Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Thursday Poetry Forms (Poetry for Dummies) Week 16

Welcome back to The Gooseberry Garden! This is our 16th week, and I, CC Champagne, is once again here to start the week off with some musings on poetry forms. Pull up a picnic blanket and join in what passes for fun where poetry form is concerned!

Have you ever suffered from writer's block? Had those days when the words just aren't there? Well, I'm going through a phase of something like that right now. Writer's block-light, if there is such a thing, but we have been doing this for 16 weeks so instead of trying to find something witty and fun to say I thought it might be the right time to do a recap. It would also be a way to gather all the poetry forms (and related information) we've gone through so far, and maybe it will make it easier to find the gaps in the information (if there are any gaps, that is).

Please note that items in italics below are not poetry forms per se, but rather poetry tools or related information. For more extensive (and sometimes more confusing) information, follow the links provided back to the original post).

  • Uses repetition of a specific sound (alliteration) to bind a poem together.
  • Seven syllable lines
  • Subject matter: love and wine
  • Rarely used (the original text of 'The Star Spangled Banner' was written in anacreontic verse)
  • A sonnet (see below) with set end rhymes
  • You can basically decide on the - traditionally - eight end words of a stanza and work out the poem from that. Can be (and has been) used as a poetry constructing game.
  • A form of chant that does not adhere to any particular meter, though the number three has a special significance and phrases are often repeated three times.
  • Five lines (2-4-6-8-2 syllable count)
  • End rhymes
  • Uses the computer as a tool to decide the words of a poem.
  • No set meter pattern, rhyme or any other discernible pattern.
  • Must have poetic structure.
  • 17 syllables (traditionally, though not required. Must be an uneven number though). First line five syllables, second line seven syllables and third line five syllables.
  • No end rhymes
  • Subject matter should be nature.
  • One line only
  • Six to twelve syllables (always an even number)
  • Similes not allowed, but at least one poetic devise must be used.
  • No punctuation allowed, apart from the full stop at the end (and capital letter at the beginning).
  • Should be a complete thought (not a fractured sentence).
  • Should not be able to be broken up into several lines
  • Spoof form of Villanelle (please see below or link for more information)
  • Fourteen lines
  • Each line containing ten syllables
  • Iambic pentameter (five iambs (Ta-dums) to each line) is (traditionally) used
  • Modern sonnets are not adhering strictly to original rules
  • 31 syllables
  • Five lines (5-7-5-7-7 syllable count)
Villanelle:
  • 19 lines in all
  • Set rhyming pattern: A1bA2 abA1 abA2 abA1 abA2 abA1A2 (for more information follow the link)
  • 2 rhyming refrains
  • usually in pentameter (five feet to a line)
  • does not tell a story or work for narrative development
  • A metric foot (not a poetry form) dealing with the rhythm of the poem, dividing words and sentences into feet rather than syllables.
  • An iamb has the same rhythm as your heart beating, with the emphasis (or stress) on the first syllable of a word or line (ta-DUM)
  • Pentameter means that there are five feet (ta-DUM:s) to each line.
  • what provides rhythm to the words, how they are stressed when we say them (for a list, please follow the link).
  • Look for the vowels in the word.
  • Subtract any silent vowels (like the 'e' at the end of the 'Fore!' shouted by golfers).
  • If you have two vowels together, creating a diphthong, count only one of the vowels (for example the word 'you' is only one syllable).
  • Compound words, words that consist of two other words but is written together (likehouseboat), along with words using prefixes (like prefix) and suffixes (like farmer) should be divided into their component words to count syllables.
  • Divide words between the two middle consonants (like bas/ket) to count the syllables.
  • Usually divide words into syllables before a single consonant (like e/vil or re/port).
  • The '-le' at the end of a word usually forms its' own syllable (like a/ble, or indeed syl/la/ble.
15 weeks of work in one post! Wow, you would have thought we would all know much more than we really do (or perhaps I should speak merely for myself in this case?). I have already spotted some rather large holes in the above information, but we will do our very best to fill those in the weeks, months and perhaps even years to come.

