When first you wrote a Sapphic ode
I smiled and thought that you were grand
Your poetry since then has flowed
Across the land
A sonnet is a lovely thing
You write them now with scarce a care
You rival all the birds that sing
And fill the air
But truly when you write a "Sue"
All Poetry now stands in awe
So you should know what you must do
GO write some more
Author notes
Very loose interpretation of Sapphic ode, I love them. Ode form means repeating stanzas of the same rhyme and meter, Sapphic relate to three long and one half length line. Traditional Sapphic is Trochee Spondee Dactyl Trochee Spondee three times then Dactyl spondee. If you can find seven real spondees per verse good luck to you!
Pope and others did this
di DUM di DUM di dUM di DUM
di DUM di DUM di dUM di DUM
di DUM di DUM di dUM di DUM
di DUM di DUM
And so do I.
In a list
Please tell me what you think
Comments
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I don't believe you just said...
"... if it's good enough for Pope it's good enough for me"!
It's certainly good enough for Sue... and you have been remarkably prolific lately.
Three bunnies, and you have to guess which one's female.
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This is a fine poem and a classic effort.
as for your author's notes:
Your interpretation of a spondee is too literal. The form tells of the exact format, however, the reader has the responsibility to add the proper accent to the words. Sapphic verse was originally sung, making such interpretation easy. It was written for Greek cadences of speach, however, with a little work it adapts to English rather well.
Tease and tickle games without regulation
You can make the case that "tickle" and "-lation" are not a true spondees, however, when read as one they do not change the flow of the words, as they are not strong trochees either. "Tease and" is a very strong trochee, by comparison. Just because we don't have the exact right shade of blue in our paintbox doesn't mean we shouldn't paint a picture of the ocean. We trust the viewer to understand the image and add the missing hues. Why not do the same in poetry? To me it makes more sense than changing it to remove the dactyl altogether.
Three bunnies, all female for this form.
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The change wasn't mine, it is at least three hundred years old :-
Ode on Solitude -
by Alexander Pope
How happy he, who free from care
The rage of courts, and noise of towns;
Contented breathes his native air,
In his own grounds.
Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread,
Whose flocks supply him with attire,
Whose trees in summer yield him shade,
In winter fire.
Blest! who can unconcern'dly find
Hours, days, and years slide swift away,
In health of body, peace of mind,
Quiet by day,
Sound sleep by night; study and ease
Together mix'd; sweet recreation,
And innocence, which most does please,
With meditation.
Thus let me live, unheard, unknown;
Thus unlamented let me die;
Steal from the world, and not a stone
Tell where I lie.
If it's good enough for Pope it's good enough for me!
I read that when I was about 18 and loved the format, and have composed them in my head ever since. Some Victorian guide to prosody gave me the name and it is reasonably well used for poems in similar form.
Of course the real problem is that we should just call them all poems!
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well done and well expressed. Enjoy the new forms and learning techniques and learning about Sue
Wonderful job.
Passions
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Very nice Jeff - you have lots of patience and skill to write in all these forms, many of which I must confess I haven't heard of, as mine is very basic stuff. I like Sue's reply in kind, you make a good team.
Ann
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Many thanks Jeff for my Sapphic Ode, you know how much I love them and this is no exception.
What can I say to one so bold
Who wrote a sapphic just for me
I've always done as I am told,
Since I was three
I know your aim to set me free
With words and verse that have to rhyme
One day a poet I will be,
Just given time
Many forms you have shown to me
I soak them up without a care
Just help me prove that I can be
Beyond compare!
My reply to you...
Love
Sue
xx
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A fitting tribute to my dear 'Sunshine' who has inspired me much on my journey through poetry land!
xxx Hilly
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a lovely tribute to dear sue,
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