Category Archives: Pantoum

blackberries

blackberries

she is a wall at the forest’s edge
an impenetrable bramble, untamed
some say she’s invasive, an unruly hedge
in fact she’s a rose of another sweet name

an impenetrable bramble, untamed
greening each spring, flowering to buds
in fact she’s a rose of another sweet name
with drupelets sweet and ready to pluck

greening each spring, flowering to buds
one must take care when venturing too close
with drupelets sweet and ready to pluck
her prickly cane stem’s a formidable foe

one must take care when venturing too close
when fair rubis ursinus nips, she draws blood
her prickly cane stem’s a formidable foe
a favorite snack of deer folk and thrush

when fair rubis ursinus nips, she draws blood
she is a wall at the forest’s edge
a favorite snack of deer folk and thrush
some say she’s invasive, an unruly hedge

~kat

NaPoWriMo2023 Challenge Day 17: Write a poem that contains the name of a specific variety of edible plant – preferably one that grows in your area. In the poem, try to make a specific comparison between some aspect of the plant’s lifespan and your own – or the life of someone close to you. Also, include at least one repeating phrase.

I chose to do a Pantoum ( see the rules below):

Stanza 1: ABAB
1 First line (A)
2 Second line (B)
3 Third line rhymes with first (A)
4 Fourth line rhymes with second (B)

Stanza 2: BCBC
5 Repeat the second line (B)
6 Sixth line (C)
7 Repeat the fourth line (B)
8 Eighth line rhymes with sixth (C)

Stanza 3: CDCD
9 Repeat the sixth line (C)
10 Tenth line (D)
11 Repeat the eighth line (C)
12 Twelfth line rhymes with the tenth (D)

Stanza 4: DADA
13 Repeat tenth line (D)
14 Fourteenth line rhymes with first (A)
15 Repeat twelfth line (D)
16 Repeat the first line (A)


these duplicitous times – NaPoWriMo/GloPoWriMo Challenge Day 3

these duplicitous times

pay close attention to the marginalia
we all must learn to read between the lines
disseminating truth right now is mania
in this, the most duplicitous of times

we all must learn to read between the lines
sift through every boastful sciolism
in this, the most duplicitous of times
to thwart attempts at history’s revision

sift through every boastful sciolism
find the facts, elusive, they may be,
to thwart attempts at history’s revision
don’t believe in everything you see

find the facts, elusive, they may be,
check out all the blather that you hear
don’t believe in everything you see
until trust is restored, we’re lost, I fear

check out all the blather that you hear
disseminating truth right now is mania
until trust is restored, we’re lost, I fear
pay close attention to the marginalia

~kat


A Pantoum for today’s NaPoWriMo/GloPoWriMo 2020 Challenge. (See below for today’s challenge and information about the pantoum poetry form). I chose my words from the last 10 days of dictionary.com’s Word of the Day feature, because hey, I love learning new words! Then I gleaned five rhyming words for each from Rhymezone. I managed to use a half dozen or so words from the resulting “word bank”. Phew! Today’s challenge was a workout!!!


NaPoWriMo/GloPoWriMo 2020 Challenge Day 3 – make use of our resource (online rhyming dictionary) for the day. First, make a list of ten words. You can generate this list however you’d like – pull a book  off the shelf and find ten words you like, name ten things you can see from where you’re sitting, etc. Now, for each word, use Rhymezone to identify two to four similar-sounding or rhyming words. For example, if my word is “salt,” my similar words might be “belt,” “silt,” “sailed,” and “sell-out.”

Once you’ve assembled your complete list, work on writing a poem using your new “word bank.” You don’t have to use every word, of course, but try to play as much with sound as possible, repeating  sounds and echoing back to others using your rhyming and similar words.


The pantoum consists of a series of quatrains rhyming ABAB, BCBC, CDCD, ZAZA. The design is simple:

Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4

Line 5 (repeat of line 2)
Line 6
Line 7 (repeat of line 4)
Line 8

Last stanza:
Line 2 of previous stanza
Line 3 of first stanza
Line 4 of previous stanza
Line 1 of first stanza


the children are gone – NaPoWriMo #12

the children are gone

they were never really mine
though i held them twenty years
my dreams faded over time
blood and sweat and many tears

though i held them twenty years
they decided who they’d be
blood and sweat and many tears
all for naught, when they left me

they decided who they’d be
independence lured them hence
all for naught, when they left me
did my best, in my defense

independence lured them hence
gone to live their life and dreams
did my best, in my defense
doesn’t matter now, it seems

gone to live their life and dreams
they think they must turn away
doesn’t matter now, it seems
‘twas a simple role i played

they think they must turn away
my dreams faded over time
‘twas a simple role i played
they were never really mine

~kat


A Pantoum for NaPoWriMo 2019 #12 Prompt: write a poem about a dull thing that you own, and why (and how) you love it. Alternatively, what would it mean to you to give away or destroy a significant object?

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Insomniac’s Lullaby

soft the gloaming hush descends
settle now your weary head
pray for blessings, make amends
day is done, it’s time for bed

settle now your weary head
serenaded by the night
day is done, it’s time for bed
draw your coverlet up tight

serenaded by the night
humming street lights, traffic zoom
draw your coverlet up tight
safe and snug in your bedroom

humming street lights, traffic zoom
cricket chatter, bullfrog peeps
safe and snug in your bedroom
babies wailing, cats in heat

crickets chatter, bullfrogs peep
ticking clocks, water dripping
babies wailing, cats in heat
rattling snores, fan cords clicking

ticking clocks, water dripping
try to sleep, soon morning comes
rattling snores, fan cords clicking
curse the night’s incessant hum

try to sleep, soon morning comes
count some sheep, try sipping tea
curse the night’s incessant hum
early to bed…now it’s 3

count some sheep, try sipping tea
pray for blessings, make amends
early to bed…now it’s 3
soft the gloaming hush descends

~kat

A Pantoum poem for Sunday Writing Prompt. Thanks to Scribblersdip at Mindlovemisery’s Menagery and Rugby843 for the prompt: Night Sounds.


Robin Red In Winter

defiantly he puffs his crimson breast,
his muted warbling chokes on frigid air,
heart aflutter on lofty bough he rests
starved for warmth beneath the sun’s icy glare

his muted warbling chokes on frigid air
enduring his inevitable fate
starved for warmth beneath the sun’s icy glare
they’ll return when spring is greening where he waits

enduring his inevitable fate
though his flock mates flew to warmer climes
they’ll return when spring is greening where he waits
instincts in play to help him pass the time

though his flock mates flew to warmer climes
heart aflutter on lofty bough he rests
instincts in play to help him pass the time
defiantly he puffs his crimson breast

kat ~ 13 September 2017
(a Pantoum poem)