The Twelve Apostles are unique rock formations on the southern Australian coast
in the Port Campbell National Park.
Hello and Welcome Back after Summer Break, dVersians! Lisa here, pub tending and offering any snack you can imagine from the magic cupboard. This Monday is where You and Your Muse are prompted to write a Quadrille. The name for the quadrille form is taken from an 18th Century dance, but as you may know, is also dVerse’ poetic form of just 44 words (not counting the title) and includes one word the host provides to you.
Not only that but this week is dVerse’ Twelfth Anniversary Celebration. Although I immediately recognize twelve years is a significant amount of time for a virtual poetry group to keep on keepin’ on, because my mind loves to go down the rabbit hole, I wanted to learn more about why twelve has such powerful juju.
Tidbits from wikipedia:
For math minds, twelve is a “superior highly composite number,” divisible by the numbers 2, 3, 4, and 6. It is the smallest abundant number, since it is the smallest integer for which the sum of its proper divisors (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 6 = 16) is greater than itself, and the second semi-perfect number, since there is a subset of the proper divisors of 12 that add up to itself.
Notably, twelve is the number of full lunations in a solar year, hence the number of months in a solar calendar, as well as the number of signs in the Western and the Chinese zodiac. Twelve is also the number of years for an orbital period of Jupiter.
The number twelve carries religious, mythological and magical symbolism, generally representing perfection, entirety, or cosmic order in traditions since antiquity. In ancient Greek religions The Twelve Olympians are the principal gods of the pantheon; they were preceded by twelve Titans, and Hercules carries out twelve labors. In Judaism, Ishmael – the first-born son of Abraham – has twelve sons/princes, and Jacob also has twelve sons, who are the progenitors of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. In Christianity, there are twelve disciples. In Hinduism, there are twelve Jyotirlinga (Self-formed Lingas) of Lord Shiva in Hindu temples across India according to the Shaiva tradition. In Norse religion, the chief Norse god, Odin, has twelve sons. In Muslim religion, in Twelver Shi’a Islam, there are twelve Imams, legitimate successors of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad.
Twelve is the largest number with a single-syllable name in English. In prose writing, twelve, being the last single-syllable numeral, is sometimes taken as the last number to be written as a word, and 13 the first to be written using digits. There is a plethora of poetry, literature, music, film, television, and theater that include twelve in their title or their content.
Poetry forms that have twelve lines include rondeau, rondeau prime, patrol, parallelogram de crystalline, manardina, cyclus, wavelet, rosemary, douzet, cycle, caryotte, minuette, kerf, cromorna, bragi, rondine, renrhyme, barbee, arkquain, dorsimbra, hexaduad and inverted hexaduad, imaginaerium, minute, and I’m sure there are many more.
Common synonyms for twelve include dozen, midnight, high noon, boxcars. Think about how varied each of their meanings are from each other; and each having its focused power.
Browsing for twelve-themed poems, I came across this beauty:
Twelve Twelve Twelve
By Aimee Nezhukumatathil
a.) When I was twelve, I lived
on the grounds of a mental asylum.
b). My Filipino mother was a psychiatrist,
so that meant we lived
in the doctor’s quarters—
one of the three big brick houses
that edged the institute.
c). My younger sister and I practiced Herkies—
our favorite cheerleading jumps—
off the patients’ bleachers near the softball field.
d). When I was twelve, I aced
the experiments
with celery and food coloring;
they let me skip a whole grade
and get right to The Dissections.
e). I secretly wished my supply
of grape Bubble Yum would never run out
but I couldn’t figure out how to blow bubbles
and snap the lavender gum like Sara could.
f). We sold gift wrap and crystals
for a junior high fund-raiser and my mom still asks
Where are all the crystals I bought?
and
Why don’t you display them in your house?
g). When I was twelve, I worried about
the darkening hair on my legs.
