A Trip Through The Alphabet Of Poetry Forms

Why did I follow the alphabet of poetry formats? Why do I write so many poems/rhymes? Why does some of my other writing seem to flow as poetry? Enough whys!

What do I do now that I have completed the alphabet? Start over? Go back and find the forms that I didn't write?

Enough questions.

It's time to try for some answers. Following the alphabet was a way to connect with some poetry styles that I hadn't used before. I have a Poem A Day in February on Facebook for whoever of my friends wishes to join.

Over and over again I have been messaged how healing the experience was for different individuals. I learned that for myself in my own trauma and grief work. It started as journaling.

Because I introduced different poetry forms in that group, I now have more to introduce. I was also asked to teach a beginners' writing class. Because poetry/rhyme will be a part of that, I thought I might find some beginner forms to use with the group.

My writing of poetry/rhyme started about 8 years ago now for me. I was asked to write rap songs for a grandson. Then I went to A Poem A Day in February and I have done that for 7 years. Last year select members decided to have a rhyming day on the eighth of every month.

Vocal gets a lot of rhyming and poems too, when the story will probably not be 600 words. After writing for NaNoWriMo, I will usually write longer stories for a time. Then I find myself going back to 600 words or poetry/rhyme.

A couple of people have commented that they like the flow of my writing. Then one woman said, it is a poem-like flow.

A decision is yet to be made about going back and trying the poetry forms I left behind. Maybe I will go backward from Z to A, recognizing that with a few letters, I could find no format.

I thought I would put a sample of what my following poetry formats by the alphabet would bring.

Cinquain

Easy lift

Now is a gift

Thank you for being swift

We do better without a rift

No shift

~

Clarihew

Denise Claire Estey Lindquist

is never to be kissed

by her hubby John

when he is chewing snuff or out on the lawn.

~

Imayo

Oh Grandma

Grandma, what is wrong with you? — I don’t know nothing?

You are older than dirt, right? — 59 is not!

Grandma, you are the smartest! — old woman you know?

Never mind, I need reiki. — Reiki hey, okay.

~

Minute Poem

The Month of November

Recognized days in November

to remember

Day of the dead

Day I was wed

Thanksgiving will be here too soon

saw the full moon

Thankful for fall

We had a ball

Native American month now

Please take a bow

We are still here

Miigwech my Dear

~

Palindrome

“Elders”

Native American

of beauty and spirit

storytellers

teaching lessons

of seven grandfathers

Wisdom

grandfathers seven

of lessons teaching

storytellers

spirit and beauty

of American Natives

~

Tautogram

Her husband has hard, huge, hefty

hee haws, her hubby has hobo humor!

He has humorous, heavenly hits!

~

Has Honey had horney humiliation?

Honey has hat hair.

Her hymen, his humble home.

Humping, hugging, humming, Ho ho ho.

~

Hell has heavy hot heat!

Hippies have huge hearts.

Ho, how Hope helps handle him.

Her head has horse hair.

Her hotel host has hot heavy hands.

~

Helping her he hesitates.

Have hotdogs, hamburgers, hashbrowns?

Hominy, hearty healthy hotdish,

Heineken, Hamms, highball, ho ho ho?

Hubby, he’s huge, happy, honored.

Help him home.

~

Herman, honestly handles her hearse.

He’ll help her headstart humbug hill.

Hey, how humility helps hate.

Hyacinth, hibiscus, hollyhocks.

How happy Heaven has her.

Happy holidays, Harmony, Helen,

Holly, Harriet, Henrietta!

~~~~~