Living Poets Society

[Guest]

Well, I am in the midst of watching Dead Poet's Society and oh my god, I love it so much. I also fell in love with the idea of a society as such they show in the movie. For those who haven't seen it, they sit around in a cave at night, and take turns reading great poetry, and they even contribute original poetry at times.

I thought, wouldn't it be great to have something of the like on the Shard? So here, if you elect to join, you can post your favorite poetry, or a favorite passage from a book, anything. It doesn't have to be just that. Post your own poetry, critique other peoples work. (No negativity, though. Say what you liked about it, how it moved you. If you have nothing good to say, don't say anything at all.) Talk about how a certain piece of art(fiction, music, paintings, etc) moved you; impacted you. Tell us about a certain life experience that left its mark on you. Of loves won and loves lost. Because, as John Keating says in the movie,

Quote

And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.

I shall start this by saying what they always said at the beginning of the meetings. 

Spoiler

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. -Henry Thoreau

I'm going to tag a few people and hope they don't get annoyed.

@Robin Hatter @Szeth_Pancakes @Ookla the Frustrated

 @Sequence  @Mystic Syn

Come hither. We drink tea and discuss literature (and art, meaning paintings, music, whatever)

Edited December 20, 2021 by Elf

[Nathrangking he/him]

Tis one of my newer poems.                                                                                                                

                                                                                                         Coronation

Mistress of inferno draped in a Tyrian purple cloak dyed by the grapes of Bacchus the form of Nyx scrambles away from you. Light pierces the shadows at the edges of the world. The sun’s illumination is the hound that sits curled about your feet. Brooks laugh with mirth as all celebrate your expulsion of night. Ceres sighs as you cause her kingdom to spring forth from the bleak and frozen earth. In the heavens the Hesperides mesmerisingly dance. Their steps fill the sky with an unending ocean of twinkling joy. They leap about from point to point and creation moves harmoniously below them. Olympus forges a most lovely crown from jewels that are unattainable by mortal hands. It floats upon clouds carved of pearl and is carried by the breath of the lord of winds. Trumpets borne by nature’s might ascend and fly about as heralds announcing the time which is at hand. Ancient glades become halls as the fauns and dryads emerge to take part in this celebration. Phoebus strikes a tune upon his lyre which evokes the sweetness of a date oozing honey and the clarity of untainted waters flowing true. Sing now your song time bound forms and immortals. Carry now her amethyst train. The royal one has arrived and now her coronation is nigh.

[Guest]

24 minutes ago, Nathrangking said:

Tis one of my newer poems.               

Oh my god, this is just beautiful. Your words paint a vivid picture in my mind, and I can feel the excitement that is in the air at her coronation. The choice of words is exquisite and I am glad to have read your poem on this night. Ancient Greece is a pretty place to be indeed, and made more so by the way you describe. One cannot help but enjoy this piece of art. (And wish thoroughly they could write something as beautiful as this )

Now for one of my favorite poems. It's may be very famous, but it is famous for a good reason.

The Road Not Taken- Robert Frost

Spoiler

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2021 by Elf

[Szeth Pancakes he/they]

hi

[Guest]

Hi.

[Mystic Syn she/her]

Mmm, I just woke up, so I’ll probably do something about this later when I’m not drowning in math.

[Nathrangking he/him]

25 minutes ago, Elf said:

Oh my god, this is just beautiful. Your words paint a vivid picture in my mind, and I can feel the excitement that is in the air at her coronation. The choice of words is exquisite and I am glad to have read your poem on this night. Ancient Greece is a pretty place to be indeed, and made more so by the way you describe. One cannot help but enjoy this piece of art. (And wish thoroughly they could write something as beautiful as this )

Now for one of my favorite poems. It's may be very famous, but it is famous for a good reason.

The Road Not Taken- Robert Frost

  Reveal hidden contents

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

 

It has a companion.

