The Owl and the Bicycle: A Strigo-Velocipedian Give-Away
The digital print, by artist Mike Joos, measures 8"x10" and is priced at $60. An edition of 100 were made, with all but one now sold out. And now, this very last remaining print could be yours, oh lucky reader - at no cost!
How, you ask?
It will either delight or horrify you to learn that poetry is involved...
Are you familiar with the poem, The Owl and the Pussycat, by Edward Lear? (If you're not, please read it immediately; it is remarkable.)
Now, to enter this give-away I ask that you submit a rhyme based on the theme of "The Owl and the Bicycle." It need not be as long or epic as Lear's original. Neither need it be in the same style (i.e. haikus and limericks are fine). Just give it a shot and see where inspiration takes you!
The recipient will be chosen by myself and the Daniel Rolnik Gallery collaboratively.
This give-away is open to North American, UK/IRL and continental EU readers.
Deadline to enter is late-night, Owl Standard Time, Sunday, December 7th.
Post your entries directly in the comments here. And please, pretty please, include functional contact information if you'd like your entry to count! The gallery also asks that those taking part in the give-away join their mailing list.
The recipient will be announced by mid-next week, and the print will be shipped to them directly from the Daniel Rolnik Gallery in Santa Monica, CA at no cost.
Enjoy this little give-away and enjoy your weekend! And when you consider gifts for the upcoming holiday season, don't forget the independent artists and galleries. Many thanks to the Daniel Rolnik Gallery for giving away this print.
Please could you clarify the cut-off date and time? It is the 5th day but strangely not Sunday. "Night-time" may need a little clarification too in view of all the time zones that may be relevant. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSorry, it's Sunday December 7th. Entries are open all weekend in other words.
DeleteWhatever your definition of night time is fine, as long as it's before I wake up Monday morning!
Velouria,
ReplyDeleteI'll try this again, this time with my contact info :)
Joe Tondu
boptone@att.net
1338 Brooks Lane
Oshkosh, WI 54904
There once was an Owl with a bike,
A gift from someone he liked.
But with legs that were short
He couldn't transport
Himself in no way, so he hiked.
V,
ReplyDeleteHad an idea for another contest - As there are scientific names for earthly life forms (Strix Aluco, Tyto Alba etc), how about people inventing scientific names for the many and disparate cyclists? [EG.] "Biblio Velocipedius"? "Cephalus Iocosus" (funny helmet). Just sayin'.
J.
I am fairly sure this sort of thing already exists, but can't remember where/ by whom it was done. Bikeyface?
DeleteActually, I remember now. It was Bike Snob. Pretty sure at least.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSilent flight taken through the night,
DeleteAttentive eye’s guided by milky stars above.
Morning’s sun signals audax end.
Brevet of the owl.
Matthew Stonich
mjstonich69@comcast.net
also forgot info.
To cyclists fearful at night
ReplyDeleteThis owl is an alarming sight
Since everyone knows
If after dark out one goes
It should not be without a light.
L. Gilbert oregonjunco@msn.com
An owl as white as a ghost
ReplyDeleteGot a midnight craving for toast
She hopped on her bike
And quick as you like
Supped on toast with a very light roast
The onset of night
ReplyDeleteOwls coast silently on bikes
Summer comes at last
Tawny owl flew to the bike shop and said,
ReplyDeleteI’m tired of feathers
I’d rather pedal instead.
When the shop owner asked
what’s an owl ride?
The owl said I don’t know and I just can’t decide.
I’ll be in the air most of the time
so it needs to be light and able to climb.
It needs to be quiet so I can sneak up on mice
and colors befitting an owl would be nice!
Green for the forest?
Or blue for the sky?
And shall I give special handmade lugwork a try?
When the owl had made up quite a long list
with tires and colors and pedals to try,
the shop owner smiled and pushed the notepad aside
Owl, please use this as your guide:
the best bike for you is the one that you’ll ride.
JG strixbike@gmail.com
With intelligent guise
ReplyDeleteOn a bike of wrong size
An owl who can't even pedal.
For in order to move, this fowl must prove
That his knees can bend with the metal.
