Poetry Decathlon

[Tom]

 Poetry Decathlon

Write one each of the following listed poems to complete the decathlon.   If at the close of the Fest you have posted five, then you have completed the pentathlon.  If you have posted seven, then you have completed  the heptathlon.  The poems you post need to be new poems, written for this contest.  

There is no requirement that you post them in the order listed below.  

When you post a poem to this thread, please identify what form it is.  Keep a list of your poems to date.  If there are numerous participants, this thread could get long, and if each participant updates their own list in progress, then it should make it an engaging thread. 

Best of luck to you all.  Remember, if this was easy, everyone would do it.  Even prosers.  Ooops, sorry prose writers.   

Before the close of the Festival on August 20, 2018, write and post one of each of the following:

   1. Haiku / senryu
   2. Limerick
   3. Cinquain - any recognized form of cinquain
   4. Etheree / reverse etheree / double etheree / double reverse etheree 
   5. Acrostic poem or square poem 
   6. Triolet or septolet
   7. Sonnet or Sestina
   8. Blank Verse minimum two stanzas
   9. Free verse - free form
   10. Cook’s Choice - author’s selection of any form, no form, etc – just a poem.




 

[Tracy Mitchell]

6.   Triolet     

  Where Voices Meet

Among the trees where voices meet
I hear a song, recall a face        
from long ago, now bitter sweet,    
among the trees where voices meet,
so much of love left incomplete,
remembered passion’s lost embrace,
among the trees where voices meet    
I hear a song, recall a face.



 

[Tracy Mitchell]

7.   Sonnet


        Thermidor

There’s nothing wrong with transit workers  that 
can’t be fixed with more from Leon Trotsky – 
the authorities hunted Pero – yes, 
the man takes many forms. A bus driver 
in St Paul, a dog among the coyotes 
exsanguinating in Coyoacán.
I took out the ice axe from the raincoat, 
gripped it in my hand and, with my eyes closed, 
dealt him a terrible blow on the head.
Certificate of Rehabilitation. 
The problem with the sixties was that no 
one was ready.  Screw Korea, the men 
wanted to fight WWII again, this 
time in Viet Nam – or thought their sons should.  


 

[Tracy Mitchell]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

3.  Crown Cinquain:
    

Paddling Through Storm 

side planks
hold parallel
beside my wind burned legs
clench tight despite a tempest on
dread lake

cold clutch
moments heighten
remembered fears of storms 
seared across my child’s memory
my charge
            
pointed
prow arcs by chance
through rain and turgid spray
wood and tendon, full attended, 
full faith
            
how long    
to trust muscle
in falling, failing clout 
I tell myself again just one
more pull
    
gunwales
black and weathered
conjoin in chance repose
an arrow prow arcs upward, toward
blue sky




 

[Tracy Mitchell]

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5.  Square Poem:    


               True

Mallards lift through darkened clouds
lift on oscillating wings, opening
through oscillating gusts offering true
darkened wings, offering up, and
clouds opening true and free



 

[Colm Roe]

I think you have this one in the bag Tracy   
You're approaching the winning line and we're still tying our laces 

[Tracy Mitchell]

Only 4 of 10, its still early -- and its not a race or competition -- would love to see lots of finishers

[Colm Roe]

Too busy trying to fill the myriads of other threads you've assaulted us with   

[Tracy Mitchell]

Do what's fun -- nothing else -- celebrate the poetry

[Tracy Mitchell]

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4.  Etheree:


By Any Name

Med 
students 
skip lectures
English majors 
skip to the river 
with wine, weed, a blanket
and freshest of succulents. 
Liquid, lore, leching and legend.        
A butterfly lands on her finger.
Swirl in the eddies, Anahita.