Tag: writing poetry

poetic forms, writing exercise

Scaled Back, Life & Poems

carolyncordon

Yes, I currently have a very much scaled back life at the moment. I recently broke my right ankle, and am in recovery mode, having been told by the surgeon who operated on my ankle, to stick to zero weight bearing. This means I currently am spending most of my time resting my ankle, with it up high, to reduce swelling, and increase healing (I hope).

I could have been using this scaled back time to work on a larger writing project, but my brain and inclination are not heading in that direction, I’m feeling much more interested in poetry right now, so that’s where my writing is going. That and blog posts, such as this one. Oh, and some thoughts about Stoicism and how it can apply to life situations.

That is being kept to myself at the moment, with notes on my laptop that are definitely not for publication as they are, and not for quite some time later, anyway. They may appear in part in a much longer non-fiction tome, sometime.

Anyway, scaled back poetry interests me – I love Haiku and Senryu, the Tanka as well, and I have recently found (online), a scaled back version of writing sonnets. I love sonnets, a mere fourteen lines, in particular rhyming schemes, and beautiful thoughts can be expressed. This new (to me) form though has only one syllable per line, though if maintains the sonnets 14 line needs, as well as the rhyming scheme.

I wrote more about this on a previous blog post, here, If you wish to look more closely into this sonnet form, called the Monosyllabic Sonnet, visit the blog post. I write about sonnets in general and this form in particular, with an example.

I wrote a new piece of text today, based on something in this room, something that happens often in this room, the one I have been spending so much time in, as I work on recovering from my accidental fall and consequent broken bones. I have presented the words I wrote, again in a one word and syllable per line, and I think it looks and reads quite well. I could be delusional, who knows, and at the moment, amusing myself is my main desire …

So here it is, an new thing that may or may not be a poem, which I will call “My Obs”. The term “obs” loomed large in my life when I was in three different hospitals recently, with my obs being taken by nurses often during both the day, and through the night too. Their role is to make sure I’m OK, taking my pulse, heart rate, temperature, and oxygen levels (or I think that’s what they were doing).

Anyway, as a writer and poet, my observations are my ever ready sources of writing material, so I’d be a fool not to use them! and here is today’s “My Obs” poem, my first ever, THE first ever:

To my dog, Missy

Dear

friend,

your 

sleep

sounds

don’t 

seem

too

bad

but 

please,

if 

you 

must 

snore,

shh

keep

it

down

low,

please?

Good

girl.

 

 

^-^

\
o

 

poetry, writing exercise

Two-by-Four, a new (to me) Poetry Form

carolyncordon

 

I recently discovered a new form of short poetry, the Two-by-Four. It is a poem of two words to a line, over four lines. I found it on the website of a South Australian poet Paul Szlosek, who has a fine interest in poetics and writers/writing. I love short forms of poetry, and this one is a neat little package, with no time for wasting words, ideal for readers with no time to waste!

In the original form there was no title, but I’m inclined to go along the way the website owner I mentioned went, and use titles, in the interest of clarity of understanding. This is the link for that website, go along there, to read more about it. Then come back here and read my own attempts are writing Two-by-Fours. And after that, why not have a try yourself, and to write some of your own Two-by-Fours!

Not Me

Some people

say poetry

must rhyme –

I don’t …

 

 

Political Correctness

More than

anything else,

it’s just

being nice …

Well that was fun to do, and if a writer can write two fine pieces of work in less that half an hour, then that is a fine form of writing for sure. I’m quite happy with this little poetic form, for sure, and I can see myself writing many more of them in the future!

Thank you very much Paul, for bringing this form of short poetry into my poetry world! If you have any thoughts about these little poems feel free to leave  a comment!

 

 

poetry

A New Poetry Form – The Streetbeatina

carolyncordon

A new poetic discovery!
I found a new form of poetry the other day, and this is something that always makes me happy! I like words, and doing interesting things with them in poetic ways. So I read about it, and I jumped at the chance to give it a go myself. below is the explanation of the form, followed by my own attempts I’ve written so far. I suspect I will write more of this type of poem.

I feel my second attempt is a superior poem over my first try, but don’t feel either of them are as good as the ones written by the poet who came up with this interesting poetry form.

