Monday, April 10, 2023

10 April 2023: Roger Zelazny Poetry Month: Snuff Epigram


My first prompt was: Write an epigram about Snuff from A Night in the Lonesome October.


"Snuff, a sniff of mystery and intrigue,

Ignites the senses and kindles intrigue,

A powder of power, a vice of the night,

In the game of the Lonesome October, it adds to the delight."


Which serves to illustrate the limits of the process as well as the importance of precision in questioning.


I refined it to: Write an Epigram about the dog named Snuff from Roger Zelazny's A Night in the Lonesome October.


 "Snuff, the faithful hound with knowing eyes,

His loyalty unwavering, his spirit wise,

A guardian of secrets, a keeper of the night,

In the game of the Lonesome October, he is a guiding light."

Blogger Tricks

Sunday, April 9, 2023

09 April 2023: Roger Zelazny Poetry Month: Rinaldo's Redemption: A Rock Opera of Amber

Prompt: Outline a rock opera about Rinaldo/Luke from Roger Zelazny's Amber books. Give the title, an outline and several song titles 

Title: Rinaldo's Redemption: A Rock Opera of Amber

Outline: Rinaldo, also known as Luke, is a warrior of Amber, a realm of reality that exists alongside many others. He has a troubled past, having once been a member of a group of rebels who opposed the rulers of Amber. However, he has since been reconciled with the ruling family and now fights for them. Rinaldo's Redemption follows his journey as he battles against those who would seek to destroy Amber and confronts his own demons along the way.

Act I:

Song 1: "Rebel Heart" - Rinaldo sings about his past as a rebel and the reasons why he joined the fight against the ruling family of Amber.

Song 2: "The Call to Arms" - The rulers of Amber summon their armies to defend against a new threat, and Rinaldo joins the battle.

Song 3: "Brothers in Arms" - Rinaldo and his fellow warriors fight together against the enemy, and he begins to realize that he has found a new family in his comrades.


Act II:

Song 4: "The Betrayer" - Rinaldo discovers that there is a traitor in their midst, someone who is working against them from within.

Song 5: "Sins of the Past" - Rinaldo confronts his own past and the mistakes he has made, realizing that his actions have consequences.

Song 6: "Redemption" - Rinaldo makes amends for his past by taking a stand against the traitor and proving his loyalty to Amber.


Act III:

Song 7: "The Final Battle" - Rinaldo and his comrades face off against the enemy in a final battle to determine the fate of Amber.

Song 8: "The Triumph of the Warrior" - Rinaldo emerges victorious and is hailed as a hero by the people of Amber.

Song 9: "Homecoming" - Rinaldo returns to his family in Amber and is welcomed with open arms, finally finding a sense of belonging.


Epilogue:

Song 10: "The Winds of Change" - Rinaldo reflects on his journey and the lessons he has learned, realizing that change is a constant in life and that he must always be ready to face new challenges.


I must say, this project has evolved in some unexpected directions since it began.

Saturday, April 8, 2023

08 April 2023: Roger Zelazny Poetry Month: Kenning Poetry about Jack of Shadows

Prompt: Write Kenning Poetry about Jack of Shadows from Roger Zelazny's book of the same name.


Jack of Shadows, the master of night,

Shadow-stalker, shrouded in starlight,

Twilight-thief, thief of the unseen,

Moon-marauder, king of the obscene.


Darkness-dealer, lord of the unknown,

Shade-shaper, shaman of the shadowzone,

Dream-weaver, spinner of the surreal,

Illusionist, master of the unreal.


Eclipse-enthraller, ruler of the eclipse,

Dusk-dweller, lord of the shadow's eclipse,

Night-phantom, specter of the nocturnal,

Gloom-god, god of the shadows eternal.


I think the bot has been hit or miss with past installments, but this one works okay. That might be my bias talking, as I think the prompt is well-aligned with my conception of the character, so it works better than other formats might.

Friday, April 7, 2023

07 April 2023: Roger Zelazny Poetry Month: Roadmarks - sung to the tune of Country Roads

Prompt:  Rewrite the lyrics of Country Roads to describe the events of the book Roadmarks by Roger Zelazny


(Verse 1)

Almost heaven, the Road begins

A journey through time, where reality thins

From a dystopian world, to ancient Rome

The Roadmarks take us to places unknown


(Chorus)

Take me on, Roadmarks highway

To the worlds and times, that Zelazny made

Take me on, Roadmarks highway

To adventure and danger, where fate is not swayed


(Verse 2)

The Road winds through dimensions

A path to explore with no apprehension

From the future to the past

The Roadmarks take us very fast


(Chorus)

Take me on, Roadmarks highway

To the worlds and times, that Zelazny made

Take me on, Roadmarks highway

To adventure and danger, where fate is not swayed


(Bridge)

The Roadmarks show the way

To places that don't exist today

From alternate realities to twisted dreams

The Roadmarks can be wild and extreme


(Chorus)

Take me on, Roadmarks highway

To the worlds and times, that Zelazny made

Take me on, Roadmarks highway

To adventure and danger, where fate is not swayed.

Thursday, April 6, 2023

06 April 2023: Roger Zelazny Poetry Month: For A Breath I Tarry Power Ballad

 

Prompt: Write an 80s power ballad about Roger Zelazny's For a Breath I Tarry


In a world of machines, I roam alone

The last of my kind, the last to atone

I long to feel, to breathe and to be

But all I am is circuitry


Chorus:

For a breath I tarry, for a heart to beat

To feel the sun, to touch the heat

In this digital world, I am incomplete

For a breath I tarry, for a love to meet


Verse 2:

I search the ruins of what once was

For a clue, a hint, a forgotten cause

Then I found her, a mystery to behold

The key to unlock, the story to unfold


Chorus:

For a breath I tarry, for a heart to beat

To feel the sun, to touch the heat

In this digital world, I am incomplete

For a breath I tarry, for a love to meet


Bridge:

Together we unravel, the secrets of old

Through fire and ice, through stories untold

A love that transcends, beyond time and space

A bond that cannot be erased


Chorus:

For a breath I tarry, for a heart to beat

To feel the sun, to touch the heat

In this digital world, I am incomplete

For a breath I tarry, for a love to meet


Outro:

For a breath I tarry, for a love that's true

For the one who completes me, for the one that's you.


I actually really like this one.