The Ten Challenge

[ddgryphon]

Okay, I'm breaking my brain trying to create a workable piece with "Ten" or concerning Ten. It is for a composition contest and I want the treble voice to have lyrics based around ten.

I'm making it a challenge here--I may ask one of you for permission to set your poem to music (and would require a release to do so), but it is also an interesting challenge.

I'll post my two, thus far, poor attempts--here, and in the critique forum in the hopes I can make them better, but I know someone here will come up with something better than I produce--you're just a terribly talented bunch of writers.

Anyway, to start the ball rolling:

Ten

I am ten
the world awaits
my mind turns
wheels around

I am ten
and when I wake
the world is full of sound

hills are castles
caves are dungeons
dogs are dragons

I am ten
will live forever
full of wonder

I am ten

[ddgryphon]

The Tenth Dream

nine times I've lived
these moments
Morpheus bestows

falling from the sky
never knowing why

still i fight the fall
through blue clouds
stars lost: distant

falling into the night
helpless in my plight

while far below
the city sleeps
winking it awaits

falling: tenth descent
one i can't prevent

ten times i've lived
these moments
Morpheus invents

[Angelinity]

been trying to make some time for this -- but very busy week in my dealin daily life.... just to let you know i'm in -- but how much time do you have to put this together??

[ddgryphon]

30 days to postmark.

[Angelinity]

30 days to postmark.

great! things will back to normal on Friday -- maybe other poets will pitch in by then? :D

ily

[ddgryphon]

Hope so--thanks for playing.

[P.H.Delarran]

I've been entertaining a couple of poem-starts on this, but nothing worthwhile yet.
Is 'Ten' your personal theme choice, or the stated theme for the composition contest?
Because it's a number, I find myself wanting to work out a metered poem. But most of what I come up with is very Dr. Suessy.

[ddgryphon]

Contest theme: 10

Not my choice.

[threedogpeople]

Ten fingers
and ten toes
ten signs of
your perfection show

I prayed for you
a gift from God
and I knew then
right from the start

ten fingers
and ten toes
ten signs of
your perfection show

I saw you in
my dreams at night
and I knew then
right from the start

ten fingers
and ten toes
ten signs of
your perfection show

I nurtured you
beneath my heart
and I knew then
right from the start

ten fingers
and ten toes
ten signs of
your perfection show

I saw you born
before my eyes
and I knew then
right from the start

ten fingers
and ten toes
ten signs of
your perfection show

I felt my heart
grow wings and fly
and I knew then
when you first cried

ten fingers
and ten toes
ten signs of
your perfection show

That I have lost
myself to you
and I knew when
I saw your face

ten fingers
and ten toes
ten signs of
your perfection show

That God had heard
my prayers for you
and I gave my
heart, I know its true

ten fingers
and ten toes
ten signs of
your perfection show

You are a dream
a gift from God
a prayer answered
by him above

ten fingers
and ten toes
ten sign of
your perfection show

[Angelinity]

ten years ago i sowed
secret wishes in code
didn't know they'd take me
down this road

don't you wanna know
what they were

three were for you
three were for me
and them four
can't tell ya who for

you left me in haste
six wishes to waste

but my scheming heart
soon found you replaced

ten years ago i sowed
secret wishes in code
didn't know they'd take me
down this road

###

meager try here, dd.... will give it another shot soon.

[dclary]

What I attempted to do here was come up with something lyrical, with internal ten homonyms, words with the letter-combo 'ten' within it, and some sort of romantic love-song feel. I hope this meets your needs.





Without regard for intent,
your permission or consent
I rode to your house
on my old trusty ten-speed

Not content you weren't home
denying I was alone
I tenuously held on
to the dream that was we

Chorus
Tender rememberies
Ten times you said to me
"Here I am now and forever will be"
Attentively waiting still
For you to come back,
you will
Ten times you said
Will you say ten again?


Extend for me hope please
I've gotten on my knees
In a prayer for you
And any answering God

Don't pretend you don't care
anymore for me there
For I'm certain of this
that our love was not flawed.


Chorus

[Ganesha]

ten

one-I read your poems on line and turned green with envy
two-my fall down the stairs gave me a fright- black and blue arm
three-going back to work after you've given notice is hard I am blue
four-Mom's birthday passed with lots of freak accidents: me being born was #1
five-I am still up drinking red wine and writing
six-you kissed my hand tonight and I wanted you to hear me say "I love you"
seven- hot and humid with a golden moth infestation, I killed quite a few
eight- I watched Purple and Green animations and laughed
nine-I know I'm glad to be alive in the pink of health
ten- the sky is echoing white light and rolling thunder

[dclary]

I can sing the melody-line I had in my head when I wrote this if you want to hear how it might sound set to music.

[Angelinity]

one more attempt here, dd.... no title as of yet.


Black tears rappin on my door
them storms in your eyes
soon these walls will have torn
and i shall burn in your fire
just a bundle of bones
wrapped around heart of stone
coz what we were is no more


You've come back to me now
grievin your broken vows
sayin that you need me
wanna be by my side

But it's too late baby
coz our love's gone 'n died


You didn't look when my heart broke
you wer'n't there to hear me weep
coz my love wer'n't what you sought
So I burried it ten feet deep
Ten slivers flew on black doves
I sent to torment you my love
sent them roaming the earth without restin
til they found where you've been nestin

Slipped the pain into your dreams
til your peace burst at the seams
Black rain rappin on my door
What we were
we is no more.

[ddgryphon]

The response has been so good, I may take 10 of the 10's--thank you all, what a wonderful response!

[ddgryphon]

I just need 4 more to call the collection 10 by 10 (10 works by 10 poets for piano, cello and treble voice).

Four more could step up and it would be GREAT!!

[Angelinity]

I just need 4 more to call the collection 10 by 10 (10 works by 10 poets for piano, cello and treble voice).

Four more could step up and it would be GREAT!!


what... no new takers?? c'mon, brood -- TEN the man up willya!!

[Meerkat]

Of Squids and Campers

ten...
tacles to hold you deep

got...
ten through the murky soup

evolution's blind in...
ten...t: survive

and ten...
d the youngest brood

ten...
t tonight on old camp footprints

hikes forgot...
ten or unspoke

walking in the path of others
finding ten...ure though not first

creatures great or even greater
ten...ants of a wondrous world