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Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Monday Poetry Stretch - Kyrielle

Yes, I know it's Tuesday, but it's been so long since I've been here that I wanted to get this out. I hope a few of you are still out there and will stretch with me.

Back in 2008 and again in 2010 we wrote poems in the form of kyrielle. I'd like to do this again, but think we should try a different definition of the form. This one comes from the book Fly With Poetry: An ABC of Poetry, written and illustrated by Avis Harley.
Kyrielle - a kyrielle is divided into couplets, each pair of lines ending with the same word which acts as the refrain.

Here is her example.

Birthstones
How is it the salmon know
where to bury ruby roe?

Something signals when to go;
they journey homeward, rich with roe.

To birthstones of so long ago
the fish return to lay their roe.

Under currents, just below,
the jade green streams are jeweled with roe.

Poem ©Avis Harley. All rights reserved.
So, your challenge this week is to write a kyrielle. Leave me a note about your poem and I'll post the results here later this week.

9 comments:

  1. So glad you're out there. Well wishes to your family.

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  2. I just learned something new!! Thanks, Renee

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  3. Cousins Reunion 2012: A Kyrielle

    We are over ripe, not prime,
    Come together once last time.

    Partners in a family crime,
    In it till the end of time.

    Whispering or done in mime,
    We excoriate this Time.

    Bill’s the oldest, but even I’m
    Fighting gravity and time.

    ©2012 Jane Yolen All rights reserved

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  4. Lovely poems by Avis H. and Jane. Here's my offering--not quite a kyrielle, but David Harrison's word of the month is window, so I decided to combine the two...


    Mona Lisa

    winnowing and windowing
    my stern resolve is thin-owing,
    up and down, all around,
    you set my head a spin-owing.

    here I sit in shuttered space,
    safely sealed in cloistered grace,
    but shimmering and shivering,
    you set my head a spin-owing

    out my window, beauty lies
    greening trees, bluing skies,
    wintering and summering,
    you set my head a spin-owing.

    coiled in this craggy nest,
    I keep myself from love’s ingress,
    from splintering and spluttering,
    you set my head a spin-owing.

    winnowing and windowing
    my stern resolve is thin-owing,
    up and down, all around,
    you set my head a spin-owing.

    (c) jgkrantz, 2012

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  6. Flying Circus

    Step right up! Take a peek!
    Spy the Striking Circus Fly!

    Above the crowd she spins, she streaks.
    There isn’t a ring she won’t fly.

    With daring feet, she cruises your cheek,
    Gathering crumbs before they fly.

    No matter how well your swatter sneaks,
    No act can beat the Circus Fly!


    I'm back with a revision. Thanks again for putting out your challenges. Liz

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  7. Between us

    There is nothing to invent
    I have but a few cents to toss on this lament.

    A space between two trees is what we meant
    The wind has bent and broken branches of the lament.

    Words like gestures old and misspent
    have lost meaning, all intent but room for this lament

    The rehearsal was the clapping then the event
    The applause stopped its echo now there’s silence for a lament

    Ferns cover the ground and then they’re spent
    There are no more tears for this lament

    Once we were corpulent with life, magnificent
    Let it go let it go without lament…


    I'm not really sure I can use corpulent like this but I like the sound of it....working on this for the little bit of time that I did, I was pulled in the direction of the ghazal and I think it may revise into one.

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  8. wondering if my poem is awaiting moderation
    this will be the test which I will delete later (it may be that due to lack of sleep that i never sent it)

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  9. JOE

    Scoring a touchdown with the perfect throw,
    "Nice toss buddy, way to go Joe!"

    Watching mountain rivers endlessly flow
    "That water looks tasty doesn't it Joe?"

    Rubbing dinosaur bones from long ago,
    "How did it feel touching it Joe?"

    Attending my school's variety show,
    "Thanks so much for stopping by Joe."

    Gazing at the Moon's shimmering glow
    "Nice to be alive isn't it Joe?"

    (c) Charles Waters 2012 all rights reserved.

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