                                                                                                                   Sovereign Speech

Iris ocean that sends on high a perfume so sublime that to utter shame does it put all mortal tongues that seek its description. At the center of a place unsullied by eyes that Midas cursed with his gilded touch sits a throne of ruby cut from the purest bedrock of the realm. In jealousy divinities stare at that so far beyond their reach. Beauty flows into the world from this place beyond even immortal hands and renders Venus herself to be but a faint shadow that grows more insubstatial by the year. A scepter that denies rulership to petty beings that spill rivers of scarlet across the thirsty ground stands tall within the grasp of the sovereign whose shields turn away the roaring storms of Jove and the endless arrows of Leto’s twins. It is a wisdom older than the pit that spawned the primordial night. Light mightier than imagining shows all that is hidden for all of eternity. Empress whose kingdom is without end the power of thine eyes raises up all of the lands both immortal and held in the folds of Thanatos’ cloak. Your call is the call of endless purity. All lean in and await your words as you rise to address the cosmos.

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, Nathrangking said:

It has a companion.

Wow...I can't even...just wow. Why do i even try to write when people like you exist? 

Wonderful, my dear, just wonderful. It evoked all the emotions in me, which is exactly what good writing is supposed to do in my opinion.

Amazing. Just amazing! What I have to say for this is much of the same as what I said before. I do not think there can be a fault in your writing. And it's pure pleasure to read your poems. Thank you for contributing these masterpieces.

 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2021 by Elf

[Nathrangking he/him]

1 minute ago, Elf said:

Wow...I can't even...just wow. Why do i even try to write when people like you exist? 

Wonderful, my dear, just wonderful. It evoked all the emotions in me, which is exactly what good writing is supposed to do in my opinion.

Amazing. Just amazing! What I have to say for this is much of the same as what I said before. I do not think there can be a fault in your writing. And it's pure pleasure to read your poems. Thank you for contributing these masterpieces.

 

 

 

Don't sell yourself short! Don't thank me for these two. They exist because I have found the appropriate muse for these tales. I have plenty more to share. Every now and again. I'll perhaps drop one here.

[Guest]

16 minutes ago, Nathrangking said:

Don't sell yourself short! Don't thank me for these two. They exist because I have found the appropriate muse for these tales. I have plenty more to share. Every now and again. I'll perhaps drop one here.

 I look forward to reading your poems 

[ThroughTheLivingSequence she/her/they/them]

I always thought poetry was not my thing but... A literal tear just hit my keyboard. Which is insanely rare. Almost nothing makes me cry, which is truth, is kind of inconvenient. I don't even know how to explain what I think about these. Just... Bravo.

[Frustration]

Ozymandias by Percy Brysse Shelley, but in video form

Spoiler

 

 

[Mystic Syn she/her]

Everybody be talking about their favorite poems or sharing poems they wrote which I could never do, so I have mad respect for y’all, but I’m going to share a scene in a movie I’ve been thinking about recently and has been especially hitting home for me. What am I talking about? I’m talking about that scene in Pixar’s Soul where Joe was at the piano and reminiscing about the time 22 had spent in his body he considered to be “regular old living” if y’all need a refresher: https://youtu.be/npMVQr8gdaQ

I’m someone that loves music: I play the piano, write and let myself be guided by it, I sometimes sing it too, but it something that’s always been a part of my life. When this had first come out, I was intrigued by the music, but didn’t watch it again after it had dropped on Disney+ last year till about a week or two ago. And I dunno if you guys noticed, but when you’re watching the scene, there are no words. Pixar could’ve easily added in some dialogue explaining what Joe was going through and thinking about right then, but they didn’t. They allow the watcher to develop their own feelings about the scene and let them connect it to their life; they are playing music properly named “Epiphany,” which is an experience of a sudden and striking realization. You can see those feelings being expressed in Joe’s eyes, without being told about what’s going on.

