Form Verses Creativity~ a Florette

photo credit ~ vidya shankararaman

David of The skeptic’s kaddish and I began a fun poetry partnership in April. We just celebrated writing together a 100 verse renga, The Hyakuin 🙂 And within days, decided we would absolutely love to continue our writing collaboration and what has grown to be a warm friendship with a new poetry project.

We’ve decided to explore poetry forms, one each from A to Z. Each week one of us chooses a poetry form the other responds to. David suggested we title it Form verses creativity 🙂 This week,  we’re writing – The Florette. We’d love it if you want to respond with an Florette of your own!

F for Florette

David’s Florette to Sangeetha

Jerusalem upon the hills,
exposed to keen Winterbeast's chill;
icy claws through sky's darks have pried;
frigid wings battering stone sides.
We hear its tail thrashing outside, long howls so shrill.

Jerusalem sky's rippling gray,
few dare venture outside this day.
Winterbeast soars, gnashing its teeth;
none dare draw longswords from their sheaths.
Freezing above, mucky beneath, breaths heavy weigh.

Sangeetha’s response to David

Jerusalem surprised by snow;
Boon or bane? Elpis doesn't know. 
Schools close, makeshift sledges come out;
On slopes, children slip, slide, and shout.
Winterbeast rages on, no doubt, but hope still glows.

Jerusalem takes to the cold,
Wears a tallit of white and gold.
The chill is braced, the day is seized;  
Men aim to tame the Winterbeast.
Prayers and hopes for warmth and peace touch every soul.

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Florette

• Version 1 – Quatrain Stanzas
  • Rhyme scheme: aaba;
    • interlaced rhyme in line four, where syllable eight shares the “b” rhyme;
  • Syllabic: 8/8/8/12;
  • Meter: Iambic.
• Version 2 – Quintet Stanzas
  • Rhyme scheme: aabba;
    • interlaced rhyme in line five, where syllable eight shares the “b” rhyme;
  • Syllabic: 8/8/8/8/12;
  • Meter: Iambic.

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David and Sangeetha’s ‘Form verses creativity’

1. The Alouette
2. The Balance
3. The Candlelight
4. The Dizain
5. The Etheree
6. The Florette