Poetic Form 57: Anagrammatic Poetry

 Depression

I open prisons

in deep sessions

pressed in sin

I rope prose

I pen depression

See, no one

rides 

or sends

roses 

I spin desire

on spines

open sneers

a siren 

resends pride

on poison Id

I ponder

in deep sessions

open prisons

Poetic Form #57: Anagrammatic Poetry

Anagrammatic poetry uses words that come from the letters found only in the title. 

That means you can use a letter more than the number of times it appears in the word.

 For example, if you only have one “E” you can still use the word “been”.

 

Poetic Form 56: Imayo

 

I fear the day will retreat - like a broken line

Letting the enemy through - giving into fear

A sun sets on more than time - our hopes have color

Shining through the hues of light - night brings falling dreams

Poetic Form #56: Imayo

The imayo form originates from Japan and has four lines with 12 syllables in each line. 

There is a planned caesura (or pause) between the first seven syllables and the final 

five syllables of each line.

 

Poetic Form 55: Golden Shovel

Why Poetry

-after Langston Hughes

Even in the darkest moments I hold

a pen with a fire to capture the fast

and fleeting muse that commands my mind to

fill the spaces between walking and dreams.

The strokes of ink are arrows, hoping for 

the gods, for the titans, to reveal if

I am worthy to mix a life with dreams,

or if words stay in my mouth when I die.

Each step I take is a verse of my life,

that I write with rhyme - sometimes. Breathing is 

a pact between impossible and a 

faith in flight. My heart can be broken-winged,

but poetry sets me free like a bird.

No matter the hue of the moment that

spurs my mind. These words, windows that cannot

close, allows my muse open lines to fly.

Poetic Form #55: Golden Shovel

The Golden Shovel form uses a line or two from another poem.  Use each

word in the line (or lines) as an end word in your poem. You keep the end

words in order as they appear in the original poem. (So, you can read their poem

reading the end words.) Make sure to give credit

to the poet who originally wrote the line (or lines). Your poem does not have

to be about the same subject.

Poetic Form 54: Acrostic

Semiophor

Caught between the past and the future,

hidden possibilities revealed when

identity is plucked from the trees that 

linger in pastures found by knowing stories.

Directions discovered in DNA but

rerouted when the will finds its reflection,

enlightening a soul that collects life, old and

new, between the beginning and the end.

Poetic Form #54: Acrostic

The Acrostic form spells out words on the left-hand side of the page using the

first letter of each line.

Poetic Form 53: The Bop

Sins of a Son

Watching days collect like pennies in a jar,

I wonder if you remember my smile

or that day skipping rocks across the river.

I can still feel the pride of a touchdown catch,

ball sailing from your hand in the backyard.

There were not many days like that one.

Your sins ricochet through my life.

No son is perfect, neither are their fathers.

Every child discovers a path to follow,

but we forget that the backpack was filled

before we left the house. A weight already

on our shoulders. I’ve tried cleaning out the

bottom of mine, but I keep finding empty beer

cans that meant so much to you. In the corners

I do find a few torn pieces of happiness.

Your sins ricochet through my life.

Maybe it is a character flaw in my heart,

or an unwillingness to find a new pack,

but I find it hard not to scrounge the pockets,

hoping for a note or memento from you.

I only find silence that sounds like your voice

on the line so many years ago, when I took a new path.

Your sins ricochet through my life.

Poetic Form #53: The Bop

The Bop is a poetic form developed by poet Afaa Michael Weaver at a Cave Canem

summer retreat. The Bop has three stanzas. Each stanza is followed by a refrain. The

first stanza is six lines and presents a problem. The second stanza is eight lines and

expands the problem. The third stanza is six lines and either presents a solution or

documents the failed attempt at resolving the problem.

Poetic Form 52: Catena Rondo

Twenty-two

Twenty-two years gone by today.

One man, one woman, building a life

through moments of joy and strife.

Twenty-two years gone by today.

One man, one woman, building a life.

Six names born into the world.

Each with their own talents furled.

One man, one woman, building a life.

Six names born into the world.

Late night cries during storms.

Stories told in blankets kept us warm.

Six names born into the world.

Late night cries during storms

of rain and tragedy. Our story

tells of the power of love’s glory.

Late night cries during storms.

Of rain and tragedy. Our story

unfolds with each new day.

Even when we don’t know the way.

Of rain and tragedy; our story.

Twenty-two years gone by today.

One man, one woman, building a life

through moments of joy and strife.

Twenty-two years gone by today.

Poetic Form #52: Catena Rondo

The catena rondo is composed of a variable number of quatrains with a rhyme pattern

of AbbA. The first line of each quatrain is also the final line of the quatrain. Then, the

second line is the first line of the next quatrain The final quatrain repeats the first quatrain

word for word. There are no rules for meter, syllables, or subject matter.