Lira Options

[Guest_Cathy_*]

A Lira is a five-line Spanish form with 7, 11, 7, 7, 11 syllables and a  rhyme scheme of a b a b b, thus:  

7  a
11  b
7  a
7  b
11  b

~~~~~~~~~~~

Wolf Prints

Dark eyes reveal great valiance,
in padded silence you tread the path of pride;
inner strength perceived in stance.
Insight you freely confide
and forever will you be my spirit guide.

Cathy Bollhoefer
copyright Dec2005

[AMETHYST]

Hello Cathy,

Thank you for posting this... THis is my Lira..



The Coming Dawn

When night-dreams become day's norm
and living nolonger gleams with passion's light.
Our spirit's merge and by morn
we're illuminated; night
will purge the coming dawn...dying souls take flight.

[AMETHYST]

Entering The World ...

Her auburn hair is wispy,
it flails within the autumn winds, lucent eyes
behold untold mysteries
of universal laws-guised
behind her nascency, innocence resides...

[Cleo_Serapis]

Wolf Prints

Dark eyes reveal great valiance,
in padded silence you tread the path of pride;
inner strength perceived in stance.
Insight you freely confide
and forever will you be my spirit guide.

Cathy Bollhoefer
copyright Dec2005

Hi Cathy.

again for posting this form here in Karnak!  :cheer:

I find the shorter forms more poignant in some ways as it forces us to carefully choose just the right words to get our messages across. Not an easy task sometimes!

I am in love with these two lines - they could be a poem in and of themselves:

in padded silence you tread the path of pride;
and forever will you be my spirit guide.

Lovely!
~Cleo  :lovie:

[Cleo_Serapis]

Entering The World ...

Her auburn hair is wispy,
it flails within the autumn winds, lucent eyes
behold untold mysteries
of universal laws-guised
behind her nascency, innocence resides...

Liz,  :sun:

How lovely!  :cloud9:

These words really stand out:

lucent eyes behold untold mysteries
innocence resides...

Excellent!
~Cleo

[Cleo_Serapis]

Hello Cathy,

Thank you for posting this... THis is my Lira..



The Coming Dawn

When night-dreams become day's norm
and living nolonger gleams with passion's light.
Our spirit's merge and by morn
we're illuminated; night
will purge the coming dawn...dying souls take flight.

My my - how beautiful!  :lovie:  :cloud9:

Every single word is precious Liz.

Well done!

I've been illuminated this morn!  :ornament:  :present:  :stocking:  :menorah:

~Cleo  :pharoah2

[JustDaniel]

a leery lira

we're fostering a spirit
of creative come-backs while shadow sparring
a phantom… as we near it –
perfection without marring
this form eluding us… averse to scarring

© MLee Dickens'son 02 Dec 2005

[AMETHYST]

What Kindles A Soul
(Series of Lira's to capture Family Foundations)

Awakened by the lone chime
of a distant whistle from a railroad train,
that sings in the morning time.
The dawn's dancing swirls remain
like the assurrance of Aunt Kate's window pane.

Sun-streaked asphalt burns, torrid,
evanescing; light-gray mist dissipating.
We quickly scattered, and hid
away, anticipating
a hide and seek "hopeful first kiss," while waiting.

The nurse snuck passed the hall light
down the corridor, along the wall, inside
the maternity ward-night
lit shadows that slip and slide.
I saw my daughters smile and heard her first sigh.

As rough raging crests begin
and sea-storms surge, like waves against a mountain side,
old mem'ries emerge within
and anchor me. Each provide
those fam'ly ties that strive above ocean's tide.

[Cleo_Serapis]

So lovely Daniel and Liz!

You've talked me into trying this form!

Mine is more choppy though...

Stockpile

She peeks through the hole, her home;
in wonderment of the glistening frost bed.
Nut stockpile too low, must roam
out into the cold, she’ll head
in search of a meal for her brood to be fed.

[AMETHYST]

Hi Lori,

This is a lovely Lira. The scene is crisp and vividly drawn. The ending
brings her plight together. This is a keeper. Every syllable is used to its fullest, to bring the reader a full and enjoyable poem.

Hugs, Liz ...

Stockpile

She peeks through the hole, her home;
in wonderment of the glistening frost bed.
