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The Light Is Honeyed

December 18, 2008 By Ruth Everhart 4 Comments

A pantoum is a form poem where the second and fourth lines of each stanza become the first and third lines of the next stanza, creating an interlock that puzzles me. ?I wrote this on the eve of my 51st birthday, remembering Thanksgiving Day when we took a family nap.

The light is honeyed, sparked with gold

I do not know how long we’ll lay

I dare not break my daughters’ hold,

to shift my weight I barely pray

I do not know how long we’ll lay

While all around the world goes round,

to shift my weight I barely pray

but shut my eyes to block out sound.

While all around the world goes round,

And terror comes and kingdoms fall,

but shut my eyes to block out sound.

For in this room, this bed, is all.

And terror comes and kingdoms fall,

And time spins round, more light to show

For in this room, this bed, is all

right now, it’s all I care to know.

And time spins round, more light to show

I dare not break my daughters’ hold

right now, it’s all I care to know.

The light is honeyed, sparked with gold.

Raising Our Daughters

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. pinkhammer says

    December 31, 2008 at 10:14 am

    Neat. I think I will try this some time. What are the rules for the last stanza? And what’s a villanelle?

    Reply
  2. Marion says

    December 19, 2008 at 12:39 pm

    Lovely,
    While I appreciate the classic poetry forms I can never get the whole thing right. It’s nice to see someone do it. I’ll watch for a villanelle 🙂
    Thanks
    Have a happy Christmas,

    Reply
  3. wayne says

    December 18, 2008 at 11:42 pm

    my dear wife who has an MFA in poetry says… “Pantoums! they are a nightmare.”

    I read it out loud and we both thought you pulled it off quite well

    Reply
  4. ppb says

    December 18, 2008 at 9:32 pm

    very cool

    Reply

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