[Mary Meriam]

I am a mountain tiger

I am Ginevra de’ Benci. I do not forgive
my father for burning the lines I wrote
so that only one line is left to live.
I am a mountain tiger. I wear a coat
painted by da Vinci. He took my juniper
and burnt it with my lilies and lines.
Would I ask forgiveness of Lucifer?
I am not the Icarus of ancient signs,
driven to fly and drowned in the lake.
I am a mountain tiger. I am here
to pounce and kill for poetry’s sake.
When I apologize, I am not sincere.


https://www.nga.gov/artworks/50724-g...-benci-obverse

[Matt Q]

Sestina: Mountain Tiger

Forgive me, please, I am a mountain tiger.
My stripes, perhaps, had camouflaged from you
Sharps claws long honed on boar and fleeing deer.
A tiger can apologize for nothing.
It wanders wordless on the stony mountain,
Its language lost to solitude and wind.

Forgive me, please, I am the rushing wind
That ruffles up the fur of sleeping tigers.
I’m cold because I’ve blown in from the mountain.
I never meant to steal your warmth from you.
Without the things it moves, a wind is nothing
But air that will not stay, holds nothing dear.

Forgive me, please, I am the timid deer
That gallops faster even than the wind.
Startled by your approach, startled by nothing,
I fled from you as from a hungry tiger.
Be still a while, and I’ll creep back to you,
Till then I hide in copses on the mountain.

Forgive me, please, I am the great stone mountain.
In dreams, I speed to you, fleet as the deer.
Awake, I stand like stone and wait for you,
The words I send you made cold by the wind.
My heart is yours, if you get past the tiger.
Come to me soon, or I’ll erode to nothing.

Forgive me, please, for truly I am nothing:
I’m neither grand or solid like the mountain,
But made of words and masks, a paper tiger.
My words alone run fast, fleet as the deer,
Weak, weightless things, as empty as the wind.
Yet worthless words are all I have for you.

Forgive me, please, it’s all I ask of you.
If I don't have your pardon, I have nothing.
Go if you will – how could I hold the wind? –
But won’t you let me back onto your mountain?
Or do I ask too much this time, my dear,
I who would be once more your mountain tiger.

I search for you in mists on this bleak mountain,
Where nothing seems to live – not even deer.
The wind is ice. Somewhere, a hungry tiger.

[Jayne Osborn]

That just blows me away, Matt. Well done!

Good luck with the competition - but I'd say that's going to be hard to beat!

Jayne

[Susan McLean]

Misconception
After a line by Ginevra De' Benci

You say a woman shouldn't be a writer.
I need to learn to smile and hold my tongue.
A woman's words are shifty as a spider,
and writing verse won't help me bear your young.
A woman needs a man to rule and guide her.
Her talents, like her thoughts, are best unsung.

I beg your pardon. I'm a mountain tiger.

[Julie Steiner]

Oh, no! Since the stated deadline was noon Eastern Standard Time, I’ll have to disqualify the two entries that came in after noon Eastern Standard Time. For my prizes, at least. People are still free to admire them.

Thanks very much to all those who submitted entries. The ballot will be posted after I wake up.

[Matt Q]

Hi Julie,

OK, so that was a bit of shock to wake up to! But I think maybe you're a day ahead of yourself. Surely, the competition is still open?

The deadline's noon EDT on the 15th of July. As I post this, it's around 2am EDT on the 15th of July.

To be fair, I've only just woken up and had no coffee yet, but by my rudimentary calculations (I always need to use an abacus before coffee), there's almost another 10 hours to go.

People, get those last-minute entries in!

-- Matt

[Seree Zohar]

Well, a few hours to go to noon EST. Hi Julie!


I ask your forgiveness and I am a mountain tiger.
Gimme a high five, I'll give you a high grrr.

[Jayne Osborn]

Hi Seree,

"tiger / high grrr"

Love it!!

Jayne

[Matt Q]

Thanks, Jayne! I was really pleased to read that the sestina worked so well for you.

And sorry, I'd meant to reply earlier, but was a little distracted by Julie's announcement that Susan and I had missed the deadline!

Matt

[Jim Ramsey]

O Dearest Lover

I am no caged bird
with plumage pretty,
who chirps sweet words,
who flirts and warbles witty,
to decorate an arm.
With fangs of glibness,
and claws of charm,
I ask forgiveness—
I am a mountain tiger,
not trophy won.
I seek divines higher
than clouds and sun.
My love is mine to give,
my heart not his to hold,
my life is mine to live—
I ignore this ring of gold!
No master or king
ever tames this soul
and enslavement brings.
I break the chain’s oppress
and curse the buyer.
I ask forgiveness.
I am a mountain tiger.