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I'm not a shooting star


plasmid
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When scheduled to shine, from horizons we rise

Now airborne traversing the darkest of skies

With people observing our tortuous route

We're giving direction to those most astute

Our tails recapitulate paths where we flowed

As screaming across, over time we erode

'til nothing but brightness is left in our wake

And then, even that will the darkness retake

To those who have gathered, while brilliance persists

Behold exhibitions you don't want to miss

Ignoring the airplanes, just gaze on our light

Maintaining a silence, or scorn you'll incite

Remember, if anything hoping to reap

You'd better avoid being lulled off to sleep

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A national anthem? Or someone singing it? Or maybe just the flag?

When scheduled to shine, from horizons we rise---flag rises

Now airborne traversing the darkest of skies----perhaps lights get shut down? Not sure, but sometimes they do.

With people observing our tortuous route----watching the flag sway.

We're giving direction to those most astute----maybe it's pointing in the direction of a breeze?

Our tails recapitulate paths where we flowed

As screaming across, over time we erode----voice of singer erodes away.

'til nothing but brightness is left in our wake---not sure how to write why I think it fits here. :huh:

And then, even that will the darkness retake

To those who have gathered, while brilliance persists----people gather and stand to watch whoever sing.

Behold exhibitions you don't want to miss---usually sung before some sort of exhibition.

Ignoring the airplanes, just gaze on our light----ignore the passing planes, and focus on the flag.

Maintaining a silence, or scorn you'll incite-----of course shut up and listen.

Remember, if anything hoping to reap

You'd better avoid being lulled off to sleep-----might not want to be caught sleeping.

Yea maybe that's trying to get all 3 to fit at once :dry: . Oh well, I'll leave it to see how you respond :) .

Quite a well conceived answer. It even goes with the red & blue on white colors :lol: You're right in that the big drawback is that the answer would have to be a couple of different things in order to make both the flowing tails giving direction and the erosion fit, even though they are all part of the same scene.

If the color cues weren't helping out, it might be time for a different nudge. The last six lines are there to help establish a particular kind of location, and remember that the color cue is saying that there's some trickery involved in correctly interpreting the "airplanes" clue and what an "exhibition" is.

Edited by plasmid
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Quite a well conceived answer. It even goes with the red & blue on white colors :lol: You're right in that the big drawback is that the answer would have to be a couple of different things in order to make both the flowing tails giving direction and the erosion fit, even though they are all part of the same scene.

If the color cues weren't helping out, it might be time for a different nudge. The last six lines are there to help establish a particular kind of location, and remember that the color cue is saying that there's some trickery involved in correctly interpreting the "airplanes" clue and what an "exhibition" is.

being hypnotized?

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When you see what the answer is, you might find it funny how aptly that could describe the setting where the answer is in action.

But for this riddle I am sticking to my usual rule: I am a noun.

but it wouldn't be a dream, else why not be 'lulled off to sleep'.. vision (like a seer/fortune teller)? mebbe going in the wrong direction...

Trying to think of what a laser pointer and being hypnotized would have in common...

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but it wouldn't be a dream, else why not be 'lulled off to sleep'.. vision (like a seer/fortune teller)? mebbe going in the wrong direction...

Trying to think of what a laser pointer and being hypnotized would have in common...

a slide show? and if it's of a family vacation, it might fit better.

These are all in the ballpark of the answer.

Find out how that sort of tricky "airplane" clue could fit into the scene and you'll probably have it.

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a pocket watch or watch dial.

yeah I keep coming back to this. The older ones have lids to hide the workings/hands

and some do have alarms. Some have glowing faces and some do not. Many have images that travel across

as the day progresses. As they get older they erode if not taken care of. I think of the 12 hour type

and how the hands at 9:15 look like a horizon line.

Edited by crazypainter
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When scheduled to shine, from horizons we rise

Now airborne traversing the darkest of skies

With people observing our tortuous route

We're giving direction to those most astute

Our tails recapitulate paths where we flowed

As screaming across, over time we erode

'til nothing but brightness is left in our wake

And then, even that will the darkness retake

To those who have gathered, while brilliance persists

Behold exhibitions you don't want to miss

Ignoring the airplanes, just gaze on our light

Maintaining a silence, or scorn you'll incite

Remember, if anything hoping to reap

You'd better avoid being lulled off to sleep

I am thinking of kids in a classroom, throwing paper airplanes, and goofing off.

All this is happening during class as the teacher explains the lesson on an overhead projector.

So could the answer be an overhead projector? Or the lesson?

Edited by crazypainter
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I am thinking of kids in a classroom, throwing paper airplanes, and goofing off.

All this is happening during class as the teacher explains the lesson on an overhead projector.

So could the answer be an overhead projector? Or the lesson?

That scene is in fact where I was going with this.

Now it's just a matter of finding a source of "light" that takes a more tortuous route and erodes to leave nothing but brightness.

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I could almost make "chalk" fit the rest of the clues if I take liberties with the airborne liines. The chalk does get smaller as you use it (erodes) leaving behind nothing but it's dust. And this ends up on the blackboard (darkness and "darkest of skies"). Is this on the right track?

edited to remind Phi to use spoilers in the future

Edited by DudleyDude
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edited to remind Phi to use spoilers in the future

I could almost make "chalk" fit the rest of the clues if I take liberties with the airborne liines. The chalk does get smaller as you use it (erodes) leaving behind nothing but it's dust. And this ends up on the blackboard (darkness and "darkest of skies"). Is this on the right track?

Wow, well done DD!! Gotta be it. Plasmid, knew it would be worth it. Thanks for the great riddle, great fun.

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edited to remind Phi to use spoilers in the future

I could almost make "chalk" fit the rest of the clues if I take liberties with the airborne liines. The chalk does get smaller as you use it (erodes) leaving behind nothing but it's dust. And this ends up on the blackboard (darkness and "darkest of skies"). Is this on the right track?

That's the answer, with quite a bit of progress made by several contributing BrainDenners along the way. I certainly hope it's a satisfying enough answer and that all the clues now make sense without seeming like much of a stretch; rising from the horizon of the black sky, following a tortuous route, eroding to leave behind nothing but brightness where it flowed (which darkness eventually reconsumes), even the "screaming" across, and of course giving direction to the astute as long as they stay silent, ignore the airplanes, and aren't lulled to sleep.

Incidentally, I'm also going to see if we can make spoilers work in the poll showing that the riddle has been solved. If so, just make a spoiler in the message window and cut & paste it to the Poll Choice.

Edit: Dang, didn't work.

Edited by plasmid
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