Thursday, November 10, 2011

Daenerys' Song

Written for d’Verse Poets Pub Meeting the Bar: Critique and Craft Prose to Poetry challenge, 11/10/11: Pick a passage from a novel, essay or short story that qualifies as prose, but for you is particularly poetic. Step 1: reformat without changing so it appears to be poetry. Step 2 convert from poetic prose to pure poem. 

The Quote:
"Somewhere beyond the sunset, across the narrow sea, lay a land of green hills and flowered plains and great rushing rivers, where towers of dark stone rose amidst magnificent blue-grey mountains, and armored knights rode to battle beneath the banners of their lords."

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, Daenerys page 29

Prose to Poetry:

Somewhere
beyond the sunset,
across the narrow sea,

lay a land of green hills
and flowered plains
and great rushing rivers,

where towers of dark stone
rose amidst magnificent
blue-grey mountains,

and armored knights rode to battle
beneath the banners
of their lords.


Daenerys' Song

I gaze across the narrow sea
recalling in my memory
a lush green land where rivers flow
fled in exile long ago.

Can see the towers of dark stone,
the castle that was once our own;
and far across the flowering plain
the blue-grey hills call out again.

Armored knights with blades of steel
rode out in service to our seal.
Usurper now sits on the throne
and dares pretend that it's his own.

I know someday I will return
to rule again, and watch him burn.
Winter comes, and time grows nigh
soon they’ll hear our battle cry…
  
as sun sets on this savage land
the dragons wait for my command

©  Ginny Brannan November 2010

It should be noted that full credit for this excerpt, the inspiration for this piece, is given to George R.R. Martin. It is he who created the amazing characters of this tale. My wonderful 26 year old son has introduced me to the books, and A Game of Thrones is also currently a series filmed for HBO. An incredible and fantastic story well worth reading and watching!

Top Photo: G.Brannan personal collection, door at Kilkenny Castle, Ireland

Here is a link for d’Verse Poets Pub Meeting the Bar: Critique and Craft Prose to Poetry challenge, 11/10/11

Below please find a YouTube link--my words put to music and sung by a lovely young lady from Germany, who prefers to be known on You Tube by the pseudonym: Mother of Dragons. Many thanks to A.B. for contacting me and sharing her wonderful voice!

15 comments:

  1. Wonderful epic feel! Stuff of legend! K.

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  2. i like your rhyming couplet

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  3. clap clap clap....i love stories of knights and warriors...epic is how i feel after reading as well...

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  4. sea imagery is stunning.
    you have done an amazing job redoing the original one.

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  5. and you made it even a rhyming piece...so well done...a great response to the prompt Ginny

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  6. do love what you have done through poetry... more depth than the original... beautiful painted picture.

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  7. A well executed take on the prompt, got shivers at the dragons, ooooo :).

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  8. Reminds me of text McKennitt often chooses for her songs. Lady of Shallot - ish?

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  9. I want more, Ginny! What memories this brought back to me.... I love, love, love tales. You've written such a gorgeous poem.

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  10. You did a great job with this! Lovely sonnet!

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  11. What a perfect transformation -- good subject matter for a poem and handled beautifully. Always appreciate when poets know how to rhyme. Last couple is nice finishing touch. Very well done! Thanks for taking this challenge!

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  12. I never read this, but I can see why you chose this passage. What you have done with it is exciting stuff. I'm sure it means a lot in context - and even to an ignoramus like me, it tells an intelligible story and whets my appetite.

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  13. simply impressive.

    welcome sharing a random or relevant poetry with us today.

    :)

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  14. Ginny, an excuiste choice for the exercise and your poem is equally so. Well done.

    Thanks for sharing here.

    Jamie Dedes

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  15. Sorry! What a typo - I meant, of course, exquisite. :-)

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Thank you for reading my poetry and sharing your thoughts.