Antelope Hill Publishing - Antelope Hill Writing Competition 2021: Why We Fight

Antelope Hill Writing Competition 2021

Why We Fight

W H Y W E F I G H T

F I R S T A N N U A L

Antelope Hill Writing Competition

2 0 2 1

Sponsored in part by

The White Art Collective

A N T E L O P E H I L L P U B L I S H I N G

Collection and Arrangement Copyright 2021 Antelope Hill Publishing

No works appearing in this collection may be reproduced without permission of their respective authors.

Cover art by sswifty.

Contest judged by the Antelope Hill editorial team.

Edited by Margaret Bauer.

Interior formatting by Margaret Bauer.

The publisher can be contacted at:

Antelopehillpublishing.com

Paperback ISBN-13: 978-1-953730-87-9

EPUB ISBN-13: 978-1-953730-88-6

C O N T E N T S

P O E T R Y

Second Place Winner: A spirational Negritude: What Non-Whites
Have Taught Me About America by Shawn Bell

Honorable Mention: Do Not Turn Your Head: An Essay on Why
We Fight by A. Krause

Antelope Hill Publishing began with the intent of simply reprinting historical works that were inaccessible because of language, age, and political content. What it has become is something that its creators and staff are still amazed by. The incredible skill of the writers who began to submit their book ideas surpassed expectations dramatically. Once we had an indication of the talent and support that we had behind us, we knew a writing contest would be a success. Again, expectations were surpassed. The passion and creativity of the works contained in this volume is only the tip of a proverbial iceberg of potential.

We are truly humbled to receive such an outpouring of time and energy from the pro-White community for all of our projects. We want to thank all those who supported our contest, with special thanks to the White Art Collective for their sponsorship. Most of all we want to recognize and thank all those who participated by submitting their writing, whether we accepted your submission for publication or not. This project would be nothing without all of the talent and effort spent in producing the wonderful works we received. Many excellent writers entered our contest, and our editorial team thoroughly enjoyed reading and reviewing all submissions. After much deliberation, we arrived at a handful of official winners, though the entirety of this book is a testament to the intelligence and creativity of this community.

Our first ever theme for the project was, as the title shows, Why We Fight. We felt this simple prompt would be sufficiently broad to encourage creativity as well as focus the pieces with passionate direction. In success or failure, triumph and sorrow, it is always necessary to remember the conditions for success and the animating drive. Our many exceptional authors took this to heart. They shared stories and eloquent prose as well as moving poetry. Some wrote with an academic fervor on the challenges we face, while others created beautiful images inspired by the struggle we have undertaken. All did justice to the theme and their people.

We hope you enjoy these unique works as much as we have, and we hope to read more from those who submitted in our first contest as well as many new talents we know are out there. Again, congratulations to our winners, and thank you to every writer who submitted and shared your talents and heart with us. If you were not selected for this year, know that there were many excellent writings left on the cutting room floor. We greatly look forward to future iterations of this project, and we hope that you all keep an eye out for next years theme.

Antelope Hill Publishing

F I R S T P L A C E W I N N E R I N P O E T R Y

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B E S T O V E R A L L

1. The Alban War

Long ago on Alban hills,

Words of war sat in the winds,

Carried forth from scheming tongues,

Taking flight on wretched wings.

But another foe was now in sight,

Lurking was Etruscan force,

Waiting there to join the fight,

And force Rome to this foul recourse.

But if in battle Legions bled,

And triumphed over Alban hordes,

Both Latins then would be exposed,

To ever-hungry Tuscan swords.

And to that end a pact was struck,

That called for rites in ancient ways,

When single combat was decreed,

As it had been in yonder days.

Champions would fight and toil,

For Roman fields and Alban soil,

And to he that holds his ground,

Goes glory, cities, and the spoils.

The victor then would hold the yoke,

The vanquished come to know the leash,

But with that the soldiers lives were spared;

The victor swore a rule in peace.

So champions were to be picked,

The bravest men from either side,

To bring their nations victory,

And have their families swell with pride.

Two sets of triplets, one from each,

A pair so surely omen-born,

Agreed that they would take the fight,

And so an oath would soon be sworn.

The Curiatii from the Alban lands,

The Horatii from the Seven Hills,

Swordsmen without parallel,

Equals in their strength and skill.

2. Oath of the Horatii

When the father of Horatii,

Heard of what had been proclaimed,

He at once felt both fear and joy,

Learning what the Gods ordained.

A vision filled his heart with dread,

Seeing his sons fall down dead,

Such petrifying horrors danced,

Relentless in his frightened head.

But another welled him up with pride,

For it would be for Rome they died,

And Roman soil would lightly rest,

Upon the earth in which they lie.

To die for cause of Sacred Rome,

Was worthy of the highest praise;

But no father wishes to outlive,

The sons he has so duly raised.

Their fathers blood ran cold with fear,

But the triplets werent so easily swayed,

Even if they were to die,

They would not give ground nor be dismayed.

Seeing they would not relent,

Their courage gave their father hope,

He raised up three sacred swords,

And each man began to swear his oath.

I hereby swear upon mine life,

No matter bloodshed, toil, nor strife,

I shalt not desert mine home,

But give it all for holy Rome.

Upon my bones, upon my blood,

Ill fight and die as Romans should,

This land is all Ive ever known,

And Ill give it all for holy Rome.

In defence of Fatherland,

May Father Mars now guide mine hand,

I swear on Jupiters Stone,

Ill give it all for holy Rome.

With salutes and outstretched palms,

They swore upon their sacred arms,

Then took them from their fathers hands,

And went to meet the Fates demands.

3. The Lament of Camilla

But betwixt the two a maiden trapped,

By brothers blood and lovers oath,

And whoever won, she would lose,

As her heart dearly held them both.

Her promised hand would soon be wed,

To a man who may well soon be dead,

But if he did survive the strife,

He would have to take her brothers life.

At once the Scylla of my love,

Whose open arms had lent embrace,

And strong hands that now hold swords,

Brought comfort to my tender face.

The other Charybdis of my blood,

Those sacred bonds of family ties,

That doth now march to meet their fate,

Deafened to their sisters cries.

I would commit some grievous sin,