Nut stockpile too low, must roam
out into the cold, she’ll head
in search of a meal for her brood to be fed.

[AMETHYST]

Family ...


Determination employed,
his bounteous passion for living had fed
every moment I enjoyed.
He taught me to race a head,
and reach for stars...I followed, my brother led.

[JustDaniel]

Composing Myself

I process raw emotions
through a database of stuffed-tight program files,
anew accessing notions
buried somewhere in there… hard-driving for miles…
yards… feet, down mystery aisles.

© MLee Dickens'son

[JustDaniel]

A LIRA on a Sonnet

A sonnet yearns to affect
loving reflection, focusing on one thing
imaging heart to project
reality, so to sing
another refrain to which an ear may cling.

© MLee Dickens'son

[Larry]

Differences Matter

Lyrical does not belie
the name that is given this forgotten form
nor its shape should one decry
because it isn’t the norm
for learning something new will not ever harm.

[JustDaniel]

A Present

Eyes twinkle with excitement
undoing bright wraps lovingly covering . . .
What is it inside that’s meant
so much? and you’re hovering
to see how I’ll emote? Will I get a ring?

© MLee Dickens'son

[Larry]

Road-kill Revenge

A small pile of fur and bone
lies in the middle of a black-top road
where big trucks and autos drone.
Going back to their abode
like people changing tires the bones explode.

[JustDaniel]

Ripples in a Moat

I’d no thought to stir your boat;
forgive me if I’ve troubled our calm waters.
Waves can rise fast in a moat.
Such joy with sons and daughters
sometimes alarms our dear hurricane-spotters.

[Larry]

Hidden Treasures

Weeded the garden today
where the wife likes me to plant herbs and spice.
The cold front made it child’s play
and the numerous roots were gone in a trice.
Finding basil and thyme survived made it nice.

[JustDaniel]

Home?

Home – yet jolted heart now grieves.
We’d hid-and-sought through many a day and night,
climbed trees here. But now . . . strewn leaves.
Stunned, I weep for her in fright.
Will morning star e'er again grace my poor sight?

[Larry]

remembered grief

To die alone? I don’t care
to be the last family member in the ground
with only friends there to share
tears beside that final mound
so I’d rather go than hear that mournful sound.




Sorry about the last post but I'm now following your lead on the: 7,11,7,7,11.

[JustDaniel]

Typical Evening

Arriving home, I’m weary;
my cat scans me as I lounge before the screen,
drifting off (It’s quite eerie!)
half way through each show, not waking in between.
I ask each time where I’ve been.

[Larry]

Larry’s Leery Lira

Just when I thought I had it
you come in and change all the rules for the form
by switching line length a bit
so I’m not sure of the norm
but in dice, seven come eleven’s a charm.

[JustDaniel]

LIRAcal Advice

You know that I make mistakes!
Don't be so quick to imagine that you're wrong
or quickly hit your brakes.
Just remember you belong
and allow me to screw up your favorite song.

[Larry]

Roads to Everywhere

To be in this company
of like minds which has now dwindled to a few
offers me a panoply
of opportunities to
stroll on florid paths, too many to construe.

[JustDaniel]

Un-a-mused

Sitting here watching the news
I'm realizing how inconsequential
it is to my sleeping muse;
can I be influential
in making it realize it's essential?

[Larry]

opine says a me

Writing of such things, inane
helps keep my mind sharp and opens reception
to help a creative brain;
even though this is just fun
there are flashes that tell me I am not done.

[JustDaniel]

not amused?

I'm feeling a barrier -
after a day working with insulation -
twixt me and my carrier,
that muse of inspiration
who may be feeling undervaluation.

[Larry]

a wait worth its weight

Valuation of all things
may depend solely on someone’s point of view
depending on what it brings
to inspire people anew
so when sharing thoughts, the muse is always true.

[JustDaniel]

the grinch

amusement is not always
what your children ought to participate in
while hanging in the hallways;
today could be the time when you might begin
discipline, to your chagrin

[Larry]

medical add vice

she grins at each stupid pun
but has cultivated a sense of humor
and through the years we’ve had fun
beginning jokes where the punch line's a rumor
both a comic consumer

[JustDaniel]

Buy and Bye

consumers can be comic
when you see the ridiculous things they buy --
like toothbrush ergonomic,
paper from Oversupply,
bottled spring water, rutabaga bonsai

[Larry]

gilding lilies next?

