Sunday, June 30, 2013
I will be taking a break to compete in a novel writing contest. After that I will keep my promise to start another poetry blog, going over the forms still to be covered, in a more organized fashion, such as by region, or style. I hope this has been as entertaining and educational for you as it has been for me.
Day 365:
June 30-It’s tough to figure out what to write as the last poem for this year-long project. D.S. Teller suggested writing a final poem with one of the forms already shown. Then keep a promise to write another blog organizing the poetic forms by region, or style. I decided to make the last poem for this blog to be a Paradelle, a humorous form created by Billy Collins, it was a parody of the Villanelle. Full of nonsense, this fun form aptly closes this blog.
Stanzaic, a poem in 4 sixains, meter and rhyme at poet’s discretion, but the first 3 stanzas must be identical in form. Written with repetition, L1 of each of the first 3 stanzas is repeated in L2 and L3 is repeated in L4. L5 and L6 are written using every word from L1-L4, no additions, no subtractions. The fourth stanza is composed of every word used in the preceding 3 stanzas with no additions, no subtractions, no need to do repeats like the first 3 stanzas.
Title: Silly Love Songs
Silly love songs drive me loopy
Silly love songs drive me loopy
Crazy words, with parody
Crazy words, with parody
Crazy, silly, loopy love songs
Drive me with parody words.
Lovely lasses look ahead
Lovely lasses look ahead
Kisses and hugs needed
Kisses and hugs needed
Kisses and hugs look ahead
Lovely lasses needed.
Call the music forward
Call the music forward
And wish me luck
And wish to me luck
Call me forward
And to wish the music luck.
Silly love songs with crazy words
Kisses and hugs drive lovely lasses
Wish parody to look ahead
Luck needed forward
Call me the music
And me loopy.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Day 364:
June 29-Red Wheelbarrow form, An imagist movement experiment. I don’t pretend to be an expert on this, but essentially created by William Carlos Williams, lacks punctuation, erratic lineation, using “No ideas but in things” to provide a “clear vision” of the object or topic. Rhythm is determined by the phrase, not in traditional rhythms. Using “Saxifrage” a Latin term literally meaning “Breaking Rocks” to split a line. The first 2 lines sets the mood, the next 2 introduces the image, the next 4(or more, no limit) build upon the mood and description of the image. Use of apt metaphors with limited descriptions.
William’s child
Born
Red Wheelbarrow
Form
Breaking rocks
Crisp vision
No ideas
But in things.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Day 363:
June 28-Trinet, 3 phrases, with the following word count. L1 & L2=2 words, L3 & L4=6 words, L5-7=2 words. Centered.
Using words to make a picture
Center the words to make a cross
Three phrases
Repeated form
By Zion.
Then make line three have six
And then followed by line four
Line five
Line six
Line seven
Try it yourself and you’ll see
A unique poetic form to write
Go on
Try it
You’ll see.
June 28-Trinet, 3 phrases, with the following word count. L1 & L2=2 words, L3 & L4=6 words, L5-7=2 words. Centered.
A Trinet
Shape poemUsing words to make a picture
Center the words to make a cross
Three phrases
Repeated form
By Zion.
Two words
Two moreThen make line three have six
And then followed by line four
Line five
Line six
Line seven
It’s easy
To doTry it yourself and you’ll see
A unique poetic form to write
Go on
Try it
You’ll see.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Day 362:
June 27-Rolling Rhyme, an invention shared with D.S. Teller. Abcbcdcdedef,
can be extended, no set meter, rolling like a wave, can be divided into
tercets. Title: Clouds
A
final sway among the clouds
A
flying fling above the skyAn eager eaglet spreading wing
So joyful, eager, flying high
With wonder welling up to sing
Yet rolling thunder close at hand
The winter winds disasters bring
The brave bird dares to make a stand
Against forces mighty and strong
With courage glides toward his band
All cowered, yet it’s not for long
For storm clouds leave, returns the sun!
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Day 361:
June 26-Renkay, American form of Renga, 5 linked tercets, each with 17 or less syllables, short/long/short lines, common theme, often end with Senryu as final stanza. Mostly with 2 or more poets, but can be done with one.
Five linked Tercets
Seventeen syllables, more or less
A Renkay.
Short, long, short
A common theme prevails
One or more poets.
American Renga
Similar to Asian Haikus
Unrhymed
Linking previous work
Fosters developmental links
Shared work
Communal
Initials, italics, or change of font
Shared ideas.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Day 360:
June 25-Blues Stanza, Langston Hughes invention, any number of tercets, monorhyme, typically repeated in first two lines, or with minor variation. 12 syllables broken into half lines, themes are laments, suffering, blues, life’s struggles, life experiences, often with sarcasm and humor. Third line is typically a “climatic parallel” Title: Peace, Be Still
.”A storm” says the captain
------each wave was like a wall
“A squall” says the skipper
------each wave tall as a wall
Water nearly drowns us
------til it hears the Lord’s call.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Day 358:
June 23-Catena Rondo, from Canada, any meter, 3 or more phrases/Quatrains, L2 and L3 couplet, ABbA/BCcB,/CDdC, etc. then bring back to ABbA to finish. Invented by Robert Skelton.
