Fertile ground
Alison Chisholm looks at three new poems produced in response to an exercise in WM
Alison Chisholm
POETRY WORKSHOP
It’s especially rewarding to learn that a writer is deepening their love of poetry through the articles that appear in Writing Magazine. Irene Joseph of Ammanford, South Wales was inspired by Doris Corti’s Poetry in Practice article in last October’s issue to write some short poems, two of which follow the forms Doris discussed in her piece.
Coincidentally, the first is in the form set for the next poetry competition (p55). Cinquains are short and appear delicate, but they can communicate a clear message.
BIRDSONG
Whistle…
High, low lyric
Swooping through the air
Echoing voices of the sky
Silence…
One interesting facet of this form is that, just when you think you are establishing a neat pattern of extending the lines, the form cuts back to the two syllables that bring it full circle. It ends as it began. Although it isn’t a requirement of the form, a pleasing effect is created by having a link between these two lines. The leap from Whistle to Silence works well, supported by the onomatopoeia of the sibilance.