Lillian here, delighted to host our Monday Quadrille at dVerse, the virtual pub for poets around the globe.

WHAT IS A QUADRILLE?  It’s a unique form of poetry created by dVerse. It’s exactly 44 words, not including the title. It includes a specific word in the body of the poem, provided by the prompter. Writers may use the exact word or a form of the word; but not a synonym for the word. For example, if the prompt word is “write”, we can use the word “write”, “writer” or “written” in the body of the poem.  The word “author” (a synonym for writer) would not fulfill the prompt.

TODAY’S PROMPT
What do the following words have in common?  Bass, agape, lead, minute, sewer and entrance. They’re all homographs.
Homographs are words with the same spelling, but different pronunciations and meanings. To work out which pronunciation and which meaning is appropriate, you must look at the context. Using the example words given above:

He plays the bass in the orchestra.
She loves to fish for bass. 

His mouth was agape in shock.
People who donate to charity out of the goodness of their hearts are said to practice agape love.

The map will lead you to the treasure.
He drove the car with a lead foot.

Fleas are minute creatures.
Wait a minute!

She is an expert sewer, especially with tailored garments.
Yech! We need to have someone clean out the sewer!

She made her entrance via the door on right stage.
That music can easily entrance the audience.

SO WHAT IS THE EXACT WORD REQUIRED FOR TODAY’S QUADRILLE?
It’s WOUND. How did you just pronounce the word in your head when you read it? It can be pronounced in two different ways, each with its own meaning. It is indeed a homograph!

Want to make today’s prompt a bit tougher?  Instead of just using one pronunciation/meaning of WOUND as one of the 44 words, include the word WOUND twice – as two of the 44 words – using both of its meanings/pronunciations and thus including the homographic pair. Whether you use the word “wound” once or twice in the body of the poem, the poem must be exactly 44 words in length- not including the title.

Not to wound anyone’s sense of poetic expertise, I’ll wind this prompt up with directions for anyone new to dVerse!

Here’s what to do:

• Write a Quadrille: a poem of exactly 44 words, not including the title, that includes today’s prompt word, “wound” in the body of the poem.
• We can use the word “wound” or a form of the word – not a synonym for the word.
• Post the quadrille to your blog.
• Add the exact URL for your poem to Mr. Linky below.
• REMEMBER to either TAG dVerse in your post, or include a link at the end of your poem that leads readers back to dVerse (https://dversepoets.com).
• If there is no Tag or link back to dVerse, I will gently remind you to add it or remove your post from Mr. Linky. Sorry to be so harsh…..but this is just part of the requirements AND it will bring you more readers and lead more folks to dVerse so they can participate as well!

Happy Quadrille Monday!