Wordy Birds

I have a love affair with words. I am in an existential, lifelong relationship with my literary companion, and this has lead me down many interesting paths throughout my life. I’ve researched and practiced my hand at a variety of writing styles and formats, especially when it comes to poetry. I’m not formally educated, but have spent my entire educational life studying some form of literary knowledge or another. I’m endlessly fascinated by the greats of old – Charlotte Brontë, Herman Melville, Hemmingway, Shakespeare, etc. I delight in the fantastical worlds of Narnia, Avonlea, Fantasia, and the Enchanted Forest, and I adore the rich flow and underlying intellectual observations made in poetry and pieces written by adepts such as Poe, Dickinson, and Elliot.

From time to time, knowing what a vast array of beloved formats and styles writers have embraced over the years tempts me to seek out ones I’ve not yet heard of. I discovered a new form of poetry today, and took a strong liking to it; this, being a style referred to as Alexandrine. From what I gather (and please correct any mistakes I might make here; as I said, I’m not formally educated on this subject), Alexandrine poetry requires one line, consisting of 12 syllables. These 12 syllables are to be separated in the middle with a pause (comma not necessary; hard middle placement not mandatory). The single, 12 syllable line, now broken up into two 6 syllable parts with a middle pause, must have no internal or external rhyming pattern, yet must remain ‘poetic’ in nature. Traditionally, an Alexandrine is a stand-alone, one-line piece; however, it is possible to combine some one-line pieces to create a sort of story.

If you’re still with me, I apologize if that was a bit confusing. My interpretation comes from reading over a few sites, mainly one translated from a French scholar, so please, don’t take my word as law on this. Still, with these rules in mind, I thought it would be an interesting challenge to undertake. You’ll find my attempts below. I would love to see what you can come up with, too. Leave me a few of your creations in the comments, and let’s help each other learn and grow as writers!

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I began with just this first Alexandrine:

When the harvest moon calls, an amber owl takes flight.

Then worked on these separately:

Lightning in the dusky dawn, crackles through the sky.

On the edge of a verge, she takes a plunging dive.

Embrace the whirling plumes; her soft shadow will relent.

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_{For those interested you can find my main source information here.}

_{Thanks to the RagTagDaily Prompt, ‘Write‘, for the inspiration to discover all this today! #RDP Don’t forget to show me your creations in the comments below! Thanks for reading!}