With all do respect
The art is incorrect
Forward his knees cannot not bend
With this understood, hang on my wall if I could
Please choose my direction to send
Howlandm@gmail.com
But with talons like these
Deletewho needs SPDs?
"with all do respect"
Deleteis, too, incorrect
or is it a pun
delib'rately done?
The owl and the bicycle went to ride
ReplyDeletea 200k brevet
but with each passing lake
grew their craving for cake
so they stopped at a cozy chalet
Sounds like a thoroughly undisciplined fowl. And with no contact info at that!
DeleteSilent wheels
ReplyDeleteunder a moonlight sky.
The hoot of an owl
as I coast by.
Turkey weddings aren't legal
ReplyDeleteand owl's first name Eagle
So it isn't at random
the bike's not a tandem.
Why the hell would an owl ride a bike?
ReplyDeleteBut I like circles and triangles,
Maybe it's the two can work.
I won't inflict my doggerel on the blog reading masses, but I couldn't help piping up and saying how, when my daughter (now 13 1/2) was 6 or 7, I delighted to read to her in rollicking rhythm this Lear poem. It was one of many that we enjoyed together -- in fact, just last week, she came to me and asked me to read to her, again, Nash's poem about Belinda and the Dragon. But the Owl and Pussycat was a favorite.
ReplyDeleteGliding to the city at dark
ReplyDeletethe beam of my light is not a lark
When cars comes from behind
my head swivles to behind
Slipping down roads
soft wheels silence my loads
Rather than miles per hour
wisdom comes from self power
dancuster@yahoo.com
Eagle Owl part 2:
ReplyDeleteA post scriptum followed:
poor Puss has been swallowed.
When I moved into my house many years ago, I discovered there were barred owls living in the surrounding woods. They're the only owls with completely black eyes, living in hardwood hammocks. I actually imitated their call and one came out late in the evening, landed on a huge live oak and looked down at me. It was a joyful experience. One that I haven't been able to achieve since. At night, especially before dawn, I hear their call and know that everything is fine in the woods. When I ride my bike through the neighborhood and 2 surrounding neighborhoods, I look for them late in the day. I saw a great horned owl in an adjacent neighborhood, perched atop a tall pine. I've painted owls - all kinds of owls, in watercolor and oil. They seem mysterious and a fascinating part of nature. I think the love of nature and cycling goes together well. I monitor whats going on with nature in my area on my bike.
ReplyDeleteEagle Owl, conclusion
ReplyDeleteOperation of karma at a critical juncture -
twelve miles from his roost, Owl got a puncture.
pudding.and.peas@gmail.com
A chillingly effective use of cliffhangers; twas like watching a dark, award-winning BBC series.
DeleteRed squirrel on a branch
ReplyDeletesaw Owl on a bike
and let out a tiny guffaw
Owl said laugh if you like
It's my favorite bike
It's the best thing I ever saw
Squirrel waited a sec
and just to be sure
he rubbed his eyes for a while
For never before
that squirrel could remember
had Owl produced such a smile.
JG strixbike@gmail.com
can't believe Strix Bike is not already a brand of bicycles
DeleteI know--you'd think that name would have been used somehow by now--so many possibilities. Species/common names could be great model names: "Umm, yeah, I'm gonna build up a Nebulosa frameset this winter..." or "the Great Gray has massive clearance!" Marketing would have to overuse "strigo-velocipedian" for sure; it's one of the best adjectives I think I've ever heard. JG
DeleteThe Owl loved her Bicycle
ReplyDeleteAs the bicycle, her Owl
Though naught but enough between them
(In the night, where the Owl lived,
Or the Bicycle, in the day)
Did they have the desire required
To upgrade the steel of the Bicycle
To a carbon fibre, light as an owl feather, Roubaix
Why do I need an upgrade? asked the Bicycle
Am I already too doughty and slow for you?