Remember that I'm trying to learn this along with the rest of you, so if you have any input on the above I would be happy to hear from you. This is supposed to be fun but instructive, but I think we all remember how that could be from back when we were in school... *smile* Don't give yourselves a head-ache trying to understand everything at once! There will be no tests on this (thankfully), but hopefully one of the more obscure forms may help inspire you to delve deeper into your creative selves!

If you feel you want to share a poem, new or old, based on this or not, please feel welcome to join us over at The Gooseberry Garden's Poetry Picnic Week 15: November, Winter, Change and Hope, or rev up your poetic engines over at Thursday Poets' Rally Week 57, and perhaps end up with the Perfect Poets Award?

In the run-up to and stress before Christmas, I have to say that being here, in the peacefulness of The Gooseberry Garden really helps me keep my spirits up, and I look forward to seeing you again next week for more Poetry for Dummies and weird and wonderful Thursday Poetry Forms!

*Cheers*



Sunday, November 27, 2011

Poetry Picnic Week 15 (XV): November, Winter, Change, and Hope

Greetings Earthlings, Friends, Welcome to 


Jingle Poetry at The Gooseberry Garden Poetry Picnic Week 15, 


we hope that you have enjoyed a lovely Thanksgiving holiday! And you have done such beautiful job sharing your thankfulness with us on week 14, we wish to let you know that your inputs are appreciated it tremendously.


This Week, we will handle cases on November, Winter, Change, and Hope, you shall have enough inspirations to think and write about the these stuff [we hope].





Peace Under the Ice and Fire Moon
By


In the night of darkness
the breeze of ice and fire blew by
A lullaby was heard in form of waves
I should sleep with peace for
eternity


Loose Change
By


I turned over a new leaf
Which was attached to a branch
Linked to a trunk
Rooted in the ground
The cold dark earth
The warm light earth
Where used to reside the roots
Linked to a trunk
Attached to a branch
That held a leaf
Which turned me under
When you don't know
where your story's going
because you don't know where
your life is going.....

Untitled
By

Keep going.
Go with the
flow or go against the grain
but, go.

There is healing in movement.
Move loudly in protest
or move slowly in silence
but be
moved. To tears,
to action,
to goodness,
and on toward necessary change.

You worry
you're wandering.
but steps mean trust and the path is hidden only from your weak eyes.
Strain, seek. It will one day be made plain.


Changing Lanes (or A road trip with Poe)
By


The car is out of control, careening corners
and Edgar Allen Poe has commandeered the radio

Every channel he turns to the songs are so dour,
and between them, even using his happy voice,
dj E.A.P. can't make the news more bleak---

He mumbles something about populous pits
and politicians controlling the pendulum,
or---maybe he said asylum, it was his
third point so i forget.

Looking east, I wish on satellites, somewhere
over Georgia in decaying orbits, a 'little
change in my pocket' and though it may
be little, it is Change, You Can Believe In,
at least what is left after taxes---

We dreamt once, but the raven's wings
blot the horizon & without the sun we've lost
direction, we just sing along to songs replaying
but don't stop to think what the words are saying

"Nevermore, nevermore," I hear, then ask

"What?"

He sighs, "Take me back to Baltimore,
so I can Usher in the Apocalypse."

Brakes squeal, smoke from our tires passing us,
"Get out! I know you been here before, so poor
you burned the furniture, but I can't take it anymore.
You may wall yourself up in the wine cellar, but
as long as I have two cents to rub together to keep
warm and share, I refuse to settle for a better future
we won't recognize when we see her."