Yes, a Catena Rondo is a fine poem.
This Canadian form is one that you should try
No meter to worry, nothing to make one cry
Yes, a Catena Rondo is a fine poem.
This Canadian form is one that you should try
Three or more phrases with most repeated lines
ABbA, BCcB, and see the designs?
This Canadian form is one that you should try
Three or more phrases with most repeated lines
Then close the final quatrain with ABbA
Robert Skelton created this poetic way
Three or more phrases with most repeated lines
Yes, a Catena Rondo is a fine poem.
This Canadian form is one that you should try
This is an easy form to try and that’s no lie
Yes, a Catena Rondo is a fine poem.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Friday, June 21, 2013
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Day 353:
June 18-Cascade, 4 or more phrases, unrhymed with no set meter, ABCD/deA/fgB/hiC
A poem with no set Meter
Tis a rhymeless scheme
This is called a Cascade.
Like a waterfall
Or the rolling tide
A poem with no set Meter
While ABC starts it
And each phrase ends with A,B, or C
Tis a rhymeless scheme
A simple form it is
A phrase per beginning line,
This is called a Cascade.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Day 352:
June 17-back to forms, the Eintou, West African/African American 7 line form, imagery, humor, and language used. Syllable count-2/4/6/8/6/4/2. Cyclic flow of life, nature, and return. “We flow from and through and ultimately return to that from which we came. Jazz roots.
Eintou
African form
A seven line poem
With 2,4,6,8,6,4,2
Imagery, humor
A cyclic flow
Return.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Day 350:
June 15-back to forms, A German form called Minnesang, Sixain(6 lines), Iambic Tetrameter(8 syllables), with longer line at end, typically 12-16 syllables. Rhyme scheme ababcc or abbcaa. Typically used as an unrequited love song.
The Minnesang’s a German song
With ababcc lines
Iambic tetrameter long
Or abbcaa signs
The lyrics love songs lost to one
A longer line then closes out the poem and you’re done.
Here is a love song.
I miss you, of that I know
What happened to us both, dear?
I loved you but you said to go
We’re apart now, but wish you’re near
It seems forever and always
That we parted, but I’ll truly love you for all my days.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Day 347:
June 12-Triversen, any number of tercets, 1-4 stresses per line. 3 uneven lines, each independent clause. L1-statement of fact, or observation. Next two lines set the tone, imply a condition, or assonated idea, or metaphor for the original statement. Unrhymed. Alliterated. Title:
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Crunchy, chewy
Cool with cocoa.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Day 346:
June 11-Trine, French, typically 12 syllables, or multiple of 3, aabbccabc
The Trine is French for three each, three planets aligned.
Aabbccabc is assigned.
Isosyllabic, French Heroic is preferred
Alexandrian, yea twelve syllables is inferred.
Some may use fewer sounds as long as it’s in rhyme
The form is harder if you try only in mime.
This form isn’t well known and even be maligned
But still a fine passageway to make hope deferred.
Try it yourself. Just make sure that you have the time.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Day 345:
June 10-Back to forms, Tyburn, 6 lines, 2/2/2/2/9/9, first 4 lines are descriptive e words, last 2 lines rhyme and incorporate the first 4 lines as the 5th through 8th syllables. Title: Funerals
Moaning
Groaning
Crying
Sighing
Meeting on a moaning, sighing day
Loss felt in a groaning, crying way.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Friday, June 7, 2013
Day 342:
June 7-back to forms, the Scandinavian form, the Stev. A folksong form with 4 line phrase(s) using lyric stances, typically 8 or 10 syllables. Rhyme scheme typically abab or aabb, with older folksongs abcb, and a free meter. The following is abcb.
Oh who will write a funny Stev?
And rhyme it like it used to be?
Scandinavian folk songs dance!
Take a meter and make it free!
The next poem is aabb with 10 syllables Title:Dance Away
Dance away the hours, dance away my dear
And stop only with a kiss, since you’re near
The music plays before the starry night
With you here by me, it all feels so right.
The next Stev Poem below is abab with 8 syllables.
Birthday Stev
Make a wish, blow out the candles
And have a party just your way
What’d you get? Were they sandals?
Go on, have a Happy Birthday!
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Day 340:
June 5-Gruk(or Grook), Danish form using irony, paradox, satire, brevity and rhyme. The frame is at the poet’s discretion. Originally a coded form of passive resistance to Nazi occupation.
