Saturday 5 April 2014

it's all grEEk to mE! EEk!





is for Epode




Well, the line between the dirge and the Elegy is pretty thin from what I can see, so I could dish up another version of yesterday's stuff  and repost it here, only who in their right minds wants to whip up a double dish of melancholia? So no elegy here today. Therefore, Greek is the only option, and E must be for ye olde, ye classical Epode.

The Epode is the third part of a classical Greek ode, sung after the strophe and antistrophe.  A simplified definition of the classical Greek ode would be to say it is a three part song and dance routine. The epode was the last part, consisting of couplets in which a long line was followed by a short one.  Like this:



Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious would never do
for a haiku.


Um...not quite.  To be perfectly honest, in the classical epode, the first line was written in iambic trimeter followed by one in iambic dimeter (that's seriously teeny-tiny for a line, four syllables, "teeny-tiny" itself would use up that quota), and they didn’t necessarily rhyme (thank goodness for small mercies!).  While the super- word might be iambic, I can never quite figure out the da-DUM/dot-dash stuff accurately, but for sure trimeter that line is NOT.

The flowers bloom, perfume
that garden small

who sheds the warmth of rooms?
screens consume all.



Something like that.



Another form that I could have chosen for today is the Englyn, but that is Welsh, and with due respect, one Welsh verse form per A-Z is quite enough, thank you.










Posted for the A-Z Challenge.







9 comments:

  1. I'm fascinated. Serious poet you are! I've not spent time learning rules, history, fine nuances of writing poetry. Though I might be the Joe Reader that writers look for, I have a fair appreciation for all the hard work it takes to write poetry that feels good to read Good post. :-)

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    1. History of poetry, now that is an idea! Thanks for visiting :-)

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  2. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
    Mary poppins love :D

    I still cant get the hang of the hang of this form :(

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    1. Love mary poppins too... and don't worry... be happy...write contemporary verse :)

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  3. I have a fondness for poetry and music ... hence my title of my book, FRENCH QUARTER NOCTURNE. :-) Evocative post.

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    1. They do go so well together poetry and music :)

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  4. Love poetry,
    but rhyme is not sublime.

    Backwards, I know, but having to tell students this past week that poetry rhymes (via SBAC testing script), I needed your post to heal my soul.

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  5. With my poetry I simply follow no rhythmic pattern and let it form its own.
    It is much easier that way. :)

    Thanks for coming by today.

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