He stares grim, then the raven once more hugs
his head from behind, covering his eyes

And my heavy heart settles in my foot on the gas
leaving his last words hanging, "For the love of God!"
by the side of the road

Out the window, I answer, "Yes, For the love of God!"
because, I refuse to become another disillusioned victim, just
in time to hear a campaign ad come over the radio, so sing
at the top of my lungs---

"Don't gimme no lines, an' keep your hands to yourself."

This is Life in Verse and Morning welcoming You to the Last Poetry Picnic in November at The Gooseberry Garden Here.

The Amazing Kay Salady posts biweekly and will host next week, we appreciate your patience with us.

Methods of Submission:

Share your work using InLinkz below, and leave a comment in case it is your first time! It would be great if you could link back to us on your blog.

Weekly poetry collection starts on Sunday, at 2pm (CDT), and will stay open till Wednesday, 8pm (CDT), 78 hours for you to share your poetry with us...

What About Next Week!?!

For Week 16, we will have theme “My Life In Free Verse”, which means YOU are the subject of your writing, and you write anything or everything in poetic forms about yourself, and submit to us to share, it is almost like FREE Linking, Enjoy!


Image Credit: Riika

Poetic Reflection Week 15


#1: Elyas Mulu Kiros    
       
What is the reason you participate poetry picnics of  Jingle Poetry At the Gooseberry Garden?

The Gooseberry Garden helps me to not only share my poems with fellow bloggers--passionate and supportive poets and creative writers--but it also keeps me up-to-date with their new poems. It is a fantastic place. I learn something new every time I visit it. I also get introduced to amazing bloggers, who are new to me, whom I may never discover on my own.

I love the support and the welcoming nature of the Jingle poets--they always inspire and humble me.

How does writing poetry impact your life? Why poetry?

Poetry is my mistress, I know that may sound a cliche but it is a reality that I experience daily. She is demanding, she forces me to act bold, unafraid, and she pushes me to always be original, to remain true to myself, and to explore new territories. Whenever I am happy or sad, she lets me express my thoughts or vent my frustrations. She never judges me. She just listens. She only encourages me to let it all out and she likes to expose me naked. My life without poetry would just be like a pile of waste. To move forward, to live my past behind, to move on, I need her. She calms me down when I am angry, mad, or disgusted. She gives me comfort when I feel alone. She joins me too to celebrate my moments of happiness. She helps me escape from my worries, troubles, dilemmas, disappointments, hurts, etc. I need no alcohol, cigarette, or any other substances that certainly have the potential to ruin my life. She replaces them all. She is the best mistress one can ever ask for. I am obsessed with her. And I would rather be obsessed with her than anything else. She allows me to tell my truth, which can either have a healing or a negative effect on readers. I know that the truth hurts. No one wants to heart it, including me. But she forces me to face, express, explore, and share it with others! But when I share what comes out of me, I never intend to hurt or harm anyone.

How many blogs do you have?

I have three blogs: Kweschn, Destination-X, Kemetsahift Alem (Books World) ... Kweschn is where I post my original works, poems and short stories mostly. Destination-x is where I re-post what I discover online. Kemetsahift Alem is where I share quotes or excerpts taken from Ethiopian literary books, written in Amharic (Ethiopia's official language), Afaan Oromo (second widely spoken language, similar to Somali, it's a Cushitic language), Tigrigna (third major language, which is also the official language in Eritrea, similar to Amharic--both are semitic languages).


How long you have been blogging?

Since I was a Freshman in college, end of 2004. But I have a love and hate relationship with blogging. I used to create blogs and destroy them after a month or so. The one blog I had before these three blogs lasted almost 2 years. I mainly blogged in my mother tongue Amharic.  I used a pen-name then. And still I was terrified by the idea of getting exposed, judged, scrutinized by readers. People were very positive about my writing, but I never considered my writing as good. I still have that insecurity, but the more i write, the better I am getting at fighting it.  So I deleted that blog. Most of my friends were unhappy. However, I couldn't help it. So I created these new blogs, each different from the other. Now I blog almost daily. And I don't think I will delete any one of them. But you never know.

