Form Verses Creativity ~ zejel

David & Sangeetha‘s new poetry project

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 are writing  a Zejel .  We’d love it if you want to respond with a Zejel of your own!

Z: Zejel

David’s Zejel

Ends are beginnings if we will
Continue together until
We come to feel we've lost the thrill.

The tail end of the alphabet
Offers poets a fresh reset;
Certainly, we are worn, and yet
Versing is how we hone our skill.

As one, we've found no greater fun
Than exchanging fine stanzas spun,
Knowing our journey's just begun,
For our bards' hearts can't be fulfilled!

Therefore, our words shall continue
To sing, as they have come to do;
It's how we endlessly renew
Ourselves, and fresh insights distill.

Sangeetha, the honor's been mine
To devour your each line divine
And humble rhymes to intertwine.
... You're my beloved partner still.

Sangeetha’s Zejel

In ends, always are beginnings
Where imagination wears wings
Where we wake worlds with our writings

On Streams of wonder, verses flow,
Zephyrs of friendship gently blow
Sands of time script our tomorrows
Filled with joy that poetry brings

In rhyme we tap our feet and dance
Words weave tales when we take a chance
And with crayons, we draw new plans
All synced up, our one heart sings

We'll write poems on paper-boats
Together we will let them float
Beneath eyelids where life emotes
You and I will make beginnings

Dearest David, you say it best
In words beautifully honest
Touching life with tenderness
You're the one... the most inspiring!

Zejel?

• The first stanza has three lines, rhyming aaa;
• All other stanzas – as many of them as you like – have 4 lines, rhyming bbba;
  • The a rhyme harking back to the first stanza;
  • The overall rhyming scheme for the poem is aaa/bbba/ccca/ddda/…
• Colloquial language tends to be used, and 8-syllable lines are usual (though not obligatory)

David & Sangeetha‘s Form Verses Creativity

1. The Alouette
2. The Balance
3. The Candlelight
4. The Dizain
5. The Etheree
6. The Florette
7. The Ghazal
8. The Hexaduad
9. The Italian octave
10. The Jue Ju
11. The Kimo
12. The Limerick
13. The Marianne
14. The Nocturna
15. The Ottava Rima
16. The Pathya Vat
17. The Quintilla
18. The Retrac
19. The Sijo
20. The Tritina
21. The Ukiah
22. The Verso-Rhyme
23. The Waltz Wave
24. The Lira
25. The Yadu
26. The Zejel

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