POETRY in-FORM-ation: The Pantoum April 12, 2010 - April 19, 2010

Reading and Deliberating

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POETRY in-FORM-ation -- hosted by Raivenne

POETRY in-FORM-ation is a weekly poem challenge to see how far you can strech your creativity within the confines of a form poem. I didn't want this to be a "course" as everyone writing here will be self-taught and we want to enjoy the results of what you've learned. Some forms will be really easy and others -- um not quite so... Hey this is a CHALLENGE after all. :D

NOTE: Ignore the "Prize". I have to fill that out as it is a requirement of the template, but there are no prizes. This weekly contest is strictly for the love and challenge of expanding our knowledge of different poetic forms.

Please pay attention to the details of the given weekly form. Since the point of this challenge is to learn (and to use) the poetic forms, any entry not adhering to the given form will be removed.

THIS WEEK'S FORM: The Pantoum

The pantoum consists of a series of quatrains rhyming ABAB in which the second and fourth lines of a quatrain recur as the first and third lines in the succeeding quatrain; each quatrain introduces a new second rhyme as BCBC, CDCD. The first line of the series recurs as the last line of the closing quatrain, and third line of the poem recurs as the second line of the closing quatrain, rhyming ZAZA.

The design is simple:

Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4

Line 5 (repeat of line 2)
Line 6
Line 7 (repeat of line 4)
Line 8

Continue with as many stanzas as you wish, but the ending stanza then repeats the second and fourth lines of the previous stanza (as its first and third lines), and also repeats the third line of the first stanza, as its second line, and the first line of the first stanza as its fourth. So the first line of the poem is also the last.

Last stanza:

Line 2 of previous stanza
Line 3 of first stanza
Line 4 of previous stanza
Line 1 of first stanza

Please note while rhyming is not required for the pantoum, the alternating line repetition is.

Example: Awaken

I awaken and start the day anew
I wish to shout for joy, but it won’t be
this piece of hell that’s become me and you
It’s simply washed all joy away from me

I wish to shout for joy, but it won’t be
With caution is how I now must behave
It’s simply washed all joy away from me
The gallant now replaced with the depraved

With caution is how I now must behave
I’m just as much his virgin as his vamp
The gallant now replaced with the depraved
A dexterous mixture of coy and tramp

I’m just as much his virgin as his vamp
Some elder ring of hell has been released
A dexterous mixture of coy and tramp
My “once upon a time’ prince now deceased

Some elder ring of hell has been released
To wallow in these sins he does impel
My “once upon a time’ prince now deceased
Like fairy tales my mother used to tell

To wallow in these sins he does impel
I join in things I once never conceived
Like fairy tales my mother used to tell
I‘m awed by all I’ve been lead to believe

I join in things I once never conceived
My mind and soul warped so far out of joint
I ‘m awed by all I’ve been lead to believe
Until I’m pushed beyond the breaking point

My mind and soul warped so far out of joint
I hushed the urge of fighting brevity
Until I’m pushed beyond the breaking point
I fought for my peace and longevity

I pushed the urge of wanting brevity
This piece of hell that’s become me and you
I fought for my peace and longevity
I awaken and start the day anew

by Raivenne