Copyright © 2010 - 2012 dasuntoucha. All Rights Reserved.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Longing For Fall

With this Dante's summer that's been blasting the Nation's Capital, it's good to know that Fall is right around the corner...


Sunday, August 15, 2010

Fixed Poetry Form: The Chant Royal

This week I’d like to share a form of fixed poetry called the Chant Royal. It is similar to an Ode that was often used for heroic subjects or deeds. It has five eleven-line stanzas and an ending that can either be a five line or seven line envoi… that’s 60 plus lines of fixed writing! To make it more interesting, no rhyming word is to be used twice! Talk about intimidating…the set up for the stanzas is as follows:

a b a b c c d d e d E with an ending that can be either d d e d E or
c c d d e d E.

I’ve only written three poems in this style…and tweaked each try with my own add ons. The first attempt was a train wreck, the second was only a car crash and this one, which I continue to edit to this day. As you can see, I altered the rules, making the word She the first line of each stanza. I’m not going lie, it’s complicated, but if you’re up for the challenge, trying this form out will be its own reward.

This is my submission for the MONDAY POETRY POTLUCK...it's about a QUEEN I call...

She…

…is so fiery and hypnotic
that her glance can turn a glacier into a lake,
with a beauty that gives contusions to the eyes,
those beholding her sight may never escape.
The web of awe she weaves
is indescribable and hard to deny.
Divinity can't concoct a vision this grand,
nature jealous because second place is its command,
even the sun rises everyday to see,
this earthly inspiration born of ancient sands.


She…

…is a scintillating narcotic,
who every milli-second I wish to take.
No other illicit drug could ever get me this high,
aching for her every moment I wake.
If she were to ever leave
a river I would most surely cry,
becoming a lost vagabond roaming the land,
so that this may never happen, here is my plan:
devote all my existence to thee,
this earthly inspiration born of ancient sands.


She…

…is alluring and exotic,
curves, skin, and lips, flawless, no mistakes.
Fingers fighting to touch her; the battle ending in a tie,
exploration of her form soon to be caress’s fate.
Destined to one day achieve
a consummation that will cause the heavens to sigh;
two lovers who turn constellations into a fan,
of an endless connection that continually expands,
her vivaciousness expansive as the sea,
this earthly inspiration born of ancient sands.


She…


…makes me neurotic,
whether asleep or awake.
Illusions and imagination of other things I dare not try,
gray matter could never function under this much weight.
To be this devoted, who would believe?
Mental faculties contorted and the same time spry.
The logic that's left assails to the lower stand,
joining erratic thoughts which are calmed by her hands,
an infatuation that has me giddy with glee;
this earthly inspiration born of ancient sands.


She…


…the rest of my life to her allotted,
willful conscription to her I shall never break,
for when she is thirsty my mouth gets dry,
with eventual nuptials there can be no debate.
Into me essential breath she breathes,
I need her and that's no lie.
So we take a journey only fated lovers overstand,
her becoming a High Priestess and I the Iman,
letting the moments scribe our story,
this earthly inspiration born of ancient sands.


She…


…at last bound together, we work on starting a clan.
Children soon to be everywhere, our own genetic caravan.
My soul the lock, her love the key;
this earthly inspiration born of ancient sands.


© 2008, 2010 dasuntoucha

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Fixed Poetry Form: The Villanelle

The villanelle is another one of those fixed poetry forms like the Pantoum that has a repeating line structure throughout. I like this form because the repeating lines tend to carry great weight as the poem is read. While it has been around for some time, Dylan Thomas made the villanelle renowned with his piece, Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night with that unforgettable line Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

It is usually made up of five tercets and an ending quatrain with just two repeating rhymes and two refrains. The first and third lines of the beginning tercet are the refrains that repeat thru the poem and also end it. Its construction is as follows:

A1 (refrain one)
b
A2 (refrain two)

a
b
A1 (refrain one)

a
b
A2 (refrain two)

a
b
A1 (refrain one)

a
b
A2 (refrain two)

a
b
A1 (refrain one)
A2 (refrain two)

This form is challenging but it will definitely strengthen your ability to convey meaning.

Restoration

Sedentary dreams put the soul in traction,
motivation buried under the weight of woe;
courage, the mortar binding hope to action.

Self pity a welcomed satisfaction,
inspiration now turning into a foe,
Sedentary dreams put the soul in traction.

Mediocrity the mind’s newest attraction
to a life that fears uncertainty’s plateau,
courage, the mortar binding hope to action.

Is chasing one’s passion a lost abstraction?
Caught in the waves of reality’s undertow,
sedentary dreams put the soul in traction.

When catering to the will of distraction,
at procrastination you become a pro,
courage, the mortar binding hope to action.

Seize the now moments and destroy inaction,
upon your heart, childhood ambition bestow.
Sedentary dreams put the soul in traction.
Courage, the mortar binding hope to action.

© 2010 dasuntoucha

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Fixed Poetry Form: The Pantoum

Okay in this post I’ll be dealing with one of my favorite fixed poetry forms, the Pantoum. Why is the Pantoum a favorite of mine you may ask?…because it challenges one to convey meaning with repeating lines and has an ending that brings the poem full circle.

It uses four line stanzas with lines two and four of the previous stanza becoming lines one and three of the next stanza. For the ending stanza, you take lines one and three of the first stanza and combine them with lines two and four of the stanza before it. Sounds confusing right? No sweat…this is what the form looks like with alphabets representing each line:

A (line 1)
B (line 2)
C (line 3)
D (line 4)

B (2nd line of first stanza becomes the 1st of the new stanza)
E
D (4th line of first stanza becomes the 3rd line of the new stanza)
F

E (2nd line of second stanza becomes the 1st on the new stanza)
G
F (4th line of second stanza becomes the 3rd line of the new stanza)
H

G (2nd line of the previous stanza)
A (1st line of the 1st stanza)
H (4th line of the previous stanza)
C (3rd line of the 1st stanza)

You can add as many stanzas as you like, just remember the second and fourth lines of the previous stanza will always be the first and the third of the next stanza. As for the ending, you can switch the position of lines one and three having the poem close on the same line that it opened. That is the ending I’ll be using for this piece I call:

All Seeing Blindness

As Big Brother’s eyes see all
we waltz thru life in a haze.
The reality of others now enthralls,
broadcasted upon a 60 inch digital stage.

We waltz thru life in a haze,
destined towards social cataclysm,
broadcasted upon a 60 inch digital stage,
as numbness replaces social activism.

Destined towards social cataclysm,
high definition worship sets the soul ablaze.
As numbness replaces social activism,
broadcasted upon a 60 inch digital stage.

High definition worship sets the soul ablaze,
the reality of others now enthralls,
broadcasted upon a 60 inch digital stage,
as Big Brother’s eyes see ALL.


© 2009, 2010 dasuntoucha