Kindly refer to Notes

Responding to a mirror rhyme challenge this composition has sought to explore linguistic potential.  Notes are thus found  before rather than after the poem.

Six variations on a theme have been selected out of a considerable number of mathematical possibilities using THE SAME TEXT and a reverse mirror for each version. Mirrors repeat the seasons with the lines in reverse order.

For the second roll the first four syllables of each line are reversed, and sense is retained both in the normal order of seasons and the reversed order as well ...

The 3rd and 4th variations offer ABAB rhyme schemes retaining the original text. The 5th and 6th variations modify the text into rhyming couplets.

Given the linguistical structure of this symphonic composition the score could be read in inversing each and every line and each and every hemistitch. There are minor punctuation differences between versions.

The contest calling for quatrains this has been respected but while still retaining the same internal and external lines one could probably attain sonnet status for each of the four seasons and through partioning in 3 groups of 4 syllables extend the possibilites ad vitam.

A mirrored Retourne - can be found after the 6th version - two variations on the theme have been included here but could have been extended as above.

Enjoy !

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Seasonable Role Reversal Part I

Life is at ease, land under plough         

whispers, receives free-grazing cow.

Spring wave-wakes tree’s burgeoning bough,

soft-scented breeze, bees, blossom, now.  

.

Summer sends cheer, days fair and long,

cloudless and clear, life full of song.
To draw dear near, young lovers long,

sure, know no fear, symphony strong. 

.

Each leaf decays, each life must bow,

Fall’s salad days all ending now.

Fruit heavy lays bending the bough,

Autumn displays sunsets which wow.

. 

Harvested sheaves, hibernate hives,

trees stripped of leaves, Jack Frost has knives.

Time, Prince of thieves, onward he drives,

white Winter grieves over our lives.

.

_        _        _        _        _        _ 

.

White Winter grieves over our lives.

Time, Prince of thieves, onward he drives.

trees stripped of leaves, Jack Frost has knives.

Harvested sheaves, hibernate hives. 

.

Autumn displays sunsets which wow.

Fruit heavy lays bending the bough. 

Fall’s salad days all ending now,

Each leaf decays, each life must bow. 

. 

Sure, know no fear, - symphony strong -

to draw dear near, young lovers long,

Cloudless and clear, life full of song.

Summer sends cheer, days fair and long.

.

Soft-scented breeze, bees, blossom, now,  

whispers, receives free-grazing cow.   

Seasonable Role Reversal Part II

Land under plough, Life is at ease,

free-grazing cow whispers receives.

Burgeoning bough, Spring wave-wakes trees.

Bees, blossom; Now, soft-scented breeze. 

.

Days fair and long, Summer sends cheer,

life full of song, cloudless and clear,
Young lovers long to draw dear near,  -

symphony strong - sure, know no fear. 

.

Each life must bow, each leaf decays, 

All ending now. Fall’s salad days,  

bending the bough, fruit heavy lays.

Sunsets which wow Autumn displays. 

.

Hibernate hives, harvested sheaves,

Jack Frost has knives. Trees stripped of leaves.

Onward he drives, Time, Prince of thieves,

over our lives, white Winter grieves.

.

_        _        _        _        _        _ 

.

Over our lives white Winter grieves,

onward he drives, Time, Prince of thieves,

Jack Frost has knives. Trees stripped of leaves,

Hibernate hives, harvested sheaves. 

.

Sunsets which wow Autumn displays.

Bending the bough, fruit heavy lays,

all ending now, Fall’s salad days.

Each life must bow, each leaf decays. 

.

Symphony strong - sure know no fear –

young lovers long to draw dear near.

Life full of song, cloudless and clear,

days fair and long, Summer sends cheer.

.

Bees, blossom. Now, soft-scented breeze,

burgeoning bough, Spring wave-wakes trees.

Free-grazing cow whispers receives.

. 

Seasonable Role Reversal Part III

;

Life is at ease, land under plough, 

free-grazing cow whispers, receives.

Spring wave-wakes tree’s burgeoning bough,

bees, blossom, now, soft-scented breeze.

.

Summer sends cheer, days fair and long,

life full of song cloudless and clear.
To draw dear near, young lovers long, -

symphony strong sure, - know no fear. 

.

Each leaf decays, each life must bow,

All ending now, Fall’s salad days.

Fruit heavy lays bending the bough,

Sunsets which wow Autumn displays. 

.

Harvested sheaves, hibernate hives,

Jack Frost has knives, trees stripped of leaves.

Time, Prince of thieves, onward he drives,

over our lives white Winter grieves.

._        _        _        _        _        _ 

;

Over our lives white Winter grieves.

Time, Prince of thieves, onward he drives.

Jack Frost has knives, trees stripped of leaves.

Harvested sheaves, hibernate hives. 

.

Sunsets which wow Autumn displays.

