Earlier today in Alpha Flight’s shift, we challenged the community to create subtractive poetry using the Bard class description. Here’s the winning submission, by Pigeon Rose:

she traces the magic knowledge
of the people
the monument
the saga

Laughing as she tunes her subtle magic words
to inspire minds
create
heal

existence echoes throughout the cosmos
harness those echoes
strength is necessary
to do anything well

Learning from the world
is A life spent wandering
gathering stories
and living on the gratitude
of magic

rarely settle
travel
find new tales beyond the horizon
Every adventure is an opportunity to learn

decipher old tomes
travel to strange places
witness many stories
take these themes to heart

thrive on magical music
strike out on your own
runaway
life
Freedom

Congrats to our winner! Here’s a couple of additional runner-up submissions from our community…

Lore and Lies

A well received scoundrel
Weaves words to manipulate
Words are just vibrations
But with power they shape

Their common jester cavorting
In to the true life spent
accomplishing mighty deeds
Heroic and important

You paint yourself as worthy
But these be dancing charm
Word as simple weapons
Are part of your repertoire

You cast your spell with words
Choose who to attack, who dies
The audience might be honest
And share lore and lies

(by QwertyBird)

By Cole.