Judo's Gunfight Thread Revisited

[Lauren Hynde]

Ah, you both came! I thought you'd be too yellow to show your faces around these here part, today.

 

[champagne1982]

Ah, you both came! I thought you'd be too yellow to show your faces around these here part, today.

How could we not come? Boob AV's and Eve in a yeller tshirt, and that hat! Oh man!

Anyway, I don't look bad in yellow but you'll have to wait until I work a little more on my tan .

 

[fawnie]

LOL! You're in no shape to fight a 420 pound 4'5" midget and write poetry in a shoot out, too, there OneArm. Hell, if you are, I wanna be an amputee!

What about jello? Can we go a coupla rounds in lime?

lol
u'd be surprised what i can do with this stump!! lmao
omg..whewwwww, don't get me started i'm trying to polish my gun!

 

[Lauren Hynde]

10 minutes to go!


POET 1: fawnie
POET 2: champagne1982


Judges:

- thenry
- minsue
- Liar

 

[champagne1982]

lol
u'd be surprised what i can do with this stump!! lmao
omg..whewwwww, don't get me started i'm trying to polish my gun!

Wahlp, doan that jes' beat all? Yes'm. Mah daddy always says,

This here's mah rifle,
This here's mah gun,
This one's fer fightin',
This one's fer fun!

I guess poetree runs in the family.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Fawnie, Carrie, step on to the street now. My next post will be it. One hour after that!

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Tonight's poems' theme is a subtle variation on the original gunfight theme.



Alone in the midday heat, the sweat has its own special stench as it wafts into your mind. Facing you down Main Street while the whole town holds its breath is the meanest, nastiest gunfighter ever to lose to you at poker. Shivers rack your body as time ticks away to what could be the last second of your life. A drop of sweat trickles down your forehead as the countdown ends. Your adversary moves with quicksilver agility and you're facing the wrong end of a .45. Time slows down to a halt. The only thing that can save is sang-froid.


sang-froid: coolness and composure in extreme circumstances, freedom from agitation or excitement of mind


Your challenge is to describe that concept, without using the words sang-froid or any of its synonyms:

assurance, balance, calm, calmness, composure, control, cool-headedness, coolness, fortitude, harmony, imperturbability, level-headedness, poise, self-assurance, self-control, self-possession, serenity


There is no form or length restriction. You have one hour starting now!

 

[WickedEve]

OH, it's started!
Lauren, you're an evil gunslinger. I'm glad I'm not dueling it out.

 

[champagne1982]

Showdown

I looked at her,
She looked back at me.
Sweat drippin' in my eye.
The villanous bandita, OneArm
Was eyin' me up for size.

I just stood in my size four boots
My spurs all ready to jangle,
Ole OneArm should come
Well armed for I was ready to tangle.

I looked over to the Portuguese bench,
And saw the moderator standin there
With her boob hangin out
And her eyes squinty slits
Her smile was a warnin', timid poets to scare...

I smiled back full of bravado
This fight wasn't gonna quietly end
Ole OneArm and me was all set to go...
So tell me, what paths shall we wend?

 

[Lauren Hynde]

You're not dueling it out yet!

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Re: Showdown

I looked at her,
She looked back at me.
Sweat drippin' in my eye.
The villanous bandita, OneArm
Was eyin' me up for size.

I just stood in my size four boots
My spurs all ready to jangle,
Ole OneArm should come
Well armed for I was ready to tangle.

I looked over to the Portuguese bench,
And saw the moderator standin there
With her boob hangin out
And her eyes squinty slits
Her smile was a warnin', timid poets to scare...

I smiled back full of bravado
This fight wasn't gonna quietly end
Ole OneArm and me was all set to go...
So tell me, what paths shall we wend?

Well, that was fast. Or was it just the warm up?

 

[BooMerengue]

Clip clopping into town on my trusty trail pony, I sense the tension in the air. Reining over to the hitchin' rail I dismount and step onto the porch of the Not No. 10 Saloon, and go inside. I'm greeted by silence; the bartender hands me a dusty bottle of whiskey and I walk back outside. An ol cowhand, sitting with his gal Louise on his lap, nods to me and points to the chair next to him. I lean back, placing my worn boots on the rail and slug back a shot of the 'Ol Rotgut. "I've been hearing of these two outlaw Poets for a long time now. This should be interesting..." I tilt my hat a bit lower on my forehead and settle down to wait...

 

[WickedEve]

Is this part of the poem a typo? "Portuguese bench" I think the b and ch are right, but...

Hey, you almost shot an ear off, Portuguese bench!

 

[champagne1982]

Dangerous

I've seen the disguise of a dangerous mind
Shed emotions like the skin of a snake
And human feeling is left on the path, far behind.

