John Hollander wrote a series of 169 poems (13 x 13) called "Powers of Thirteen" in which each poem was thirteen lines, each line thirteen syllables. I had to try it and thought that the rather obvious theme of music (the chromatic scale) would be easy
Touches each note, some heard, some seen and some only felt
In the measured playing of white light and black shadows,
The crescendos and diminuendos of birdsongs
At the edge of where the woods rise up from fallow fields
And chords of chorusing crows write their notes on the snow;
This place where you thought you could come and compose yourself
And find you have nothing to say, minor metaphors
That don't ring true where everything is what it is;
Even you if you measure yourself by what is true.
But truly you can't resist thinking in simile,
Words, not music, your forte: how the furrows have frayed
And broken over the fret of hills, how like your life.
Poetry by countryfog
Read 793 times
Written on 2010-11-18 at 11:37
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Chromatic
On a scale of one to thirteen, any given dayTouches each note, some heard, some seen and some only felt
In the measured playing of white light and black shadows,
The crescendos and diminuendos of birdsongs
At the edge of where the woods rise up from fallow fields
And chords of chorusing crows write their notes on the snow;
This place where you thought you could come and compose yourself
And find you have nothing to say, minor metaphors
That don't ring true where everything is what it is;
Even you if you measure yourself by what is true.
But truly you can't resist thinking in simile,
Words, not music, your forte: how the furrows have frayed
And broken over the fret of hills, how like your life.
Poetry by countryfog
Read 793 times
Written on 2010-11-18 at 11:37
Save as a bookmark (requires login) Write a comment (requires login) Send as email (requires login) Print text
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melanie sue |
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Peter J. Kautsky |
