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Sunday, December 30, 2012

For Real Toads: Sunday mini-challenge

Robert Herrick
1591-1674
Wikipedia photo

For the last Sunday mini-challenge of the year at the Imaginary Garden with Real Toads, our Kerry has introduced to us the work of poet Robert Herrick and his variation in the line lengths of last week's Common or Hymnal Measure.


I'm having one of those days wherein I can't take very much very seriously, and find myself addressing my submission to Kerry herself, 'way over there in South Africa, from whence she attempts to educate the ineducable, such as I, to write something that doesn't sound like Rudyard Kipling or Robert W. Service.

I submit hereby a plea on behalf of all humorous essayists who attempt, and fail, to versify seriously, so that hymnists everywhere might forgive us for adding extra two-syllable lines here and there, etcetera.



dear poetess, we smile to see
you varying the form
as Herrick did so long ago
to take it from the norm,
Wikipedia photo
but wait!
two syllables do not 
a full
line make
nor does my rhyme fit in
the form
we make for Herrick’s sake
    
we take our inspiration from
the model you provided
and hope that we will find ourselves
praised and not derided
but haste!
we must the deadline make:
Sunday
will be
Monday, ere my wee rhyme
can be read by you o’er there
in South African time


12 comments:

Tammy said...

You are so clever! Happy New Year, Kay!

Maude Lynn said...

This is just marvelous, Kay! I love it!

Kerry O'Connor said...

Indeed, it is Monday, and I'm the first one to read your poem a la Herrick. I'm thrilled to see it is addressed to me, and am tickled by your satirical approach. Form challenges do invite a slightly tongue-in-cheek response! Thanks, Kay. You are such a good sport.

Madeleine Begun Kane said...

Haha! What fun!
Madeleine Begun Kane

Scarlet said...

Kay this is a riot ~ Ha..ha..ha...I love what you did with the form ~

Wishing you Happy New Year ~

Fireblossom said...

This is cute, Kay. And you left me in the dust...I didn't even come close to writing anything for this challenge. Such a disappointing Toad am I! ;-)

Unknown said...

Valiant and amusing effort, for sure, Kay! Happy New Year!

Susan said...

I am laughing, friend. Addressing Herrick, addressing Kerry, addressing herself, your narrator pleases me totally! and does it in style! (Plus, you wrote 2 while most of us sighed at completing one!) I hope you keep that humor and level of achievement forever. Happy New Year.

Hannah said...

This is fun, Kay!! And it's good to have fun when you're feeling funny...I enjoyed this humor!! :)

Sherry Blue Sky said...

I SO ADORE THIS POEM, Kay!!!!! Love it - especially the two syllables does not a line make. Hee hee. Nice to know I have a Sister in Form Execution Deficiency - though I must say, you managed the form really well, even the two syllable lines.

Mr Puddy said...

Happy New Year to you and your lovely family !!!

May Every Single Day of Your New Year Glow With
Pawsome Cheer, Excellent Healthy, & Happiness

❤ You always been loved by Me ❤
xoxo

Puddy Boy
( AKA... Mr. Poot )

Anonymous said...

delightful!!!

Happy Happy New Year!