posted September 06, 2001 08:40 AM

Argeaux

You didn't ask for it, but here it is!

This next challenge is inspired by Nanzar's recent piece about "The Debt".

Your challenge, if you choose to accept it, is to write a poem about your favourite episode of Xena, without using the name of the episode anywhere in the poem, including the title.

Then, to make things more interesting, the rest of us will try to guess which episode you have written about, and any other information that is relevant to your poem, eg. which character(s) it might be about, what part(s) of the episode you may have focused on, etc.

Have at it, fellow poets!

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eyezoom

okay--i whipped this off very quickly--i just can't resist a challenge!

history rewritten
cannot untie our fates
destinies entwined
we are eternal mates

evil overcome
by true love undying
beyond betrayal
our connection defies denying

in my mind you ride
to your villa by the sea
knowing you are safe
means everything to me

as i die today
in agony and pain
at last i have found peace
my soul i have regained

a life, a love i lost
at my betrayer's hand
miraculously restored
by something far more grand

together we have been
on this world and above
joined forever as one
by something more than love

history rewritten
erasures on life's slate
cannot separate us
cannot alter fate

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Argeaux

I know it!
I have the plan
I am the man
I know I can

The enemy
I've heard them say
Won't live to play
Another day

She'll fall deep
Yes, she will see
She cannot be
Apart from me

See me stride
Through their small town
Not like a clown
Who stumbles down

Heroes stare
Like I used to
They know it's true
My skills aren't few

Grab my sword
Out of it's sheath
Out of it's sheath
Out of-- CLUNK!
Hit myself in the head again

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Nanzar

Had join in this one, since it had my name on it. Here's one for ya

Something Different

There's something different about me
Can you tell?
No, of course you can't see
I am all that I've ever dreamed
I'd be!

I posses the finest skills at last
To heal the world!
But no, shall they ALL deserve
What only I can give--
if I will?

Look at me! My beauty shines
like a thousand pearls!
But inside I am like a worm
My heart is empty, and nothing gives
me peace.

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Gabber

This ep is going to be easy to figure out...I'm warning you now, hehe.

~Gabber
=========

"You are My Light"

Trying to find you
When it's so dark inside
Though this one light in my heart holds true-
You will be no one's bride...
But mine.

I cannot stop walking
I cannot stop to rest
Anyone else might call this stalking
But for you, I am a woman possessed.

Do not worry, my love
There's no way I'd let this darkness break my determination.
For when push comes to shove,
Each time I find my destination...
In you.

He doesn't understand why I risk myself
Why saving you is more important than saving me
He cannot fathom why I would sacrifice my health
When there are many fish left in the sea.

But he could never comprehend the devotion I feel
How my soul is crying out for you
How my heart refuses to conceal
How the way you look at me and hold me up in your view...
Means more than my fading sight.

So I fight my way and use my ears
Using your muffled cry as my guide
Amongst the clatter and the noise, it's your heart's racing I hear
That brings me to your side.

Although I pause in fright-
Wondering if I am a moment too late-
But I extend my hands, feel your body, and reach out for you in delight
Holding you close, realizing no one has sealed our fate...
Thankful that you're still mine.

Now, you stand over me with a gentle touch beneath my chin
And my heart's at peace when you're taking care of me.
These blinded eyes begin to clear as I'm taking you in
And I've never seen one as beautiful as thee...

And I want to tell you all the things that went through my mind
I want to tell you how deep my love runs
I want to confess this need to hold you, to be intertwined
But as I gaze upon your face, these are the only words I can find...
"Now, that's a sight for sore eyes."

--9/6/01 Keri S. (Gabber)

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Nanzar

I just have to say these poems are really good. Gabber, you take my breath away with your soulfull interpretation of that fated love that we love to watch on this show. And Argeaux, you always find the whimsey and the truth in things and make me laugh. And Ms. Z your have told a beautiful story. I am not going to guess the eps,although I have some ideas, I am not that good at remembering the titles so I'll leave that to the experts. I do hope more people contribute. It is so great to read Xena poems again.

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eyezoom

here's something i was able to spend a little more time writing...

tortured visions
unsilenceable screams
revisited in tangled nightmares
burning visions
unblottable from your mind's mad eye

a childhood erased
a sanity severed
a soul beyond salvation
drowning
in a madness born in vengeance

a lifetime's rage
your bitter thirst unquenchable
a pain you live to share
a lifetime of hate
your forfeit soul insatiable

i stand before you
i confess my complicity
i accept your hate
knowing
i am powerless to contain this evil i have created

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Sara

I let the other Challenge go unanswered, and I was gonna do the same here, but with some loving encouragement , I'm here.

