Points of Interest: World War I Poetry Digital Archive

I finally got a chance to watch the recent Designing Worlds episode featuring Frideswide, a recreation of a portion of the Western Front in WWI using the materials of Oxford University's First World War Poetry Digital Archive. This is without doubt, one of the best installations I have ever come across in Second Life and an illustration at how this virtual world can be utilized to its potential.



Csteph Submariner and his team of designers have done a magnificent job of not only designing the sim, but of incorporating the materials from their archive to its fullest potential. It is evocative, it is moving, it is thought-provoking and it is superb.

I strongly encourage everyone to visit this location on the grid and explore every aspect of it. There is so few left to tell the story of the Great War and their sacrifices and efforts should never be forgotten.

You can visit the sim in world by going here http://slurl.com/secondlife/Frideswide/219/199/646/.

You can also visit their Second Life-related web page for more information http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/secondlife.

I have taken photographs at the installation which you can visit on my Flickr page. View their YouTube video machinima or visit their Flickr group.

Autumn Evening by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Last night was another great poetry night at the Speakers Circle in Avalon Town. In honour of the changing seasons, I decided to read the following poem by Canadian writer Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874-1942).

Autumn Evening
Dark hills against a hollow crocus sky
Scarfed with its crimson pennons, and below
The dome of sunset long, hushed valleys lie
Cradling the twilight, where the lone winds blow
And wake among the harps of leafless trees
Fantastic runes and mournful melodies.

The chilly purple air is threaded through
With silver from the rising moon afar,
And from a gulf of clear, unfathomed blue
In the southwest glimmers a great gold star
Above the darkening druid glens of fir
Where beckoning boughs and elfin voices stir.

And so I wander through the shadows still,
And look and listen with a rapt delight,
Pausing again and yet again at will
To drink the elusive beauty of the night,
Until my soul is filled, as some deep cup,
That with divine enchantment is brimmed up.

Days...a poem by Kimba Sideways

I was honoured to be asked by my good friend Kimba Sideways to read two poems which she wrote at our last open poetry night in Avalon. Once a month we all gather at the Speaker's Circle in Avalon to listen to each other read poetry. They could be original compositions, personal favourites by better kn0wn poets or ones that we just feel are fitting either based on the audience or the theme when we have them. Below, I present one of Kimba's poems which I read to the gathered audience...

Days
by Kimba Sideways

It took me hours just to get it right
but only seconds to disappear
I got the feeling I am shouting out as loud as I can
but the silence is all I hear
it is like salt upon my wounded skin
that'll burn me up from inside
it is a fight I could never ever possibly win
like the spark taking on the night

I got my eyes open wide at night
it is darkness I am wrapped in
I simply can't turn from my inner frights
it is my body I am trapped in
I was amused about what's on my mind
implications precisely defined
now I'm confused about the turning in me
'caus the turning in me
was a joke of the killing kind

...days....
seem to roll like big waves
now there are standing so still,
I fell under a crazy spell

I got to turn wise before I turn old
I gotta get me a coat before I get a cold
I'm acting funny while I'm out on a limb
now it doesn't seem to matter what I've been told
I had nine lives but I wasted eight
a loss at a heavy rate
No, I can't get out of stormy seas
so am I or am I not the maker of my destiny

high hopes at a high time
It is an urge that makes me want to break a line
sunlight's getting bleaker
shadows getting longer
I'm getting weaker
not stronger
but still there's something that is holding me back
while my head keeps pushing to get rid of that
I'm getting nervous as time's getting tight
I toss and turn I can't sleep at night

...days....
up and down like big waves
into a beautiful embrace
deep within I'm in a crazy spin....

Open Poetry Night in Avalon

Join us at the Speaker's Circle in Avalon Town for our regular, monthly open poetry night. All are welcome to come and listen or to read themselves.

Have a favourite poet/poem...written something yourself you would like to share? Our open poetry nights are a relaxed and convivial place listen and share.

The event is from 7 to 8 pm SLT tonight!

Speaker's Circle is located in the heart of the thriving arts community of Avalon. Join us at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Ars%20Lunga/54/106/2.

For more information about Avalon, visit our ning at http://avalontown.ning.com/

We hope to see you there!