I’ve said before I don’t fancy myself as any sort of poet, nor is it a writing form I’ve much explored. However, lately, there have been a few blog challenges that have led me to respond in poetry, rather than prose, and I’ve really enjoyed doing so. The latest one is from Jane Dougherty, and the challenge is to write a kyrielle based on the image above, using the words moonlight, tread, wary, secret and swaying.
If you don’t know (and I didn’t, I had to look it up), a kyrielle is a poem comprised of four line stanzas, where each line has to have eight syllables and the end line is repeated in each verse. There are apparently other forms as well, but this is the one I went with. And here is my effort:
The road runs soft into the night
Bathed bright in silver-gold moonlight
But hold! Be wary where you tread
We know not what might lie ahead
The way is clear, the path is true
A journey set for me and you
To take us far from home and bed
We know not what might lie ahead
Swaying branches, a voice unseen,
Are we awake? Or do we dream?
The stars are bright, the darkness dread
We know not what might lie ahead
A secret lies where daylight meets
The dark of night in sunrise sweet
A shout of light to raise the dead
We know not what might lie ahead
We know not what might lie ahead.
Helen Glynn Jones 
Such a lovely poem! I’ve never heard of this style before. Then again, I don’t know much about poetry. But I still very much enjoyed it.
Thank you, Rachel, really pleased you enjoyed it 🙂 I hadn’t heard of this style either, so it was nice to learn something new.
I know very little about poetry but this was lovely Helen, great effort and very visual.
Thanks, Miriam, that’s very nice of you 🙂 I don’t know much about it either, so it’s been interesting to learn about these different forms.
We grow and learn all the time don’t we? Wonderful really. 🙂
We really do, and it’s definitely a wonderful part of life 🙂
I agree. Writing and blogging opens up a whole new world and so many wonderful connections. 🙂
It does – I can’t believe how much blogging has changed things for me since I started. I’ve certainly made some wonderful connections. 🙂
Me too. It’s great isn’t it? 🙂
It sure is 🙂
Lovely poem, Helen. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks, Jane 🙂
I think its just lovely and magical, Helen! Well done!
Thanks, Ali – I enjoyed the form, I must say 🙂
It’s a lovely form
Beautiful and haunting! Well done! I didn’t know what a kyrielle is, either. Sounds like fun to try. 🙂
Thank you! It is a fun form to try, almost like writing a song. Please do share, if you write one 🙂
I’ve added it to my to-do list! Now I need to find some time to write it. 🙂
I hope you share it when you do 🙂
Very evocative, Helen, especially with the repetition of the last line of each stanza—does make it haunting. I think you’re a natural poet, too!
Thanks, Louise 🙂 I don’t know about that, I just like making rhymes… Still, this was a fun exercise to try, especially as it’s a form of writing I don’t really do. Jane is doing a cascade poem as her next challenge, so I’m going to try that as well.
Ohh I loved that, Helen! Especially the last verse. “A shout of light to raise the dead”, such powerful imagery.
Thanks so much Elissaveta – this was something a bit new for me. I’ve always liked putting rhymes together, but never really thought about poetry, so it’s been fun exploring a different form. Jane has another challenge, a cascade poem, which I’m going to try next 🙂
I’d love to join in Jane’s poetry challenges more. But I am sooooo pants at it. I know you said you don’t see yourself as a poet but damn girl…. you good! 🙂
Thanks Sacha *blushing*. And don’t be so hard on yourself, I’m sure you’re not pants at it!
Honest! I am. Told Jane the same!
😀