I recently purchased a copy of Wendy Cope's anthology, 'Two Cures For Love-Selected Poems 1979-2006. Wendy Cope is an English Poet who delights in quirky, observational poetry appealing to the reader's emotional self. A witty, contemporary poet, she cleverly mixes humour and serious thought provoking  moments in her wide ranging works. Wendy Cope also likes to experiment and play with form. I like that very much... I found myself most beguiled by the poet's treatment of nursery rhymes. In two of the poems she re-imagines these classic rhymes under the influence of master poets like William Wordsworth and T S Eliot.  This sparked an idea and I began to imagine an encounter between John Keats and the legendary nursery characters, Jack and Jill. Here is the resultant poem: John Keats Encounters Jack and Jill Twas the season of mists When two ascended the hill To fetcheth water in a pail One Jack One Jill Jack did tumble Breaking his crown Resulting in a burning forehead ...

Inspiration comes from many quarters. I read Andy Jackson's anthology, 'Human Looking' where his poems speak for the disabled in ways that are illuminating, revealing and tender. Andy Jackson presents poems that speak of surgical procedures and  interventions. Jackson writes from lived experience adding to the emotional impact of his words when speaking of illness, pain and prejudice. He frequently finds his spark in surgical terminology and procedural semantics while also experimenting with form. He writes without any sense of self pity.  I found inspiration in Andy Jackson's honest and at times confronting approach to his lived reality. He addresses his personal vunerability with daring.  This is my response to a recent lived experience. I do not claim to share the same lived experience as Andy Jackson, but have drawn inspiration from the honesty of the work he has shared.   Installing A New Appliance   The incision -is an encore performance The surgeo...

 'Poetry deserves a central place in the curriculum. It helps us make connection to things in the world around us, creating an external link. It strives to bring a sense of harmony to our emotions, our life. Using a mindful economy of words, poetry aims to provide us with a  greater sense of being united with all things around us.  It can be taught as part of reading, writing, and language lessons, and it fits easily into classroom themes, projects, and celebrations. It nestles neatly into the writing workshop and possesses craft elements young writers and poets need. It can add additional value to our studies. It remains a cultural imperative.  When we write a poem by hand it creates an essential connection between the mind and the page. If changes are necessary ,and often they are, the poet can see quite clearly what has taken place, as it's right there for their eyes to see. If young learners are to fully appreciate the power and appeal of poetry, they need teache...

This week, I  have  taken up the challenge of writing a  'monotetra poem.' A monotetra is a poetic form developed by poet,  Michael Walker sometime in the early 2000's.  I tried to find out more about how Michael came up with this form, but It's all a bit vague, actually. Monotetras are comprised of quatrains (four line stanzas) and a closing refrain. Each line has a total of eight syllables and end with mono rhymed lines. The final line of each stanza delivers a repeat of four syllables.  The rules: Four line stanzas Each line has eight syllables Each line ends with a mono rhymed word The fourth line of each stanza has a four syllable repeated refrain  The poem can have as many stanzas as you wish.  My monotetra is two stanzas long.   A Poet On The Launching Pad Sometimes it's hard to make a start Ideas land, but stay apart The challenge of this writing art To trust your heart, to trust your heart. Then words upon the page arrive Your writin...

In recent years, I have explored a surprising number of poetry forms that rely on syllables for their structure. Among the forms I have featured on these pages you will find -Haiku, Tanka, Dodoitsu, Nonet, Etheree, Shadorma, Clogyrnach, Kimo a nd Naani poems.  All of these poetry forms require the use of pre-determined syllable rules to give them individual identity. Sound good? Of course, there are many more poetry forms that use syllables - some traditional, others more recently invented. They deserve my further attention.  I realize I have a lot more of the poetry terrain to explore. I find that an exciting prospect... Right now, though, I am keen to revisit Etheree poems!  They remind me of staircases when complete. I enjoy the challenge they present. If you haven't tried Etheree poems before, please consider them as a new poetry project! It is once again, Poetry Friday and our genial host this week is Elisabeth Norton  at Unexpected Intersections . Elisabe...