"Perfection"

I'll show you temptation
In our sensuous dance
With her hands on me
Burning me with her lustful glance

You can define passion
In the way we sway and move
My hands all over her
As we fall into the groove

Can't you feel the desire
Between me and my sexy, blonde bard
She closes her eyes in rapture
Resisting is so hard

Through our sensuous dance
Even the boy can sense our connection
Though I must seduce you to fall
I yearn for her, she is perfection.

--SMC

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Argeaux

Here's another from me:

I forage for you
Scavenging your memory
Scrabbling through hurt
Tugging at this wound

Blood rivulets soak my cheeks
Flailing and wailing
Songs of a dreaming time
Savage and piercing

Others come to comfort
They cannot satisfy me
I need only you
Your absence throbbing within

Forsake life and live again
Confused thoughts circle
Wildness personified
Growling and howling

Sudden stillness
Smothers me
Sucking my essence
Transfixing me to this place

She is here
Delighting in my void
Sucking my substance
All of me and all of you

When I find you
What will become of us?
Darkness awaits
So I will bask in you

Zooming toward the finish
Watching it fly ever nearer
Your end and mine
Our one shared truth

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Sara

*shrugs* I had another round with the muse. *sigh* Not my favorite ep though. Ah well.

"Empty"

I am lost without you
Only half of who I need to be
I am tormented by visions and dreams
I reach for you in sleep

You are my truth
Of who I was and who I am
I need you...I need you
I don't know why, nor do I understand

But something calls to me
Vague memories, the ghost of us as one
So I follow this love-sick oaf
To a flame that burns brighter than the sun

And my heart skips a beat
I see you lying there
I ask myself, am I the one?
Can you fill the emptiness, soothe my despair?

Time will only tell
I'll dive through the flames for you
In hopes of waking the sleeping beauty
And making one what used to be two.

--SMC

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eyezoom

hehe
Argy said "Zooming" in her poem!!

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Argeaux

I thought you'd get a kick outta that!

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bailey

zoom--is your second one callisto?

amirightamirightamiright??

bails

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eyezoom

bailey
in part, yes. it's about Callisto, but the voice is that of another character--i'm thinking of one specific scene...

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bailey

Callisto: "Xena, they're coming. But, you know that already, don't you? What will you do? How many will you kill? You're beginning to hate me. You've bought it because of some silly sense of guilt. Now, I'm a painful reminder of what you used to be and how you can never leave it behind. Ooh, that crowd wants my blood. Why not let them have me? It's the easy way out. Nobody will blame you."
Xena: "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you without a fair trial."
Callisto: "You know, there used to be some respect mixed up in my hatred for you. But, not anymore, you're petty scruples are an embarassment. As a villain you were awesome. As a hero you are a sentimental fool."

Callisto: "Perfect. I'm going to die just like my family. Fitting, don't you think? No, no, not to fear, I won't be screaming out like my sister."

ok, i think it's that one...but i could be wrong and if i am then i'm pretty sure that it's this one....

Xena: "Argo won't obey you, and if you don't stop kicking her I'll break your ankles."
Callisto: "Oh, the Good Xena, what happened to you? One day you just decided to fight for justice?"
Xena: "Something like that."
Callisto: "And all the shattered people you left behind were now supposed to cheer you, is that it?"
Xena: "No. What happened to you was terrible and I'm sorry."
Callisto: "Oh, well that makes all the difference and now we can be best of friends."

Callisto: "I'm not afraid to die, if that's what you're worried about. What about you, Xena? How will you feel to see your creation executed without a fair trial?"

Callisto: "It's not her fault at all that I dream every night of my mother's screams coming from my burning home. You tell me, Xena, do you sleep well at night?"
Xena: "No, I don't."
Callisto: "Good. I can take whatever it is that you think I have coming to me. But, tell me this, Xena, have you ever been tried for all of the things you have done? Have you ever been handed over to a mob that wanted your blood?"

Xena: "What would you do if I let you go?"
Callisto: "The sight, just the sight of Xena, Warrior Princess, arguing on my behalf amuses me so. Let me tell you. Let me answer your question. What would I do if you let me go? You let me go and I will dedicate my life to killing everything you love...your friends...your family...your reputation...even your horse. You see, I am being so honest with you because the idea of your pity is worse than death for me. You see, you created a monster with integrity, Xena. Scary, isn't it? Now, take me to the mob."

i actually wanted to do this one myself..but you blew any thoughts i had out of the water...very very good.

bailey

GTG

Rage On
I watch through her eyes
the battle flames
the blood spills
leaving a strange painting in the sand
and she rages on

Fury and anger burn from her
yet she stands tall
for a moment the vail lifts
I see the pain
while she rages on

She pushes the sadness back
stands proud, resolute
if I could just take her place
for just this moment
and yet she rages on

I would spare her what has to be
what I can not shield her from
but it is her place
I can not intrude
so she rages on

She does what has to be done
and I watch
as every fiber of her being
fights against it
still she rages on

finally the chaos stops
she looks at those fallen
she is lax to let go
of the pain, the hate, the guilt
she wants to rage on

she wipes away the tears
all I can do is know
that though the battle is over
she will never let go
and a part of her will always
rage on



GTG

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Argeaux

Poetry doesn't need to rhyme.

