[fiction, instead of lies]

Happy Poetry Friday!

I’ve finally written a new poem. The Poetry Princesses are gently flinging down gauntlets in the form of a villanelle, and since we all acknowledge that our sestinas were slowed by the sheer difficulty of the form, we needed a fresher challenge. This villanelle, which is a tricky nineteen line form with only two rhyme sounds, means I have to come out of my non-writing funk and actually see something through from beginning to end. This is very good, as lately I’ve been mostly a.) reading other people’s work and sighing and b.) poking at mine with the Ugly Stick instead of working to finish it.

Tricia introduced us to a new rhyme form this week, the zeno, which is both simpler and harder than a villanelle. I felt challenged just thinking about it, so I whipped one out for Poetry Friday.

On Intentions to Speak to Richard Peck at a Writer’s Conference

He’s standing right there but I choke.
Breathless. Eyes meet,
I duck,
Flush.
He smiles, walks on…
And I’m
mush.
Come on! Work, brain!
Fangirl
Crush.

You know it’s poetry when you can render your most humiliating moments into something that has form and structure and yet no power to further embarrass you. Have a look at the other zenos from this week, and happy Poetry Friday. Round up is at Bibliophile this week. Cheers!