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.

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.

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.

    A Trinet

                Shape poem
Using words to make a picture
Center the words to make a cross
                Three phrases
                Repeated form
                By Zion.
 

Two words

            Two more
Then make line three have six
And then followed by line four
                Line five
                Line six
                Line seven
 

It’s easy

             To do
Try it yourself and you’ll see
A unique poetic form to write
             Go on
             Try it
        You’ll see.

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 sky
An 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!

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.

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.