Seize the Day
I seized the day and squeezed it,
for all that it was worth:
the dawn, the sky, the earth.
I ate breakfast with gusto,
eager to get to work.
There was much to do,
and little time to shirk.
Words unfolded like petals,
in ever-changing hue.
I artistically arranged them,
until their tone was true .
By lunchtime I was famished,
my reservoir was drained.
I looked outside for solace,
to my surprise, it rained.
A sadness overcame me,
as if to match the scene.
I set to work immediately,
on an ancient dream.
I saw the rainbow brightly,
as the sun came into view.
I looked up from my work,
it made me think of you.
Soon the sun was waning,
and the shadows ever grew.
I wrote of sonnets silently,
in this life, I only wrote a few.
The sunset was spectacular,
its dusky paintbrush drew,
shadows on my garden wall,
until darkly silence subdued.
Dinner had refueled me,
with thoughts of better view.
I scratched them down briskly,
and polished them brand-new.
I laid my head down to sleep,
and dreamed of better days,
I dreamed of a new tomorrow,
to seize it where it lays.
I did not seize it where it lies,
because that would be "untrue ."
And can't you see by these words,
that I am jesting you?
Copyright 2013 © Ronald W. Hull
2/7/13
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First and foremost, poetry is loosly defined in current American culture. Free-verse is in frequent use, but again is much more effective when it can be read aloud with a steady cadence. Even more to that respect are the more traditional ryhming schemes.
I am also a songwriter and take these things very seriously. In any case, I am very methodical in counting syllables, and maintaining patterns. If I set out to write a poem with four lines to a stanza, in order for it to flow smoothly, this must be maintained from beginning to end.
Soon the sun was waning,
and the shadows ever grew.
I wrote of sonnets silently,
in this life, I only wrote a few.
The sunset was spectacular,
its dusky paintbrush drew,
shadows on my garden wall,
until darkly silence subdued.
I picked these two stanzas to make a point:
In the first stanza first line are 6 syllables, the second, 7, the third 7, and the fourth 9
In the second stanza first line there are 8 syllables, the second, 6, the third, 7, and fourth, 8.
When I begin writing a poem of this nature I put down what runs through my mind. In many cases it comes out the way your poem is written, with ongoing variences in each line. However, if I chose to use a four line format, I would stick to it from beginning to end, or at least through a series of passeges that focus one one thought, as per a paragraph.
This is where the work begins. Once I have established a pattern, it is repeated throught the piece. (Again, free-verse is quite different.) Let's say I decided that each line would have 6 syllables or a pattern of 6,7,6,7. In either case I go back through, thesaurus in hand. As I go, I pick apart the lines that don't match up to my syllable count and add, takeaway, or substitue words that mean the same thing until the pattern is matched.
humpty dumpty sat on a wall, humpty dumpty had great fall...
Obviously, it is not as simple as I might seem to be making it out to be. I reread and rewrite my poems many times before putting them out there. Many will always be works in progress. But my final test is reading and re-reading the poem aloud to determine if it flows easily off the tongue and to determine if my original idea is clearly defined.
Ultimately, the more I study poetic form, the easier it is to find the pattern that best moves the piece I am working on from beginning to end.
Dig deep and keep writing!
Enjoyed it, beautiful poem
Best wishes
Neerja
your day *Ron* you jester, you
Lady Vivian
Thanks...
TW
Anna
Regis
With respect,
Carol Phelan Aebby
Thanks for sharing and continued success.
Barbara J. Henry
You always manage to form everything together perfectly...
In visual and the reader can personally sit where you are and
experience it... This is what makes good poetry and proses... the
ability to feel, see and think or try to in the experience of the
writer..
You gave me HUGE smiles today, thank you!
Love and Light
Lily
internet hobbyist
& the cyber portal
Vickie
Love ya!
Jane
For seizing it can really grow,
Each and every day can become though quite slow,
Consider yourself lucky, at least where you live,
There is not any snow outside to blow...e
Cheers,
Dan
I was captivated by the rhythm and content. I loved it!
Peace love and light
Amber