Poetic Form 81: Haibun

 A Father's Gift

A man, shoulders soft from time, stands next to his child, who is now taller 

than him. The man holds a box, a gift, for his son. Wooden, carved with 

calligraphy of the past. The box is heavy in the man’s hands. His son lifts it 

with ease. They smile; one is bright, the other scarred. In that moment one 

can feel time shift in the son’s favor. The man’s chest falls and rises through

earthquakes of memories. The son opens the box to find,

fall leaves ---

crumbling on to

his path

 

Poetic Form #81: Haibun

The haibun form combines a prose poem with a haiku. The form was popularized by the 17th century Japanese poet Matsuo Basho. The prose poem and the haiku communicate with each other in some way. The prose poem usually sets a scene in an objective manner. The haiku follows the rules for haiku.

Poetic Form 80: Kyrielle

 

Doesn't Know

Late on a January night,

blizzard conditions are in sight.

Bitter cold drops to stake a claim.

The winter wind doesn’t know my name.

The snap hooks on a flagpole keep

uneven time for those asleep.

I hear Mother Nature’s fierce claim.

The winter wind doesn’t know my name.

The rumble of long vowels tells me

I am an outcast to these trees,

swaying outside my window frame.

The winter wind doesn’t know my name.

It is darker on the other

side of the window. The covers

no shield against this dark night’s aim.

The winter wind doesn’t know my name.

Poetic Form #80: Kyrielle

The kyrielle is a French four-line stanza form that uses a refrain in the fourth line.

Each line contains 8 syllables. Traditional kyrielle poems are written in iambic

tetrameter. The rhyme scheme is flexible and really up to the poet. Some common

schemes are (B is the refrain): 

• aabB

• abaB

• aaaB

• abcB

The poem can also be as long as the poet wants. 

Poetic Form 79: Interlocking Rubaiyat

 Another Storm

Another storm, my hands become

numb. The wind cuts like a bass drum

along the street, angry with us.

Eyes closing I shy away from

Mother Nature’s judgment. Night plus

time reveals a clearing sky, thus

I can see Orion standing, 

shield ready as if he mistrusts

the oncoming day. Commanding

the horizon from expanding.

I wonder if he can save me,

from the storm I am withstanding.

My breath, white and dense, show the degree

the night has fallen. The grey trees

whisper over my head, “No, he

will not step from the stars for thee.”

Poetic Form #79: Interlocking Rubaiyat

The Interlocking Rubaiyat is composed of quatrains following 

an aaba rhyme pattern. The successive quatrain uses the 

unrhymed line as the rhyme for that stanza. A three-stanza 

rubaiyat rhyme scheme would be: aaba/bbcb/ccdc. Sometimes 

the final stanza rhymes all four lines. The lines are usually tetrameter 

and pentameter. Robert Frost’s "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” 

is a classic example.

Poetic Form 78: Minute Poem

 Look

The eyes fall to another time,

and place. I climb

to see the path,

she walks with wrath.

The gate is locked with old beliefs.

Lover’s motifs

of broken rings,

the arrows sting.

I scream, frustration hits my chest.

A question pressed 

my words, disguised

past her sad eyes.

Poetic Form #78: Minute Poem

The minute poem is a recent poetic form.
The form is devised of 3 quatrains with 8 syllables in the first line of
each stanza. There are 4 syllables in the remaining lines of each stanza.
The rhyme scheme is aabb/ccdd/eeff and written in strict iambic meter.
Each stanza contains 20 syllables. With 3 stanzas that equals equals
60 syllables total. 60 seconds, or a minute. 

Poetic Form 77: Landay

 

Love your neighbor, they holler as the

blood runs from wounds to the head and heart by prayless hands.

Neighbor needs a new definition,

besides the reflection we use from mirrors on the wall.

Poetic Form #77: Landay
The landay form varies in length but the couplet is the base structure. This means the poem can be two lines or several pages. The form most likely originated in the area of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. The couplet consist of 9 syllables in the first line; 13 syllables in the second line. Landay poems tend to reveal harsh truths (love, grief, war) using biting wit.