to bronze a rutabaga
is a real waste of copper and tin alloy
but alpha and omega
for a metallurgy boy
is making a brass bonsai; that would be joy.

[JustDaniel]

Parading

A brass band -- O what a joy
to see with all seven of my grandchildren
mingling with the hoi polloi
to see the parade again;
their enjoyment's like I can't remember when!

[Larry]

first basis

Remember enjoyment when
a simple game of stick-ball lasted all day;
you hit homeruns for the win
and no one there dared to say
steroids helped and baseball was for fun, not pay.

[JustDaniel]

Diamond Syndrome

Baseball's for pay, but it's fun
to watch someone steal second, third base and home
or the DH hit home runs,
see a ball game in the Dome;
we're diagnosed with the diamond syndrome.

[Larry]

bauble heads

Diamonds in domes or the nose
tend to sparkle and flash in spectators’ eyes;
they’re investments I suppose
but not when they’re catching flies
in the outfield. Just a millionaire’s disguise!

[JustDaniel]

Outside the Bus

Millionaires are disgusting
when they throw their wealth and position at us
making me feel like busting
them in the chops -- make a fuss
with their guards as they try to get on their bus.

[Larry]

nothing learned

They post guards in school busses
because children are not taught how to respect.
A driver who discusses
the familial neglect
is branded a racist and careers are wrecked.

[JustDaniel]

Who Done It

bus driver's career was wrecked
resulting from his suspicious accident:
"hit a student doing text"
but it wasn't evident
who was texting / what the above headline meant

[Larry]

habla-blah-blah

What is meant by “doing text”
shows clear proof the proofreader lacks language skills
as to nouns or verbs. What’s next,
Strange sentences with no frills;
gerund-mandering present participles?

[JustDaniel]

Gerunds live in the present
in a simple participle kind of way;
possessive words will augment
their meaning in redisplay
if you understand my speaking, so to say.

[Larry]

From verbs to nouns you’re making
except when dealing with nominative case
so we shall not be breaking
grammatical rules in place
and leave English teachers everywhere quaking.

[JustDaniel]

Leave English teachers a loan
so they will be able to buy a new home
to spend their summers alone
or visit the Superdome
where English seems a foreign language to some.

[Larry]

English is a foreign tongue
and to hear it on the phone, you must press one
but I will not be among
those people so just for fun
I press random numbers until they are done.

[JustDaniel]

I press random numbers till
something strikes my mind to help me to recall
my PIN (vanishes at will)
for debit card at the mall.
Why can't I remember something that's that small?

[Larry]

Small numbers won’t come to me
but neither do I remember the large ones,
they’re gone to the nth degree.
In between I know by tons
but others will always leave me lost at see.

[JustDaniel]

so you won't be lost at see

seven-eleven format
then seven then seven-eleven again
becomes a welcome doormat;
a-b-a-b-b maintain
and you'll stay on track when you your sight regain.

[Larry]

the lone rhea ranger

I think I have regained sight
and my brain is operating at its peak
but between my eyes you smite
me with formats and I seek
the beginning of this string and take a peek.

[JustDaniel]

behind the seens

I often peek at the start
because I forget things often at my age;
I'm not really all that smart
and couldn't be called a sage,
so I check out the beginning when offstage.

[Larry]

comedy of eras

The stage upon which we play
will not ever see a sold out audience
to hear what we have to say,
which comes in an abundance,
and is delivered with some impertinence.

[JustDaniel]

No Disgust

Impertinence is our style
delivered even when no one else reads us;
we give each other a smile
while we hardly ever cuss
and it is likely we'll never be discussed.

[Larry]

florid gardens

When discussing diverse forms
we’ve delved into idiosyncratic verse,
which have challenged all the norms
on poetry sites. Mosaic Musings’ curse
or blessing is it’s filled with new seeds and corms.

[JustDaniel]

Corm now!

Corm? the rhizome of the site?
a big bulb where all the energy is stored?
Perhaps we'll flower in spite
of the fact that we're all bored?
Maybe you or Merlin will strike a bright chord.

