Another Blogger's Inspiration

Sheri Doyle is our host today for Poetry Friday.  Thanks, Sheri!

            I read Joy Acey’s poems every day and in January, she posted a couple of minute poems (see the ‘how-to’ below).  One of those posts is here.  I liked Joy's poems and took her challenge to write my own.  It’s fun to try different forms, and Joy often gives ideas on her blog.

            Recently I have started a writing group for the staff at my school.  Since I now live very close, we will meet at my house and have already met once.  For now we’ll only meet once a month, but are hoping to increase that in the summer. Every one of us does some kind of writing both for ourselves and with students, and we are excited to share and receive support within the group.  These poems below are what I shared with the group, who gave me good advice and response, and I’ve been working “with” the words since.  If you have suggestions please share, and try your own if you’d like! 

From Joy:  Write a Minute Poem. The Minute Poem is a rhyming verse form consisting of 12 lines of 60 syllables written in strict iambic meter. The poem is formatted into 3 stanzas of 8,4,4,4; 8,4,4,4; 8,4,4,4 syllables. The rhyme scheme is as follows: aabb, ccdd, eeff. 

             Sixty Seconds               

Alliteration taps the tone;

assonance moans.

Meter governs

poem forms learned.

It takes more than just a minute,

jumping in it,

yet poetry                                          

shouts out to me.                                                           

‘Tisn’t easy to write a rhyme

I’ll take the time

with words galore,

And write some more.

    More Than Sixty Seconds

Cones of evergreens hold the seed

when they’re in need

of newer trees.

It’s a reprise

over time in evolution.

Great solution!

When forests burn,

cones have their turn.

Then blessed water, pouring rain.

Seeds don’t complain.

Now let us cheer,

the trees are here!

photo credit: Leo Reynolds via photopin cc