My mother bought me my first training bra—
no cup, just little triangle pieces stitched together—
and then a slice of New York-style cheesecake
to bring home.
h). Home.
i). When I was twelve, our house
always smelled of fried lumpia
or ginger.
j). We had zinnias
as wide as my outstretched hand
nodding at us in our garden.
k). My school had to create
a whole new bus stop
just for my sister and me,
and everyone stopped talking and stared
when we stepped onto the bus each morning,
smelling of grape gum and ginger roots.
l.) Just who are these girls?
Once again, we have come to the place where you put your proverbial pen to paper and warm it with your poetic spirit’s will in words.
• Pen us a poem of precisely 44 words (not counting the title), including some form of the word twelve.
• Post your Quadrille piece on your blog and link back to this post.
• Place the link to your actual post (not your blog url) on the Mister Linky page.
• Don’t forget to check the little box to accept use/privacy policy.
• Please visit other blogs and comment on their posts!
• Have fun (but only if you want to!)
msjadeli said:
Hello to All and Welcome Back!
Melissa Lemay said:
Oh thank God we’re back!❤️🤗✨
msjadeli said:
Melissa, Amen! 🙂 ❤
kim881 said:
Welcome back everyone and thank you for hosting the anniversary quadrille, Lisa! I hope everyone has had a relaxing break and look forward to reading your quadrilles.
msjadeli said:
Thanks for the welcome back, Kim and my pleasure on hosting. Now that the heat has unclenched its fist, things are mighty fine here in Michigan.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Hello all, it feels like forever since my last poem… and soon I will go on my real vacation.
Grace said:
Enjoy the vacation Bjorn.
msjadeli said:
Bjorn, it feels like forever since I read your last poem. Where will you go for your vacation??
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Wandering up north again, like every year.
Grace said:
Thank you for hosting Lisa. and Happy anniversary to our pub community!
msjadeli said:
My pleasure on hosting, Grace and it’s a perfect day to celebrate the pub’s anniversary. I raise a glass of Magners and toast you all. Cheers!
merrildsmith said:
Happy Anniversary, All, and thank you for hosting, Lisa!
msjadeli said:
My pleasure on hosting, Merril. A good day for a celebration.
Mish said:
Hello all 🙂 Thanks for hosting, Lisa! Hoping to come back later to add a Q but just wanted to drop in to say hello and CHEERS to 12 years of dVerse.
msjadeli said:
Hey there, Mish 🙂 My pleasure on hosting. Maybe seeya later with a Q!
rog said:
hell again poets of dverse
i have not been blogging for twelve years but congrats to all who have. happy holidays to all.
rog
msjadeli said:
❤
rothpoetry said:
Hi Lisa, thanks for hosting! What an interesting poem you chose for an example. On this hot day a chocolate root beer float would really taste great! I was going to say with twelve scoops of ice cream, but then I had second thoughts!! :>)
msjadeli said:
Welcome, Dwight. Glad you found the example poem interesting. LOL on the 12 scoops, that actually might feel good rolling around in in the kiddie pool on a hot day. A root beer float sounds really good right now. Haven’t had one of those in forever.
rothpoetry said:
I used to love them when I was 12!
johnlmalone said:
that poem is a ripper !!!!!
msjadeli said:
Welcome, John, and so happy you like that poem. It builds a world, doesn’t it.
johnlmalone said:
I like the exercise; I may give it a go 🙂
msjadeli said:
I hope you do. Will be looking for it on the poetry trail 🙂
Truedessa said:
Happy Anniversary – Thank you to the dVerse staff for keeping this bar open.
msjadeli said:
Welcome, Truedessa! It is my pleasure to serve as one of the hosts. It’s a cozy place to gather. Thanks to Grace and Bjorn for what they do to keep the bar open ❤
Stine Writing and Miniatures said:
Well, that is some good information!
msjadeli said:
Glad you liked the info, Christine. I was surprised by how universally important twelve is!