Now let’s back up a bit to set the scene of what Joe’s mind: He thinks that his life is boring, that absolutely nothing has happened over the course of his life and he was finally getting his big break when he got the gig he’s been dreaming about. Joe is on a high when he plays with the Dorothea, but after when he talks with her about what will happen next and what she tells him this: “I heard this story about a fish. He swims up to this older fish and says, ‘I’m trying to find this thing they call the ocean.’ ‘The ocean?’ says the older fish, ‘that’s what you’re in right now.’ ‘This?’ says the young fish, ‘this is water. What I want is the ocean’” (Soul, 2020). After that, he goes home and he reflects on what he does have. He didn’t start living when he got the gig with Dorothea, but he’s been living this whole time and has just not been noticing it. Joe thought that his purpose was to find his big break, but he never fully realized how much he’s been doing and living already, what he already has, and what he will gain.

I mentioned that I hadn’t watched Soul since it came out, until a few weeks ago, and it has become one of my favorite movies; not just because of all the music and how much of a sucker I am for it, but what it tells me in general. I’ve always been a person that enjoys complex concepts that leave me room to imagine, to wonder, to think about on a more personal level I mean, another favorite Pixar movie of mine is Inside Out, but I avoid that nowadays ‘cause I know I will cry hard. Anyways, this movie––I feel like––doesn’t get the credit it deserves, because it’s a beautiful movie, more than you originally think. When I had first watched it, the first thing I noticed was the animation and how stunning and breathtaking it was; when I watched it again a few weeks back, I noticed this scene in particular and the music.

Soul literally said without using words: It’s okay to take a step back, and it’s definitely okay to pursue your passions, but do not lose yourself in what you think your purpose is. Simply live. Breathe life in its entirety, even if you think it’s mundane. Do not get caught up in your expectations of what your life should be. Find joy in the smallest things, because those things often bring the most joy than what you believe will bring you happiness. You do have a purpose and you might not know it at this point in time, but please let yourself live your life.

When I had watched this a few weeks ago, I was going through a rough time: What I’m guessing is anxiety and depression were at one of the highest points, and I was not doing well; I was hurting myself mentally, physically, and verbally. I was dealing with thoughts that involved me ending what life I had/have, because I believed/kinda believe that I had no purpose and no one would care if I were to just disappear; to some, that might be a surprise, but I honestly don’t like talking about this part of me, but that’s another topic for another day. Anyways, after watching this movie, I had never cried so much, mostly internally though. It spoke more to me now than it did when it had first come out, because it was telling me that life is more beautiful than what the darkness of my mind was making it out to be. The simple things that I was living then; the people that were caring for me, even though they had no clue what was going on, started to mean more; the pictures I’ve taken of the Earth’s beauty; the moments I’ve had with close friends and family, where there have been laughs made and tears shed; and most importantly, what I mean in it all. Of course, I wasn’t healed immediately, but it was the light I needed to grasp and bring myself more out of the darkness than what I let myself be taken over for.

Your life is worth living, even if it’s mostly “boring” or just not going the way you want it to. You are the one that has to break away from the idea of that your life hasn’t begun when everything goes your way, but it already has and that you are the one that makes the most of it.

 

Anyways, thanks for coming to my TedTalk. I’m sorry for this lengthy post.

[Robin Sedai she/her]

Thank you for sharing that, Syn, it was very moving.

[Guest]

On 12/21/2021 at 8:31 AM, Mystic Syn said:

Everybody be talking about their favorite poems or sharing poems they wrote which I could never do, so I have mad respect for y’all, but I’m going to share a scene in a movie I’ve been thinking about recently and has been especially hitting home for me. 

Oh my heart, your entire post was absolutely beautiful. I am so happy that that scene could help you so much, this is the beauty of art.

You are so strong and you are so amazing. Fight on, okay? We're here for you. 

That last paragraph you said about how life is worth living, it was so moving (your whole post was so moving). You are so right, and thank you for saying that. You are an absolutely wonderful person.  Thank you for sharing that story with us.