There is not a specific rhyme pattern for a landay, though the lines tend to end on the sounds of "na" and "ma". This is difficult to replicate in the English language.

Poetic Form 76: Elegy

 

Thoughts of a Son (an Elegy to Time)

I remember holding you

while mom rested. The Vikings

playing on the hospital 

TV. Remote on the bed 

rail. I wouldn’t give you up to

anyone, not even mom.

The world was brand new again.

I felt like everything was

possible. You learned to crawl,

then walk, and then run. We read

books in the middle of church.

Took walks so we could touch the

bark on the trees. Watch squirrels

play tag on the limbs. I tried

to show you how to reach the

horizon before the sun

burned away all the colors.

But now, now there is silence

at the dinner table that

echoes in my heart, leaving

me wishing I knew how to

stop the sun from falling so

far below the stars we use

to watch on late summer nights.

A baby boy grew into 

a child that became a teen

that stood inches above me.

Today you are a young man,

but time holds you as my son.

Poetic Form #76: Elegy
The formal definition of an elegy is a song of sorrow or mourning. 

Today, though, poets have written elegies for the ends of things, a life,

a relationship, even a football season. There are no rules on form. 

With an elegy the message matters.

Poetic Form 75: Roundabout

 Still in Love

In the soft light she moved, beauty.

I fell fast to the ground,

losing my heart.

Her kiss a dart.

I fell fast to the ground

making my tongue confound.

She laughs, whispers abstract

words on starlight;

words that delight.

She laughs, whispers abstract

ideas that color the track

of scars unseen. A rite

left with cruelty.

An old movie

of scars unseen, a rite.

She lifts me to the starry night.

Hands soft, full lips ruby.

Arms closed around

beauty profound.

Hands soft, full lips ruby.

Poetic Form #75: Roundabout

The Roundabout form was created by Sara Diane Doyle. The form 

is a four stanza poem. Each stanza consists of 5 lines. The poem 

is written in iambic and the lines have 4 feet, 3 feet, 2 feet, 2 feet 

and 3 feet respectively. The second line of each stanza is the last line 

of that stanza. The rhyme scheme looks like this:

aBccB

bCddC

cDaaD

dAbbA

January 6, 2021

 

January 6, 2021

I stand upon a hill

    overlooking my city

    searching for a peaceful place to write

Even though the sun

    has not set

    the horizon is dark and moving

        like smoke

The darkness billows out

    covers the land and sky

    moving towards me

 

Street lights flicker on 

    for a second 

    then are extinguished 

        little firecrackers popping

 

I follow the firework display 

    while darkness covers

    the street and buildings

I frown as people scramble

    out of buildings

    only to be snuffed out

        like the street lights

As my city disappears

    I feel my hair move

    as a breeze grows strength

In seconds the wind howls

    I swear I can hear

    the violent sound

        of teeth gnashing

The wind tears tears from my eyes

    my ears ringing

    as I bow my head

I set my feet and shoulders

    against the approaching darkness

    now at the base of the hill

        I am afraid

My chest hurts as my heart

    tries to break free

    to find a safer place

 The darkness rushes

    over me, I kneel

    It sounds like a pack of wolves

        but I feel no teeth

The world around me becomes silent

    I wait a moment

    to open my eyes

Reluctantly, I lift my lids

    I see nothing

    until my eyes adjust

        to the darkness

I can see the faintest outlines

    of the world around me

    shoes, notebook and pen

 

My first thought is 

    what will tomorrow 

    be like now 

        I hopelessly sigh

 

On instinct, I find my 

    notebook, pen and thoughts

    I start to write

While the ink saturates the paper

    my pen becomes a light

    I look up to see

        other small flames

The darkness is being punctured

    in the city below

    stark light against the stillness

 

For a moment  

    I think I see

    the constellation

        Ursa Minor

I stand, watching the single flames

    start to migrate

    to the center of town

The lights move as one

    becomes two

    becomes three

        becomes together

The darkness dissolves

    in ragged patches 

    from the light of talent

With my pen and paper in hand

    I start down the hill

    to join the others

        removing this blanket of darkness