Tags

, , , ,

We have come round again to some sombre times as with the recent All Souls Day, commemorating the departed. A journey described by Linda Hogan’s “Lost in the Milky Way”

“Some of us are like trees that grow with a spiral grain 
as if prepared for the path of  the spirit’s journey 
to the world of all souls. 

It is not an easy path. 
A dog stands at the opening constellation 
past the great helping hand. 

This is the first on your map. There is another 
my people made of  the great beyond
that lies farther away than this galaxy...” [more]

And for still others of us it’s also a time when we stand in silent respect and remembrance of all those who perished in both world wars and beyond as in this moving extract of Vera Brittain’s “Roundel” to her fiancé, brother and two close friends killed in the 1914-18 war:

“(“Died of Wounds”) 

Because you died, I shall not rest again, 
But wander ever through the lone world wide, 
Seeking the shadow of a dream grown vain 
Because you died. 

I shall spend brief and idle hours beside 
The many lesser loves that still remain”… [more]

That refrain is heartbreaking but Algernon Swinburne describes “The Roundel” as for both mourning and joy:

“A roundel is wrought as a ring or a starbright sphere, 
With craft of delight and with cunning of sound unsought, 
That the heart of the hearer may smile if to pleasure his ear 
A roundel is wrought. 

Its jewel of music is carven of all or of aught— 
Love, laughter, or mourning—remembrance of rapture or fear— 
That fancy may fashion to hang in the ear of thought….[more].

Circling back to the 14th Century: Though we often associate the Roundel with Swinburne, his was a 19th century deviation because it is to Chaucer that we owe this poetry style, (as well as the iambic pentameter and the ‘rime royal’).

Thus we distinguish the Chaucerian Roundel from all other forms as well as from The Rondel and Rondeau. And by now you’ve guessed that our poetry today is to be written as Chaucer outlines:

Poetry Style:

  • 13 lines
  • 3 stanzas divided into 3 lines (tercet); 4 lines (quatrain) 6 lines (sestet)
  • rhyme scheme: A B1 B2/a b A B1/a b b A B1 B2
  • usually 10 syllables per line as iambic pentameter

As is evident from the above there are only 2 rhymes to the scheme, and once you have the first 3 lines, it repeats in two refrains so the poem is not too challenging!

And here are some useful links with examples:

Once you have written and posted your poem, according to the guidelines above, do add it to Mr Linky below then go visiting and reading other contributors as that is half the fun of our dVerse gatherings.
Please also TAG dVerse in your post, or include a link at the end of your poem that leads readers back to this dVerse prompt

[N.B. Mr Linky closes Saturday 3 p.m. EST]