Poetry Corner with Ivy and Friends: July Poetry Challenge

WELCOME BACK!

Hello Poetry Corner, 

Thank you all for coming back to visit. Today you're in for a special treat. In this edition of the Poetry Corner we introduce many new poets and a few loyal regulars have joined as well. 

I thought it would be fun to have a quick poetry challenge that only lasted three days. Yes, three days. I kind of put the pressure on everyone but all the poets accepted the challenge and hit grand slams. 

POETRY CHALLENGE 

Co-writing challenge. 

I, Ivy, was inspired to write a poem but it was unfinished. I wondered how others would interpret my words and then the challenge was created. 

Poets were asked to take the beginning of my poem and complete the it without changing what I had already written. 

The following poems you are about to read will all begin the same but most definitely have different endings. 

Beginning of the poem originally written by Ivy Valori 

She slept on clouds of white 

Allowing her scars to heal

With each breath exhaled 

They began to bleed

As time past by she slowly began to live again 

The smile on her face was real 

The tone in her voice uplifting

The joy in her laugh rejoiced 

This was the beginning of a new life

Hope filled her heart once more...

Happy Reading! 

POETRY

Poem #1 with Michael Noe 

She slept on clouds of white
Allowing her scars to heal
With each breath exhaled
They began to bleed

As time past by she slowly began to live again
The smile on her face was real
The tone in her voice uplifting
The joy in her laugh rejoiced

This was the beginning of a new life
Hope filled her heart once more

Her eyes remain fixated on the door.
He would come and make things right, nothing bad could happen on such a beautiful star filled night. 

In memories she danced, when she was younger life was full of wonder, nothing impossible, everything allowed.

She remembered love both old and new.
Time seemed to stop as she waited for her guest.

The door remained shut tight.
Without a word her guest appeared.
All smiles and fumbling, with no apologies he knelt beside her.

He took her hand and whispered something in her ear.
Her date with the angel of death was finally here.

Poem #2 with Carver Pike

She slept on clouds of white
Allowing her scars to heal
With each breath exhaled
They began to bleed

As time past by she slowly began to live again
The smile on her face was real
The tone in her voice uplifting
The joy in her laugh rejoiced

This was the beginning of a new life
Hope filled her heart once more

Then the lock unlatched when she took that turn
She tumbled out the driver’s side door

The car wrapped itself round a tree
The radiator bled toxic green
Her scraped left cheek and broken nose
Hurt half as much as her shattered teeth

She’d become a ragdoll there on the street
She was nearly weightless in his arms
His cabin was nestled far back in the woods
Where the soil was rich enough to farm

Back where bodies enriched the land
Fertilizer of the human type
Backpackers and hikers, roamers and campers
None of whom put up a fight

Hospitality was his greatest weapon
Nice bearded man, wife sick in bed
Little did his guests know, as sure as the wind blows
All of five years she’d been dead

He fed on the hatred she gave him
Slept next to his mummified wife
Like the Egyptians he’d removed her organs
Kept ém in jars at their side

Clay pots arranged on the dresser
Intestines, liver, and lungs
The lid was broken, cracked down the middle
Where her heart filled the smallest one

Her spirit knew his intentions
The plan he had on his mind
The girl who’d crashed on the road today
Would take the place of his fallen bride

No, this one he wouldn’t eat alive
He’d nurse her back to health
Then he’d love her and fuck her and hold her and trust her
As his jealous wife rotted in hell

Then they’d burn those clay pots in the fire
Dance naked ‘round the front yard and laugh
Their bodies entwined under the light of the moon
As she offered him her immaculate ass

But she was still passed out on his couch
Her lips turned down in a frown
Her eyes twitched behind their lids
Her dress a red tattered gown

He reached out and lifted it up
Saw the cleft of her unshaven mound
He couldn’t wait to eat travelers and guzzle moonshine
Perfect wife number six…for now

Poem #3 with Mark Deloy 

She slept on clouds of white
Allowing her scars to heal
With each breath exhaled
They began to bleed

As time past by she slowly began to live again
The smile on her face was real
The tone in her voice uplifting
The joy in her laugh rejoiced

This was the beginning of a new life
Hope filled her heart once more

One day she woke,
The sound of battle once again in her ears

Not again, she cried as she picked up sword and shield

She flew back to terra, to see that once again, her life was forfeit as comes always in the end.

Poem #4 with Rachael Derheim 

She slept on clouds of white
Allowing her scars to heal
With each breath exhaled
They began to bleed

As time past by she slowly began to live again
The smile on her face was real
The tone in her voice uplifting
The joy in her laugh rejoiced

This was the beginning of a new life
Hope filled her heart once more

Her bleeding scars receded,
The more she felt completed.

Although, as time passed,
She still felt a lively void
The smile on her face,
Was certainly masked.
No longer could you hear,
Rejoice from her laugh.