He stares far ahead, down the road that he'll take,
No doubt shadows the gleam in his eye
Shed emotions like the skin of a snake

He never notices the bright blue of the sky
Cold in the darkness that comes with the rain
No doubt shadows the gleam in his eye

Seemingly tireless he'll bear any pain
Any hardship is faced without fear
Cold in the darkness that comes with the rain

Watch the shadow of the resolved drawing near
There is purpose in each line on his face
Any hardship is faced without fear

No thought of failure will leave even a trace
I've seen the disguise of a dangerous mind
There is purpose in each line on his face
And human feeling is left on the path, far behind.

 

[fawnie]

Tonight's poems' theme is a subtle variation on the original gunfight theme.



Alone in the midday heat, the sweat has its own special stench as it wafts into your mind. Facing you down Main Street while the whole town holds its breath is the meanest, nastiest gunfighter ever to lose to you at poker. Shivers rack your body as time ticks away to what could be the last second of your life. A drop of sweat trickles down your forehead as the countdown ends. Your adversary moves with quicksilver agility and you're facing the wrong end of a .45. Time slows down to a halt. The only thing that can save is sang-froid.


sang-froid: coolness and composure in extreme circumstances, freedom from agitation or excitement of mind


Your challenge is to describe that concept, without using the words sang-froid or any of its synonyms:

assurance, balance, calm, calmness, composure, control, cool-headedness, coolness, fortitude, harmony, imperturbability, level-headedness, poise, self-assurance, self-control, self-possession, serenity


There is no form or length restriction. You have one hour starting now!

Center Ring
~~~~~~
Climbing...
climbing...
reaching great heights.
Sure footed,
stepping onto that wire.
Life's narrow journey.
You stop,
listen,
breathe in.
A quiet hush.
Feet firm but limber,
steady,
avoiding
broken bones,
crushed spirit.
Eyes focused,
straight ahead,
you step,
inches,
feet,
bridging distance,
in silence.
Completed journey,
life still intact.
~~~~~~~~

 

[champagne1982]

Dangerous (second bullet - added punctuation).

I've seen the disguise of a dangerous mind
Shed emotions like the skin of a snake, (edit for the sake of an e dammit!)
And human feeling is left on the path, far behind.

He stares far ahead, down the road that he'll take,
No doubt shadows the gleam in his eye,
Shed emotions like the skin of a snake.

He never notices the bright blue of the sky,
Cold in the darkness that comes with the rain,
No doubt shadows the gleam in his eye.

Seemingly tireless he'll bear any pain,
Any hardship is faced without fear,
Cold in the darkness that comes with the rain.

Watch the shadow of the resolved drawing near,
There is purpose in each line on his face,
Any hardship is faced without fear.

No thought of failure will leave even a trace,
I've seen the disguise of a dangerous mind,
There is purpose in each line on his face,
And human feeling is left on the path, far behind.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Just in the nick of time!

Great fight. Now go to the saloon and have a drink on the house while the judges reach a decision. It will be announced in the next 24 hours.


Thenry, Minsue, Liar-
Please PM me with your thoughts on the two poems and your decision on which responded to the challenge in a better fashion as soon as you can.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Carrie's second bullet was still within the 1 hour since my post (to the minute) so that's the one that will count.

 

[fawnie]

whewwww, i need a drink after that! maybe 2..
nice job champagne(carrie) now that i have that info
i'd say good luck but not sure i want a hole in my heart

 

[champagne1982]

Re: Re: Showdown

Well, that was fast. Or was it just the warm up?

Stray bullet...

Whoopsies!

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Re: Re: Re: Showdown

Stray bullet...

Whoopsies!

You're fast on the trigger, that's for sure.

 

[champagne1982]

Clip clopping into town on my trusty trail pony, I sense the tension in the air. Reining over to the hitchin' rail I dismount and step onto the porch of the Not No. 10 Saloon, and go inside. I'm greeted by silence; the bartender hands me a dusty bottle of whiskey and I walk back outside. An ol cowhand, sitting with his gal Louise on his lap, nods to me and points to the chair next to him. I lean back, placing my worn boots on the rail and slug back a shot of the 'Ol Rotgut. "I've been hearing of these two outlaw Poets for a long time now. This should be interesting..." I tilt my hat a bit lower on my forehead and settle down to wait...

Hi Boo!

 

[champagne1982]

Is this part of the poem a typo? "Portuguese bench" I think the b and ch are right, but...

Hey, you almost shot an ear off, Portuguese bench!

hehehehe

 

[champagne1982]

whewwww, i need a drink after that! maybe 2..
nice job champagne(carrie) now that i have that info
i'd say good luck but not sure i want a hole in my heart

Take a look. You've got one through the armpit of your jacket and I do believe I shot one of the fringes off your chaps.

I hope Doc made the casket to fit you though, I doubt they'd get you into a box made to measure for me... I'm too short, being 4'5" and all. Maybe they could cut your legs off and bury you as Footloose OneArm the poetic Bandit?

 

[WickedEve]

I think you're both brave gunfighters to shoot it out live!