Fruit heavy lays bending the bough.   

All ending now, Fall’s salad days,

Each leaf decays, each life must bow.

.

Symphony strong. Sure, know no fear,

to draw dear near, young lovers long.

Life full of song cloudless and clear,
Summer sends cheer, days fair and long. 

.

Bees, blossom, now, soft-scented breeze. 

Spring wave-wakes tree’s burgeoning bough. 

Free-grazing cow whispers, receives.  

Life is at ease land under plough.

. 

Seasonable Role Reversal Part IV 

.

Land under plough, life is at ease,

whispers receives free-grazing cow

Spring wave-wakes trees, burgeoning bough,

soft-scented breeze Bees, blossom, - now. 

.

Days fair and long, Summer sends cheer,

cloudless and clear, life full of song,
Young lovers long to draw dear near,

sure, know no fear, - symphony strong. 

.

Each life must bow, each leaf decays, 

Fall’s salad days all ending now. 

Bending the bough, fruit heavy lays.

Autumn displays sunsets which wow. 

.

Hibernate hives, harvested sheaves,

Jack Frost has knives. Trees stripped of leaves.

Onward he drives, Time, Prince of thieves,

over our lives, white Winter grieves.

.

_        _        _        _        _        _ 

.

Over our lives white Winter grieves

onward he drives, Time, Prince of thieves,

Jack Frost has knives. Trees stripped of leaves,

Hibernate hives, harvested sheaves. 

.

Autumn displays sunsets which wow.

Bending the bough, fruit heavy lays, -

Fall’s salad days all ending now.

Each life must bow, each leaf decays. 

.

Sure, know no fear, - symphony strong -

young lovers long to draw dear near.

Cloudless and clear, life full of song,

Days fair and long, Summer sends cheer. 

.

Soft-scented breeze, bees, blossom, now,

Spring wave-wakes trees, burgeoning bough.

Whispers receives free-grazing cow.

Land under plough, life is at ease.

                                                       
Seasonable Role Reversal Part V

.

Life is at ease, soft-scented breeze

whispers, receives. Spring wave-wakes tree’s

burgeoning bough. Bees, blossom, now.

Land under plough, free-grazing cow.  

.

Summer sends cheer, cloudless and clear.

Sure, know no fear, to draw dear near,

young lovers long symphony strong.

Life full of song, days fair and long.

.

Autumn displays Fall’s salad days.

Each leaf decays, fruit heavy lays

bending the bough, each life must bow,

Sunsets which wow all ending now. 

.

Harvested sheaves, trees stripped of leaves,

White Winter grieves. Time, Prince of thieves,

onward he drives over our lives.

Hibernate hives.  Jack Frost has knives. 

 .

_        _        _        _        _ 

.

Hibernate hives.  Jack Frost has knives,

onward he drives over our lives.

White Winter grieves Time, Prince of thieves.

Harvested sheaves, trees stripped of leaves. 

.

Sunsets which wow all ending now.

bending the bough, each life must bow,

Each leaf decays, fruit heavy lays

Autumn displays Fall’s salad days.  

.

Life full of song, days fair and long.
Young lovers long symphony strong.

sure, know no fear to draw dear near.

Summer sends cheer, cloudless and clear.

;

Life is at ease, soft-scented breeze.

Land under plough, free-grazing cow,

burgeoning bough, bees. Blossom now

whispers, receives. Spring wave-wakes trees.

Bees, blossom, now, burgeoning bough,

free-grazing cow, land under plough.

Spring wave-wakes trees, whispers, receives,

life is at ease, soft-scented breeze.  

.

Cloudless and clear, Summer sends cheer.

To draw dear near, sure, know no fear,

symphony strong young lovers long.

Days fair and long, life full of song.

.All ending now - sunsets which wow -

each life must bow.  Bending the bough,

fruit heavy lays.  Each leaf decays.

Fall’s salad days Autumn displays. 

.

Jack Frost has knives, onward he drives

over our lives. Hibernate hives,

trees stripped of leaves, harvested sheaves.

Time, Prince of thieves. White Winter grieves.

 .

_        _        _        _        _ 

.

Time, Prince of thieves ! White Winter grieves -

trees stripped of leaves, harvested sheaves -

over our lives. Hibernate hives.

Jack Frost has knives, onward he drives.  

.

Fall’s salad days Autumn displays.

Fruit heavy lays,  each leaf decays,

each life must bow bending the bough.

All ending now sunsets which wow. 

.

Days fair and long, life full of song,

symphony strong  - young lovers long

to draw dear near, sure, know no fear.

Cloudless and clear, Summer sends cheer. 

;

Life is at ease, soft-scented breeze,

Spring wave-wakes trees, whispers, receives.

Free-grazing cow, land under plough,

bees, blossom, now, burgeoning bough.

.

____________