Zillion Reasons: A Zéjel

Zillion Reasons: A Zéjel
©2016 Rosemawrites@A Reading Writer

I still love you, I’ll tell you why
Before I start, look at my eye
Oh, I hope yours’ll remain dry.

Remember when you stayed with me?
more than a week we wait and see,
if my sister will live or flee,
you hush my cries fearing she’ll die.

Remember when I’m so angry?
I won’t accept any sorry
I wanted to end our story
You said no, then with me, you cry.

Yes, your flaws almost made me bow,
but my heart still preserves our vow,
forever is compose of now,
I have zillion reasons to try.

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Photo credit: Mayur Gala

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In response to Blogging from A to Z Challenge: Z is for Zejel

Zejel

Zéjel is a romantic Spanish form with Arabic influence related to the Qasida and adopted by the Spanish troubadours of 15th century. The Zéjel is distinguished by linking rhyme established in the opening mudanza (strophe in which the theme is established in a mono-rhymed triplet). There have been many variations of the form, in Arabic it is called the Zahal.

The simplest and most common form of the Zéjel is:

• syllabic, most often written in 8 syllable lines.
• stanzaic, opening with a mono-rhymed triplet followed by any number of quatrains.
• rhymed, the rhyme of the opening mudanza establishes a linking rhyme with the end line of the succeeding quatrains. Rhyme scheme, aaa bbba ddda etc.

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Yearn: A Ya-Du

Yearn: A Ya-Du
©2016 Rosemawrites@A Reading Writer

Chill starts the year
harbinger’s breeze
winter’s here to
comfort your heart,
freeze the pieces torn apart.

Let cold build back
your heart’s track to
attract and feel
it’s once hot fire
ready for spring’s fresh desire.

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Photo credit: Natasha Vasiljeva

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In response to Blogging from A to Z Challenge: Y is for Ya-Du

Ya Du

The Ya-Du or ritú (season) is stanzaic form dedicated to the seasons. The theme should express the emotions the seasons evoke. The form is a 15th century Burmese pattern using a climbing rhyme.

The Ya-Du is:

• syllabic. L1-L4 tetrasyllabic (4) and L5 may be 5,7, 9, or 11 syllables. 4-4-4-4-(5,7,9, or 11)
• stanzaic, written in no more than 3 cinquains.
• rhymed. The form employs a climbing rhyme in which the 4th syllable of L1 rhymes with the 3rd syllable of L2 and the 2nd syllable of L3. L4 and L5 end rhyme.
• dedicated to the seasons and the emotions they evoke.

  x x x a
  x x a x
  x a x x
  x x x b
  x x x x b or x x x x x x b etc

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Xanthus: A Xiaoshi

Xanthus: A Xiaoshi
©2016 Rosemawrites@A Reading Writer

Brings joy as sun rises,
shows jealousy once given,
proves fruits sweetness,
a color from heaven.

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Photo credit: Aaron Burden

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In response to Blogging from A to Z Challenge: X is for Xiaoshi

Xiaoshi

Xiaoshi, (small poem,shi = poetry / xiao = little, diminutive or small) is a genre of Chinese poetry from the 1920s. It is a fragmented poem with minimal explanation. It teams seemingly unrelated images with little indication of cause and effect. The frame is at the discretion of the poet although in sync with most Chinese poetry, it is common to be written as a quatrain.

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Missed a letter/poem? Read all Poetry from A-Z here.

 

Wordless: A Wayra

Wordless: A Wayra
©2016 Rosemawrites@A Reading Writer

An abandoned child,
a penniless new wallet,
bright eyes who sees but not read,
a long meaningless speech
those’re what I’ll be, without words.

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Photo credit: Nicole Mason

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In response to Blogging from A to Z Challenge: W is for Wayra

Wayra

The Wayra (Quechua – wind ) is a popular verse form of Peru and Bolivia. It appears it originated in an indigenous Quechua language but has found its way into Spanish literature. It is a short syllabic verse form found at Vole Central and some other sites around the internet.
The Wayra is:

• a pentastich, a poem in 5 lines.
• syllabic, 5-7-7-6-8
• unrhymed.

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Missed a letter/poem? Read all Poetry from A-Z here.

Victor’s Crown: Villanelle

Victor’s Crown: Villanelle
©2016 Rosemawrites@A Reading Writer

Whom shall I fear?
is it the sea of grief?
I think I know the answer.

Soul’s dark, nothing’s clear
enemy’s so fast so brief,
whom shall I fear?

Waiting in pain, rescue’s not near
should I jump in sadness’ cliff?
I think I know the answer.

Hope burned not just seared,
faith stolen by mighty thief,
whom shall I fear?

No one sees or even hear,
am I like a forgotten leaf?
I think I know the answer.

I am not alone, my Redeemer’s here
With victor’s crown he’s my life’s chief
Whom shall I fear?
I think I know the answer.

—

Photo credit: Micah. H

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In response to Blogging from A to Z Challenge: V is for Villanelle

Villanelle

Villanelle (a rustic, peasant song or dance) is an intricate French verse that is distinguished by its pastoral subject matter and alternating refrain. A member of the Rondeau family, it expands on the Rondeau’s signature, “rentrement”, a repetition of the 1^st line or phrase as a refrain, by also including the 3^rd line as an alternating refrain. The Villanelle originated in the 15th century becoming standardized by the 17th century.

The Villanelle is:

• metered, primarily iambic pentameter.
• in French stanzaic, written in any number of tercets and finally ending in a quatrain.
• in English, written in a total of 19 lines, made up of 5 tercets and ending with a quatrain.
• L1 and L3 of the first stanza, alternate as the refrain in the following tercets.
• composed with L1 and L3 of the first tercet repeated as the last two lines of the poem.
• written with only 2 end rhymes with a rhyme scheme of A¹bA², abA¹, abA², abA¹, abA², abA¹A².
• originally composed with a pastoral theme.

