sherlock60 | Mrs. Hudson's Poetry Page: The Yellow Face

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 colour poems.

In the doctor’s story, we have of course a yellow mask. And there is also the apparent importance attached to the colour of one’s skin, which happily turns out not to be important at all—at least for one family.

One of the moderators for our little community (a Miss Frankles I believe) informs me that she was first introduced to the form at a place called “deviantART”. I must admit the name rather shocked me—I mean, whatever happened to correct capitalisation and punctuation? She further tells me that, after some Googling (Dutch dancing..? I am not certain why this would help), she cannot be sure who invented the form and where exactly it originated.

However, here are the rules as given by SilverInkblot:

Line 1 - Your colour
Lines 2, 3, 4 - things your colour looks like
Lines 5, 6, 7 - things your colour sounds like
Lines 8, 9, 10 - things your colour tastes like
Lines 11, 12, 13 - things your colour feels like
Line 14 - sum it all up.

Here is my example poem:

Purple
is the colour of spring violets,
blackberry jam
and the questionable stain on my new rug.
There was a squelch as I trod on it
and some dark language from me.
And I believe I heard masculine footsteps running away.
It could be blackberry jam.
Or maybe wine.
I’m certainly not tasting it to find out.
I made the error of touching it
and now a rash is emerging.
Dear God. I think my fingers are going numb…
D____ you, Mr. Holmes! But you cannot hide from me forever!

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, colour poems, concrete poetry, diamante, doggerel, epigram, epulaeryu, fable, haiku, limerick, palindrome poetry, riddle, sedoka, sestina, sonnet, tanka, tercet, terza rima, tongue twister poetry, triolet, tyburn, villanelle

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

Warm regards,

Mrs. Hudson

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Lucy, Lucy, what do you see?
How does your family grow?
With poor Papa
And dear Mama
And a stepfather called Munro.

Very nice dear. It is so good to hear of such a happy outcome to one of Mr Holmes' cases.

It is ^_^

An apt form, considering the age of a central character
Nicely done:-)

Thanks ^_^ (It was written in some desperation yesterday evening ^^")

Norbury, he said
Will be your home from now on
For you shall be my own child

Norbury, Holmes said
A reminder to avoid
Future over-confidence

That's such a great choice of subject for a sedoka - I've never thought about that before. "Norbury" will always make Holmes cringe a little, but for Lucy it's the place where she was reunited with her mother, and got a second father.

I was very taken with the contrast and sedokas are ideal for expressing them.

Demonstrates the varying implications of the name very well:-)

Thank you!

One word with two very different emotional connotations. Nicely done.

Thank you - it struck me that while Norbury would be a warning to Holmes it would be a much happier sound for Lucy.

I trust you suffered no ill effects from this, Mrs H. Any ill effects Mr Holmes suffered were no doubt entirely justified.

The rash and numbness did disappear quite quickly. As did Mr. Holmes.

I believe he is currently doing some investigations. In Aberdeen.

Lovely writing, Mrs H
Does the poetry writing help ease your stresses?

Well, that and the gin...

Ah, yes...the gin...

(deleted comment)

All lovely as ever - but I particularly like the thought of Holmes telling Munro to buy cheaper tobacco.

Thank you...Holmes is a thrifty soul:-p

Wonderful as always. I especially like "Till props and cast and dialogue are clear/ And all the pages of the script appear." And that final "He takes her hand" in the rondelet goes straight to my heart.

I love the way you've taken that phrase of Watson's ...the listeners to, and eventually the actors in, some strange drama... and used it as the overarching theme for your poems ^^

Thank you very much:-)

Bravo for the whole, and an extra for the ending.

Thank you:-)

I too love the pipe one. There are deductions Holmes makes and then there's his particular favorite topics upon which he can expound with the pleasure of the hobbyist.

Oh yes, a true enthusiast:-)

Beautiful. Once again, poor Lucy.

I tried to write a colour poem for yellow myself, but gave up as I did not think I could do the idea justice. I am so glad now that I did not because yours is perfect.

I admire the way you set the scene with the sun, flowers and then the jaundice. And the poem works so well as a whole. I especially like the last line, which of course also suggests that awful yellow mask Mrs. Munro got her daughter to wear.

Thank you
A form I had not come across before...really pleased you liked this:-)

How lovely! Again, a great ending: most thoughtful and moving.

Ach. Perfect use of the color topic for this story.

When I get too full of pride and hubris
Dr. Watson comes to me,
Says one word to stop it –
“Norbury.”

When my process of deductions
Makes me boast of all that’s clear to me
One word shuts my cake-hole –
“Norbury.”

“Norbury,” “Norbury,” “Norbury,” “Norbury” –
“If I may, dear fellow – Norbury.”

This reminds me that, despite my prowess,
All may not be clear to me,
And I may reach wrong answers:
“Norbury.”

When the case seems steeped in darkness
And the foulness of humanity,
Love can shine like sunlight:
“Norbury.”

When I get too full of pride and hubris
Dr. Watson comes to me.
We both smile; we know it:
Norbury.

At least Holmes is sufficiently self-aware to know he needs the reminder. And I do like his acknowledgement that occasionally amidst all the darkness there can be light.

I definitely recognised the song this time ^_^

The laughter has now subsided a bit so I can comment. Though I have to say that One word shuts my cake-hole –/ “Norbury” is still giving me considerable trouble in that direction ^___^ But rereading your poem in the light of thesmallhobbit's comment, I'm rather moved by the little touch of poignancy in the second half.

Lovely work...adapted neatly:-p
Cake-hole...fits beautifully:-)

Mrs. Hudson's Poetry Page: The Yellow Face

A nursery rhyme

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