Not at owl said the Owl
I am also too frumpy from sitting on a branch
Or a barn or an eave
All day and all night long
But I would dearly love to fly and I am not
Too good at it on my own
So the Owl and the Bicycle
Flew/rolled their separate ways
The Bicycle, bested by the passing of steel,
And the Owl, brought down by passion
For the new
And they stayed apart
Until the first scratch appeared on the Owl’s new frame
Don't ride for fear of failure, the Owl was told
A nick is a nick on the Bicycle, the Owl ruefully recalled
But a scratch on shiny carbon may be the end of the game
Greg Smith
Readsmith@comcast.net
With apologies to Edward Lear
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteCougar and Owl were riding apart that first night,
ReplyDeletewhen Cougar pulled up and gave Owl a fright.
Said Owl,"Dumb feline,I almost fell!"
So, she reached in her bar bag and
gave Cougar a bell.
On the third night that week,
Cougar rang it politely,
and asked Missy Owl.
"May I see you nightly?"
She studied him closely,
all seeing and knowing,
And looked in his heart,
and saw it was glowing.
"You ride so quickly,
you fleet-footed beast,
so just ride ahead, and catch us a feast!"
On the fifth night, Owl pedaled
down an oak tunnel lane,
and peered up ahead,
through a light summer rain.
She came upon Cougar,
in a quiet little dale,
handsomely dressed in tuxedo and tail.
He escorted her smoothly.
to a quaint little perch,
and presented a bundle,
in the bark of a birch.
"Oh where are my manners...?
I am...such a dork!"
As he reached in his pannier,
and pulled out a spork.
So they dined on field mice,
tree frogs and quail,
and digested them quietly,
in the damp little dale.
On the seventh night,
it was cold and clear,
Owl rode slowly,
so Cougar's bell she could hear.
But she could hear nothing,
but the rustling wind.
So she stopped on a hilltop.
to wait for her friend.
She waited and waited,
until through the night,
came a wheezing and panting,
that gave her a fright!
"Who is it?...!" she screeched,
with the shape coming near,
"It's just me, Cougar....
and I'm in a big gear!"
Then quite unexpectedly,
Owl started to purr..
for behind Cougars tail,
was a saddle for her.
And toe clips for talons,
and bars for her wings,
and he hadn't forgotten a bell she could ring'
"I'm no captain, Missy Owl,
just a chauffeur..
and I'd give the whole world,
to have you as stokeur. (Cougar was VERY nervous, and a bit tongue-tied)
Owl just winked,
with a gleam of delight,
and together they rode,
to the end of the night.
The Owl and the Pussycat bought a new bike
ReplyDeleteIt was hard to find one they both would like.
The Owl wanted green but the Cat disagreed
He said " A new color is just what we need."
So they settled on moss
Because Owl was the boss.
Because Owl was the boss he took the first ride
And he rode and he rode and pedaled with pride.
Then the Cat took a turn and pedaled right out of sight
It was really great fun but just didn't seem right.
The Cat missed the Owl and the Owl missed the Cat.
So-
They traded that bike the very next day
To a bike riding Turkey or so they say.
And the Owl and the Pussycat were last seen in the dunes
Dancing together by the light of the moon.
ReplyDeleteinternal trepidation
nocturnal headlamp bright
rough road and manic gyration
rhythmic pedals, encumbered sight
upstroke of wings in the silence
an owl above at a height
here below I modify cadence
and thrill to be out in the night
both of us straight as an arrow
both of us drawn to the light
sky so wide, though the bike path is narrow
on my bicycle I too have flight
-- lovely contest, V. Thank you.
Best, Lil Bruin
long-time fan
uacton1 at icloud.com
The Owl and F Coppi
ReplyDeletesat down over coffee
to laugh and to boast of past glory
The climbs and descending
pelotons never ending
grew with each subsequent story
Owl talked of races, improbable paces,
of podiums, and medals, and beer
while Coppi grew still
his macchiato a-chill
and his brow gone increasingly sere
Coppi fumed; "is this true
how can an owl - who?
win races whenever he likes?"
