[Nupur]

Sestina

Gently, so gently, lay down the words,
Weaving a web of deceit to be heard
By gullible fools and power-hungry men
Who, blood and murder, can easily defend.
Without a care for justice or right,
Lines are drawn as clear as day and night.

So the blood runs thick and dark as night,
Spilled by careful manipulation of words.
Each side thinks that they must be right;
On either side, the other won’t be heard.
Until any action, their words will rush to defend
Even that of the twisted, not just noble-good men.

Like pawns in a chess game fall these men
From day’s start until the end of night.
Whilst rots the causes that they gallantly defend
And the murders drown out the truth of their words —
The cries of the dying are the only things heard.
They lay on the ground, stiff and cold, the ones who were right.

So the triumphant warriors will claim their right
To power as they stand on top of the corpses of these men.
They who’ve twisted the sentiments that once were heard,
Who’ve changed shouts in daylight to whispers of the night,
Who began the fight by corrupting just words
That those who are still free will passionately defend.

But soon to be dead are those that defend,
Crushed by the hand that fights not for the right
But instead for the power that once belonged to the words
Of those who wanted peace, the dead wise men,
Lying in their own blood on the battlefield at night
Where only the whippoorwill’s mourning cries are heard.

Finally, finally, the peace prevails, silence is heard,
And the hysteria, people will no longer defend.
Learning of people killed during ignorance’s Night,
They merely feel regret for heinous violations of what is right,
And allow back into society, these criminal men
Who, years ago, in the night, began the whispers of words.

So now what the people heard, no one will claim that is right
The gruesome actions will not defend, and the faces of those dastardly men,
Who began the whisper of the words, fade away to hide in forgiving night

[Phonoho]

You obviously spent some time getting this right. One might think that the specifics of the sestina form would cause it to spawn unintentionally repetitive phrases but this does not. Each sestet reads cleanly and potent on its own, including the envoy.
What catagory, socio-political?

[Nupur]

thanks. I wrote this two years back, in one single night. But yes, I worked on it later

I was thinking closed form, though if you think socio-political is more appropriate, please put it there.

thanks a lot.

[Vorcla]

Well, I don't know a sestina from Adam, but I know what I like. Your word usage is exquisite, and so is your imagery. If you haven't written much before, it's not very apparent. You have, as I said, a seasoned writer's voice. And you do poetry too. I'm impressed.

[Nupur]

Thanks a lot Rick.

Sestina

[Lubesh]

This is two years old?...I was fascinated and amazed by the power and your words encapsulated in this form.....maintained effortlessly as it reads and creatively, but with 'stuff'..frightening is, it is old and you are young...terrific Nupur. also,sorry for mssing this, prob didnt, but time etc.

[Nupur]

Thanks very much, Lu!

[RENA HANDS]

Well, I can give u the definition of Sestina, still I have no clue to its execution (in simple terms). Not my point.

This Sestina is reminisce of William Shakespeare’s King Henry V. For me anyway. The descriptions in its fully entirety, Splendid (my new word for the day…lol)!

Erringly beautiful…5/5!

[Nupur]

I love you, Rena.