An anthology of story-driven poetry and lyrics may just be what you need.

In the fire-lit halls of old, a story was a spell, and the poet was a weaver of worlds. The scop, the skald, the bard—these were beasts of entertainment. They made you laugh, cry, and shout in outrage. They told tales of heroes, gods, and… well, there’s a reason why a scolding can be skalding if you really wanna know.

Today’s modern poetic element shies away from the art of story, reaching instead for philosophical and deep… often snore-worthy… stuff. Where is the performance? The artistry? The love of simply being alive?? We believe it’s time to bring that tradition back to the forefront.

The Writers of the Apocalypse is proud to announce an up and coming new project: The Scop’s Song, an anthology dedicated to story-driven poetry. We’re hoping this will be the first of many.

We will be looking for poems that tell stories, preferably in the spirit of ye bygone days. Your submission doesn’t have to be an epic. We want characters, we want plot, we want a sense of a journey, however small – but in poetic fashion. Kennings are a plus. (Just don’t overdo the kennings.)

Here is a short (and badly composed) example of what we mean:

The last leaf clung, a coin of gold,
To a branch worn bare by wind and cold.
It held its breath as the grey sky wept,
A final promise it had kept.

Then the gale-gust struck, a sudden shove,
It spun and danced from its home above.
A fleeting flight, a final view,
Of the weary world it once knew.

The journey ended, swift and stark,
In a muddy puddle, deep and dark.
No sun to warm, no branch to hold,
Just a story finished, bravely told.

This will be housed at DriveThru so that contributing poets can receive royalties for their work. (Yes, you will HAVE to open an account at DriveThru if you don’t have one.) More will be thought up as the idea percolates in our brain.

Stay tuned for official submission guidelines, deadlines, and more details. It’s time to sharpen your words and get ready to tell a tale.