 

Edited December 26, 2021 by Elf

[Mystic Syn she/her]

Since no one is stopping me and I need to decompress a bit, I’m going to gush about one scene in the often forgotten masterpiece: The Prince of Egypt, by Dreamworks.

Some of you might not have heard of it, may have watched it a long time ago, or watched it for religious reasons. I mean, I am a religious person and my dad loves the movie, which is how I saw it; however, I’m not just going to be looking through that perspective, but through my writer’s glasses. And trust me when I say that I could make an hour long––even more––video essay about the individual parts of the movie (animation, voice work, the frickn’ score, etc.), but I’m just going to rein that in and just gush about this one scene that stands out to me the most: The scene where Moses talks to God through the burning bush. If y’all don’t know which scene I’m talking about or need a refresher it’s pitched lower than in the actual movie, so be wary: https://youtu.be/6ds9y3lJGig

The first thing I notice about this scene is the score, probably because there are little to no words spoken through the first part of the scene. Now, if you haven’t listened to the score of The Prince of Egypt, you are missing out on some beautiful score music. The person who composed the music is a little known composer by the name of Hans Zimmer. I would say he’s rather unknown, because he worked on the scores of and I dunno if you’ve heard of these movies The Lion King, Interstellar, Kung Fu Panda, and more recently Dune; again, rather unknown. Anyways, the score at the beginning is light, showing curiosity and mystery. But as we go though the scene, it builds as Moses hears and listens to God. It swells when God begins to scold Moses, but grows soft and wondrous again. It doesn’t shy away from being loud and overbearing when God scolds Moses, but it also doesn’t shy away from being soft enough to put someone to sleep. Putting on my religious cap for a second: I love how that is like God in real life, who can––but doesn’t usually––scold us outright, but can also give us peace.

Another thing I notice was when Moses asked who was speaking to him and God answered that He was… well, God, Moses immediately believes. He doesn’t have a second thought, because if you were led to a burning bush that started to talk to you, either you’re high off of something or God is talking to you; I’m guessing the latter. Anyways, Moses drops his staff in shock as you do and basically rips his shoes off. He doesn’t need to speak, as the animation does it for him. Those micro expressions speak so much as to the shock, even fear of what he’s experiencing right then. If you were to look at the animation, even with the sound off, you can easily see and pick out those expressions and just know what Moses is feeling.

Another thing about that: When God says, “I have seen the oppression of my people in Egypt, and have heard their cry,” which Moses flinches, then comes into realization as he recalls when he had saved one of those people years ago when he was a prince of Egypt. You don’t need to be told that he still feels guilty for accidentally murdering the man that had been whipping the slave to death. You can see the regret of what he’d done, of why he ran from Egypt and away from the home and family he’d ever known. He looks away from the burning bush, or away from God, because he hasn’t forgiven himself for what had happened. Moses does not think that he should be in the presence of God because of that, so he looks away. Till God says that He’s going to send him to convince the Pharaoh to let the people go. You see and hear him say that he is not the person for the job, but that he was the son of the man who had slaughtered their children and had run away when he was facing the consequences of his actions.

Only then did God begin to yell at him, which He never does unless it’s a dire circumstance. And Moses, and anyone else would do, huddles away in the corner and away from the Being yelling at him. I mean, imagine for a second: A God who created literally everything and has the power to kill you right then and there is yelling at you. I don’t think you would be standing boldly against him, but you would also be on the ground, trying to make yourself as small as possible. But after yelling at him, God––like any parent after yelling at their child, hopefully––carefully picks Moses up and comforts him, telling him that He will be with him, even though Pharaoh would not listen to them. And after God leaves Moses, you can see a tear roll down Moses’ cheek. Again, no words are spoken, but the music speaks for them. It’s telling the extravagant experience that Moses went through when he was relating it to his wife. I mean, after that kind of joyful thing happens to you, I’m sure you would want to tell friends and family what you had just experienced.

