Lillian here, happy to host Quadrille Monday at dVerse.
It’s November first and the seasons are quickly changing here in the Northeastern part of the US. Thousands of “leaf peepers” have descended on Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine in the last few weeks, enjoying nature’s magnificent show of fall foliage. Halloween is just past and Salem, Massachusetts is finally relaxing after thousands of tourists visited during the month of October and literally hundreds careened around the small town the day and night of Halloween itself. The draw of course, is the town’s sordid history: the Salem Witch Trials. Boston, with its Freedom Trail and being the home of so much history concerning the American Revolution, gladly entertains the spillover tourists during these fall months.
So what, you’re asking, is the required word for today’s Quadrille prompt? Well, it appeared in the paragraph above. As we’re careening past autumn and into winter, I began to think about how the seasons seem to pass so much more quickly as I get older. So I thought….why not? The word for today’s Quadrille is “careen”. Remember, you must use the word itself, or a form of the word, not a synonym for the word. And the word must appear in the body of your poem of exactly 44 words, sans title.
New to dVerse? Need to be refreshed on the rules?
Here’s what to do:
- Write a quadrille (a poem of EXACTLY 44 words, not including the title) AND include the word “careen” or a form of the word within the body of the poem. A synonym for careen does not fulfill the prompt. It must be the word, or a form of the word.
- Post the poem to your blog AND 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 you do not TAG or include a link to dVerse at the end of your poem, I will gently remind you to add it and then, sadly, if you do not, I will have to delete your post from Mr. Linky. Sorry to be so tough on the rules…..but truly, this is how we extend the reach of dVerse and how you get more readers as well!
- Finally, we hope you’ll tour around Mr. Linky and read and comment on the posts of others. It’s always nice to get some feedback!

Photo taken in Stowe, Vermont by Matthew Cadwell.
Welcome to Quadrille Monday, fellow dVersers! It’s a bright sunny day in Boston and I’m looking forward to leisurely reading your posts about careening today!
Step right up….lots of libations available for the small price of 44 words!
Hi Lillian. Thank you for hosting our Q! Bright afternoon sun here but a bit cold (at 9C). Hope you are enjoying the autumn weather.
I am indeed! I do love autumn!
Hello Lillian- Thanks for hosting and what a wonderful word choice! It’s beautiful here today- I’ve been planting seeds in the garden and cleaning up from the brutal summer.
Hello Linda!
Glad you like the word choice! 🙂 Ah…..I loved our gardening days in Iowa. Planting seeds for me was the penultimate sign of hope 🙂
Yes, it’s miraculous really how one tiny seed can harbor so much life. 😊
🙂
Hello Ms. Lillian … as it happened, I had composed my poem weeks ago. The first word was not ‘careen’ or a form of it. So simple to swap words! Now, I would love a Corona with a wedge of lime … please?
Corona with a wedge of lime coming right up! Ah the spirits must have been moving from you to me when I came up with the word.
Nice to see you here, my friend.
It’s late for me but I’ll pick up on the trail tomorrow to finish reading and commenting.
Nice to see you here! Sleep well and I’ll see you on the trail tomorrow….pub will be open early for some good strong hot coffee should you need it! 🙂
I will, indeed. Thanks.
Don’t lock the whiskey away!
Oh, I forgot, we switched to daylight savings time this weekend. So the prompt was one hour early over here.
Is that a good thing for you, Bjorn? Good to see you here today. We leave Wednesday for Florida and then board a ship on Thursday for almost 20 days at sea in the sunny Caribbean. We do not plan to even get off the ship….just enjoy sitting on our balcony, having lovely meals, taking in the ship’s entertainment….just enjoying the 80 degree weather! 😉
Ha… Soon I will work from before sunrise to after sunset… it is really now that the hardship begins.
I’ve donated my 44 words, so I’ll start my “plenty” of libations with a 44 milliliter shot of bourbon.
Bourbon just slid down the bar to you, Ron! 🙂
Hi Lillian–thanks for hosting. I wasn’t going to participate today, but when the Muse calls. . .😀 Have a wonderful time on your vacation.
Maybe something warm and autumnal for me.
Happy to oblige with perhaps a spiced mulled cider? Good to see you here, Merril. Yes…packing in between reading tonight 🙂
Perfect, Lillian!
Lillian,
Just finished careening through 44 words and am ready to totter up to the bar for a bracing refreshment. What do you suggest? BTW, careen is such a smashing word. Great prompt!
pax,
dora
A gin and tonic? A Singapore Sling? A mulled cider to keep within the autumnal season? Glad you enjoyed the word!
Mulled cider! Yes! And cheers, Lillian.
Coming right up!
your prompt totally inspired my ‘Salem’ poem, thanks Lillian!
I’d like a ginger tea and raspberry muffin please?
oooh, I might have a raspberry muffin and ginger tea as well! Sounds perfect for autumnal weather!
a wholesome breakfast for me, thanks!
Loved the prompt, Lillian! 💝💝 We had a power outage here shortly after the prompt started.. so I am back now 🙂 and can’t wait to read everyone. Thank you so much for hosting us.
Happy Monday!
Happy Monday to you also, dear friend! I was looking at my phone and it seems I missed a Facetime call from you? So sorry…..have been running last minute errands before we take off on vacation. Will send you some pics!
No worries! Have a wonderful vacation 😀 Looking forward to seeing those pictures!
hi Lillian loved the prompt
i am running behind as the clocks changed here in England and i forgot that it would mean the dverse pub would be open an hour earlier here.
will get to reading when i can
rog
Ah no problem. The time change snafu happened to Bjorn too. 🙂 Glad to see you here. 🙂
thanks
Stepping away from the pub for a bit to do some packing for our soon-to-begin vacation. Key is under the potted plant to the right of the door. Help yourself to libations…..all I ask is you pay with 44 words. 🙂 I shall return a bit later tonight…and again in the morning.
Thanks for the fun word, Lil. Drive-by poeming for now; hope to have time to make the rounds tomorrow. Happy writing, all!
So good to see you here tonight!
Just woke up Lillian, sorry I am late. Great prompt — thank you friend! 🙂
Glad you like the prompt! Good to see you here – glad you woke up 🙂
Hi, Lillian. I do agree with seasons careening (haphazardly) and I love to come back to a dVerse quadrille (after life careened me this part few months). I hope you enjoy you vacation. 🙂
Many thanks on the vacation wishes! And so good to see you here! 🙂
Happy to be back and have dVerse to return too ❤️ Thank you, Lillian!
I laughed because careening was also a way of cleaning sailing ships by tilting them to one side in the shallows to get the barnacles off and make repairs. A great word careen. Thank you Lillian.
Glad you like the word and good to see you here! 🙂