This website post came to my attention recently, and I was intrigued about its possibilities. The Streetbeatina consists of eight lines, each line having eight syllables. What makes the form both rather challenging and unique is that the first syllable of the first line is repeated as the second syllable in the second line, the third syllable of the third line and so on. Although it is not necessary, if the poet wishes, the repeated syllable can be emphasized by printing it either in italics, bold, or a different color. The repetition of the sound of the syllable at precise intervals provides the poem with a natural beat , and musicality.

If you wish to know more about this, from the man who created it, go here, where I found about it.

My own poetic Streetbeatina poems

Leftovers or Gourmet?

by Carolyn Cordon

Stew for dinner, yesterday’s meal

Can you eat it again remade?

Flavours drew from meat now gone, but

A hungry crew, lines up for more –

Meat tasteless as shoe leather, though

Spiced and revived, made new – chef’s friends

Garlic, chili, flavours true, real,

choices expand, cooking talents grew!

Short and ? Who knows …

by Carolyn Cordon

Yay, it’s time, good things are coming,

hooray, it’s now! Goodbye bad times,

go! I say. We’ve suffered enough

done all we may, each muscle aches

our brains fried, frayed, splattered, scattered …

What’ll come next, I say, wary ….

More bad shit, then I’m not staying!

That’s not a life, beaten, betrayed …

It’s Your Turn Now

If you like writing poetry, and you like challenges, why not have a go at this poetic style, who knows what you may be able to write!

And please, write a comment and tell me what you think about this form of poetry!

poetry, writing exercise

Creative Writing Workshop 2 – Writing an Ode

carolyncordon

An Ode is a celebration, a lyrical poem praising something. It can be something wondrous, or it may be something so-so that the poet can make wondrous through their words in praise of it. John Keats has a well known Ode – Ode to a Grecian Urn, and another titled Ode to a Nightingale. They are both fine Odes, but today we are going to look to more contemporary times with the odes we will write. When writing a ode, you have permission to go overboard with the imagery and metaphor!

 

 

And that’s it. With an Ode, you can rhyme or not, as you choose, you can be as silly or serious as you wish, it’s all up to you and your thoughts. The most important thing is to go beyond the obvious, and take your love of your chosen thing as far as you can, lauding it all the way to the sky and stars!

Ode to the Op Shop

Oh wondrous home to much –

glorious treasure trove  

Of love and possibility

Staffed by precious volunteers

Those whose freely-given time benefits many –

Small-time hoarders like me,

Or those in the know who buy much

Then onsell to many

But a delight for those searching

Looking for their next fashionable fancy

And when finding such, our joy

Is met with smiles.

Named junk shops by some

Those who think a label

Rather than a look, is the fashionable thing

But limited new ‘range’ to choose from

Is just the so-called latest thing

Ignoring the clothes of yesteryear –

The best of their time, made best again,

At a bargain price, when payment gives back

To those who have little.

My wardrobe & drawers

Are filled with many found treasures

from within your worthy walls

And walls of other stores like you,

Clothes that have lived a life

Before they came to me,

That could tell such stories!

Each item willingly given up

To be worn again with pride and thanks

Is testament to the love shared

In one of these slices of community

And humanity, wonderful Op Shops,

Shared spaces, filled with memories of the past

And hopes for the future.

Op Shops, oh how I love you, Op Shops

Fine resting places for my unwanted items,

That I bring to an Op Shop such as you,

Knowing that when my need for them is over,

They will be with those who understand

The Op Shop’s fine and long tradition

And who realise the wonders to be found

In the taking up of clothes, both pre-worn and pre-loved,

Knowing the impermanence of such clothes

And relishing it. What has been with one,

Can be again with another, and once lived with

For a while, can move on again, via an Op Shop

And so it goes on, treasure donated by one

Found by another, one who in time,

May donate again, and so it goes,

Op Shops building community,

Community loving Op Shops,

All sharing the love, and the clothes.

We are many, those who share the love

of these wonderful Op Shops –

Treat them well, care for the treasures

found within, and share them with others

at an Op Shop when the proper time comes …

                                                         © 2017 Carolyn Cordon

 

 

You could choose to write an ode to your football team, your pet, a flower, anything, just as long as it’s something you love and have many thoughts about!

 

So think of the subject of your Ode, and start writing down thoughts about why you love it so much, then get working!

 

Carolyn
Carolyn Cordon, kittycordo@gmail.com