Here’s my last effort from the poetry workshop. It is a poetic form from the early-Renaissance troubadour days known as the sestina. Basically, you pick six (6) words that mean something to you and use them at the end of the first six line stanza. The next five stanzas use the same words as ending words but jumble around the order. For instance, my first stanza ended with: yummy (1), Vermont (2), cats (3), mountains (4), vacation (5), and fun (6). The next stanza ends with: fun (6), yummy (1), vacation (5), Vermont (2), mountains (4), cats (3). The order jumbles for another four stanzas. The final stanza, the envoi, is three lines 5-3-1 that must include the other words 2-4-6. Or something like that.
What I learned is early- Renaissance poets took better care picking the six words than I did!
Maple sugar pancakes yummy
up away from town in Vermont
in the company of my trusty cats
away from the bustle high in the mountains
enjoying time like it’s a vacation
having fun
I like to have fun
eating treats so yummy
it’s like I’m on a flavor vacation
in maple sugary Vermont
cookies piled high like mountains
ravenously eyed by my hungry cats
Really, where would I be without my trusty cats?
Few friends of mine have been so dependable and fun
They live with me now near the sea but came from the mountains
they will gladly do tricks for something yummy
like they did in Vermont
when we were on vacation
I’m always ready for vacation
and ready to pack up my cats
traveling up to their homeland Vermont
to stay in the old farmhouse for fun
enjoying treats yummy
in a valley in the mountains
I love summer in the mountains
away from the city on vacation
grilling and cookies yummy
with Felix and Quiet Rustle the cats
Having nothing but fun
up in Vermont
It’s not a long drive to Vermont
away from the flat-landers in the mountains
Having fun
on vacation
with my cats
who like their treats yummy
Vermont on vacation
my pair of mountain cats
Having fun and treats yummy
copyright 2018 Christopher Donahue