sherlock60 | Mrs. Hudson's Poetry Page: The Speckled Band

Welcome once again to my poetry page!

I hope each week you will read Dr. Watson’s delightful narrative and then be inspired to write a poem related to it in some way. All forms of poetry are permitted, and further down the page there is a selection you might like to consider using over the coming weeks.

This week my featured form is the circular poem.

Structure & Surprise gives the following definition:

Poems employing the circular structure begin in one place, then journey away from that place, only to (as you may have guessed) circle back to the beginning.

I believe this may be interpreted in many ways: the first line or verse being repeated at the end; returning at the conclusion to a thought or situation that was brought in at the beginning; starting in the present, moving into the past or imagination and then coming back to the present. It is entirely up to the poet. There are no strict rules for this one.

Here is my example poem:

Watson waits in the dark
Heeding Holmes’ warning stark
To be alert, with his weapon near
Because peril will very soon be here.
But… surely a moment is all it would take
To state the danger is a snake.
Rather than have this nameless fear
It would be better to be clear.
Is Holmes not a little off the mark,
Leaving his doctor in the dark?

As always, this is simply something to consider for the future. Any form of poetry is welcome this week—and every week! Here are a few suggestions for you:

221B verselet, abecedarian poetry, acrostic poetry, cinquain, circular poetry, clerihew, concrete poetry, diamante, epigram, haiku, limerick, palindrome poetry, riddle, sedoka, sestina, sonnet, tanka, terza rima, tongue twister poetry, triolet, tyburn, villanelle

Please leave all your poems inspired by The Speckled Band in the comments on this post. I look forward to seeing them!

Warm regards,

Mrs. Hudson

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Such an extremely clever use of this poetic form, dear. I congratulate you.

And I can assure you should I see so much as the tip of a forked tongue in 221B Mr Holmes will be out on his ear instantly.

Thank you. That is so kind.

And I do not believe Mr. Holmes would ever be so thoughtless as to keep a snake in his rooms - it wouldn't get on with the scorpion.

Inverted "y" used with flare:-)

Thanks - I was very pleased with that idea ^_^

Love that!

Thank you ^_^

(deleted comment)

That you can write this story into such excellent poetry is brilliant, let alone use a form with highly complicated instructions.

*resolves firmly to stick with limericks*

Edited 2015-03-29 10:05 (UTC)

Thank you very much:-)

I worked through a poetic form book a couple of years ago...please feel free to squash pretentious tendencies as they appear...of the " I will now attempt a reverse Vietnamese luc bat, without a safety harness" variety.

I really like this form - I'd never heard of a luc bat before. And I love what you've done with it. At first glance, the form seems so restrictive - yet your poem doesn't feel forced at all. It's dramatic and beautiful. Wonderful work.

Thank you very much:-)
Thought the form suited a twisting snake
I was surprised how the structures of poem forms help drive things along rather than really restrict a narrative...a bit like finding the right tune for a song.

There once was an adder from Surrey
Which escaped in a bit of a hurry
It sat on the head
Of the man who was dead
Having given Holmes some reason to worry

Quite brilliant:-)
Lines 4 and 5 in particular

Thank you very much!

Short but almost Roylott-ian howl. Using Surrey is brilliant.

Thank you.

Thank you. Well, Stoke Moran was going to be difficult to rhyme easily.

It sat on the head/ Of the man who was dead *falls over laughing*

Very well done ^_^

A tempting rhyme I couldn't resist!

Thank you.

You capture your subject extremely well, dear Mrs H and ask the question we would all like to ask.

Holmes is a bit of a drama queen, isn't he, Mrs Hudson?
Well put

Thank you. Mr. Holmes should really share his thought processes with the doctor a little more.

Mrs. Hudson's Poetry Page: The Speckled Band

A concrete poem

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Re: A circular poem written earlier...

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Limerick

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Your poem, Mrs H

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Re: Your poem, Mrs H