A Gruk or Grook is funny
Just look at its’ title to see
A tasty Danish token
Make sure that it’s not broken
Try to make your poem fit
The frame that was made for it.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Day 339:
June 4-Runic Verse, taking a Rune(Norse, Icelandic, Anglo-Saxon) used symbols of Teutonic alphabet as memory aid, using Skaldic meter. Today a chant-like sonic pattern to conjure images of mystery and magic. Title X-Gyfu(gift, opportunity)
-Gifts presented
----Opportunity
-------Grace given
------------Yea, tis free.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Day 338:
June 3-Hrynhent, Norse Skadic form, any number of quatrains,16 syllables lines, broken into half lines of 8 syllables(Octave), ending in Trochee(stresses, unstressed), each half line has 4 stressed and 4 unstressed syllables, with aBaB rhyme scheme, where a is assonance, and slant rhyme, while B is true rhyme, internal rhyme is allowed. Kenning(Norse terms for items) is used.
The Hrynhent is skaldic sent here
By Norsemen, four stressed, four unstressed
Quatrains made into half phrases
aBaB, kenning Sif’s Hair
Trochees close off half line tokens
Assonance rolls by to hold on
Make Bait-Gallows and add capers
Twas aided not by a Care, bare.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Day 337:
June 2-Tableau, 5 syllabled 6 line phrase, any number, as defined, the poem paints a picture, does not have to rhyme. The title must include the word tableau in it. Title: Rose Tableau
Watch out for thorns!
Petals soft as silk
June 2-Tableau, 5 syllabled 6 line phrase, any number, as defined, the poem paints a picture, does not have to rhyme. The title must include the word tableau in it. Title: Rose Tableau
Rainbow like colors
Pick one that you likeWatch out for thorns!
Petals soft as silk
A wonderful gift,
Invokes great feeling.Saturday, June 1, 2013
Day 336:
June 1-Almost done with the year! Even now, there are those who can’t see how a poet can write over 12,000 poems. Let’s try some more math. Ate the end of this year, 365 poems will be written. Since more than one has been written for years, let’s multiply by 10 years, 3,650. If a poem a day is written for 30 years, that is around 11,000, and for 40 years, that makes over 14,000. So it is possible for a poet to pen plenty of poems. Enough said, now to a form called a Mirror sestet, created by Shelley Cephas. 6 lines, which can be rhymed or not-rhymed. Each couplet in the stanza basically is reversed. The first word rhymes with the last word in the line, then the last word becomes the first word on the following line, and the last word is the first word from the line before. If un-rhymed, the last word in the line simply is the first word in the next line. Phrases? However many you want.
Reverse the first and last using verse.
Verse is used going in reverse.
Six lines per stanza, what a fix!
Fix couplets together by six.
June 1-Almost done with the year! Even now, there are those who can’t see how a poet can write over 12,000 poems. Let’s try some more math. Ate the end of this year, 365 poems will be written. Since more than one has been written for years, let’s multiply by 10 years, 3,650. If a poem a day is written for 30 years, that is around 11,000, and for 40 years, that makes over 14,000. So it is possible for a poet to pen plenty of poems. Enough said, now to a form called a Mirror sestet, created by Shelley Cephas. 6 lines, which can be rhymed or not-rhymed. Each couplet in the stanza basically is reversed. The first word rhymes with the last word in the line, then the last word becomes the first word on the following line, and the last word is the first word from the line before. If un-rhymed, the last word in the line simply is the first word in the next line. Phrases? However many you want.
Hey, the mirror sestet has
its’ say.
Say you have a first word
like, hey!Reverse the first and last using verse.
Verse is used going in reverse.
Six lines per stanza, what a fix!
Fix couplets together by six.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Day 335:
May 31-Takeoff, a wild ride with imagination. 10 little rockets, take off on 10 little Indians(#12,736)
9 little rockets posing for the sun
One flew off, 9 watched it go like a gun.
8 little rockets gazing at the sky
One flew off the 7 watched it go high.
7 little rockets, standing so plain
One flew off and now just 6 do remain.
6 little rockets, almost look alive
One flew off and now there are only 5.
5 little rockets, looking what’s in store
One flew off, and there is just only 4.
4 little rockets, standing, you can see
One flew off, and leaving just only 3.
3 little rockets, gleaming through and through
One flew off, so now there are only 2.
2 little rockets, they are almost done
One flew off, and left with a lonely one.
One little rocket, standing at the dawn
This one flew off and now they are all gone.
May 31-Takeoff, a wild ride with imagination. 10 little rockets, take off on 10 little Indians(#12,736)
10 little rockets standing
oh so still
One flew off and 9 are
left with the bill.9 little rockets posing for the sun
One flew off, 9 watched it go like a gun.