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Argeaux

I think zoom's second poem was about the scene in A Necessary Evil where Callisto makes Xena "confess" to a group of villagers.

It's written from Xena's point of view as she reflects on the horror that she caused for Calli, and how nothing she can do now can ever take that away.

I like it.

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eyezoom

what she said.

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Argeaux

OK, here's how I see the poems (in order):

eyezoom - When Fates Colide, written from Xena's point of view about how fate can't change her soul connection with Gabrielle. The finishing couplet brings about a crisp, clean ending.

Argeaux - someone else can guess this!

Nanzar - hmmm, this one was tough. After some deliberation, I think it best fits Eve, at the moment when she is facing Xena in the temple, and deciding to change her life for good. It's written from Eve's point of view. Never thought of Eve holding a secret!

Gabber - Blind Faith. Written from Xena's point of view, again, spanning the time from when she starts to lose her sight, to when it is restored by Gabrielle using the special herbs on her eyes. GREAT last line!

eyezoom - I've alread said my piece about this terrific poem - see above.

Sara - this one is clearly Xena and Gabrielle's dance from Heart of Darkness, and Virgil is "the boy". Poor lil' Virgil.

Argeaux - another one from me, so I'm not guessing!

Sara - Return of the Valkyrie, spot on description of Beowolf as a "love-sick oaf". An overview of the whole episode from Xena's point of view. Touching in its yearning.

GTG - initially I thought this was Ides of March, with psycho Gabby, but it seems more like a battle, either from A Good Day or Amphipolis Under Siege. Actually, the line "but it is her place/I can not intrude/so she rages on" makes it sound most like To Hellicon And Back, so that's my final guess. It seems to be written, once again, from Xena's point of view.

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Argeaux

OK, I confess.

I wrote my second and third favourite episodes for this challenge, so I've come back to write my first, as penance (and coz Sara said I had to).

Here it is:

A burst of flame
The squeal of rubber
My life flashes before me

Images of you
Larger than life
Play themselves out

The one beside me
Dotes on my every word
My head calls this devotion
My heart feels her sickness
Nervously I back away

Strange, bubbling elixir
Tickles my nostrils
Burning my throat

These freaks of fancy
Shriek and bounce
Offering us morsels

It ends in a blaze
The witch always explodes
Somehow we tumble
Smouldering and toasting
Whisked into a world we do not know

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eyezoom

well, i agree with Argeaux what most of these relate to. they all blew me away. we're quite the little band o' bards here, ain't we?

Argeaux
first one could be about no one but Joxer. it captures his (mis?)perception of himself perfectly, while succintly exposing his reality.

i'm thinking the second is about AITST, and Xena realizing the significance of "the vision".

your third... well, squealing rubber & exploding witches kinda gave that right away, didn't it? i really liked:
The one beside me
Dotes on my every word
My head calls this devotion
My heart feels her sickness
Nervously I back away
that could be easily be both about good Xena's perception of Alti, or bad Xena's perception of Gabrielle. i love that duplicity!!!

Nanzar
at first i though yours might've been about Najara--she tends to leap to my mind alot anyway... i see now that Eve works nicely as well. i especially like the way you achieve the dark turn at the end.

Sara
your subtle jabs ("boy", "oaf") weren't lost on me either. ever the evil genius...

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Nanzar

As I said I'm not good a titles but I want to make a guess. I thought Argeaux's first was about the time when Gabby had to become Xena and wear her outfit and all. I see now how it could fit Joxer too.

You didn't get mine though. I thought it was going to be sooo easy. I have to admit though, that it is not my favorite episode. I probably have already written about most of my favorites. If you want me to tell you let me know, or guess again.

PS can I have some help from you guys? I lost all my links when my computer went down last month. I had pages that gave me episodes and one that was like an index.
Help!

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Siren Bard / Warrior Priestess 9

Hey there!
This poem is called
"A Delicate Balance"
by Warrior Priestess 9

All that I love in you
has inspired anger too
That is the balance
Of darkness and light.

You are my inspiration
As well as my exasperation
What do you see in him?
Why don't you have my sight?

He is not what you think he is.
He is smiling behind his lips
And yes, I see the evil there
This has you wrapped in its snare

How can one so wise, so pure
Be so gullible and sure
That this place of bliss and "peace"
Really is all it appears to be?

