I left this month's challenge until late. What was I waiting for? I don't know, but when I saw the rules of the ovillejo, I was afraid. It's so tightly arranged. Take a look:
Line 1: a rhyme in 8 syllables
Line 2: a rhyme in 3-4 syllables
Line 3: b rhyme in 8 syllables
Line 4: b rhyme in 3-4 syllables
Line 5: c rhyme in 8 syllables
Line 6: c rhyme in 3-4 syllables
Line 7: c rhyme in 8 syllables
Line 8: d rhyme in 8 syllables
Line 9: d rhyme in 8 syllables
Line 10: (Line 2) (Line 4) (Line 6)
On the other hand, the punchy short lines and the rhyme seemed fun. But how to make it all work together? My poetry sisters advised starting with the last line and reverse engineering. But...I didn't do that. Nope. Part of why I write poetry is to discover what I think, and if I write the last lines first, I can't think well...my head is too full of where I'm going. So I just wrote a first line, then another silly one, and so on and so on, until I had...well, a mess that fit the rules but was as goofy as a bad commercial.
Fortunately, revision came to the rescue. Even in a tight form, you have wriggle room. Even on busy days, you have time.
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Oh, when will the cherry blossoms bloom?Wait. Wait. Ka-boom!Bursting, busting, bruising the shocked air—now, everywhere.Time roots down as petals swirl; they freeyou and mefrom overflow; we can be emptyof questions of when; they sticky kissour foreheads, they croon: Time is but this:Wait. Wait. Ka-boom!— now and everywhere—you and me.---Sara Lewis Holmes (all rights reserved)
My poetry sisters' poems are found here:
Liz
Tanita
Tricia
Mary Lee
Poetry Friday is hosted by Marcie Flinchun Atkins.
