Imaginary Garden with Real Toads, http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/, is wanting us to try out a rondelet: a seven line French poem with several tricks up its sleeve. For one, they use the same refrain on the first, third and seventh lines. Next, it throws in a tricky syllable count for each line: 4, 8, 4, 8, 8, 8, 4. Then, the rhyme scheme is sneaky: A-B-A-A-B-B-A. Finally, it is traditionally written in iambic meter. All that leads up to one heck of a fun poem.
A BREATHLESS SIGH
By Mike Patrick
A breathless sigh
speaks louder than a loving shout.
A breathless sigh,
as lightly you caress my thigh,
proclaims to me the night’s too loud.
I know I’ll never have to doubt
a breathless sigh.
The Poet's Quill 
Sweet rondelet. I have not tried one. You did a great job. Lots of rules I see. Maybe some day. *sighs* You made it look easy but I am sure it was a good puzzle. I am working o a Sonetto Rispetto..:)
I’ve made up my mind to start doing some of the more difficult forms. I’m getting tired of running from them.
I love your imagery; I really like this poetic exercise~ Yours holds magic qualities~
I like this A LOT.
As soon as the summer’s dust settles, will have to try this form.
Thank you for the wonderful post.
☮ ♥ Siggi in Downeast Maine
The summer is winding down fast. Do give the rondelet a try. The various requirements break it down into easy-to-manage bites.
Beautiful. You make the form look easy – and I know it is not. Intriguing form, and so well done.
Lovely – romantic, as is your wont, and expertly constructed. I’ve copied yours as an example to me when trying the form!
Excellent Mike. This has been on my to do list for a while. You’ve done a great job with this one!
Pare down that list and give it a try, Norma. I think the rondelet would fit you. Once I got over the feeling that Rondelets were a singing group from the 60s, it was fun.
Pare down that list and give it a try, Norma. I think the rondelet would fit you. Once I got over the feeling that Rondelets were a singing group from the 60s I should be listening to, it was fun.
I think following any form provides discipline which gives the writer a more focused approach to their work, which can’t be bad…
A gentle rondolet from you, sir…
I couldn’t agree with you more. After seeing your rondolet, I’m thinking I should hang out on your blog to learn how to write love poetry.
I’m all for quiet nights! 🙂
Me too. My clubbing days are behind me.
Oh my goodness! My head’s spinning just reading the rules!
Nice sentiment, Mike.
Each of those requirements are like ingredients in a recipe. Individually, they are simple. By mixing one ingredient after another, a poem appears. You are my favorite non-poet writer, and probably the best writer among us. With your mastery of cooking and writing, this is a poetry form you could cook into an opus; besides, it’s a French form. I would love to see you give it a try.
This is just superb.. I think it’s my fave so far… Just so lovely.
You are very kind, Kerry, but wait until you read all the postings from the challenge. This form has brought out some of the best writing I’ve seen. For a form I originally thought of as strange and awkward, it produced some amazing poems.
That seriously stopped me in my tracks…. Will have to try this ! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Leonargo. Give it a try. You’ll like it.
yum.
Mike I so agree with you; I wish I had known about this form before. It is intriguing; it captures and redirects the spotlight~
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Stunningly beautiful. I, too, run away from set forms, but I must say this runs so smoothly, so naturally that it doesn’t sound at least forced. Congratulations, Mike!
I loved this poem … no, this “Rondolet.” It seems to have rolled right off the tongue without effort. It possesses confidence!
Beautiful and gentle rondelet, Mike! I like your take!