The pantoum is a poem of indefinite length made up of stanzas whose four lines are repeated in a pattern: lines 2 and 4 of each stanza are repeated as lines 1 and 3 of the next stanza, and so on as shown below.
___________________________(Line 1)
___________________________(Line 2)
___________________________(Line 3)
___________________________(Line 4)
___________________________(Line 5) - same as line 2
___________________________(Line 6)
___________________________(Line 7) - same as line 4
___________________________(Line 8)
___________________________(Line 9) - same as line 6
___________________________(Line 10)
___________________________(Line 11) - same as line 8
___________________________(Line 12)
And so on...
Part of the pleasure of the pantoum is the way its recurring lines gently and hypnotically twine in and out of one another, and the way they surprise us when they fit together in unexpected ways. Write a pantoum comprised of 6-8 stanzas, with meaningfully intertwined lines. Try to create an unexpected juxtaposition between the lines to achieve surprise or irony.
Example from Christopher Lane:
A man outside my window
The cat meowed and purred
I kneel by the fire
The darkness comes soon
The cat meowed and purred
She walked between my legs
The darkness comes soon
The stars will guide my way
She walked between my legs
She ran into the house
The stars will guide my way
I walk the beaten path
She ran into the house
Hiding away from me
I walk the beaten path
Stone, sand, and shell
Hiding away from me
The man peeks out
Stone, sand and shell
I stumble to the ground
The man peeks out
He hides behind the tree
I stumble to the ground
I'm running out of steam
Night turns to day
I kneel by the fire
Tapping at the glass
A man outside my window
Waves crashing against the shore
ReplyDeleteThe water sparkling like the stars
The moon illuminates it’s movement
The sea foam rises
The water sparkling like the stars
Topaz hidden in the waves
The sea foam rises
And takes on the colour of clouds
Topaz hidden in the waves
The water keeps on crashing
And takes on the colour of clouds
It warms from the activity below
The water keeps on crashing
And the sand glistens in the night
It warms from the activity below
The turtles are hatching
And the sand glistens in the night
The time has finally
The turtles are hatching
Their journey begins
The time has finally come
Another student is going to be added to the school of the sea
Their journey begins
And the waters accept it’s new residents
I really like this a lot. Another student is going to be adde to the school of the sea is a brilliant line. Great Job!
DeleteI was walking in the dark
ReplyDeleteThe moon lit up the dark sky
I was lost and had nowhere to go
I need to find my home soon
The moon lit up the dark sky
I’ll continue to walk
I need to find my home soon
I think I’m almost there
I’ll continue to walk
On this treacherous path
I think I’m almost there
I see my house!
I feel like someone is chasing me
I hope I wont end up injured
My only goal is getting inside the house
Hopefully I will make it
I hope I won’t end up injured
I am really close to my house
Hopefully I will make it
By the way, I am really hungry
I am really close to my house
I open up the door
By the way, I am really hungry
I made it home!
Loved this until the really hungry line. The rest is very good. See, you can write poetry.
DeleteThe pain shoots into my leg
ReplyDeleteThe leg twists
Tears fall from my face
I eventually can’t handle it
The leg twists
I over rotated my twist full
I eventually can’t handle it
I saw my bone snap
I over rotated my twist full
I have never seen something so nauseating
I saw my bone snap
The blood drips all over the mat
I have never seen something so nauseating
My face has gone pale white
The blood drips all over the mat
My teammates look distress
My face has gone pale white
The excruciating pain moves up into my brain
My teammates look distress
I have never seen such sorrow
The excruciating pain moves up into my brain
I begin to get dizzy
I have never seen such sorrow
My dream’s are slowly dying
I begin to get dizzy
Winning Worlds seem nonexistent
My dream’s are slowly dying
And then I woke up...
Winning Worlds seem non-existent is an incredible line.
DeleteThe pain is too much
ReplyDeleteThe pressure is hard to take
The waves are breaking over him
It seems like a heavy choice to make
The pressure is hard to take
It’s the only way he can escape
It seems like a heavy choice to make
The arms of the ocean will carry him
It’s the only way he can escape
He’s slipping underneath
The arms of the ocean will carry him
So cold and so sweet
He’s slipping underneath
Looking up,fractured moonlight on the sea
So cold and so sweet
He’s found a place to rest his head
Looking up, fractured moonlight on the sea
He’s not giving up, he’s just giving in
He’s found a place to rest his head
Now he is under
He’s not giving up, he’s just giving in
There’s no need to pray or speak
Now he is under
Drowning so peacefully
WOW. Incredible poem. You definitely have a gift. This is beautiful.
DeleteThe Moon and the Sun,
ReplyDeleteNight and the day.
Darkness and Light,
Cold and the Flames.
Night and the Day,
Both important to the Earth.
Cold and the Flames,
They both can kill you.
Both important to the Earth,
Without them both, we will surely die.
They will both kill you,
The Light and darkness of the world.
Without them both, we will surely die,
Had the best time and now it’s the worst time.
The Light and darkness of the world,
When the sky is grey, it is between the Sun and the Moon.
Had the best time and now it’s the worst time,
The world will come to an end, and so will they.
When the sky is grey, it is between the Sun and the Moon,
But it looks so amazing.
The world will come to an end, and so will they,
Out in space.
but it looks so amazing,
You can’t beat the view.
My passion thrives for basketball
ReplyDeleteIn the gym all day
Sweat and tears come out
Coaches make me work hard
In the gym all day
practice is always so hard
Coaches make me work hard
Thier voice is soo loud
Practice is always so hard
I always try my hardest
Their voice is soo loud
The drills improve my skills
I always try my hardest
No matter what it takes
The drills improve my skills
Every minute burns me inside
No matter what it takes
I will never give up
Every minute burns me inside
Cutting away at my body
I will never give up
In the gym with others practicing
Cutting away at my body
But never give up on my passion
A man watching me outside my window
ReplyDeleteHe was old and scary
He hide be hide my bushes
Looking directly at me
He was old and scary
With gray short hair
And a long beak nose
He started singing scary songs
With gray short hair
He stood at my window
Saying boo-boo
I got scared and ran down stairs
He stood at my window
Waving his hand at me
Telling me to come out
I shut my window
Waving his hand at me
I began to close my window
And the close my blinders
I was scared to death
I began to close my window
I closed it shut
So he wouldn’t see me
Ever again!
I closed it shut
It scared me so much
That he was looking at me
I ended it for good!