The Triolet Trail

CDSinex · Dec 24, 2011

Nice prompt Kie.

Not the mermaid, Frankenstein.
The one who came to shred our nets
and strip the food from me and mine?
Not the mermaid! Frankenstein,
we thought we dealt with you last time,
and on the beach your carcass set.
Not the mermaid Frankenstein,
the one who came to shred our nets?

B.D. Eyeslie · Dec 26, 2011

The one who came to shred our nets,
was an outcast out on his own.
To punish, the town would not let
the one who came to shred our nets
fish the waters of our regret.
Before his catch was rightly shown,
the one who came to shred our nets
was an outcast out on his own.

Warm holiday greetings to all the wonderful writers on these boards.
Sincerely,

Bob Dunning

kdnxdr · Dec 26, 2011

was an outcast on his own,
he was, an outcast through and through
so much hate and grief he'd sown,
he was an outcast on his own.

abused as a child, love had never grown
he only knew mean, of kind he had no clue;
was an outcast on his own,
he was an outcast through and through

kborsden · Dec 27, 2011

He was an outcast through and through.
The nightly hues he coloured white
could only be seen by a few –

he was an outcast through and through,
his name written in morning dew.

It was the strain of heaven's light
he was an outcast through, and through
the nightly hues, he coloured white.

B.D. Eyeslie · Dec 27, 2011

The nightly hues, he coloured white,
and with broad, sweeping strokes, he wept.
His eyes bore tides of great delight—
the nightly hues. He coloured white,
the purple trail of bending light,
reflected in the tears he swept
the nightly hues. He coloured white,
and with broad sweeping strokes, he wept.

kborsden · Dec 27, 2011

And with broad, sweeping strokes, he wept
a thousand glass tears set in lead:
painted vistas each time he slept,
and with broad sweeping strokes, he wept.
His life-strained brush and chisel kept
scenic threads of events ahead,
and with broad sweeping strokes, he wept
a thousand glass tears set in lead.

kdnxdr · Dec 27, 2011

a thousand glass tears set in lead,
history was crying, dying, pleading for an ear,
anguishing for a time now dead,
a thousand glass tears set in lead.

beauty bastardized and for piety they pled
they lost their innocence and had but fear;
a thousand glass tears set in lead,
history was crying, dying, pleading for an ear.

kborsden · Dec 27, 2011

History was crying – dying, pleading for an ear
in the din for the sound of silence.
That awkward silence was drawing near –
history was crying. Dying, pleading for an ear
to replace the inward turned voice and hear
once more without the songs of violence;
history was crying, dying – pleading... for an ear
in the din; for the sound of silence.

kdnxdr · Dec 27, 2011

in the din, for the sound of silence
you'll yearn, longing for passion's whisper;
this day, you'll listen for the difference
in the din, for the sound of silence.

to be alone, love's abhorrence,
one last chance that sleeping desire should stir;
in the din, for the sound of silence
you'll yearn, longing for passion's whisper.

B.D. Eyeslie · Dec 28, 2011

You'll yearn, longing for passion's whisper,
yet her answer does not come at all.
Daydream—for a striper in Worcester,
you'll yearn. Longing for passion's whisper,
lends a charge to your little mister,
and the burly doorman mutes your call.
You'll yearn, longing for passion's whisper,
yet her answer does not come at all.

kborsden · Dec 28, 2011

'Yet' -- her answer does not come at all
with regards to any other
rose, aside from querying thralls,
yet her answer does not come. At all
the price in naming each of her thorns,
perhaps the best would simply be 'mother'
yet her answer does not come at all
with regards to any other.

OtterFactory · Dec 29, 2011

Kdnxdr sent me an encouraging message not to be shy. So this is for you, kdnxdr!

With regards to any other
Book, I--at the very least--comprehend.
But, you, oh grizzled White Thunder!--
With regards to those other books
Claiming truth, You, with your plunder-
ing untruths, get to Truth's true end.
With regards to those others:
Lies I understand; truth I can't comprehend.

(Bonus points if you know the book in question. :B)

kborsden · Dec 29, 2011

OtterFactory said:
Kdnxdr sent me an encouraging message not to be shy. So this is for you, kdnxdr!

With regards to any other
Book, I--at the very least--comprehend.
But, you, oh grizzled White Thunder!--
With regards to those other books
Claiming truth, You, with your plunder-
ing untruths, get to Truth's true end.
With regards to those others:
Lies I understand; truth I can't comprehend.

(Bonus points if you know the book in question. :B)

Thanks for playing with us, but you may want to refer to the OP because there is a bit more structure required for a triolet (maybe read a few other posts in this thread too).