Stine Writing and Miniatures said:
I would have never even thought to look
Stine Writing and Miniatures said:
Congratulations on holding this pub open for 12 years!
msjadeli said:
❤
Christine Bolton, Poetry for Healing said:
Happy Anniversary D’Verse! 🙂
msjadeli said:
❤
Paula Light said:
Happy anniversary to d’Verse!
msjadeli said:
❤
M Jay Dixit said:
Hi, Lisa, thanks for hosting. Happy 12th anniversary to all! I’ve submitted my poem, I’ll be around later to read what others have written. 🙂
Sami said:
This twelve thing is amazing, Lisa.
msjadeli said:
Sami, thank you very much. It is interesting how entwined 12 is with nature and with us humans.
Sami said:
Sk amazing
msjadeli said:
Welcome, Jay, and my pleasure on hosting. Read your wonderful childhood reminisce and made comment there.
pvcann said:
Happy Twelfth everyone, thank you for the connections to twelve Lisa and for the celebratory note – especially the Twelve Apostles. 🙂
msjadeli said:
Welcome, Paul. Even though you didn’t ask, I’m setting up two whiskeys, one for you and one for me. Hey, about the Twelve Apostles, anywhere near your neck of the woods?? Cheers!
pvcann said:
Ah, the whiskey, I’m taking you for granted, accepted. No, the Twelve Apostles are on the other side of the country. Thank you 🙂
msjadeli said:
You are very welcome, and as Bill Withers sang, “use me” 🙂
pvcann said:
Lol, okay then, double shots it is. 🙂
Ali Grimshaw said:
Lisa, thanks for hosting. I found your part about the twelves in religions to be really intriguing. Loved the poem. I will have a lemonade with ice, please.
Happy Anniversary dVerse. I appreciate this community.
msjadeli said:
Welcome, Ali. Thank you for your lovely comment. One lemonade with ice in a tall frosted glass and a pink paper straw coming right up. Cheers!
Ali Grimshaw said:
How did you know I love a pink straw?
msjadeli said:
I didn’t, but I do, so… 🙂
Helen said:
Happy number 12 all you wonderful poets! On the road now, the luscious Oregon Coast in a place steeped in history … Yachats. Back soon.
msjadeli said:
❤ Helen thinking of you Cruisin the Oregon Coast with your sweetheart and this song came to mind:
Helen said:
Many thanks!! Love him and that song, perfect.
msjadeli said:
You’re most welcome ❤
lesleyscoble said:
Happy Anniversary d’Verse Poets. 🍾 Champagne is on me! Thank you Msjadeli for your wonderful quadrillic inspiration.
msjadeli said:
Welcome, Lesley! :::lining up champagne glasses:::: ::::pop!:::: ::::pour:::: Cheers! My pleasure and thank you on the prompt.
lesleyscoble said:
Cheers! Your good health 🥂
Thank you for the prompt! 🌹
msjadeli said:
❤
Frewin55 said:
12 years is a long time in internet years and the Poets Pub is clearly an amazing institution which I am so happy to be part of now – my poem celebrates it – albeit rather late!
It’s breakfast time for me so I will have a coffee if that’s not too much trouble…
msjadeli said:
Welcome, Andrew. I just read your poem at your site and commented. One mug of coffee (hope you wanted it hot?) Cheers!
calmkate said:
Belated Happy Anniversary D’Verse and Lisa … loving your choice of pics!
I cycled this stretch of road from Warrnambool to Geelong [ages ago], such an amazing coastline
msjadeli said:
Welcome, Kate! Can’t imagine how thrilling to bike that stretch!
calmkate said:
a very narrow road with constant traffic plus raining … exhilarating and risky!
msjadeli said:
Ooh, not my cup of tea, but I bet it gets your blood pumping!
calmkate said:
it is an adrenalin challenge, fortunately I did it with a great mate 🙂
msjadeli said:
🙂