Tag Archives: Rondeau

November 14, 2017

Anthem

By Kat Myrman

‘That you, in the dim coming times,
May know how my heart went with them
After the red-rose-bordered hem.’
—W.B. Yeats

Anthem

oh say can you see the pale dawning light
flickering remnants of once starry nights
‘hail all hail!’ the prideful proclaim
patriots kneel, driving zealots insane
the meek are disdained by fools on the right

armed, the militia, and ready to fight
gallantly ignorant, cowards in flight
red glaring demons who must not be named
oh say can you see…

the treason, collusion, hidden from sight
insomniac liars craving limelight
tempest torn islands, coastlands aflame
the star-spangled, brave resistance reclaims
liberty’s honor and freedom’s remains
oh, say can you see…

~kat

A Rondeau (aabba aabR aabbaR. Lines 9 and 15 are short – a refrain (R) consisting of a phrase taken from line one. The other lines are longer but all of the same metrical length) for Jane Dougherty’s A Month with Yeats: Day Fourteen. Today’s quote is from ‘To Ireland in the Coming Times’. The photo is Francis Scott Key’s original manuscript copy of his “Star-Spangled Banner” poem. It is now on display at the Maryland Historical Society.

14 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Poetry, Rondeau, Social Issues

February 11, 2017

Troubled – A Rondeau

By Kat Myrman


Oh, let not your hearts be troubled my dears
when storm clouds loom, there is nothing to fear.
Remember that they are temporary,
brief forces of nature just rattling trees.
       The sky will soon become bright blue and clear.

For tempests are blowhards, or so I hear,
bag-o-wind braggarts who blast in our ears,
minor annoyances, blustering bullies,
easily flustered, weak and unruly
       Oh, let not your hearts be troubled

Here’s a suggestion when chaos comes near:
Fire up the hearth, or chill out, grab a beer,
slip on your galoshes, go on a spree.
Stomp every puddle with child-like glee.
Radiate love when a whirlwind appears.
       Oh, let not your hearts be troubled

~kat – 11 February 2017
(A Rondeau)

5 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in Digital Art & Photos, Poetry, Rondeau, Social Issues, Spirituality

June 12, 2016

Do You Remember?

By Kat Myrman

Do you remember when you lost your way?
For some it was disguised as childplay
In cool divisive shades of pink and blue,
the lines were drawn according to the rules
And differences were judged in stark display.

Some fragile hearts were broken in the fray
of bitter battles between us and they
And lines were blurred obscuring every truth.
          Do you remember?

How magnificent you are in every way.
Your life’s a precious gift infused with grace.
Don’t let world fraught with fear subdue
the beauty of your soul that makes you, You…
          Do you remember?

kat – 12 June 2016
(a Rondeau)

A Rondeau is a French form, 15 lines long, consisting of three stanzas: a quintet, a quatrain, and a sestet with a rhyme scheme as follows: aabba aabR aabbaR. Lines 9 and 15 are short – a refrain (R) consisting of a phrase taken from line one. The other lines are longer (but all of the same metrical count)

16 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Poetry, Rondeau, Social Issues, Spirituality