Elizabeth Taylor on the set of Giant by Frank Worth |
Elizabeth, a hot young thing,
takes up some string
and twirls it round
above the ground.
It helps her memorise her lines;
the knotted twines,
the lariat,
She’s soon off pat.
And when she comes to play her scene,
with Jimmy Dean,
she casts her spell;
he’s snared as well.
© Marilyn Brindley
Thanks to Tess Kincaid for the prompt on The Mag, where we are encouraged to keep our muses alive and well. I’ve been absent for a while but this image was right up my street.
- 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.)
I first used it last September on ‘Trapped’ and I rather like it.
Very clever! (and so was Elizabeth!)
ReplyDeleteAn interesting format, if I am imagining it in my head as it is supposed to sound. Is iambic rhythm just a different way to say iambic parameter or is there a difference in the two, your di dum example seems very much like iambic parameter.
ReplyDeleteGood post, and I must read that book by Sandy Brownjohn. She taught my daughter poetry years ago in a kids class that ran on Saturdays.
ReplyDeleteRock Hudson may have a word or two about that! Nicely done.
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with The Minute, but it is interesting to learn that new forms are still being created. Your poem is quite fun -- the last line is perfection.
ReplyDeleteHello Marilyn,
ReplyDeleteHow intriguing this format is. We can totally empathise with the idea of using a structure to bring together one's ideas in a disciplined way. It certainly helps to pare everything down to the essentials, the perfect poetic form!
Elizabeth Taylor really was of the Golden Age in that she literally filled the screen with her presence, never mind the violet eyes. So, so difficult to replace....
I know few forms.
ReplyDeleteI really like your poem. Liz was someone our generation will remember. Maybe my love of horses began with National Velvet.
What a lady.
What a poem.
Great poem and a good way to learn lines and catch husbands . . . . lol
ReplyDeleteCheers :) Eddie
I hear James Deen is a pornstar these days ? My how things have changed
ReplyDeleteJimmy and the rest of us...
ReplyDeleteOutstanding.
ReplyDeleteThis is beyond clever. It's so powerful, (Verna's goal was poetry that's easy to understand and hard to forget, and you've aced that here.
ReplyDeleteYou also inspired me and given me that extra push to join in too, I hate arriving to the party or work or anything late, but I had to give this form a try. http://twincitiesblather.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-mag-3-august-2014.html
ReplyDeleteShe ensnares and bespells indeed. I love the idea of thinking that the swing, swing, swing, hum, hum hum of the lariat helped her memorize her lines. Brilliant.
ReplyDeleteShe captivated half the world's population... all the men!
ReplyDeleteClever and true...glad your back Nell. :-)
ReplyDeleteFull marks for your ability to use a poetic form to full advantage. :-)
ReplyDelete