This week, I’m introducing the rondelet, a form I’ve just discovered. It’s short and has no rhyme pattern, which should please some people. There is also a refrain, which pleases me. It’s not as easy as it looks though, to get something satisfying out of it, so be warned. Operating instructions are here.
Oops. Forgot to add the bit about posting the link to your poem in the comments below. A pingback is best if you can get it to work. Always best to check I’ve got it.
No apologies for choosing an Odilon Redon painting for the image this week. I love his work and find it full of inspiration. Only one prompt word this time since the poem is very short. My poem follows.
journey
My love and I,
In a red barque with yellow sail.
My love and I,
Crossing oceans, sunset headed,
Follow a dream or just a gull.
Hand in hand, heart to heart we glide,
My love and I.
Jane Dougherty Writes 
I always love the paintings that you show, and the paintings that you write.
That’s good to know 🙂 Thank you.
Lovely 🙂
Thank you!
Think I might just sail away with this one.
Not tall, but a a ship of sorts 🙂
I may be rather shipshape with this one:
https://peterbouchier.wordpress.com/english-essays-and-poems-2/english-essays-and-poems/fore-and-aft/
Thank you for another lovely prompt. I hope things are back to normal, or as normal as you want them to be! I guess your tall ship friend will be thrilled – really looking forward to seeing what he makes of this. I’ve gone a bit bonkers and written two 🙂 – they are very short, though, so that’s my excuse.
https://fmmewritespoems.wordpress.com/2016/06/29/red-boat-rondelet-2-for-jane-dougherty
https://fmmewritespoems.wordpress.com/2016/06/29/red-boat-rondelet-1-for-jane-dougherty
When I read your poem first, I read “sunset headed” as meaning head full of sunset. When I read it the second time I read it as heading towards the sunset. It works well both ways for me, but I’m wondering which you intended, or maybe you intended some ambiguity?
I hadn’t noticed the ambiguity at all! I’m not that clever. I meant headed towards the sunset, but now you point it out, I like the other interpretation too so I’m going to claim the credit 🙂
This is a great form! Your poem, as always, goes great with the image=) Here’s my attempt: https://fantasyraconteur.wordpress.com/2016/06/29/the-ocean-winds/
Thanks! Glad you liked the form and the poem 🙂
Confession: I sort of can’t stop writing rondelets now. They’re awesome=D
This was the first one I did. I’m definitely going to write some more 🙂
This is an interesting form that I’ve been meaning to try.
https://rivrvlogr.wordpress.com/2016/06/29/7225/
I thought it worked better than I had imagined it would.
And another:
https://rivrvlogr.wordpress.com/2016/06/29/adrift/
It seems to be the “in” thing to write two of these–so I did. 🙂 I could write more, inspired by this painting. https://merrildsmith.wordpress.com/2016/06/29/rondelet-poetry-challenge/
What an inspiring poem for the prompt and a lovely image. It is a really tricky form! Here is my attempt. Thanks for making me think. TJ
https://amaviedecoeurentier.wordpress.com/2016/06/30/fragility/
It isn’t as easy as it looks, is it?
Not at all. Bon weekend!
You too 🙂
My Rondelet for this week’s prompt. Have a lovely weeken Jane!
https://kmmyrman.wordpress.com/2016/07/01/liberation/
Thanks Kat! You too!
Well, that was an entertaining foray… and I chose that word because holy smoke that was a battle to get it… and I’m still not quite sure I got it (just checked, my pingback hasn’t shown up, so… I’m adding mine manually).
The Winds Have Blown…
http://bit.ly/29bE9CK
The pingback did work. Is that a record?
Maybe I’m just a bit jumpy when it comes to pingbacks. Like, if they don’t show up immediately, I think they don’t work. /shrug 😀
You’re right to be suspicious. They work when they feel like it.
Apparently it is supposed to have a rhyme pattern. I don’t think I’ve even been spelling it right…
Or maybe… you just created your own new version!
The anarchist rondelet maybe? I’ve just posted a correct ship shape one. Hope the massed French Poets will back off.
https://methodtwomadness.wordpress.com/2016/07/02/compass-rose/
Thank you for the prompt Jane. I enjoyed the rondelet…it has a pleasing simplicity yet it’s challenging (as you ‘warned’)
And I didn’t know the half of it! I shouldn’t be allowed to run these things if I can’t follow the rules myself. I honestly hadn’t picked up that there was a rhyme to this form. Boo boo recitifed, and yes, it does make it even more tricky 🙂
Yet you have done some fine ones without the rhyming scheme..the rhythm and refrain may be enough structure for the form.
I tend to think that the rhythm is often more important than the rhyme. This form is tricky to get a rhythm going because the lines are different lengths. Maybe that’s the challenge?
Yes, that in itself is a challenge–and then if you add in the rhymes…
We can give ourselves a big pat on the back if we get a result that’s even close to being a poem 🙂
https://learawrites.wordpress.com/2016/07/03/to-freedom/
https://srisudhak.wordpress.com/206/07/04/dancing-on-waves/
https://srisudhak.wordpress.com/206/07/04/on-the-waves/