POETRY OF THE TANG DYNASTY CONTEST
WINNERS!!!
I am pleased to announce that our independant panel of judges felt that each of our four poems was so heartfelt that each of our four poets are being declared a winner! Prizes to everyone!!!Also - it's been so nice to read the poems that the contest is now an ongoing event - send your poem and win a prize!!!
Thanks so much to our four original brave poets: Gerald, Gina, Julie and Pat. You each expressed so many of our feelings so well!
POETRY OF THE TANG DYNASTY
The Tang Dynasty (618-907) was the greatest period in Chinese poetry. One of the greatest poets was Du Fu (Du Tu). According to Encarta Encylopedia, "Du Fu recorded faithfully and intimately his worldly attachments, his family affections, and an infinite love for humanity, as well as the injustices of the age." (Perfect for the adoption process. We do a lot of shopping! Rely on family and friends for support. And, we feel the injustice of not making the last referral batch!)
The poetry is characterized by 5 or 7 word (Chinese Character) lines with the rhyme falling on the even lines. There was also usually a caesura (break) before the last three words, so that the words fell into 2,3 or 4,3 groupings.
Contest Rules:
- Poems should be either 5 words or 7 words per line.- Try to rhyme on the even lines.
- Put the break in if you want, before the last three words.
- Theme is adoption (paperchase, waiting, gotcha, etc.)
- They can be as long as you like.
- Submissions accepted on an ongoing basis
- Judging process (highly sophisticated) and prizes to be determined (think dollar store).
- Send entry to: JoanieSmitheroni at aol dot com
Du Fu
Interesting Links
Du Fu Index (some of his poetry)
Overview of the History of Chinese Poetry
More of Du Fu's poems
Encarta Encyclopedia Entry
Example Poem (judges hope you do better than this!)
Chasing paper, that I didWaiting now, me want kid
Rumors flow, they've been mailed!
March only, sigh... joy curtailed.
Hm... didn't really rhyme on the EVEN lines did I?
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Here are our poems. Thanks to everyone who shared a bit of their world!
All the years of longing
Will soon come to an end
We will celebrate with family,
We will celebrate wtih friends.
We will teach our darling Lily
How much she is loved
Not only by her parents
But by God up above.
And all of those around us
Who gave unselfishly
To help a couple of just Two
Become a family of Three.
Yes, before they even met you
They truly loved you so
And could not hardly wait for us
To get the word to "GO"
We can't wait to see you
And hold you in our arms.
I promise you we'll do our best
To keep you from all harm.
To become a young lady
Is what we wish for you
We will do all that we can
To make your dreams come true.
Oh our blessing from above!
Never doubt our heartfelt love.
- Gerald (April DTC)
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Firefly firefly high in the air,
lead us to China, our daughter is there.
Firefly firefly high as a dove,
your light will lead us, to great love.
Firefly, firefly go if you must,
the sign that you carry is...
... China or bust.
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THE JOURNEY
When we decided to adopt
To add to our family of three
I was never really prepared
For the emotion of the this journey
The road has been long
With many road blocks along the way
Learning to have patience
This is good character building they say
Every emotion I have felt
Up unitl this day
I suppose is part of the journey
In it's own unique way
Wondering when that day will come
That very thought can bring you undone
Wondering when it will be
Has done very strange things to me
The guessing game
I wish I never went there
It lead me to heartache
And further despair
It's made me cry
And feel quite sad
Somedays I've truly felt
That I'm going mad
But most of the time
Excitement is felt
Imagining that first photo
The day my heart will melt
My secret to keeping my sanity
Is to email my lows and highs
To people from around the world
Called the April Fireflies
Friendships have been formed
Thru strangers I have never met
The kindness and support shown to me
I will truly never forget
So... for now I'm imagining the day
And how it will be
When we are no longer
A family of three.
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WE WAIT
Scattered homes across the world
Eyes turned toward the East
Yearning hearts to be unfurled
Outpours the love, released
Upon these little ones we yearn
To hold close to our breast
We wait with bated breath to learn
What babe will end our quest.
Sweet child, our child, of China’s land,
Our hearts are in your hand.
Our breath gets caught with every thought,
Our hourglass of sand, drops grain by grain;
Stave off our pain, that you we don’t yet know!
We watch and yearn and daily learn
How slowly time can go.
But soon, please soon, will end the wait,
We yearn with all our might
For arms that feel your tender weight
And hearts, at long last, light.