The whole scene is nothing short of majestic, from the score to the animation to the voice work. You can see the care that was put into this masterpiece, and it makes me sad how far Dreamworks has fallen in term of these kinds of movies; I mean, how do you go from his absolute masterpiece that everyone forgets about to… The Boss Baby? Tell me. But that aside, from a religious perspective, this scene speaks volumes about who God is and what He can do for each and every one of us; from a writer’s perspective, this is a beautifully told story of a man who is called by God, or a mentor, to go and free people from unjust slavery.

What this scene tells us, or me, is that no matter what you have done that is weighing you down, you can always rise up and strive and become a better person. That doesn’t mean that everything will always turn out great for us, but we need to work on it; help will always be there, whether in the form of friends and family or even from the Internet. Forgiving yourself is never an easy process, especially if that experience is the one that’s keeping you back from being the amazing and beautiful person I know you can be, but I believe that after you have forgiven yourself, things will go a whole lot easier than before. That doesn’t mean there won’t be hardships, but it will be a crap ton easier.

 

This movie is a masterpiece, and you don’t have to be religious to enjoy it. If you haven’t watched it or haven’t watched it in a long time, please go do so. You will not regret every moment of it.

[Guest]

On 12/24/2021 at 1:26 AM, Mystic Syn said:

Since no one is stopping me and I need to decompress a bit, I’m going to gush about one scene in the often forgotten masterpiece: The Prince of Egypt, by Dreamworks.

Wonderful! I loved reading that and it does seem like a pretty wonderful movie with a good message. I might just have to check it out myself. (Though I'm not religious, but as you said, I don't think that matters)

Also you seem to have a lot of knowledge on this frontier. So would you recommend me some Disney or Pixar or DreamWorks movies to watch?

Edited December 26, 2021 by Elf

[Mystic Syn she/her]

29 minutes ago, Elf said:

So would you recommend me some Disney or Pixar or DreamWorks movies to watch?

Yeah lol. Most, if not all of these are going to be animated. Remember: You asked for this.

