A cascade poem for the dVerse open night, because I like cascade poems.
You take me through the starry night,
To where the wind sighs in the sedge,
Bedecked in shadows like the fox.
When the wind blows through the trees,
And the skyโs bright coping tumbles down,
You take me through the starry night.
Iโll go with you and take your hand,
While stars and lynchpins shoot away,
To where the wind sighs in the sedge.
We share our heartbeats with the drum
Of feet that tread on broken stars,
Bedecked in shadows like the fox.
Jane Dougherty Writes 
“the drum of feet / that tread on broken stars”. Wow. (And yet so softly sad at the same time.)
Thank you ๐ I’ve never grown out of Yeats’s treading softly, and I don’t suppose I ever will.
I hope you don’t. It is a beautiful poem.
One of his best, therefore one of the best poems of all time.
๐
Love the flow of this cascade… it’s been a while since I wrote them.. but sometimes you just get addicted to a new form. There is a great nocturnal sense in this.
Thank you ๐ I write them a lot. Too much maybe. I think in cascades sometimes.
Love “the drum of feet / that tread on broken stars.”โค๏ธ
Thank you!
What a lovely free-flowing cascade. Thank yoU!
I’m pleased you liked it ๐
I love this and I can’t even begin to explain the feelings it evokes…mystical and as if there are just the two of you hand-in-hand on this singular, magical journey. I will have to try one of these Cascades. Trying a new form can often energize my creativity. Thanks, Beverly!
Gayle ~
Thank you! You should have ago at a cascade, it’s a lovely form. (I’m Jane btw, Beverly’s the other one ๐ )
You’re right, Beverly is the other one! Oh gosh, I apologize for that, Jane. I will try that form. I’ve self taught myself so many through the years and really enjoy the challenge…mostly. ๐
๐ I’ve experimented with lots of forms and generally don’t care much for the ones that just involve counting syllables or getting a rhyme in an unexpected place. The cascade is one I’m fond of.
I like cascade poems too and this one is a beauty, Jane.
Thank you, Kim ๐
Lovely, Jane. I especially love the last stanza.
Thanks Merril. I really enjoy this form.
This is very strong Jane – altogether a lovely read and quite a stunning finish too… I’ll certainly be back to read more of your work…
Thank you, Scott. I read your poem for dVerse yesterday (I liked it very much) but couldn’t leave a comment for some reason. Blogger incompatibility maybe.
What is this Cascade Poem?
This explains how to write one
http://www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/cascade.html
where I got my example from.
thank you..I was just going to start research on this…
It’s a good site to browse through if you want to experiment with different poetry forms.
thanks for the info…I usually follow Writer’s Digest now on including this…when I’ll write one will let you know…last day tried Shadorma…if you want you’ll find it in my recent posts…
I’ll look for it. Have written a few of those myself.
I’ll find and read them this weekend after the new episode get posted…
Its been a while I wrote a cascade poem so I appreciate the refraining verses Jane ~ Appreciate the sounds of the wind sighing and blowing ~
I like refrains. They are so satisfying. Thanks Grace ๐
Beautiful.
Thanks Sarah ๐
Will admit, this is the first time, that I have read a cascade poem, while I like this poetic form to read, not sure, I will be writing them, any time soon. More of a free verse/narrative poet, myself. Thank you, Jane, for sharing new poetic form.
I write a fair bit of free verse but find that it often slips into a rhythm of its own accord.
Isn’t it true that we always find those elements in a poem which best match our own experiences and thoughts? This is the line which especially chimed with me today:
…the skyโs bright coping tumbles down
You are quite right. Which is why it’s hard to get much pleasure out of poetry that is so very personal in a restricted way that only the poet really understands the emotions or situations involved. I’m glad you like that line: I do too ๐
Nice description of a meeting in the shadows where the stars seem securely positioned and then shoot and then are broken underfoot.
When you can’t count on the stars, it seems as though you can’t count on anything. Thanks Frank ๐
I like the way it is written. I didn’t know about cascades. I like how it flows. A lovely poem.
Thanks Alison. If it flows, it works ๐
Powerful feelings writ large.
Thank you ๐
Beautiful cascade poem! I like them too.
Thank you Bekkie ๐
Love the phrase, “feet that tread on broken stars”
Thanks Bryan ๐
Late to comments due to workload and travel but this is a beauty. Not sure if I have encountered cascades before but this really does tumble off the page with elegance. Delightful.
Thank you, Paul. I hope there isn’t an obligation to comment on every poem because I don’t. I’m glad you liked it though. Cascades are nice poems to write. I’m doing villanelles at the moment, and they are tricky, but really satisfying when they come out right, like an equation ๐
No obligation…I have places I like to comment but last week Barcelona took up all my time, which was fine by me ๐
Barcelona’s a great city. I like their attitude.
Oh me too….I connected deeply with the place. Won’t be the last time I visit.
If you ever decide to give Bordeaux a whirl, let me know. It’s not bad either. Btw I subbed a manuscript to Blue Moose Books a few weeks ago. They probably won’t want it, but it would be funny if they did. You must know them. I wonder if Keith Duffy is any relation of the Duffy’s in Birstall.
Kev ๐ Yes I know him and Heather well. Our sons are mates. Good luck with the submission. I’ll bear in mind Bordeaux…was there once in another lifetime.
We’re here for a while yet, I think. Even when we finally get to to the dream home we won’t want to break off all links with the place. Send Kevin some happy pills. Might work.
You won’t believe who just walked into the cafe I’m sat in here in Hebden (visiting)
Since the only people (apart from your good self) who I know have a connection with Hebden are the Duffys, must be one of them.
Two of them actually.
Can you slip something in his/her tea, please?
Dropped your name…he’s not a fan of poetry but I’m guessing that’s not your submission.
Epic alternate history. Not everyone’s cup of tea, not even when it’s been doctored.
Fingers crossed for you.
Ta. This is like spamming in real time ๐
I’m in love with this form, Jane. What a sensory immersion, the imagery you weave. Beautiful!
Thank you Angela! It is a lovely form. And it does cascade ๐
It does! You’re very welcome. ๐