Her voice now became,
Nothing but a muffled cry.
With each tear that stained her flush cheeks,
She sank down further,
And felt terribly weak.

For her hope of new life,
Had forsaken her.
It left her barren,
And laying naked on the cold, wet floor.

Motherhood, now her loss,
Forgotten she bore her cross.

Poem #5 with The Lozt Poet 

She slept on clouds of white
Allowing her scars to heal
With each breath exhaled
They began to bleed

As time past by she slowly began to live again
The smile on her face was real
The tone in her voice uplifting
The joy in her laugh rejoiced

This was the beginning of a new life
Hope filled her heart once more
The memories of the past flew off with the wind.
All the pain and disappointment she once felt faded away
Her scars blended in with the lines of a life well lived

Her friends shared a somber smile
Her family fought back the pain they felt
She watched it all but didn't understand
Why weren't they happy that her pain was gone?

It was then she noticed they were all dressed in black
They took turns walking up to the ornate box in front
And as she peeked she saw what caused such sorrow
There lay her still body resting peacefully

She watched for a moment before sitting by the woman who gave her life
She wished she could hold and comfort her and dry her tears away
Then she heard the words she longed to hear for years before
As one by one people stood up and spoke of the love they had for her.

So let this tragedy be a lesson to everyone here
Don't wait until your tommorows run out and the clock ticks no more
Hug your loved ones and make sure they know without a doubt
That no matter how dark the days seem or how lonely they feel
There is always someone willing to lend an ear and hold your hand
But above all make sure that one thing is perfectly clear and leave no doubt
Let your family and friends know they are loved, wanted, and needed.

Poem #6 with Harlow Kane 

She slept on clouds of white
Allowing her scars to heal
With each breath exhaled
They began to bleed

As the time past she
slowly began to live again
The smile on her face was real
The tone in her voice uplifting
The joy in her laugh rejoiced

This was the beginning of a new life
Hope filled her heart once more
Colors got brighter
Music once again warmed her soul

Then it happened
With one glance
her world forever changed
That glance grew into a stare
and that stare a memory
that will remain with her for eternity

She allowed her heart to love again
He kissed her scars
Drowned out her pain with words

It was then she realized
She had to first love herself
before she could love
anyone else completely

Poem #7 with Severin James 

She slept on clouds of white
Allowing her scars to heal
With each breath exhaled
They began to bleed

As time past by she slowly began to live again
The smile on her face was real
The tone in her voice uplifting
The joy in her laugh rejoiced

This was the beginning of a new life
Hope filled her heart once more

Her soul emerged from the darkness,
The body filled with such life,
Her eyes saw the world, The world became her playground,
She ran free, she ran free,
Serenity flowed like blood through her veins,
There was no pain, there was no pain,
Every touch felt angelic,
Heaven rested in her hands,
A smile formed as she hand plans,
Each chapter would be written her way,
Life opened up as she had much to say.

Poem #8 with Joseph E. Murch 

She slept on clouds of white
Allowing her scars to heal
With each breath exhaled
They began to bleed

As time past by she slowly began to live again
The smile on her face was real
The tone in her voice uplifting
The joy in her laugh rejoiced

This was the beginning of a new life
Hope filled her heart once more

But...She is She
At gypsy
Languished between now but then

She reaches forward in colors
Of gentle whispered wind
As she moves always toward
But away from the back again

With the clock tick, ticking between now and then
Without reasons but her own
Always an affront to the unknown
With then an abyss to broken ends

Perhaps, she found herself stronger
As she breathed hope again

Perhaps?

But...She is she
At gypsy
Languishing remnants of a kiss.

Poem #9 with S.E. Wells 

She slept on clouds of white
Allowing her scars to heal
With each breath exhaled
They began to bleed

As time past by she slowly began to live again
The smile on her face was real
The tone in her voice uplifting
The joy in her laugh rejoiced

This was the beginning of a new life
Hope filled her heart once more.

yet, hope like a revolving door,
like it had been many times before;
opened and closed.

which way to go?
as heart surely knows,
yet mind never apt to follow.

a wounded hand,
that needs to feel;
feel anything but hollow.

Just one more dance,
if one more be all that's given.
one more chance to take wing and soar,
everlasting through sweet love's heaven.
even if that's all she's been given.

THE END 

OUTSTANDING! 

Now how amazing was that? Wow! 

I have to first Thank all the poets for accepting this challenge. It's never easy writing with someone, let alone doing in such a short amount of time. These poems have blown me away. 

The uniqueness of them all, speaks volumes of how much talent all you poets posses. Especially with some of the participants never having written poetry before until this challenge.  It has been a great pleasure knowing this challenge helped some explore other avenues in their writing and the amount of fun you all had. 

I hope everyone has enjoyed this July co-writing edition of the Poetry Corner with Ivy and Friends Poetry Challenge. 

Until next time.