[Larry]

greener past yours

If Merlin strikes a bright chord,
will I be there to help him in any way
or in the cups which I’ve poured
bemoaning those who won’t stay
believing there is somewhere they’ll be adored.

[JustDaniel]

Loved in Linens

If they'd like to be adored
they might just hang around with us for a while
and become part of our horde;
we would love them without guile
and even dress them in linen and argyle.

[Larry]

note to author

Addressed in linen or guile
some think good critique is used to criticize
and that you’ve placed them on trial
but that is just alibis
people use when they want you to patronize.

[JustDaniel]

Patron Eyes

You want me to patronize?
That was the most intelligent piece ever!
It really opened my eyes,
and it is very clever;
would I change even one word of it? never!



By the way, that's almost what I would have said without patronizing!

[Larry]

alter a shun

“Never change one word of it!”
is a critique everyone would like to hear
but there’s always a small bit
some would modify. I fear
that most of their suggestions do not endear.

[JustDaniel]

Peek Speak

Most suggestions won't endear
the critiquer to the author that's critiqued;
however, the sight-seer
with rave review that is sneaked
in after two minutes: author's joy is piqued.

[Larry]

valued versus?

The peak of an author’s joy
is to be recognized and emulated;
a dream since I was a boy.
but I guess I am fated
to present alternatives to those jaded.

[JustDaniel]

my alternative to jade:
something made of cardboard splashed with urethane
yet for which I have been paid;
that is all that's been germane
throughout my life... which is why it's been mundane

[Larry]

To feel mundane throughout life
without trying to change the situation
will only fill you with strife
when you could feel elation
by sharing talents found through cogitation.

[JustDaniel]

Cogitation that's profound
may not feel that way to the person thinking;
it possibly would astound
him to know that his drinking
would destroy every intelligence inkling.

[Larry]

Intelligence is measured
through valleys of sorrow and mountains of joy.
Memories are not treasured
like a child’s favorite toy
but in the news that it’s going to be a boy!

[JustDaniel]

When it's gonna be a boy
daddy's chest begins to stick out like his mom's --
well, not really, but his joy
may ooze right out without qualms
and he's glad that he put away his condoms.

[Larry]

calm down or be put away
in a long-sleeved jacket with lots of buckles
and you’ll never have your say
about the guy who chuckles
and walks around the cell dragging his knuckles.

[JustDaniel]

If his knuckles are dragging
in the cell where he's been incarcerated
will he likely be bragging
about what he's created:
rash on his fingers that are now inflated

[Larry]

Inflated figures are rash
when you hand your books to the IRS man
who will ask, “where’s all the cash?”
because he is not a fan
of tax cheats and he will throw you in the can.

[JustDaniel]

Receipts you've thrown in a can
will not impress the IRS agent much;
he will very quickly scan
the mass with his special touch
making it clear you'll soon be in double Dutch.

[Larry]

The Dutch will double you soon
when you go to buy a box of chocolate;
their costs have gone to the moon
and the price hikes won’t abate
because they planted the cocoa trees too late.

[JustDaniel]

Don't plant cocoa in a tree;
when the wind blows it will probably spill out
and cause it to fall on me
which would likely make me pout
with all-day depression as I walk about.

[Larry]

As you walk about depressed,
you are not hurting anyone but yourself;
just think about how you’re blessed
with not being that poor elf
stored in the attic in a box on the shelf

[JustDaniel]

What is stored in your attic
has become much too difficult to get to
unless you're acrobatic
because everything's askew
since the last time you gave it a going-through.

[Larry]

Going through what you gave last
to decide which I should keep or give away
all remind me of our past
but it seems like yesterday
when at the alter we were kneeling to pray.

[JustDaniel]

You were praying to alter
something going on between the two of you?
What caused you so to falter?
Did the day make you argue?
Why not just go have a shower and shampoo.

[Larry]

With a shampoo and shower
things may segue into more than getting clean
and take more than an hour;
at our age, that’s not too keen,
we’d rather be playing find the submarine.

[JustDaniel]

You play Find the submarine ?
Now would that be with Abbot and Costello?
Did they have a shower scene
with a gal and a fellow?
What instrument will be playing? A cello?