Owl fixed a bright eye
with a baleful sigh, said
"ride my bike,
ride my bike,
ride my bike"
The Owl and the Pussycat went to see
ReplyDeleteA beautiful pea-green bike
"We can view land and seas
And feel the light breeze"
said Owl, "We can go where we like"
But when they got there
Much to Owl's despair
It wasn't the ride that she loved
Pussycat wanted speed and competitive lead
From a scorcher that fit like a glove
Cat said "mew mew", Owl answered "adieu", checking his watch in his weskit
Owl put on his hat and said "that is that"
on his green bike with new wicker basket
Jill the Quilter
quiltquiltquilting@gmail.com
Oops! my contact info is
ReplyDeletecorey.dot.here@gmail.com
An Owl astride her Flimcycle,
ReplyDeleteshyly pondered whimsical...
upon her one true love,
"My dear, my pet, my porridge spoon",
she purred in silken tone,
"Tis you, for whom I croon"...
"No Mate of feather claw and bone,
can keep my 'Buggly Freddled,
But Joy and Passion take my breath,
when WE, the night have pedaled".
To Swift Black Racer, light and smart,
she owed a mended heart,
for long before she took to flight,
on wheels instead of wing,
there was another of her kind
she wished to be her King
He swept her off her maidens perch,
high in a handsome Birch,
But though he looked a Noble Owl,
he left her in the lurch.
But now, our Owlet, whole and free,
again can laugh and smile,
Behold she is a wiser bird,
although it took a while,
A hundred rides, ten thousand miles,
but now her heart is sure,
courting with a bicycle, for her is where it's at!
As for the Owl who proved a Rat?
Well, screw him AND that Cat...
Spindizzy
jon.redbarn@gmail.com
If you want to see another Owl/Cycling mashup, check out wysecycles.com to see a logo I did for my friend Ben Wyse's bike business... He'd love to sell you a shirt.
ReplyDeleteSpindizzy
A Wyse wheel building owl, of course!
DeleteDay and Night, the Owl sat in a tree
ReplyDeleteAnd watched the world go by.
He saw people walking, cars driving,
And it made him glad that he could fly.
But one day, a woman pedaled past
And the owl stopped mid flight.
The look of joy as the wind hit her hair
was nothing short of delight.
And the owl realized,
though he could soar and glide,
He'd never felt such incredible joy.
Why fly, when you can ride?
Entries now closed for the give-away, thank you to all who contributed!
ReplyDeleteSo, if every entry in this contest represents an entire weekend of doing nothing but trying to write less than wretched poetry and assuring ones partner that "Yes sweetie, I will ABSOLUTELY get all that bike gear off the back porch in , like,10 minutes, as soon as I'm finished here. Really..." than you might be responsible for a significant dip in productivity in economies all over North America and the English speaking parts of the E.U.
ReplyDeleteDang! This was hard, I spent forever on this and in the end I couldn't do any better than rip off the classic Vogon Poets... If I had known the assignments were going to be this tough, I'd never have taken this class...
Spindizzy
WHO?...may already be a wiener?
ReplyDeleteThe suspense is killing me too! I've never been in the running to win an International Poetry Prize before, now I know how it must feel waiting for the Booker Prize or the National Book Awards to be announced. At last, after all these years toiling in the wilderness, my career could finally be about to take off! I wonder if the winner will get to be on "Fresh Air"? I should probably get back to work on my "TED Talk" ...
DeleteSpindizzy
I don't really care if I win or not as long as Cory K. doesn't. Mentioning Fausto Coppi was simply pandering to the judges.
Spindizzy is ready for his close-up, Miz DeMille.
DeleteCK
P.S. "....Owl smiled heartily, shook hands with Gino Bartali..."
"After chatting with Armstrong, he realized he's rhymed wrong..."
DeleteSpindizzy
Whoooo won the print?
ReplyDeleteThe owl and the bicycle rode to the lake
ReplyDeleteleaving couplets and limericks abloom in their wake.
Each poet pondered on which one had won,
but the owl and the bicycle rode on and on.
What happened with the print/contest?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your patience everybody, these things always take longer than planned - I should know better by now! Hang on a teeny bit more and I will announce the recipient sooooooon!
ReplyDeleteAny word on the bird? I recently saw a snowy owl and thought of fat tire bikes; the poetry could practically write itself.
ReplyDelete