Which poem you have written so far best demonstrates your poetry talent?

That am not sure. If the question was "which poem is your favorite", I would probably answer it, but this too would be hard since all are my babies. I don't think that I have a poetry talent. I am my own worst critic. Even though I believe my writing is not good, I just write to liberate my soul, I have to write, otherwise, I would go mad or something.

So if I were to be like the horrible parent who favors one child over another, I would pick this poem as my favorite:

http://kweschn.wordpress.com/2011/09/26/yellow/ ... I wrote it recently, and I like it a lot. I never thought that I would write about Yellow in such affectionate manner even though I always considered it as one of my favorite colors. I thank my Yellow Flower who inspired me.

When I think of you, I think of YELLOW
I feel very calm, relaxed, and mellow
I feel so joyful, I feel so happy
I reach out to you like a puppy
You are my yellow, my source of peace
My glimmer of hope, my autumn kiss
You inspire me, my yellow petal
I jump, I fly, I feel immortal
You make me smile, my Northern Star
When I think of you my tears disappear
You put me into a light trance
When in my mind your lips touch my lips
 


Thank you!

Cheers


#2: Julian Corvinus Javier

What is the reason you participate poetry picnics of  Jingle Poetry At the Gooseberry Garden?

- it always has been my dream to touch the sky, to reach the stars, even amidst through all the difficulties and hardships, pain and suffering, anguish and turmoil, and all the rough memories from and of my life. the reason I participate in such activities is to make use and maximize this gift of creating literary art. i want the world to know of this gift that was given to me. I want to share and show the world what I can do. when I create poems, it has always been my goal to make a masterpiece that is better than the previous piece trying to outdo and outwit myself whilst touching the hearts and souls of my readers, making them smile and feel happy, making them feel sad, making them feel angry, making them laugh, making them cry, or sometimes even scare the crap out of them. I want to communicate using the language of my heart, my passion, that which is poetry to all the souls I can reach with my poetry all over the planet.

How does writing poetry impact your life?

- without poetry, I may have died long ago. I would've become a lunatic in a correctional facility or maybe even a crazy fiend of evil intent killing people without remorse whilst killing mine own soul. when I finish a poem it makes me feel calm.


Why poetry?

hmmm... I actually do not know why... I actually do not know when it started but before I knew it, words came out of my mind into my hand into my pen into my paper writing about what I feel, see, hear, smell, or even taste. sometimes it scares me how I cannot control my hand while I write my pieces, like I am being possessed by some sort of foreign entity. I feel a rush and then i write what my mind tells me to write. and if I try to hold it in, it drives me nuts hearing my mind recite the words over and over again. so, the question "why poetry" honestly, I really do not know why. I guess it's the language of my heart and soul... or maybe even my alter ego. hidden amidst the words of my poetry is my life's story, my unstable mind, and personality.


How many blogs do you have?


- I only have one, it's http://crimsoncorvus.wordpress.com/ and it's titled "The Red Raven" or the "The Crimson Crow".


how long you have been blogging?

- I made my blog April 2009 but never had the chance to look after it until November 2010. i started pimping my blog back in february 2011. so, it is safe to say that I started blogging my poetry February 16, 2011 as that was the time I became hooked to my blog.


Which poem you have written so far best demonstrates your poetry talent? Please give the poem content along with link to your poem post, thanks.

- I have several poems that I think best displays my art but I'd like the reader to decide which one is the best for I am but a mere human with flaws and I do not want to lift up my own chair. as Socrates have said, "As for me, all I know is that I know nothing" I also know where I stand. I also do not like stereotypes and I would not want to stereotype myself that is why I leave the decision to the reader. I currently have 81 poems in my (still growing) collection of poems @ <a href="http://wp.me/pTDjw-fq">"A Murder of Poems"</a>. if your curious why don't you check out my collection, click one of the links from table, read my work and see for yourself.