Clogyrnach Poems Besides being another intriguing word to say 'clogyrnach ' is also a poetic form, both challenging and engaging to write. A  form of poetry, Welsh in origin, typically a six-line, syllable driven stanza with an ab rhyme scheme:   Line 1: 8 syllables with an a rhyme Line 2: 8 syllables with an a rhyme Line 3: 5 syllables with a b rhyme Line 4: 5 syllables with a b rhyme Line 5: 3 syllables with a b rhyme Line 6: 3 syllables with an a rhyme So when I stumbled upon it recently, I thought I must try this. My desire to meet this new poetry challenge was compelling. Here is my Clogyrnach Poem.   The Wind On A Winter's Night A winter's night, without the moon The wind directs the fall leaves -swoon It rattles the doors Shaking trees, it soars The night roars Wild tunes. ©Alan j Wright It is once again Poetry Friday and our host this week is Irene Latham . Irene is exulting all things autumnal in her post.Please call by to find out...

Skeltonic Verse is named after its creator, English poet John Skelton (1460-1529), who tutored King Henry VIII when he was just a prince, spent time in prison, was censured by the Church and in general, seemed to have a great amount of fun. If you feel a strong urge to rhyme, this poetry form may be the way to go. Skeltonic verse should not be confused with the Blitz poem format I have shared previously, which uses a series of short lines to work down the page.   Skeltonic verse has a few simple rules: Lines are short with two or three stresses they have irregular rhymes they have irregular rhythms they have no stanza breaks and occasionally include some alliteration.                                                                                          ...

  A Rispetto, an Italian form of poetry, is a complete poem of two rhyme quatrains. Rispetto, (Italian for respect) plural rispetti, is a Tuscan folk verse form. The Rispetto has a rhyme scheme of ABAB (first quatrain) CCDD (second quatrain) . In its earliest form the rhyme scheme was usually abab abcc. Later, the scheme abab ccdd became more prominent. However  other variations can also be found. The form reached its pinnacle of both artistic achievement and popularity in the 14th and 15th centuries, particularly in the work of Politian, who is said to have written some 200 rispetti.  Earlier this week I returned to my childhood town of Monbulk. Scouted around my old  haunts for a few hours, quietly reminiscing. Spent some time rewalking the old track through the forest beside the Sassafras Creek. As boys we caught rainbow trout, blackfish and yabbies on our regular visits. The old wooden bridge over the creek has met a sad end. There was a time when we rode our bik...

A form of poetry called Naani , was created by one of India’s renowned poets, Dr. N Gopi. Naani is a short form of poetry, and shares some similarities with haiku. Like the Japanese form, Naani poetry has a set line- and syllable-count.   It is a 4-line poem containing a total 20-25 syllables. Subject matter is not confined to nature or a particular subject. It is fairly wide open. The term ‘naani’ refers to an expression of one and all.  The Naani poem frequently touches upon emotions, relationships, and the human condition, depending upon human relationships and current statements for its spark. It is slightly less structured than Haiku.   I like this affirming Naani poem by Julia James. It follows the Naani guidelines with  4 lines and 24 syllables. Balancing Act Life is a tightrope Sometimes you will fall But step out in faith You are only inches off the ground  Julia James. It has inspired me to trial a Naani. My poem incorporates rhyme, but it is...

Writing a Nonet Poem Can you write a  nonet poem ? A nonet consists of nine lines, start at nine syllables in the first line and going down from there.  The nonet is a poetic form that can contain any rhyming scheme and cover any subject matter.  The nonet is similar to the etheree poetry form, which consists of ten lines. In the etheree, each line’s syllable count increases as it goes along. The first line contains one syllable, the second line contains two, and so on until the final line. These two forms travel in opposite directions, you might say. So here is an example of a Nonet Poem from Jeanne McGee I Am Missing You I am missing the seas rolling waves And the light spray upon my face Clear blue skies above my head The pelicans quick plunge Sand between my toes Looking for shells Sunrise walks Sunsets’ Kiss           Copyright © Jeanne McGee  This inspired me to adapt one of my Covid Chronicle poems into a Nonet poem... Perfect Tim...