Dante Alighieri snippet challenge, To fire your inspiration! NEW! Options

[Psyche]

Greetings to all poets and writers!

This month the snippets come from Dante's "The Purgatorio", or Purgatory.

You may reply with any form or free verse you wish. Sonnets, villanelles, ballades, it's your choice! Short stories are also welcome.

There are 12 snippets below to chose from. You may use them in any order, so long as you don't change them.

You're challenged to use 8 of the snippets, but if you can fit in the whole 12, that's wonderful!

Here goes:

the cold conquests

storm's rage

in sudden haste

the beast grows wild

light of foot

I was following my guide

a nobler form

lying on the earth

severed limbs strewn

his wings spread wide

towering cliffs

long for peace


Best of luck!

[Psyche]

This is the June snippet challenge. It's from Dante Alighieri's Purgatory.

Go for it!

And good luck

[Larry]

No Bones

As I was following my guide, a noise
assailed my ears from towering cliff’s peak
and he, in sudden haste that fear employs,
became more light of foot. “It’s he you seek!”,

the guide proclaimed while fleeing down the trail.
I thought he might have been a nobler form
since he was paid a tidy sum. Oh well,
it seems the beast grows wild but that’s the charm

of all the cold conquests for which I’m hired…
I found the dragon’s lair but there was dearth
of severed limbs strewn ‘round. Storm’s rage conspired;
washed evidence left lying on the earth?

But no! The dragon, with his wings spread wide,
said “I just long for peace!” “Am I denied?”


Snippets used in order of appearance: I was following my guide, towering cliffs, in sudden haste, light of foot, a nobler form, the beast grows wild, the cold conquests, severed limbs strewn, storm's rage, lying on the earth, his wings spread wide, long for peace

[Psyche]

Oh, my goodness, Larry! I didn't notice last night that you had already answered the Dante challenge...it was too late and only Eisa is around to help. The rest of the staff has flown away.

I like the way you've written this sonnet because it fits perfectly with the mood in Purgatory. With the guide included, plus style...although Dante wrote in 3-line stanzas. The atmosphere is perfect! I also love the title. I don't know which stanza I like most, but the finale is impressive. Poor dragons, they have a bad reputation in the west, but in middle and far eastern countries their symbolism is quite the opposite, same as serpents, rodents and others.

So you've set that straight for us, the peace loving dragon. The whole poem flows smoothly along. "and he, in sudden haste that fear employs,
became more light of foot. “It’s he you seek!”, . Great!


But no! The dragon, with his wings spread wide,
said “I just long for peace!” “Am I denied?”

I could go on forever! I think the next challenge will be a movie or book title one. Or maybe music...any preferences?

Best, Syl