Saturday, November 26, 2011

Poem of the Week "What's to be Thankful for..."

A weekend welcome to Gooseberry Garden!.The theme "Thanksgiving"had many wonderful poems in .Thanksgiving is a wonderful way of acknowledging family and friends from our heart and our poets here have thanked their loved ones and some special ones through their poetic words.I loved one such input from

 What's to be Thankful for...-by Teresa Marie


What’s to be thankful for you ask?
To make a list is quite a task:
I’m thankful for my life
to be my lover’s wife
I’m thankful for my husband
who is my best friend
I’m thankful for the children
God blessed me with back when
I’m thankful for my great joys
my grandchildren, the girl and boys
I’m thankful for my father and mother
for my sister and for each brother
I’m thankful for my adopted ones
all the daughters and the sons
I’m thankful for every friend
into my life God did send
I’m thankful for legs to walk
and a mouth with which to talk
I’m thankful for ears to hear
and heart that holds no fear
I’m thankful for eyes to see
all the blessings God’s given me
And this list could go on
unto the stars and beyond
But let it suffice to say
I thank God for every day!
Teresa Marie   11/12/11




This is Umamaheswari Anandane from Inside My Poem Book and Perpetual Mind , one of the official in Gooseberry garden feels honored to be a part of this lovely community .

Cheers!

Lets encourage each other and grow together !

By Uma @ (http://umaspoembook.blogspot.com/) 

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Friday Poetry Blog ~ Week 15 ~ Write It Robin

I thought that today I am going to hightlight this blogger's WebBlog, she has been apart of the Jingle Community & The Gooseberry Garden as one of the officials. She is also my partner doing the Reviews on various blogs on the communities, we first worked together doing the Tuesday Reviews and now we do the Friday Blog Review, I have read her reviews and she captures the essence of each blog so wonderfully.
Some may know her some may not, but I am sure we all know her talent as a poetess is amazing, she is none other then Robin from the blog Write.It .

About The Author

I have'nt found anything on her as she has no about me page, Robin I think you should ad some info on yourself so that the readers get to know you.

About Her Blog

I think the new look is super cool, I am sure that there must be a story behind the title of the blog.
It is a blog with many illustrations, she has all kinds of genres that she writes in, she also have a facebook page for her blog, once you on her blog in the far left corner you will get the links to her google profile, facebook, also twitter. She has many other links such as blogroll.
the top of the page you will get your homepage, content( here I discovered she has done all her post alphabetically) she writes about many other issues such as depression and so many more.

Her Poetry

This poem completely stood out to me, I think most of us can relate to her words.

Remember
By Robin Elizabeth
I can’t tell you I know how you feel.
I can’t tell you that I understand.
Everything still feels unreal.
And I’m waiting for the news to break,
That this was all just a dream.
Sometimes I wish,
Things could all go back,
To how they were before,
When everything was alright,
Or so it would seem.
But I guess everything has it’s reason.
Even when no one understands.
We won’t always know how to cope.
But we know, now, we must learn.
We were given no other choice.
We might not understand.
Why so much pain and confusion must be caused.
But only One knows the plans.
Only One can understand.
Just listen for The Voice.
And I may not understand.
Exactly how you’re feeling.
But I do understand,
That it’s unbearable to remember.
But He has His reasons.
So when times feel rather odd.
Because things feel so different.
Don’t break down in misery.
But remember in joy the times,
Each memory, the seasons.

On a christian point of view, we as people we have those moments when life gets quite hard and some of us wants to give up and throw in the towel, but if we just keep going and remember the word of God we can push through.
Thanks Robin for your amazing words, I have enjoyed browsing your blog. I am sure there are others that also find inspiration through your words of hope and comfort.

I am Chimnese and I hope you all have a good week ahead, don't forget to visit Robin's page at Write.It .