Poetry Forms - the letter C

[Primula]

Time to try something a little easier - let's move on to:

The Cautionary Verse: This is more content/topic than form, being a type of didactic poetry (intended to instruct or teach), in this case it is a warning. It may be short or long, but is usually shorter as are many warning rhymes or proverbs to keep them easy to remember.

The example Mr. Turco gives us is an anonymous Middle English epigram that reminds the reader of their mortality. A 'momento mori' was the skull a medieval monk might keep on the table or shelf to remind them of brevity of life:

Momento Mori

You wretched ghost, with clay bedight,
Think on me here in this plight!
I was a man, with a man's fears -
You shall be such as I am here.

My own was after reflecting on a friend who permitted his kittens to climb his pant-legs as their way of getting up to his arms ("so cute!") who then lived to regret it when they grew to full-size cats...'nuff said!


Kit Clause

Light as a feather a new kitten weighs,
A litter of kittens held in the hands,
Harmless their weight climbing your legs,
Claws tiny as velcro, prickling like sand.
Beware as they climb you;
Patient teach them to be,
Or too soon grown tom-cats
Climb you like a tree!

Though cute are the pin-pricks
of each tiny kit,
Treat them as machetes,
with caution to fit.

[Primula]

All right! Been a while and folks look a bit sleepy on the poetry-writing front - here's a very simple bit to warm you up, good for anyone, even those who see themselves as 'non-poets':

The Cento - this is essentially what we would call a Found Poem, a patchwork of phrases (or 'pastiche poem' as Turco says) from the work of your choosing, turning the prose in to prosidy.

My effort, put together from P.G. Wodehouse's 'World of Jeeves' I was perusing:

For Want of a Cottage and Picket Fence

A distinctly fruity concern -
He could watch a worm for hours at a stretch,
The blighter had a love-light in his eyes;
He had retired there to wear gaiters,
To prod cows in the ribs, good egg.
One of those rather jolly houses,
With a bit of garden, caught in the rain.
He stood or fell by the roses:
If they failed to sweeten her,
Great fat, beastly roses…
"She regards me as a worm,
and an outcast…
A vegetarian fishing a caterpillar
out of a salad."
You could see he was feeling deeply,
What ho, what ho.

[Primula]

Skipping along... I'm passing up the French chanso (you simply need all the lines the same length, kind of boring), the chanson (just song lyrics) and the chant (too repetitious), which brings us to the Chantey.

This is also known as a shanty...as in sea shanty. It is, as you no doubt expected, a "nautical work song".

Give it a try! This was very amusing to tackle. I decided to continue with a feline theme and this is the result - I expect Doctor Gamgee would even have the ability to put these to a tune.

Squintin' Tom

Whenever we're sailing
there's luck with our ship.
We've a four-legged crewman
wi' a tail like a whip,
He's growlin' and prowlin'
and quick with a rat,
He's Squintin' Tom, the Captain's cat.

No matter the weather,
he's up in the sails,
A-watchin' the sailors,
and walkin' the rails,
He's a mean one, a lean one,
who'll join any spat,
He's Squintin' Tom, the Captain's cat.

O Squintin' Tom!
He ate rum-soaked mice,
But though he were lucky,
He weren't very nice.

There was a voyage
as sure as you're born,
When ol' Squintin' Tom
took us from a storm;
Clawed up the steersman,
bit a thumb off they say,
That hard-to-port saved the day.

O Squintin' Tom!
He ate rum-soaked mice,
But though he were lucky,
He weren't very nice.

[daughter_of_kings]

I will have to think on this... but right now, thanks to your example, all I can think is..

Meow-ow and put the cat out!

[DoctorGamgee]

OK, I have written a tune for it, Prim. I am in the final two weeks of the Opera Workshop production so don't have time to record it just yet, but perhaps I can find time to get a MIDI file of the tune and accompaniment up in a day or two and you can have a try at it. It is in a rollicking 6 8 time, as all Sea Chanties tend to do (it matches the roll and lull of the waves).

And I'll look at writing my own lyrics once all the insanity is over.

Dr.G

[Primula]

Seriously? You music-generating people astound me.

And if you're in the middle of an Opera Workshop I'm even more impressed.

[DoctorGamgee]

We are doing a Spanish Operetta (called a Zarzuela). A comic work called El Dúo de la Africana. It is a riot. Everything happens backstage at the opera company. The director is so cheap! Has his wife sing the lead role (so he doesn't have to pay her), his daughter the enginue (y la no pago!), he sings poorly (and costs nothing), and they have a tenor who does it for the love of singing and the art! (and thus, doesn't cost anything). The daughter lets her father know he is not doing it for love of the art, but rather for the love of Mamma! And insanity ensues.

So I will do what I can.

Dr.G

[Eruvanne]

Oh what fun, Dr. G! Good luck with that.

Oh boy, Prim now you've got me thinking of "Whale of a Tale" from "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." And I loved your shanty. Very fun.

Eruvanne

[daisy gold]

I love old Squintin' Tom. Your shanti Primula has inspired me to try one.
I hope the Spanish Operetta went well Dr. G.
I remember many , many years ago our school put on The Pirates of Penzance and another time HMS Pinafore. My part was to hand out the programmes.

Anyway my sea shanti I'm afraid isn't. It has turned into something else...what Here it is. Have the sea sick pills ready.



The Ghost Ship.
.
A great storm was raging
All though that restless night.
It tore down the pale stars
And swallowed the light.
It vented its wrath
On the heart of the deep,
Where lost souls, without hope,
Their bitter watches keep.
.
Chorus
.
Over the towering seas
And the tempest’s roar,
Over the soaring waves
Sailed a ship of Numenor.
.
A haunting shadow loomed,
A beauty from the past.
Her timbers moaning, groaning,
Tattered sails upon the masts.
At the helm her Captain
Searched with deathless eyes,
Sought for elven Valinor
Beneath the western skies.
.
Chorus
.
Once these foolish sailors,
Tired of their mortal strife,
Hearts gnawed by discontent,
Had sought eternal life.
Those elven lands forbidden them,
They laboured hard to claim.
The laws of the Valar
They carelessly distained.
.
Chorus
.
The anger of the Gods
They brought upon their heads.
Now cursed to sail forever
Neither living nor dead.
Long years went before them,
Long life of endless grief.
No harbours to greet them,
No havens for relief.
.
Chorus
.
Across the bitter seas,
Doomed voices were wailing,
Above the peeling thunder
Their anguish prevailing.
Pity them Lord Ulmo,
Oh let them part in peace.
Guide them to sweet slumbers
And from their pains, release.
.
Chorus
.
By Daisy Gold

[Primula]

Wow, this is amazing, daisy - very emotive and tragic. Nice work!

[DoctorGamgee]

That is great, Daisy. And Prim, I have not forgotten the midi...it has just been busy. I will have it soon.

Dr.G

[Eruvanne]

Oh, that was so good, daisy gold.

Eruvanne

[daisy gold]

Thank you Prim, Dr G. and Eruvanne. I am pleased you liked it.
The sinking of Numenor is one of my favourite parts in the Sil.... it really is quite disturbing, all that destruction.

[Ringwraith-Wife]

Rum Soaked Mice... If ANYTHING deserved to be put to music ...

Very good, Daisy Gold... I was expecting a ditty, and you turned in an oratorio! BRAVO!

[daisy gold]

Thank you RWW
Have you ever made any cartoons on themes from the Sil?