Hello, everyone! First, I just want to let you all know that I deeply appreciate each of the encouraging comments I have received from you. You have no idea how much they have blessed me. I don’t want to forget to mention what your support means to me. Allow me to apologize for not replying to each of your comments promptly. Life has been very busy lately and my mind has been many places. However, as summer approaches,  my energy will most likely be spent primarily on writing and improving this website. And…one of my planned improvements will be something totally new - a poetry/songwriting CONTEST! The contest rules will be fairly simple and are as follows:

1. Each poem (or song) entry must be the contestant’s original work.

2. The work should contain no inappropriate content (e.g. profanity, obscenity, racial slur,..etc.). This boundary shall be determined by the site administrator.

3. Each poem must be at least  14 lines long. Each song must be at least 20(each lyrical stanza indicating its place in the song and if/when it repeats).

4. Furthermore, each work must be based on one of these 6 topics:

                   a. God’s love

                   b. Nature

                   c. Friendship

                   d. Trials/Suffering

                   e. A Bible story

                   f. A personal experience

(If the topic of personal experience is chosen, the entry must be submitted along with a separate explanation of the experience that inspired it.)

7. Each entry must be sent to the Beyond These Words site administrator through email. The recieving address is ashley@beyondthesewords.com. When submitting your piece, write in the subject header, “Contest Submission.”

8. Each submission must state only the contestant’s first name and email address. If necessary, it may include a snailmail address if that is an easier method of contact.

9. Every submission will be judged based on 5 criteria: style, word choice, impact, relevance,  and creativity.

10. The winner’s piece will be featured on Beyond These Words’ homepage and the winner will have an oppurtunity to preview each of the administrator’s posts this coming year right after they are published. The winner will be welcome to offer editorial comments that the administator might use and if so, will be named on any edited post as a valued editor.

11. Last, but not least, each contestant must enjoy themselves while preparing their submission! A true artist loves and enjoys his/her work.

Entries will be accepted starting April 1st, 2009. The contest deadline is August 8th, 2009. The winner will be announced (here on Beyond These Words’ homepage ) on August 20th, 2009. Be sure to look for your name in bold letters!!

 

Roads (Click to open the recording in a new window)

Two roads diverged in a barren heart
And I stood wondering which one I should take
The first was a temptation
Full of every sweet sensation
And this heart started racing
With excitement
The second one looked hard to walk
The signs weren’t filled with pretty talk
And I put up every roadblock
To escape it

Both roads claimed they would take me
Where I wanted to go
So I chose the one which felt the best to me
I should have known

Following your heart works for the movies
But rarely leads you well in reality
And oftentimes the road that seems
Impossible to tread
Is the one that takes you where you want to be
I know pleasure’s road looks thrilling,
All its sensations fulfilling
But take it from one who knows
You’ll never reach home
Without taking the other road

I walk back to the fork in the road
After traveling the path of the deceived
I can’t believe I was so blind
I let the tour guide make my mind up
It took me years retracing to find
Where I went wrong
A life of foolish choices
Listening to foolish voices
So now my only choice is
To choose again

Both roads claimed they would take me
Where I wanted to go
But the one I took landed me in this prison cell
So by experience I’m telling you

Following your heart works for the movies
But rarely leads you well in reality
And oftentimes the road that seems
Impossible to tread
Is the one that takes you where you want to be
I know pleasure’s road looks thrilling,
All its sensations fulfilling
But take it from one who knows
You’ll never reach home
Without taking the other road.