This is the third most read post from April last year.
Enjoy!
Over the rainbow. Seduced by trust. Dreamy infatuation. Wholehearted crush. Finally here. My soul’s fairest. Eyes lock. My whole body blush. Clothes gone. Blown away like dust. Lips meet. Heartbeats rush. Falling together. Into the arms of lust. Blissfully lost in love’s first flush.
Colourful crocuses poking from brown grass The song thrush singing her tune Miss him, miss him, miss him Her hands dance over the lace pillow Her lips move, but the only sound is the click of the bobbins Suddenly her hands stop, as tears rolls down her cheek A forlorn sound escape her Like the loon’s call echoing over the lake at night
Yellow clouds beside the walls; crows roosting near. Flying back, they caw, caw; calling in the boughs. In the loom she weaves brocade, the Qin river girl. Made of emerald yarn like mist, the window hides her words. She stops the shuttle, sorrowful, and thinks of the distant man. She stays alone in the lonely room, her tears just like the rain.
Crows calling at Night – Li bai
Written for tonight’s Poetics: China – Kingdom of the Poem, prompt over at dVerse. The Poetics’ Challenge tonight is: Select ONE of the prompt poems and with as many re-reads as needed, imagine what the poet has painted, what impressions are conveyed.
To hide their land fairies enlist Floating mist A fine fairy dust outpouring Obscuring Protecting by bending light beams Hidden dreams
Only those that freely daydreams Can find the hidden secret way To let light shine through the fog gray Floating mist obscuring hidden dreams
II
Who still believes in magic dreams? Poets it seems Who follows silvery moonbeams? Who still dreams? Who let fairies sprinkle a flick of magic?
Whenever life feels blue tragic Write yourself unburdened and free Proudly let the world again see Poets it seems still dreams of magic
III
What’s got you squirming and fussing? A mind abuzz What have you found in your searchings? A heart that sings What’s hiding within your brain folds? Stories untold
Adventure that never grows old Finding words that makes the soul glow As stanzas form, cascades and flow A mind abuzz, a heart that sings stories untold
Yesterday I went on a search for a new interwoven poetry form. And found a Cheat Sheet of Repeating Forms wherein I found one I’d never heard of before Ovillejo. Searching for more information I found this article in Writer’s Digest which linked to a 2016 De Jackson (WhimsyGizmo) prompt at the dVerse bar. And it felt like finding a new way home, as dVerse is where I mostly participate in the writing community.
This is by far one of the trickiest forms I’ve attempted. But fun enough that I’m sure I’ll write more of them. I would recommend heeding the advice from the cheet sheet “compose the tenth line first”
The explanation below is offered from several online sources, which seem to be attributed most often to Rhina P. Espaillat:
…the “ovillejo,” an old Spanish verse form that means “tight little bundle.” “-ejo” is one of our blessed diminutives, and “ovillo” means “tangled ball of yarn.” The last line is a “redondilla,” a “little round” that collects all three of the short lines. The rhyme scheme is established, but the meter is at the poet’s discretion, although in Spanish the longer lines tend to be octosyllabic (8 syllables).
The ovillejo is an old Spanish form popularized by Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616). This 10-line poem is comprised of 3 rhyming couplets (or 2-line stanzas) and a quatrain (or 4-line stanza).
The first line of each couplet is 8 syllables long and presents a question to which the second line responds in 3 to 4 syllables–either as an answer or an echo.
The quatrain is also referred to as a redondilla (which is usually a quatrain written in trochaic tetrameter) with an abba rhyme pattern. The final line of the quatrain also combines lines 2, 4, and 6 together.
John Law
“Am 68. Live in Mexborough. Retired teacher. Artist; musician; poet. Recently included in ‘Viral Verses’ poetry volume. Married. 2 kids; 3 grandkids.”
A self portrait poem, inspired by self portrait artwork, that is inspired by a self portrait rayograph. If that sounds confusing and dizzying, I can only agree. It’s also fun. *smiles*
Written for The Sunday Muse. Chatted to a friend yesterday while feeling really blue, battling those inner critics and saboteurs. He challenged me to try silence them with one more lyrics written, first version of melody sung. At first I had no ideas, and no energy. Then I looked at the prompt photo and took a walk.
When I came in I had the refrain both in my head and recorded on my phone. Thankful for the help it is when another believes in you when yourself can’t.
Inspired by the photo. I’ve never heard of the artist before, but now I’m curious.
Over the rainbow. Seduced by trust. Dreamy infatuation. Wholehearted crush. Finally here. My soul’s fairest. Eyes lock. My whole body blush. Clothes gone. Blown away like dust. Lips meet. Heartbeats rush. Falling together. Into the arms of lust. Blissfully lost in love’s first flush.
The world according to RedCat 
