Monday, February 29, 2016

Monday Poetry Stretch - Pregunta

The pregunta (pronounced pre-goon-tuh) is a Spanish poetic form that is a type of argument between two poets. It consists of alternating lines between the two voices, the first of which poses a question, and the second of which responds to it. Generally, the questions take on unrhymed lines, while the answers follow a rhyme scheme. The form looks like this.
x a x a x b x b x c x c etc.
In some cases the same question is repeated over and over.

In a variation on the form, Laura Purdie Salas wrote a pregunta for your Picasso ekphrastic challenge. This variation includes a question followed by a rhyming couplet. Check out her poem, I Don't Know Art, But I Know What I Don't Like, and see a video of her writing and revising process.

If you want to read another perspective on this form, try Poetry Magnum Opus.

So, there's your challenge for the week. I hope you'll join me in writing a pregunta. Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

5 comments:

  1. I did my own little thing with this, no rhyme. I do speak Spanish. We’ll see if the accents and other symbols work okay on the blog!

    ¿Quién Eres?

    ¿Quién eres tu?

    Soy el corazón, soy el recuerdo.
    Soy la muerte y el nacimiento.
    Soy la pena y el gozo, soy una vida.
    ¿Y tu, quién eres?

    Soy la lluvia, soy el viento.
    Soy la sombra, soy el sueño.
    Soy la luna, soy el sol.
    Soy la voz de todo tu eres.

    Y todo esto soy solo
    por un momento. Después
    soy otra cosa. Soy
    la imaginación,
    la palabra, el pensamiento.

    Soy el poema.



    TRANSLATION:

    Who Are You?

    Who are you?

    I am the heart, I am the memory.
    I am the death and the birth.
    I am the sorrow and the joy, I am a life.
    And you, who are you?

    I am the rain, I am the wind.
    I am the shadow, I am the dream.
    I am the moon, I am the sun.
    I am the voice of everything you are.

    And all of this I am only
    for a moment. Then
    I am something else. I am
    the imagination,
    the word, the thought.

    I am the poem.


    —Kate Coombs, 2016
    all rights reserved

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kate, this left me breathless. I only read "at" Spanish, but even so, I found it lovely. thanks for including the English Translation.

      Delete
    2. Thank you, Judith! I like your loblolly. (What a great word!)

      Delete
  2. The Wind and the Loblolly

    What shall we give the baby?

    We shall bring sweet harmony
    knit by you, Loblolly tree.

    How can I sing?

    You’ll make music sure to please
    as needles shiver in the breeze.

    When will the song begin?

    The song begins as shadows play
    across the shoulders of the day.

    Have you ever heard the song?

    Sometimes when rushing through the pine
    I hear my whisper left behind.

    When did that song begin?

    Since raked by needles from creation
    I’ve echoed my strong invocation.

    Where will this all take place?

    From pine bough canopy above
    will come this song so full of love.

    And what song shall that be?

    All the angels gathered nigh
    shall strum Loblolly Lullaby.


    ©Judith Robinson 2016, all rights reserved.

    ReplyDelete
  3. And here is that same poem written in accordance with the pattern of the Pregunta

    The Wind and the Loblolly

    What shall we give the baby?
    We shall bring sweet harmony
    Harmony?
    Knit by you, Loblolly tree.

    Me, sing?
    You’ll make music sure to please
    How will that be?
    As needles shiver in the breeze.

    When will the song begin?
    The song begins as shadows play
    Excuse me?
    Across the shoulders of the day.

    Have you ever heard the song?
    As I’m rushing through the pine
    Blasting, don’t you mean?
    I hear my whisper left behind.

    When did that song begin?
    Since raked by needles from creation
    Ouch!
    I’ve echoed my strong invocation.

    Where will this all take place?
    From pine bough canopy above
    Aha! Again, must I provide?
    Will come this song so full of love.

    And what song shall that be?
    All the angels gathered high
    Is it Christmas or what?
    Shall strum Loblolly Lullaby.


    ©Judith Robinson 2016, all rights reserved.
    d here is that same poem

    ReplyDelete