• Pixar’s Inside Out –– There’s a reason why I avoid it to this day, ‘cause I know I will start bawling, so I hope that’s enough to let you watch it if you haven’t.
• Pixar’s Soul –– You’ve read my thingy about that lol. It’s just a great movie to help remind you to take a step back and appreciate and love what you have now.
• Pixar’s Coco –– Like Soul, deals with music, but it also deals with family dynamics as well. If you’re into family history in general, this is a movie for you.
• Pixar’s Wall-E –– If you know me in real life, you know that this movie is holds a special place in my heart. It’s one of the best “show, don’t tell” pieces of media, ever.
• Dreamworks How To Train Your Dragon and How To Train Your Dragon 2 –– These are both great movies, if you haven’t seen them. They tell such a great story, and the sequel is one of the sequels I can say is just as good, if not better than the first.
• Dreamworks Kung Fu Panda and Kung Fu Panda 2 –– My opinions on these movies are the same with the How To Train Your Dragon movies. I get some of the best quotes from these movies.
• Dreamworks Megamind –– This one is mostly hidden under the rug, but it’s such a great movie. The humor is great, visual gags too, and it’s a movie that has more mature themes than a Dreamworks movie from this past decade usually has.
• Dreamworks The Prince of Egypt –– I already listed why, but I’m just reminding you that you should watch it >.>
• Dreamworks The Road to El Dorado –– It’s a movie you don’t have to watch, but you’ll have a good time if you decide to turn it on.
• Disney’s Lilo and Stitch –– I can and will talk people’s ears off about this movie, because it’s always been one of my favorites to watch when I was a child and love it more as I’ve grown.
• Disney’s The Lion King –– If you haven’t seen it, it’s basically Shakespeare’s Hamlet, but with lions and musical numbers. It’s really a compelling story and I get some of the best quotes from this movie as well.
• Disney’s Treasure Planet –– It’s one of the best underrated Disney movies out there, though that’s not to say it does have flaws. Despite all that, it has beautiful animation and is a great play off of Treasure Island.
• Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire –– Probably my one of my top favorite underrated Disney movies. It has a unique style and is full of action and honestly some of the best humor I’ve seen from a Disney film, besides The Emperor’s New Groove. Speaking of which…
• Disney’s The Emperor’s New Groove –– The history of how this film came to be is one of the most interesting, and I highly encourage you look into it after finishing the film. The film is a comedy, and one of the best I’ve seen, so it’s high on my list.
• Disney’s The Princess and the Frog –– How the romance is played between the protagonist and the love interest is so well done, and I live for it. If you’re into that, watch.
• Disney’s Tangled –– I will stand by this till the day I die: Tangled is better than Frozen, and will always be better. If that doesn’t spark your interest about what the heck I’m talking about, I dunno what will.
• Studio Ghibli’s Howl’s Moving Castle –– Who’s Studio Ghibli? Basically the Japanese version of Disney, but betterrrrr. Anyways, this movie is one of my all-time favorites. Please give it a watch. Either dubbed or in the original language is great, but I honestly prefer most, if not all of the original Japanese voice actors; that’s personal preference, mind you.
• Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away –– One of their best movies. If you ask someone to name off a Studio Ghibli film, they’ll most likely say this one, and for good reason. You’ll see as you watch.
• Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbor Totoro –– Well, if you ask them to name off a film of theirs, they’ll also probably say this one too. Again, for good reason. Literally one of the cutest movies in existence.
• Studio Ghibli’s Kiki’s Delivery Service –– Again, one of the cutest movies in existence. Also, you can’t say no to the cat that’s in there.
• Studio Ghibli’s Castle in the Sky –– I think this is a great gem of a movie. There are some side characters I wish got more screen time, but besides that, it’s a great movie filled with the right amount of action.
• Studio Ghibli’s From Up On Poppy Hill –– It’s a cute movie, but it can be confusing at first; at least, it was for me. Despite that, it’s a great movie and has one of the best soundtracks, because jazz lol.
• Studio Ponoc’s Mary and the Witch’s Flower –– Studio Ponoc is basically like Studio Ghibli, in this case. Anyways, this is a great movie. It’s cute and it really doesn’t feel boring. Well, I don’t remember it being boring. It’s been a while since I’ve seen it, but I remember really liking it.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Mystic Syn said:

Yeah lol. Most, if not all of these are going to be animated. Remember: You asked for this

YESSSSS! Thank you! I'm going to watch as many of these as I can .

[Nathrangking he/him]

A clap of thunder bares back man’s primal fear of powers greater than he, and a flash of lightning awakens beasts more terrifying than death itself. For the ships at sea that sees these sights, will pray with all their might to Poseidon’s throne of ancient power. They will call to him from the farthest reaches of their souls. They do hope that Charybdis’s rage has not been released into the path they do travel. Suddenly a figure stands upon the relentless waves with a staff of molten gold, his countenance is a sight that is awesome to behold. He points his scepter at the stormy seas and calms the roaring waves; the sun does break the iron curtain and when man looks out upon the waves no being does stand there. There is only a lucid phantom looking up from the depths. 

[HOID WANTS INSTANT NOODLES he/him]

Within the bleakness of the night 

A lonley swallow does take flight

still searching

heart lurching

 

and as it rises it does sing

throughout the darkness echoes ring

still soaring

exploring

 

The swallow dives unto the ground

I know it's quarry it has found

Prey squirming

returning

 

The bird returns to empty nest

with food fetched at dead chicks behest

still waiting

deflating

 

For predators they killed her chicks

And left their empty bed of stick

denying

still flying

This is a poem I just composed about a bird by our house. A few weeks ago her chicks were killed by an owl. However, whenever she goes hunting, she leaves a worm like she used to. Food for her dead children