Finding Clarity: A Reverse Cinquain

February 25, 2020 / padresramblings / 2 Comments

Confused
Uncertain in chaotic world
Seeking a mind-peaceful
Assuredness
No doubts

Colleen’s syllabic poetry theme this week is “FINDING CLARITY.” I have approached it as an goal to which we can aspire. It is written in the reverse Cinquain form. Collen’s useful poetry form “cheatsheet” notes that “a . . . cinquain is a form of shape poetry and is always centered on the page. The required syllables needed for each line give it a unique shape. The cinquain (aka the quintain or the quintet) is a poem or stanza of five lines.” A reverse Cinquain is “a form with one 5-line stanza in a syllabic pattern of two, eight, six, four, two.” Confused? Well, I hope you find clarity.

Padre

Petition: A Haiku

January 21, 2020 / padresramblings / 2 Comments

Opening my hands
To you, Most Divine Spirit
Harmony implore

Padre

Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 161 #PhotoPrompt

“Haiku is a traditional form of Japanese poetry. Haiku poems consist of 3 lines. The first and last lines of a Haiku have 5 syllables and the middle line has 7 syllables. The lines rarely rhyme.” KidZone

The Queue: An Etheree

December 10, 2019December 10, 2019 / padresramblings / 2 Comments

Pixabay

My daughters have recently posted photos of my grandchildren in the company of Santa. With that in mind and with this week’s Colleen’s Challenge to write a syllabic poem which uses synonyms for give and shake; I, in the holiday spirit, came up with the following Etheree poem. The form consists of ten lines of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 syllables.

In
Joyful
Excitement
The children wait.
Anticipation
And glad expectation
Causing little limbs to quake;
The promise of presents to come
When their turn in line finally comes
And they sit upon Saint Nicholas’ knee.

Padre

Homeward: A Shadorma

December 3, 2019 / padresramblings / Leave a comment

Image by Alessandro Danchini from Pixabay

Homeward bound
Thoughts like me adrift
Gone so long
Kith and kin
Now to me unfamiliar
I’m now a stranger

Colleen’s Weekly Poetry Challenge is to write a syllabic poem on a theme of the poets choice. This week I thought I would give the shadorma form a try. Colleen’s site notes that, “The Shadorma is a poetic form consisting of a six-line stanza (or sestet). Each stanza has a syllable count of three syllables in the first line, five syllables in the second line, three syllables in the third and fourth lines, seven syllables in the fifth line, and five syllables in the sixth line (3/5/3/3/7/5) for a total of 26 syllables.”

With the winter holidays approaching many people will be making a homeward journey. Some to familiar friends and family, and others to more distant childhood homes. For some these reunions are a mix of confusion as well as joy, and I hope I have captured that in the poem.

Unfortunately, I will as like most years will not be able to return to the land of my upbringing and the loved ones there.

Padre

Simple Celebrations: An Etheree Poem

November 26, 2019 / padresramblings / 3 Comments

image: Pixabay

Year
Coming
To a close
Autumn rushes
Towards turkey feasts
Thanksgiving and Advent
And then merry Christmastide
Full of joy, indulgence and gifts
Our bank accounts strain from the effort
I prefer a sweet mistletoe kiss

This week COLLEEN M. CHESEBRO has challenged us to write a syllabic poem using synonyms for the words “End & Hurry,” and on the theme of thanksgiving. One of the forms she notes it the Etheree. “An Etheree poem consists of ten lines of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 syllables. Etheree can also be reversed and written 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. The trick is to create a memorable message within the required format.”

Living in the UK, Thanksgiving Day is just another Thursday, but the theme of holidays and family get-togethers does fill this time of year. Please excuse my clumsy attempt to form the poem into a Christmas tree.

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A Grotto View: A Tanka

November 19, 2019 / padresramblings / 1 Comment

Image by enriquelopezgarre from Pixabay

Rosy hued hillsides
Sunset illuminating
Birds do nestward fly
Cavern refuge – close of day
Bats making silent exit

Padre

A tanka is a thirty-one-syllable poem. In Japanese, tanka translates as “short song,” and typically takes a five line, 5/7/5/7/7 syllable form.

Colleen’s 2019 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 154 #PhotoPrompt

The Beau: A Inversed Nonet

November 12, 2019 / padresramblings / 1 Comment

Son In Law, Wedding, Tuxedo, Bride Groom

image: Pixabay

Beau
Dapper
As always
Visage striking
Every move perfect
He dominates the room
Exuding pure elegance
His silk cravat expertly tied
The belle alone standing at his side

I have to confess to being greedy this week, but the prompt immediately inspired two poems. This therefore is the companion piece to The Belle.

Colleen notes that a “nonet has nine lines. The first line has nine syllables, the second line eight syllables, the third line seven syllables, etc… until line nine finishes with one syllable. It can be on any subject and rhyming is optional.”

line 1 – 9 syllables
line 2 – 8 syllables
line 3 – 7 syllables
line 4 – 6 syllables
line 5 – 5 syllables
line 6 – 4 syllables
line 7 – 3 syllables
line 8 – 2 syllables
line 9 – 1 syllables

Colleen’s 2019 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 153 #SynonymsOnly: Grace & Style

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The Belle: A Nonet

November 12, 2019November 14, 2019 / padresramblings / 8 Comments

Photo by Honey Yanibel Minaya Cruz on Unsplash

Adroitly she glides across the floor
Epitome of elegance
She draws every eye to her
Embodiment of poise
Attire radiant
Her smile aglow
So splendid
Is our
Belle