Ancient Dream...hm.....

[Falcom Director of Fanservice]

Orks on Sectum Hyades

Bolter fire; A chant:
"'Ere we go! 'Ere we go! 'Ere
we go! 'Ere we go!"



Respect is to be paid.

Glory to Elector
Ernest Franz Josef Karl Vikks
Sigmund von Beltzstein!

[rocket]

Cyhirae,

thanks for the explination. I see now why i couldnt understand it. It was nice to have it explained.

mjmmx - LG and which way to the unemployment line !!!
I got my days numbered and am enyoying it.

[Falcom Director of Fanservice]

Hey Cyh, can I get another poem request?

I'd like a poem on Mongolia's attempts to remain neutral during the Sino-Soviet Split, and the abandonment of that prosition in 1966, please.

[chesty]

Yo Cyh, That last poem was really something special. It really hit a soft spot somewhere between my heart and me gut, only great art or tasty food ever does that. Keep pumping out them works of words.

[Cyhirae]

=P Sorry Captain, but that's one request I have to refuse. Simply because I hate putting politics to poetry. I was born a wee bit late for the flower power era.

---

Thank ya, Chesty. ^.^ Always happy when someone actually likes my works. *L* Makes it all worthwhile to've spent so much time on them.

--

I do have a poem to offer up though; a long one like some of the others but of a more celebratory mien. I imagine you're all tired of my death/destruction/rebirth ones by now eh? Basically this was inspired by recalling legends of how rare children were born to Faeries (and I don't mean those little disney-fied fairy types) and the kind of encouragement they'd give the rare newborn.

Usual format: two 'sings', italicized is a different singer and usually sung/said soft and hauntingly.

And yes, another Ar Tonelico inspiration- this time the rather cutesy Exec_Phantasmorgia. And my first try at a genuinely waffy bit of poetry so..here goes.

---

The Birth of a Fae

---

Scent the earth,
Hear the water;
Sense the sun;
Feel the wind...
This is life,
Now to live-
Open your eyes;
Greet the world.

See the lands spreading before you;
Blue and green tapestries of life....
Winds weave clouds high above,
And a golden sun crowns all.

Take now your first step...
Slowly and so hesitant inside;
Feel the grass against your feet;
Soft with flowers and dew.

Reach out with your hands;
Such a shy child...so gentle...
Feel the wind brushing them;
Dance with us...little one...
Your life has only just begun on this world...
Embrace it and all its promise!

Dancing and singing,
We welcome you;
Newborn to this life,
Bearer of joy...

Let your step become the first in a dance;
The wind as your guide and clouds your garb...
The water sings for you...
Let it sweep you up and lead you along;
Find your way through life with them..
Dancing ever on...

Supported by the gentling earth,
Warmed by the golden sun's kindness;
Our pride, our joy...
You are all our hopes and dreams;
You are our brilliant future....

And when the dance ends for the day,
Cradled in the earth's arms you are;
The water sings sweet dreams to your ear,
Ferns drifting low to blanket you.
Our precious child, new to this life-
You are blessed by all you meet,
Your life is joy for us all.

And in the morning you will rise;
Little one, so quickly you grow...
Stretch your arms high to the sun;
It is time to dance again;
Beloved of earth and wind....

Life has just begun for you...
Newborn to the world;
You are our treasure,
Our life renewed again!

Dancing though the tapestries of the world,
Time continues to slowly move on;
How sure your steps now, little one...
Hesitance has faded away at last;
Giving rise to new knowledge.
To awareness of your worth.

Newborn no more though ever a curious child;
You touch the world's colors with your heart;
Rippling water and waving grass...
Soon you will change your dance and move with us;
Knowing well your place in the world.

Make no haste little one, simply live-
Scent the earth, hear the water...
All in due time it will be you to sing for the young;
Sense the sun, feel the wind...
Now you need only live and know life;
This is life, now to live...
Dancing ever on...
Open your eyes....
Moving with the wind in perfect step;
Greet the world...
Our most precious newborn.
Our pride, our joy...
Beloved of all the world,
Little one, so quickly you grow...
Now learn to truly live....
How sure your steps now...

Dancing ever on through this life;
Carrying the sun in your heart...

[Del Stimpson]

Ohh! I really liked that one, it works very nicely without the music.

[Cyhirae]

Thank you Del. ^^; It was pretty different from my usual works (death and destruction seems to come ever so much more naturally. Heheh.) but fun all the same to try. Never tried an honestly fluffy piece before....

