Leftover Micro-Poetry: Four Elfchens

Writers' Pantry #79

Almost too late I noticed that Wednesday's Weekly Scribblings prompt was limited to ONE poem!   I was so enthused writing elfchens (even though I ended up posting an American Sentence) I wrote several.  Here they are.

This first was inspiration for the American Sentence.

 

Lantern

Light throws

Shadows of fear

Down the hall tonight

Death

 

Mickey

My puppy

Snowy white fur

Spot on one eye

Adorable

 

 

 

Geese

from Canada

on the move

single file waddle walks

roadblock

 

Listen

Hear me

Open your mind

Hold these words close

Learn

 

©2021 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved


Comments

  1. I love them all! Hard to choose a favourite, but those geese do amuse.

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    Replies
    1. I hear they take that same route every morning. Fortunately, drivers here are patient.

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  2. How good it is to express oneself in poetry in unusual ways. Viewing the world and being able to express ones thoughts in poetry is such a gift for us.

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    Replies
    1. It certainly is. Expressing thoughts, sharing with others, taking in their thoughts, maybe opening a world in ourselves and others. I don't think that's too much for poetry to accomplish!

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  3. I love that first one (and your dog is so cute)

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. I got him not long ago, and his cuteness was a big factor, but not the first, that was being a Border collie mix.

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  4. Replies
    1. :) So many close their ears to anything "new" or what they don't want to hear.

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  5. The Scribblings prompt inspired many a micropoem! I enjoyed them all.

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  6. well these are wonderful, i've never heard of "american sentience", the form looks a lot like cinquain, is this a syllable-based form? and where can i find out more?

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    Replies
    1. Here is the American Sentence I referred to:

      https://theversesmith.blogspot.com/2021/07/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html

      An American Sentence was created by the poet Allen Ginsberg. It is
      17 syllables written as a sentence. I have seen them with more than one sentence, 17 syllables, in one line, but I believe the "rules" are one sentence.
      The poems here are elfchens, which are 11 words, 5 lines. Line 1 is one word, 2 is 2, 3 is 3, 4 is 4, and 5 is one again.

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    2. ok, so elfchen is like cinquain then, good to know, and thank you lisa for the info, and again really enjoyed the poems=)

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    3. In that they both have 5 lines, yes. Elfchen is by words though, any number of syllables. The syllables in cinquain allow it to be centered and make a nice shape. They both begin and end with the shortest line. Elfchen words per line are 1/2/3/4/1 and Cinquain syllables per line 2/4/6/8/2.

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  7. Each differently wonderful!!!! Glad you got to share with us.

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  8. Thank you, Lisa, for this delightful treat. the one about the geese brought a smile to my face.
    i was about to say this form looks like a cinquain, and then Phillip beats me to it. Thanks for the explanation.

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    Replies
    1. Those geese were so cute! I love the one that has a bit of problem going up and down the curb! I thought they were so lazy not to fly! I suppose one could write a cinquain that is also an elfchin, if one is careful!

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