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Missed a letter/poem? Read all Poetry from A-Z here.

Underdog: An Ushnik

Underdog: An Ushnik
©2016 Rosemawrites@A Reading Writer

Cheers are shouted for my foe
on my ears boos come and go
they believe I’ll run and flee
round one’s done, the winner’s me.

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Photo credit: Martin Kníže

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In response to Blogging from A to Z Challenge: U is for Ushnik

Ushnik

Ushnik (God of Wind orignating from the hairs of the body of the almighty Prajāpati) is a stanzaic Vedic meter. The 7th horse pulling the golden chariot of the sun god is named for this meter.

The defining features of the Ushnik are:

• stanziac, any number of quatrains, 4 padas or lines.
• syllabic, lines of 7 syllable each.

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Missed a letter/poem? Read all Poetry from A-Z here.

Tick Tock: A Tanka

Tick Tock: A Tanka
©2016 Rosemawrites@A Reading Writer

long when you’re waiting
short when you’re doing something
slow when earth’s freezing
fast when summer sun’s rising
time’s bending, warping.

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Photo credit: Cliff Johnson

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In response to Blogging from A to Z Challenge: T is for Tanka.

Tanka

Tanka, 短歌 “short song” is meant to be filled with personal and emotional expression. The tanka expresses feelings and thoughts regardless of the direction they take. Originally there was also an attempt to connect these thoughts and feelings to nature. The tanka, unlike the haiku, may use figurative expressions such as metaphor or simile. The form is less rigid, more casual than the haiku. It allows the imagination to help the poet express feelings.

The tanka is:

• syllabic, 31 or less syllables, most commonly 5-7-5-7-7, in variation the lines are best kept with odd numbered syllables.
• normally but not always a 5 line poem, the 5 line pattern however does seem to prevail.
• defined by content and style more than the syllabic prescription. But there is still a pattern of short and long lines rather than a metered equal length.
• written as a personal or emotional expression of themes such as natural beauty, love, the impermanence of live, the activities of the common people
• composed with the priority of “to be touched by things” “mono no aware” and use of concrete images.

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Missed a letter/poem? Read all Poetry from A-Z here.

Stead: A Shape Poem

Stead: A Shape Poem
©2016 Rosemawrites@A Reading Writer

I
am a
reflection
of the loved-home I am
from. My writer-self comes
from the genes of my mom. While
my singer-self’s the influence of my dad.
My friendly-self was developed
‘cause I’m the eldest among six.
My dreamer-self was honed by
our life’s tough– messy tricks.
All that I am, and all that I will
soon become, I owe to nothing
but the home where I am from.

—

Photo credit: Arno Smit

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Sharing with you a photo of my real ‘home’:

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In response to Blogging from A to Z Challenge: S is for Shape Poetry

Shape Poetry

Shape Poetry is also associated with Concrete Poetry-

Shape is one of the main things that separate prose and poetry. Poetry can take on many formats, but one of the most inventive forms is for the poem to take on the shape of its subject. Therefore, if the subject of your poem were of a flower, then the poem would be shaped like a flower. If it were of a fish, then the poem would take on the shape of a fish. ><<<*>

Shape and Concrete Poetry go hand-in-hand; however, Concrete or Visual Poetry don’t have to take on the particular shape of the poem’s subject, but rather the wording in the poem can enhance the effect of the words such as in this line:

an angel tumbling
d
  o
    w
      n  
         to earth . . .

Designing your own shape poem can be simple and fun, but try not to pick anything that would be too difficult. We suggest mapping out or drawing your shape first, and then importing the text of your poem into your shape.

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Missed a letter/poem? Read all Poetry from A-Z here.

Rhythmic Beats: A Rondelet

Rhythmic Beats: A Rondelet
©2016 Rosemawrites@A Reading Writer

We’ll beat as one.
If love cease to exist again,
we’ll beat as one.
If your legs are too old to run,
if your lips’ sweetness can’t remain,
if your mind forgets to be sane,
we’ll beat as one.

—

Photo credit: Tamara Menzi

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In response to Blogging from A to Z Challenge: R is for Rondelet

Rondelet

The Rondelet is a relatively short poem using the entire opening line as its refrain. It is French in origin, another member of the 13th century Rondeau Family of Forms which is defined by its use of the rentrement.

The Rondelet is:

• a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines.
• in French syllabic. Syllable count per line are 4-8-4-8-8-8-4 In English tends to be iambic in pattern.
• composed with a rentrement, in the Rondelet the entire L1 is repeated as refrain in L3 and L7.
• rhymed. Rhyme scheme interlocks between the refrain AbAabbA.

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Missed a letter/poem? Read all Poetry from A-Z here.

Qualm: A Quinzaine

Qualm: A Quinzaine
©2016 Rosemawrites@A Reading Writer

I believe I can do it.
Is it possible?
Oh, can I?

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Photo credit: Cam Adams

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In response to Blogging from A to Z Challenge: Q is for Quinzaine

Quinzaine

The Quinzaine is an internet form found at Shadow Poetry and Instant Poetry for Kids, named from the French qunize (fifteen) for the 15 syllables the poem contains.

The Quinzaine is:

• a tristich, a 3 line poem.
• syllabic, 7-5-3 syllables per line.
• unrhymed.
• composed of: L1 a statement, L2 and L3 questions related to the statement.

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Missed a letter/poem? Read all Poetry from A-Z here.