The poetry form challenge Paul Brookes tossed out last week was another one I’d never tried. Now or never, I decided and wrote a couple using successive letters of the alphabet to begin each word. The third one is in a different style, in which the first letter of each line follows the order of the alphabet. I used the Irish alphabet because it’s shorter (18 letters), and doesn’t contain the more problematic letters.
You can read all the contributions on Paul’s blog here.
Bird alphabet
Any bird can dip-dance,
each fluttering glide-hop
imitates jay-jumping.
Irreverent kettledrum-clattering—
listen, music-murdering notes
overwhelm pastoral quiet,
querulous rooks, strident-voiced,
tune unmusical vulture-songs
with xenolythic-pitched yammering,
zephyr-winged arguers born.
Kitchen memories
Apples baking,
candied dumpling-effluves,
filled grandma’s house,
indecently-delicious, just-baked.
Kitchen-longing memories,
nutmegged, orange plumcake-quetsched
remain, summer-scented,
those unctuous voloutes,
wind-borne excelsiors,
yellow-winged, zebra-dappled.
Sailing to the isle of apples
Away we sail, where apples grow,
Bound to search the western isles.
Calm sea waits for those who dare
Defy the whales and monsters there.
Echoes ring from mountain sides,
Fairies hosting with us riding,
Gerfalcons tossed from their wrists,
High among the white clouds circling,
Isle of apples, sharp eyes seeking.
Listen to the hoofbeats splashing,
Manannán’s white-maned horses racing,
Night will find us out at sea.
Owl-wings left behind us failing,
Pale dawn comes to trackless waves,
Row hard until the wind comes filling
Sails, till seals come guiding home to
Tír na nÓg, the blessed isle,
Unfolding sky and stars of youth.
The poetry form challenge Paul Brookes tossed out last week was another one I’d never tried. Now or never, I decided and wrote a couple using successive letters of the alphabet to begin each word. The third one is in a different style, in which the first letter of each line follows the order of … Continue reading Alphabet poetryRead MoreJane Dougherty Writes