8 little rockets gazing at the sky
One flew off the 7 watched it go high.
7 little rockets, standing so plain
One flew off and now just 6 do remain.
6 little rockets, almost look alive
One flew off and now there are only 5.
5 little rockets, looking what’s in store
One flew off, and there is just only 4.
4 little rockets, standing, you can see
One flew off, and leaving just only 3.
3 little rockets, gleaming through and through
One flew off, so now there are only 2.
2 little rockets, they are almost done
One flew off, and left with a lonely one.
One little rocket, standing at the dawn
This one flew off and now they are all gone.
Day 334:
May 30-persona poem, taking a view from someone or something else. In this poem, the view is from eyes of a horse. Title: horsing Around
Foal, colt, filly
Ride with the herd
Gallop, cantor
Feeding, drinking
Leaping, jumping
Mares and stallions
Walking around
Farmland pastures
What is that sound?
Snort and whinny
Feeling the wind
Smell the fresh air
Peaceful, resting
Relaxed grazing
Fed oats and grass
Grooming received
Crossing fine fields
Trotting, sprinting
Moving muscles
Heart pumping race
Swimming rivers
Start with the light
Top of the class
Leading the herd
Resting at night.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Day 332:
May 28-Back to more forms. From the book, “Poetry from A to Z” by Paul B. Janeczko. List poem, where to do lists, and things can be made into poetry. Title: Things to do in case of zombies.
Don’t panic
Remain sane
Do not get bit
Find a plane
Stay in the sun
Open places are best
Get a gun
Secure a place to rest
Gather your goodies
A fort will suffice
Get together
Friends are nice
Try for a cure
Find long term food like cheese
Water must be pure
In case of zombies.
Day 330:
May 26-back to forms, in this case the Harrisham Rhyme, which has the ababab rhyme scheme, each first word is unique in that the last letter of the previous first word is the first letter of the new first word on the next line. This comes from Punjab, in India. The inventor is Harrisham Minhas.
What is a Harrisham Rhyme form like?
Take the last letter, put in first in the next line.
E’en one not Indian, yea a tyke
Not to worry, ababab’s the sign
To make it right, take it down the pike,
Otherwise you might miss making it very fine.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Day 328:
May 24- Florette, a couplet with 6 syllables, and internal rhyme
Florette form set in time
Six sounds found in a rhyme.
The modified form of the Florette uses 5 lines, aabba.
A fine line a good message makes
Would good news should have what it takes?
Some sad thing may bring on bad luck
Hopefully you won’t pass the buck
And hand out cool blessings for everyone’s sakes.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Day 327:
May 23-Back to another form, Decuain, by Shelley Cephas, 10 lines, 10 syllables, iambic pentameter, 3 choices for rhyme scheme: ababbcbcaa, ababbcbcbb, or ababbcbccc.
The poem form Decuain is unique
Iabic meter with ten line and sounds
The rhyme scheme follows patterns you’re to seek
With two ab’s, bc’s and a’s do rounds
Or other rhyme schemes calling out the hounds
Ababbcbcbb
Or maybe you prefer a type that pounds
Ababbcbccc
Twas made by Shelley Cephas, o so sleek!
Now try it out yourself, it won’t be weak!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Day 325:
May 21-Con-verse, by Connie Wong, starts with a 7 syllable couplet, with 3 or more couplets in the form. Each additional couplet adds a syllable, 7/7,8/8,9/9,10/10,11/11, then start again with 7.
The Con-verse form is by Wong
It’s easy, you can’t go wrong.
Seven syllables starts it out
Three or more couplets make a route.
Add one syllable for each new phrase
Til ten lines are reached, stop to gain praise!
Monday, May 20, 2013
Day 324:
May 20- back to forms, Cinqtroisdecala, 15 syllable lines, rhyme scheme aabbcccabc, from Laura Lamarca
Ten lines are rhyme for this single stanza poem to stand on
Aabbcccabc will make you its pawn
Lamarca invents such fascinating forms on which to play
It might be harder if it were more than one stanza at bay
But since it is just one, then anyone can try if they may
So now get out your dictionary and your thesaurus too
Count down each line and syllable until each of them is gone
Then you can say with the best of them that you did it your way.
May 20- back to forms, Cinqtroisdecala, 15 syllable lines, rhyme scheme aabbcccabc, from Laura Lamarca
The Cinqtroisdecala is an interesting form to do
Fifteen syllables per line you must have to make the style trueTen lines are rhyme for this single stanza poem to stand on
Aabbcccabc will make you its pawn
Lamarca invents such fascinating forms on which to play
It might be harder if it were more than one stanza at bay
But since it is just one, then anyone can try if they may
So now get out your dictionary and your thesaurus too
Count down each line and syllable until each of them is gone
Then you can say with the best of them that you did it your way.
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