by Ashley Lister
The rondelet is a French form of poetry consisting of seven
lines. The rhyme scheme is: A b A a b b
A, where each capital A is a refrain line with four syllables, and every other
line contains eight syllables. To illustrate:
Your cheeks are red
As though you’ve guessed my idea
Your cheeks are red
And there you lay across my bed
Holding up your cheeky rear
Shivering with shame-thrilled fear
Your cheeks are red
I have to admit I’m a huge fan of the rondelet’s form. Refrains are always a fun device in poetry,
making your reader/audience reconsider a sentiment from a different perspective,
or reiterating a point so that the weight of its importance can be
stressed. The simple rhyme and metrical
pattern make it an easy form to use at the start of any writing session, just
to help limber up writing muscles. Here’s
another:
It’s Christmas time
A time when couples get to screw
It’s Christmas time
And whilst I’m writing you this rhyme
I trust you know this much is true
I just can’t wait to be with you
It’s Christmas time
As always, I look forward to seeing your poetry in the
comments box below.
Hi, Ashley,
In your first example, I can't get 8 syllables out of "As though you've guessed my idea" – unless you pronounce "guessed" as two syllables?
(Rondelet. 12 Dec 2014)
Solstice
By Lisabet Sarai
The light returns,
this season of renewing ties.
The light returns.
The ropes wind tight, the candle burns
bright arabesques between my thighs.
You knot the silk across my eyes;
the light returns.
Holy crap, I love this one. Beautiful images
Thank you, Rachel! Praise from an amazing poet like you is precious.
Lisabet – love Solstice. It's a wonderful blend of the spiritual and the sensual (which are themes that fit so well with your writing). 'bright arabesques between my thighs' is a clever use of words that brings this to life.
As for my poem: I pronounce 'idea' as three syllables: EYE-DEE-AHH, is that where the confusion was arising?
Thanks, Ashley. Your exercises inspire me.
"Idea" has three syllables? I guess that solves the problem ;^)
catching your breath
my mouth over yours as you cry
catching your breath
fifteen heartbeats closer to death
a tap of your hand to untie
then weeping and sobbing, you sigh
catching your breath
Rachel! I was about to say that this was breath-taking… then I kicked myself….
Amazing poem.
I like the brevity of this form very much.
Thanks Lisabet
Rachel – love this one. The refrain is hypnotic and then content is v powerful.
Can't wait to read more of your poetry in 2015 🙂
Thanks, Ashley. The form was harder than I expected!
Interesting observation. We're doing flash fiction this fortnight over at the Grip. I used to find flashers agonizingly difficult. However, I think that this practice with brief and strongly structured poetic forms has made writing flash fiction much easier for me.
Thanks, Ashley!
Marvelous little gems, Ashley, Lisabet, and Rachel. Fairly short, repetitive poems suit the intentise, transitory nature of sensual experience.
Jean – thank you. 🙂