A Happy Home

Swap Quatrain

There is a house around the bend,

Quick sneak a peek! I'd recommend.

( dismiss soft squeaks from country mouse)

Around the bend there is a house.

Smooth cobblestones soon beckon me,

as mossy trails grow wild 'n free.

Majestic queen in multi-tones,

soon beckon me, smooth cobblestones.

Glass windows stained mosaic hues,

cast tantalizing spark'ling views.

Victorian pizzazz ingrained …

Mosaic hues, glass windows stained.

Each spandrel wraps wood porch encased,

'pon corbels jutting, interlaced.

Grid latticework trim, overlaps

wood porch encased, each spandrel wraps.

Steep turrets rise as archway looms,

soon grasping braided ivy blooms.

Remarkable charm, I surmise,

as archway looms, steep turrets rise.

Adornments placed 'neath roofing crest,

when architecture's finely dressed.

Knob finials stand firmly braced,

'neath roofing crest adornments placed.

Bright mornings' sun shall soon bewitch

as rambling roses find their niche.

An English garden, so well done!

Shall soon bewitch bright mornings' sun.

Her beauty beams throughout the day,

My neighborhood queen on display.

Enchanted dollhouse shaping dreams,

throughout the day, her beauty beams.

This happy home, she's grinning bright!

( I must admit, her smiles delight)

Around the bend, again, I'll roam …

She's grinning bright, this happy home!

Author's Note

A few blocks from my home is an old Victorian house. I often walk past it just to enjoy her charm... and gardens.
Thank you Richard W. Jenkins for introducing me to this form.

Swap Quatrain
Attributed to Lorraine M. Kanter
Within the Swap Quatrain each stanza in the poem must be a quatrain (four lines)
where the first line is separated at the fourth syllable and reversed in the fourth line.
In addition, line 2 must rhyme with line 1, and line 3 must rhyme with line 4 and so on, and no limit
to number of stanzas, BUT must not repeat the same rhyming pattern on subsequent stanzas.
Eight syllables per line. Rhyming pattern: AabB, CcdD, and so on.
As always, open to suggestions. Thanks for reading. :-)

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

The Victorians and the Georgians certainly gifted some grand architecture. I live in an area where some of these homes still exist. Most of them now turned into apartments because they would be too costly to upkeep these days. Magnificent and ornate. You have described their fairy take appearance so well here Susan. Your poem has much charm, is well crafted as all your work is and the form is an interesting one. Love your chosen posted image too. Have a lovely Sunday.

Chris

[Susan 🦋]

Well Chris, it certainly will be a lovely Sunday after reading this review! Thank you so much!!

[KAREN]

This was breathtaking and the imagery was awesome!

[Susan 🦋]

Thank you!!! This was a fun write! :-)

[KAREN]

You're very welcome!

[Franky]

VERY well done. I'd like to buy it! 😀

[Susan 🦋]

Thank you Frankie:)

[Franky]

You are welcome! 😀

[Dave Brown]

Very easy to join the waterfall of review congrats on this
My only suggestion is for me not to try anything so complicated and expect such a terrific result
If that is your painting, the whole effort becomes even that much more impressive
Tremendous amount of detail, which takes time, skill and patience
Overall, very impressive

[Susan 🦋]

I love to paint! but this is not mine. Thank you for the great review! I think you should try this form! It's fun! and if you do, please tell me. Thanks again and have a wonderful day :-)

[Vertigo Cat1111]

This is such a gorgeous and detailed, intricate piece. You rhymed everything so perfectly, and uniquely, too. All the amazing words you’re able to fit in and the colors and hues you painted with this poem feel nostalgic, surreal, yet strong. It really feels like the reader’s there with the old house. This is a fully fleshed pit, high quality beautiful poem. Thank you for sharing!

[Susan 🦋]

What a beautiful review!! Thank you for diving into this little write! I am so happy you enjoyed it :)

[Lathen Griffiths]

‘Swap Quatrain!’ That’s great, but what I found more impressive was all those wonderful terms relating to architecture that you slotted in. Brilliant!

[Susan 🦋]

Thank you Lathen for such a sweet review!

[LJW]

I admire the work put into this. I find it impossible to write this way.

As I was reading along I thought it would make a beautiful illustrated book.

[Kathy Van Kurin]

' A Happy Home'
Susan,
I found your name while reading one of Richard's pieces; his ;Winter Song' haiku. Visiting a new author Its nice to read the poetry which I have not before. I usually go back to a person's very first entry but sometimes it's the first which catches my eye. Your house's Architecture was so beautiful, graceful and strong in past times. Mentioning knob finials, lacework trims, corbels, and stained glass are just a few of the details which were so lovely to behold. You did justice to the swap quatrain. I had just read Richard's. Your neighborhood Queen Victorian home sounds like a real jewel! You are super fortunate.

[Susan 🦋]

Hi kathy! Thank you for stopping by and reading this poem! I am so pleased you enjoyed it!! Thank you so much for the great review! :-)

[Gee]

Don't think rhyming poetry gets much better than this, so good :)

[Susan 🦋]

Well thank you for putting this smile on my face today!!