FriendBurst Blog

This is a special preview for the CPC Friday Fling poetry challenge.  poems should be posted there  beginning when the challenge opens Thursday evening at 9 PM EST.

Friday Fling #161 December 30th 2011

As the New Year approaches, we’re encouraged to look back at the past year to help guide us about where we want to go in the future and help us form our plans and dreams. Customarily this takes the form of New Year’s resolutions about what we want to accomplish in the coming year.

But resolutions are notorious for remaining unfulfilled, perhaps the best known example of the old cliche about the best laid plans. Dreams on the other hand remain our dreams. What are your dreams for the New Year?

Poetry about dreams requires a dramatic format. one such is the Rispetto. We’ve done this format once or twice before on the Fling. ShadowPoetry.com notes:

Rispetto

A Rispetto, an Italian form of poetry, is a complete poem of two rhyme quatrains with strict meter. The meter is usually iambic tetrameter with a rhyme scheme of abab ccdd. A Heroic Rispetto is written in Iambic pentameter, usually featuring the same rhyme scheme.

Tribute to Tuscany

In old Tuscany, this form of poetry
To stimulate the imagination’s muse,
Has been passed down through every century,
To all writers whom the written words enthuse.

Even yet today, some vineyard covered hill,
Hung with clustered grapes, romantic souls instill
With a deep desire to try their hand once more
And resurrect a page from history’s lore!

Copyright © 2006 Betty Lou Hebert

A line of Iambic tetrameter:

“Because I could not stop for Death” (Emily Dickinson)

If you like, give the meter your best shot either way. Iambic pentameter is usually ten syllables with the stress on the second of each pair; Iambic tetrameter is more like eight syllables with similar emphasis. But if you don’t want to fuss with that, just the two stanzas of four lines each inb ABAB CCDD is fine for our purposes.

This week the Friday Fling writes New Years’ dream-laden Rispettos!

Be sure to save time to read and comment dreamily on your fellow pals’ poetic longings. Then go follow your dreams this weekend!

Fickle Finger of Fate Award for  December 23rd

Congratulations Lori!