Wednesday, January 16, 2013

IGWRT's - Words Count - "Iambic Pentameter"


Iambic Pentameter

Meterical line in traditional verse
da DUM da DUM da DUM,

syllables unstressed, stressed
ictic, non-ictic stuck upon my tongue

drop as blobs upon a paper,
my departure from form
unlike the Bard's.

Mine, soon to be crumpled, tossed;
so much for intonations and pace.

by Margaret Bednar, January 16, 2013


This is for Imaginary Garden with Real Toad's - Words count with Mama Zen:  today's challenge: Got a form that slays you... write about it in 75 (generous) words or less.   I KNEW exactly what to write about  :)

29 comments:

Mimi Foxmorton said...

I adore your blobs upon the paper.........

Shakespeare never had it so good! :)

George said...

This is quite funny, Margaret. I'm with you on this matter of form; I find it is too restrictive. I think poetry needs rhythm, but as in jazz, the same old beat—da DUM da DUM da DUM—can be boring.

Janine Bollée said...

Horses for courses, I suppose. To me it is so easy, like speech. In fact, when writing a poem I have to make sure that I am not using it.
Chaucer is to blame: having had to work my way through most of his work, the iambic pentameter became second nature.

Sherry Blue Sky said...

I LOVE this and totally relate to it! Forms make my mind glaze over. Though I do feel pleased as Punch when occasionally I manage one:)

Susan said...

Whew, what a relief! After so many anti-free verse poems this is a drink of fresh water. I adore iambic pentameter, but I also enjoy how you diss it and miss it!

Margaret said...

Ha. I know. Some of my favorite are pure form.

Fireblossom said...

You're a delight.

I have been thinking about you and your family.

Unknown said...

I love a good bit of form poetry. I think in form and rhyme, so you've offered a glimpse at a totally different viewpoint.

Margaret said...

Thank you. Truly.

Margaret said...

Well, sometimes I'm sure it is because I have so much to learn and my talent is wobbly. :)

Laurie Kolp said...

Great form on your non-form storm!

Marian said...

this is hilarious and i find it so real and true! i like writing in many forms, but the i.p. reduces me to swill very quickly. love it!

Hannah said...

I'm right there with you my poetic friend!! Well done!

Mary said...

Margaret, I especially like the second stanza....almost a tongue twister! Sometimes a person just has to laugh!

Susie Clevenger said...

You have managed the form well with words that say you cannot do it..love it!

Vagabonde said...

I like what your wrote but I would be unable to read it aloud… could you translate it into French?

Margaret said...

French is by far the most beautiful language. I could listen to it forever. My daughter took Frenxmch for two years and I love when she rattles off a few basic sentences. I also named one of my daughters " Jeanette Marie". I believe that is quite French. :).

Margaret said...

Vagabonde: How is this?


Pentameter iambic

Meterical ligne dans le verset traditionnelle
da da da DUM DUM DUM,

syllabes inaccentuées, a souligné
ictique, non ictique collé sur ma langue

tomber comme des gouttes sur un papier,
mon départ de la forme
contrairement à celui de Bard.

Mine, qui sera bientôt froissé, jeté;
tant pour les intonations et le rythme.

Kerry O'Connor said...

Haha! This is loads of fun, Margaret. I guess the iambic meter is something you can 'hear' or not.
I love that photo too!

Helen said...

Perfectly (funny)!!

Ella said...

Oh, that struggle...yeah, this is mine too..I also love the photo and your take on this prompt :D

Maude Lynn said...

I'm with you, sister!

Grace said...

Amen to this ~ I never understood Da-DUM and frankly it stresses me out ~

I hope you are feeling better ~ I will start writing for our In Tandem post but if you want to start, please feel free to do so ~

Margaret said...

Grace - I prefer to follow your lead. :)

hedgewitch said...

Laughing, Margaret. You ended up with a pretty strong meter in this, even if you didn't mean to--it's insidious! I used to find it almost impossible to even recognize stuff like iambic pentameter, let alone write in it, but the more I play around with it the more it creeps in, even in my free verse sometimes. Hope you and your family are feeling better.

Brian Miller said...

hahaha....i am learning to like form somewhat...meter is not my strong point...i like letting the verse find its own rhythm...

Mr. Charleston said...

Form works for me, I'm a song writer. Ha

Anonymous said...

LOVE this, Margaret! i feel exactly the same way about meter!

Ginnie Hart said...

HA! That's fun. :)