The following poems were all written in response to challenges set by one writing group or another. Challenges are irritating because the technical limitations often force one to write across the grain, (I really dislike writing sonnets, for example), and because one is very rarely inspired by the subject matter. However, they are interesting for exactly those reasons.
Verse forms.
My thoughts evolve
with structure and content.
As each combines with the other
verse forms.
15th October 2003
This is a cinquain - a five line unrhymed poem of twenty-two sylables; the lines have two, four, six, eight and then two sylables each. Like haiku, cinquains are hard to write and pleasing when written. It is not a structure I like because it lacks rhythm and therefore reads badly out loud, however I like the ambiguity and repetition of the first line.
The sunlit days of summer should have gone
by now, the woods stripped naked by the frost.
Clay should be heavy after rain. We've won
some pretty seasons. No-one counts the cost.
Tonight the sunset gilds the land and sky;
but fifty thousand years ago the night
held sudden bloody death. The hunter'd lie
awake, afraid, and hope for dawn's clear light.
As farmers faced the turning of each year
they'd harvest crops, they'd slaughter pigs and sheep.
For dearth brought death, and winter's gift was fear.
They knew that as ye sow, so shall ye reap.
Now fools' gold decorates each gilded hedge.
Pride comes before a fall. We're on the edge.
29th October 2003
The challenge was to write a sonnet about autumn. I naturally write in eight or twelve syllable lines, so I have to cut words or add them to write pentameters; I prefer tighter verse forms with repeated lines, so I find the 8-6 form of a sonnet rather dull. The above was my best effort.
"...all good things for the coming New Year"
"All good things"? A life without fear:
America's actions controlled and contained,
agression forsworn, atrocities tamed.
"... a peaceful and prosperous New Year Wish"
Affluence helps to put food in the dish.
Abundance, like charity, starts in the home;
accounts that are balanced will pay off the loan.
"... and may the new year be all that you hope"
Affection and kindness, or maybe a grope.
Advancing in wisdom and learning, it's plain
are bought at a cost - without pain there's no gain.
2ndJanuary 2004
The challenge was to write about our aspirations for the New Year, in any form, but with each line beginning with the letter A. This is the sort of challenge that I like. I found the contstraint restrictive, and considered re-working the poem to follow the thoughts rather than abide by the restrictions. The "hope / grope" rhyme in particular sucks.
write women
express yourselves
right
women
use words
to perform the rite
women
each one a wordsmith
and a word wright
women
write women
write
14th January 2004
Write Women: we're wonderful, wise.
Read and review, re-draft and revise.
Internet intimacy, (all in disguise).
Taking time-out to extemporise:
Each enriches the enterprise.
Women who write with wisdom and wit,
Online or offline, do not omit
Memories marvels and magic, moonlit.
Each escaping ev'ryday grit,
Net-based sisters: never met but close-knit.
15th January 2004
The challenge was a 10 line poem for a women's online writing group. The first one of these two poems has 12 lines, and therefore does not meet the challenge. I found the first one more interesting and the second one more challenging to write.
All poems copyright © Beth Cargill, 2002, 2003, 2004. All rights reserved.
If you wish to contact the author please email: [email protected]
Quails' eggs and other cock-ups