----

And now just a little chant/prayer/poem for all the insomniacs out there.

----

Sleepless

----

Lie beneath false stars painting a wooden sky,
Think not thoughts of reality,
Feel nothing of worry;
Forget, forget!
O restless one,
Descend into sleep.

Wrap yourself into night's embrace,
Surrender to its touch,
Let go of the day.
Forget, forget!
O lostling,
Fade into dreams.

Curl into your weariness,
Resist not its pull,
Let it all fall away.
Forget, forget!
O tearful one,
Day will come all too soon.

[Cyhirae]

Yet more pointless story poetry, again set to music. I can't claim total rights to the idea on it, however. More like I'm basing it on a story me and Lumi tossed about, based in an Ancient China style setting with some Euro fantasy hints tossed in. The singers in this case: The spirits of the land and said land's ruler, the God-King. Spirits are italicized, the God-king is not.

As to the song utilized: EXEC LINCA from Ar Tonelico.

---

The Plea of Maankau

---

Fated to come since Time began;
Spoken of through the centuries...
A promised hope for a fading world...
The Time of Testing has now come.

Gathering on the far horizon,
The Storm is now brewing...
Thousands on the horizon,
They begin their ride south....

Over the hills of this fair land,
Clouds fly black, raised by fires.
Claiming this country battle by battle;
In the name of the Northern Storm.

Unleashing the ills of the land,
Darkness rising in their wake;
Shattering ancient guardians where they pass...
We fall...
A Shadow long forgotten rises,
Feeding on rivers of blood....

Revive the long faded Legends,
Raise up the Sword born of Eleven Silvers;
Offer it up once more to the Divine,
Before the throne of the reborn God-King.

Heroes are not something born,
They are made from the ordinary....
Plain and unremarked they shall come forth;
Offering themselves before the five altars.

Earth reaching deep,
Fire blazing cruel-
Water flowing hidden,
Metal striking down-
Wood spreading far....
Guided to them you are-
Present yourselves before them,
Defend our land and life,
Chosen of Maankau!

You are summoned here...
In our most dire hour, we call....

Gathering on the far horizon,
The Storm has now descended...
Darkness flows on the horizon,
Reaching ever to the south....

Confront the Storm and the Darkness,
Raise up the Eleven Silver Sword;
Heroes of Maankau, I call to you;
Come before my throne once more.
Armed with your will and my strength,
We place our faith in you...
The God-King summons you;
Heed our cries...
We must set the Darkness to rest once more.

Heed the warnings in the winds,
Whispers from the Divine, they cry:
'The time of the Gods is ending',
Those of earth face this alone....

Stand strong and never falter,
Chosen children of Maankau...
Those who hear our cries....
Our lives and our land rest in your hands;
Our strength resides in you.

Gathering on the far horizon,
The Storm is now brewing...
Thousands on the horizon,
They begin their ride south....

Gathering on the far horizon,
The Storm has now descended...
Darkness flows on the horizon,
Reaching ever to the south....

[Musa-Revived]

Ooh, I like stuff about medieval wars. Nice. Too bad I don't play console games, so I don't recognize the song.

I suppose the five "elements" and the name "Maankau" is your reference to Ancient China? As someone who knows the culture, well I'm not sure what I should say to the word "Maankau". But the 5 elements thingy is pretty neat.

[Cyhirae]

*L* Actually, Musa, nearly the entire setting was an Ancient China-esque set up. From customs to having a 'divine king' (the "Mandate of Heaven" was how the Chinese emperor ruled his people. What he said went cuz he spoke with the authority of the Divine). We took historical elements like that and the Hun invasions (the 'Northern Storm' being a way to refer to a group of marching soldiers so massive you could see their coming on the horizon like a bank of stormclouds from all the dust their passage kicked up).

As to how to say Maankau- think of it via a Cantonese intonation rather than a Mandarin. And yes, we also used their traditional elemental set up- five elements, excluding 'air' (the traditional fourth western element). Air, of course, is of the sky, thus it is a Divine element and not something mortals should have access to as a power by ancient Chinese lore.

The infusion of Euro-fantasy was the inclusion of silver. You'll find there's really not much of it used in Chinese mythology- they were more for jade, gold, iron (later steel) and such. Likely due to geography- their lands aren't known for their silver production.

As to the song: You wouldn't have heard it even if you had played the game. It's off an arranged album.