[Larry]

Playing cello or fiddle
with something else will get you into trouble
when soap is in the middle
and playing forms a bubble
you might get to first bass on the double

[JustDaniel]

First bass might be in trouble
if the fisherman hasn't had his breakfast
but if his fishing doubles
or trebles he could be passed
back into the stream and he'd be free at last.

[Larry]

Free at last and thrown back in,
the bass thought that his food must have had a germ
for he wound up in a bin
and that strange food did not squirm
but he’ll never bite on a nightmarish worm

[JustDaniel]

What is a nightmarish worm?
Is it created when you're on LSD?
Is the illusion long-term?
Was the worm an amputee
who regenerated and turned into three?

[Larry]

Regenerate into three?
Depending on how many times you cut them;
there’s the possibility,
although it is very slim,
you’ll wind up with lots of bait if it’s a him.

[JustDaniel]

A worm is debateable
since you can always take it off of the hook;
it can be reliable
to keep your place in a book
if you don't mind others thinking you're a kook.

[Larry]

A kook minds what others think
even if they don’t verbalize what that is
but they’re always on the brink
of knowing that hers or his
answers are needed when he’s taking life’s quiz.

[JustDaniel]

That's why you can't take a whiz --
your old prostate has swollen out of control;
doctor will give you the biz
so don't think that he's a troll
because your oncologist speaks español.

[Larry]

Spaniel speaks on colleges
which surprises me because they’re not that smart.
Fields in which his knowledge is
must include pointing to start
and he concludes where it’s best to whiz and fart.

[JustDaniel]

A Slight Correction ^{(not a slight!)}

The quizzers have concluded
that the rhyme scheme of your last lira does not
fit on what you've extruded;
I'm afraid that you've been caught
but I know that doing it right's what you've sought.

[Larry]

I sought to be enlightened
with some new and wondrous forms I could explore;
my rhyme scheme should be tightened
so slight me a little more.
A bee and a B.B. will both make you sore.



Thanks for the heads-up. I corrected it slightly.

[JustDaniel]

Two Old Farts

What will be will be for sure:
I knew you'd easily fix the previous
so that your farts could endure
without making too much fuss;
it's certainly now worthy of both of us.

[Larry]

Two Lucky Old Farts

We’re both worthy for certain
with our constant posts and the inane banter
kept bringing down the curtain
by our Miss Lori Kanter
that would have left us out in the cold hurtin’

[JustDaniel]

Two Old *Bench-Warmers

With us in the cold, hurtin'
would Luce's friends have had a place to gather?
Inane or not, our spurtin'
with all our foolish blather
kept the lights on with our place-holding smather.

_*Farts

[Larry]

Our light-holding won’t matter
if the influx of new poets don’t critique;
there will just be some chatter
and that is not what we seek
if we want to keep the mosaic unique.

[JustDaniel]

A Mosaic of Poets

The Mosaic is unique
in its openness to new and old writers;
you'll see if you take a peek
in the forums -- no blighters;
fine observations without being biters.

[Larry]

With biting observations
sites drive away new writers just beginning,
giving themselves ovations
while not letting those take wing
who may be able to teach the world to sing

[JustDaniel]

Mentor by Appreciation

We can teach the world to sing
by encouraging them to share their voices
and develop what they bring
showing that there are choices
to become symphonies and not just noises.

[Larry]

Notable Differences

Noises when symphonies start
are the orchestra tuning up to begin
on the proper key. Their part
will mesh and that former din
becomes an opus that makes you say Amen.

[JustDaniel]

The Bald Truth About Ron

Opie made you say, Amen!
when you saw some things that he did with Andy.
He grew up as peer to men
(back when his hair was sandy)
who directed him; Ron's now more than handy.

[Larry]

lisps of faith

Ron is handy at his trade
because of excellent direction when young
and all the roles which he played
that captured our hearts. Among
them, the Music Man and Happy Days were strung.

[JustDaniel]

Put a Sock in it?

Was the music man strung out
when he came to your town and recruited you? dew
Personally, I don't doubt
he must have been a little more than askew....
Can't carry tunes in your shoe!

[Larry]

Ooh-Gaws!

You can carry tunes in shoes
if you’re in the circus but are not the star
and here is some more good news,
no one will know who you are
when you play music and sound like an old car.