Well, you do what you must do
And I'll do what I must do.
But the balance of darkness and light
Is only met when it lives to fight.

Slowly I let it seep in
All my darkness, all my sin
Anything to free my love
Anything to wake you up!

copyright 2001 by Kate Quinn

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Warrior Priestess 9

Say, Argeaux,
I knew your first was about Joxer, but I don't remember what episode....then again, when is he never doing that in an episode that features him?
The second just screamed AITST at me. As to the third....ummmm, you got me.

Gabber and Sara,
For a moment I thought your two firsts were about the Perdicus triangle(not that I remember the name of the ep, offhand) cuz in Gabber's poem there was the line "you will be no one's bride but mine." At any rate, I'm liking what I'm reading here. If I come up with any better guesses than that, I'll be back.

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Argeaux

Well that's one of my fave eps as well, Siren Bard.

I think you're writing about Xena's take on Aiden in Paradise Found.

Perfect final couplet:

Anything to free my love
Anything to wake you up!

Reminiscent of both a spiritual and literal awakening. Nicely done.

Nanzar - you will find a list of Xena episodes at Whoosh!. Just scroll down the page to see 'em.

By the way, your poem is still bugging me. I think it's either about Velsca, from A Necessary Evil (that's who I first thought it was about) or Gabrielle as Tataka from Devi, although I can't imagine you describing her as having an empty heart. That's what the references to pearls and healing suggest to me. Other than that, I'm clueless. It still seems to fit Livia/Eve the best. Maybe you should give us a little
clue?

I WANNA KNOW!

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Nanzar

Argeaux
You got it! It's Devi. I thought that Gabrielle was really disapointed that the healing powers that she had always wanted didn't solve all the worlds problems. It was a fact that she was "possesed" (another clue in the poem) Yet she was aware of the emptyness of heart she had when she had to decide who to heal, and who was not worthy. It was a heady topic and it has stayed with me because of it.

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GTG

Oops, in all the chaos forgot to let you know this. Argy, you were indeed correct that I was writing about To Helicon and Back from Xena's point of view about Gabby. I would have written it from Gabby's point of view but there are some *ahem* Gabby haters in this thread (hee hee).

GTG

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Argeaux

quote:

---

I would have written it from Gabby's point of view but there are some *ahem* Gabby haters in this thread (hee hee).

---

Do not confuse Gabashers with Gab haters, and re-read my last poem with a different point of view.

BTW, since NO-ONE has the guts to guess which ep my first one was about, it was Been There, Done That.

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Argeaux

I have cable.

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Nanzar

Siren Bard
I know what yours is about. It's the one where they do all the yoga. I found it!PARADISE FOUND
That's a really great picture of it. I especially like the ending:

quote:

---

Slowly I let it seep in
All my darkness, all my sin
Anything to free my love
Anything to wake you up!

---

That was when she had to go all the way to the evil side to save Gabrielle. Great poem and ep!
Just saw where Argeaux guessed it!

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Warrior Priestess 9

Thanks, Argeaux, Nanzar! And you're both right.
So Sara, Gabber, am I right about the Perdicus thing?

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Sara

Kate,

First off, HEY THERE!!!!. Long time no see my fellow truthsayer. Glad to see you posting a bit. *grins* As for Gabber and I having this 'conspiracy' with Perdicus, *shakes her head, smiling* nope, sorry honey. Our 3 poems are about completely different episodes entirely. Hint: I'm more of a season 6 gal, myself

I really liked your poem by the way, got it was Paradise Found right away, very nicely done! Great seeing ya about sweet, don't be a stranger. {{{{KATE}}}}

~ Sara

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Warrior Priestess 9

{{{{{{{{{{{{{SARA}}}}}}}}}}}}}
Great to see you too, sweet! and no, I won't be a stranger....just had a lot to do recently but it's all done for now. I'll be writing to you and the Kerimeister tomorrow or saturday with updates of Kateland events, and we can play a game of Catchup!
As to your poems....well, I'll think on them and get back to you. Kinda stumped now. But as always, they were beautifully written!
This crazy terrorist crap's got me a little overwhelmed and tired, so I need to log off and sleep...but we'll talk later, love!
be well, Kate

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Gabber

*pauses and looks around for a bit* Oh my word...I'm... I'm not even gonna try...that's just madness if I do, and most ya'll already guessed and since I "cheat", I read 'em all, so hehe... *cough*

But I will say that Argy got mine quite well.

Oh, and Kate? I could see how the bride line would lead you to believe it was involving Perdicus...but there was one episode in season 2 where Gabrielle almost became a bride against her will...and that's when Xena was trying to save her. So nope, no Perdicus conspiracy.

To all the poets... WONDERFUL POEMS!! I swear, I loved reading every single one of them- we've got a wonderful group here. Love these challenges.

~Gabber