(I)
Good Friday night, we dip our white,
Whole Easter eggs in dyes so bright;
And then with wax, we scribe designs-
Where fish and wheat and wavy lines
Combine with signs of sacred rite.
In kitchen table candle light,
We fashion butterflies in flight,
Creative crosses, suns and pines-
Good Friday night.
Then when we’re done, our eyes delight,
And sparkle when we see the sight
Of pysanky, that intertwines
Old pagan and religious signs,
That praise the risen Israelite-
Good Friday night.
(II)
On Easter day, we place our gay,
Bright eggs in baskets and display
Our fine designs of deer and corn,
Combined with marks of one reborn-
Who rose up from the dead they say.
On kitchen table cloths we lay,
In rainbow colored rich array,
Our festive nests bright signs adorn-
On Easter day.
And then we fold our hands and pray,
And praise the prince of passion's play;
Who wore the wicked crown of thorn,
Then like a miracle at morn,
Arose and rolled the stone away-
On Easter day.
(Pysanky: Ukrainian Easter eggs upon which
colorful pagan fertility symbols are combined
with signs of the resurrection)
Author notes
The form I have used is the French Rondeau, in this case a Double Rondeau.
In a traditional Rondeau:
-There are 15 lines.
-Usually 8 syllables in each line.
-There are two rhymes.
-There are refrains of 4 syllables each.
-The refrain is the first 4 syllables of line 1.
-The 15 lines are grouped into:
1: One quintet (5 lines rhyming a,a,b,b,a)
2: One quatrain (4 lines rhyming a,a,b, plus refrain R)
3: One sestet (6 lines rhyming a,a,b,b,a plus refrain R)
A contest entry
- Easter Basket by saddie23.
800 points, ended April 18, 3 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Easter and the Triduum by hieizgirl2000.
350 points, ended May 14, 10 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Form Poetry --- II by rinzurajan.
700 points, ended November 1, 55 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 10 of 10
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that s amazing...want to give u another gold...but let me see...and hey never knew this about ukrainian easter eggs...
its a wonderful poem...really...
good luck
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beautiful
great work love it
cheers
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This is beautiful. I love it.
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Wonderful write, true to so many traditions, childlike too. Blessings.
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I love it !
believe it or not, I have never written a rondeau before ... and I truly wonder why ? this is such a beautiful form, and your wonderful easter-message fits the form so perfectly ...
it has a joyful, bubbly, excited and colorful feeling about it ! perfect for the childlike heart of mine ...
this metered masterpiece looks to me like it's going to transform into a golden easter-egg !
you truly deserve it ...
marion
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I have come to appreciate this poetry form and the lovely rhyming pattern.
Your poem bursts into my mind in such a happy way that makes me glad. 
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This is nice; I have a little collection of eggs done in different European countries including these - the easter egg tree is a vibrant tradition here, still. I enjoyed your festive poem.
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The rhymes may be obvious, but that doesn't stop this being a good poem. There's a brevity and economy about it.
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this is really cool. thank you for sharing it with me today and i wish you the best of luck in this contest you have entered. viyanna rosemarie
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Wow!
I'm speechless, such beauty in these words. Thank you for coming to my contest.
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