I’m sitting high up in a tree.
Oh pity me.
In branches wide
I cannot hide.
My vertigo has trapped me here.
I’m full of fear,
and not resigned
within my mind.
Descent would be too perilous.
I’m querulous
I know, That’s true.
You would be too!
© Marilyn Brindley
Tess at The Mag gave us the prompt picture and I had fun using a form that's new to me, The Minute. It's a recent form invented by an American, Verna Lee Hine Gardner and based on the number of seconds in a minute.
- The syllables are spread over twelve lines: 8 in the first, fifth and ninth lines and 4 syllables in all the other lines.
- It's written in iambic rhythm (di-dum)
- it is punctuated as prose, in that capital letters only appear after full stops and not necessarily at the beginning of lines.
- It rhymes in couplets a,a, b,b ,c,c, d,d, e,e, f,f.
(from 'The Poet's Craft' by Sandy Brownjohn.
Try it and see what you come up with; I'm definitely going to use this again.
The image is by Jeanie Tomanek
I love it! The form really works. I am off to try it out
ReplyDeleteVertigo,indeed...I suffer from a tad, too...
ReplyDeleteSometimes my cat used to sing that song ... :D
ReplyDeleteI know the feeling! Well done...love poems that have a form..you did it!!
ReplyDeleteI cannot ride a Ferris Wheel ... let alone climb a tree ~~ nice writing!!
ReplyDeleteHehehe! Vertigo? Your clever words are enough to send anybody's head spinning. :)
ReplyDeleteLove this, Nell.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jenny, this could have been written by a (very poetic) cat. And I learned some new words (perilous and querulous).
ReplyDeleteYou have discovered a place where maths and english come together - not a bad placed to be trapped in.
ReplyDeleteYes, so would I.
ReplyDeleteThis looks an interesting poetry form and you have used it very effectively. Poor 'you', forever stuck up a tree:-)
ReplyDelete"The Fates lead on the willing person, the unwilling person, they drag "- gday Nell
ReplyDeleteWow amazing form Nell! Vertigo I can relate to all too well.....it can make you feel like you are trapped on a carnival ride for sure. :-)
ReplyDeletenicely done...and thanks for sharing
ReplyDelete