My newest adventure is underway. It has lead me to take up residency in a new blog,
Like the Feathers of an Arrow (affectionately known as LFA).

...don't open...don't throw away... is not disappearing completely (not yet),
but postings here will be limited.

Monday, April 4, 2011

4 positively insane

i must have been absolutely insane.  i (for the most part) have the whole iambic thing down; so of course it makes perfect sense to try for anapest.  did i mention i'm absolutely insane.  i think it would be one thing if i were to try from scratch, 'cause then figuring out how to twist something just right wouldn't be so hard since the whole thing is an open slate.  now whether my thinking is accurate or not is another story, but anyway i took my most resent poem (or at least the beginning of it anyway) and tried for making it into anapest feet.  i think my biggest problem is multi-syllable words that don't have the stress at the end (for some reason i think it disturbs the flow). 

Original eight lines of plunge into nonexistence:

i watched the ripples on the surface
as i sank into nonexistence
concentric circles
spread far beyond my reach
fading into the distance
until they too were nonexistent
so mesmerized by this was i
i barely noticed the true picture
Rewrite in anapest feet--though truth be told i have a hard time hearing this type of beat...

while I stare at the surface where ripples do spread
nonexistence takes hold as I sink far beneath
waves of beautiful circles of light
in the distance beyond my short reach they do fade
‘til they too disappear from existence and sight
so enthralled by this small fact was I
the true picture I barely did notice it’s truth

this reflection into poetic feet was the result of a challenge set forth at One Stop Poetry's Form Monday.  i'm not so sure how well i hit the mark on this challenge, but the description of the prosody was quite informative.

4 comments:

  1. I can go with this scansion completely (and so glad you marked it!--kudos there). The only place I'd question your meter is with "small" before "fact." The line for me is iambic minus the "so"
    enTHRALLED| by THIS| small FACT| was I|
    and with so, the first foot an anapest. It is impossible for me to hear "fact was" as two light stresses, but that's just me.

    But definitely not insane, you did an admirable job and thank you so much for linking!! I appreciate your effort.

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  2. As a newbie in the realm of writing, I've been thinking about trying some of the specific forms...so I can relate to your "insane" feeling. But I wouldn't say you're insane...just brave! Kudos!!

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  3. I know your struggle well... I have yet to accomplish this task with any of my pieces. Bravo... nicely done.

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