Lies I understand. Truth, I can't comprehend
either former or in the latter case.
Which are always, in the end,
lies? I understand truth; I can't comprehend
the falsehood between friends.
But I state each time, the same:
lies I understand - truth I can't comprehend,
either former or in the latter case.

OtterFactory · Dec 29, 2011

Yup, I like playing around with formalist structures, and varying refrains, and I figured people could pick the variations they wanted to use for the next link. Sorry, will be stricter next time!

kborsden · Dec 29, 2011

OtterFactory said:
Yup, I like playing around with formalist structures, and varying refrains, and I figured people could pick the variations they wanted to use for the next link.

This isn't quite the place for a discussion -- but there's playing with formal structures and then there's simply ignoring them. There's enough room for experimentation in any verse form without destroying what the form is entirely. What makes the triolet interesting is the tightness of it and the lack of open space vs. the number of refrains. It forces the poet to be creative and make the same words mean new things or fit a concept differently, carry new emotive weight etc etc that's the test and exercise. Wouldn't you agree?

kdnxdr · Dec 29, 2011

"What makes the triolet interesting is the tightness of it and the lack of open space vs. the number of refrains. It forces the poet to be creative and make the same words mean new things or fit a concept differently, carry new emotive weight etc etc that's the test and exercise. Wouldn't you agree?" Kie

I never knew that.....at least, I was never consciencious about how "tight" and of "mak(ing) the same words mean new things-different concept stuff. Good to know....I'm still learning.

Sorry for the interjection, just seemed like a good spot to stop and "recalculate".

kdnxdr · Dec 29, 2011

either former, or in the latter case,
I remain the same, infused with something new;
a name, by any other, is just a trace
either former, or in the latter case.

I had my own, then another to replace;
who am I, should it ring true?
either former, or in the latter case
I remain the same, infused with something new.

kborsden · Dec 29, 2011

Love your piece, Elaine -- captures the nature of the triolet in the writing of the triolet by function and form. Very Clever.

I remain the same, infused with something new
to proverbial whet whistles;
but surely, whatever I do,
I remain the same. Infused with something new,
like an added comma or two --
an angel can be an epistle...
I remain the same infused with something, new
to proverbial whet whistles.

B.D. Eyeslie · Dec 30, 2011

To proverbial whet whistles,
I raise my glass to toast the new.
Though my wife would surely bristle
to proverbial whet whistles
(she drones on from her epistle),
I'd spend late hours drinking with you.
To proverbial whet whistles—
I raise my glass to toast the new.

Happy New Year

kborsden · Dec 30, 2011

I raise my glass to toast the new
with a smile that I can be here;
that I survived and made it through,
I raise my glass. To toast the new,
we speak soft tones in review
of yet another passing year.
I raise my glass to toast the new
with a smile that I can be here.

kdnxdr · Dec 30, 2011

with a smile that I can be here,
death winces at his failures;
attempts were made, I fought my fear
with a smile, that I can be here

by not some random thing, but prayer and tear,
most intimate and freely given (yours),
with a smile that I can be here,
death winces at his failures.

B.D. Eyeslie · Dec 30, 2011

Death winces at his failures
though I've heard they're very few.
A part of life? He demurs;
Death winces. At his failures
he regroups and blows a burr,
a cold wind howling 'round you.
Death winces at his failures
though. I've heard they're very few.

kborsden · Dec 30, 2011

'though I've heard they're very few,
it seems the stars can be brightest at day.
While others can't break their way through,
though I've heard they're very few
(perhaps even no more than two),
those may be the number that play away.
Though I've heard they're very few,
it seems the stars can be brightest at day.

CDSinex · Dec 31, 2011

It seems the stars can be brightest at day
break, or just before. It's the darkest hour
that causes them to brightly shine that way,
it seems. The stars can be brightest at day’s
dawn. There’s a moment you wish they could stay,
watching, as one-by-one they are devoured.
It seems the stars can be brightest at day
break, or just before –it's the darkest hour.

kdnxdr · Dec 31, 2011

break! or just before - it's the darkest hour;
deep within us there is an inner strength
to fight death who would love to see hearts cower,
break, or just before - it's the darkest hour.

it is as we faint, we feel the ebb, so little is our power;
insufficient, our courage is taken out full length;
break, or just before (it's the darkest hour),
deep within us there is an inner strength.

The Triolet Trail

Imagine something clever here.

One of the most important people in the world

Has a few recurring issues

Has a few recurring issues

One of the most important people in the world

Has a few recurring issues

One of the most important people in the world

Has a few recurring issues

Has a few recurring issues

Has a few recurring issues

One of the most important people in the world

One of the most important people in the world

Has a few recurring issues

Has a few recurring issues

One of the most important people in the world

Has a few recurring issues

Imagine something clever here.

One of the most important people in the world