Mrs. Hudson's Poetry Page: Wisteria Lodge

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

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 quintilla.

Poetry Magnum Opus gives this definition:

The quintilla is a 16th century Spanish quintain [5 line poem] with a rhyme scheme that is more about what cannot be done than what can be done.

[It] is:

[written in] 8 syllable lines.
written in any number of quintains (5 line stanzas).
rhymed. In each quintain only 2 rhymes can be used, and the quintain cannot end in a rhyming couplet.
[written using one of these] rhyme schemes: ababa, abbab, abaab, aabab, or aabba.
known as Copla Real when written as a decastich (a 10 line poem—that is, 2 quintillas).



Here is my example poem, inspired by the situation Mr. Holmes refers to in the sentence “My dear Watson, you know how bored I have been since we locked up Colonel Carruthers.” I am using the rhyme scheme aabba:



Was it a good plan? Hmm, was it?
Where you chose to him deposit?
(I wish I had a Scott Eccles!
Instead of two Hydes, two Jekylls.)
Don’t lock Colonels in my closet!




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, alexandrine, beeswing, blackout poetry, blues stanza, bref double, call and response, chastushka, cinquain, circular poetry, clerihew, colour poems, concrete poetry, curtal sonnet, diamante, doggerel, double dactyl, ekphrasis, elegiac couplet, englyn, epigram, epulaeryu, fable, found poetry, ghazal, haiku, kennings poem, lanturne, limerick, lyric poetry, palindrome poetry, pantoum, poem cycle, quintilla, renga, riddle, rime couée, Schüttelreim, sedoka, septet, sestina, sonnet, tanka, tercet, terza rima, tongue twister poetry, triolet, tyburn, villanelle


Please leave all your poems inspired by The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge in the comments on this post. I look forward to seeing them!



Warm regards,

Mrs. Hudson

Comments

A quintilla (ababa)

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

“...a retired brewer called Melville… It was at his table that I met some weeks ago a young fellow named Garcia.”




Will Scott Eccles soon be rueing
His making a new Spanish friend?
Knows not what Garcia’s doing—
That his affection is pretend.
At the Melvilles, trouble’s brewing.

I'm sure this form must have a name

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Green and white
San Pedro’s blight
White and green
A dictator mean
Green and white
An evil man’s flight
White and green
No more to be seen

Re: A quintilla (ababa)

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

It always surprises me how often Mr Holmes' clients accept things which are too good to be true and are surprised when this turns out to be the case. I believe this is a case of what young Billy refers to as "no such thing as a free lunch". Which is something I have had cause to remind Mr Holmes when he is late paying for his lodging.

Re: Quintilla: A Gardener's Tale (abbab)

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

You've captured him very well here.

Re: Written Earlier: Watson knows his place

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Watson may know his place, but it's a very important one.

Mrs H's poem

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

May we remind all our readers that incarceration of military gentlemen in the landlady's broom cupboard is not recommended on any occasion.

THIS INCLUDES YOU MR HOLMES

Re: A quintilla (ababa)

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Nice use of the word 'brew.'

RE: A quintilla (ababa)

[debriswoman]

Fools rush in
Well put:-)

RE: Re: Quintilla: A Gardener's Tale (abbab)

[debriswoman]

Thank you:-)

RE: Re: Written Earlier: Watson knows his place

[debriswoman]

It certainly is:-)

RE: I'm sure this form must have a name

[debriswoman]

I really like this, but have no idea of a name for it:-)

RE: Mrs H's poem

[debriswoman]

Must be getting quite crowded in there...

Re: Written Earlier: Watson knows his place

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Aw. Very nice.

Limerick

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Scott Eccles, alone in the place;
His new friend left never a trace.
Garcia is felled
And the governess held –
And the San Pedro Tiger escapes.

attempt quintilla

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

On a blustery, bleak March day
We learnt upright Eccles fell prey
To a hoax, dark and grotesque
Much like Poe’s Tale Arabesque
‘Neath prank, terrible and tragic lay

Re: Limerick

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Well done. *claps*

Re: Written Earlier: Watson knows his place

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Most excellent, these tense and elegant verses.

Re: I'm sure this form must have a name

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

A lot of form and information in these short lines. The last two are a really good flourish.

Re: Limerick

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Thanks you for this good limerick. Excellent ending.

Re: attempt quintilla

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

A most successful quintilla! An excellent poem, altogether; every line just right. Love your bringing Poe into it.

Re: attempt quintilla

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Thank you, thank you! The whole discussion of the definition of 'grotesque' was the most interesting part of the whole story, to me.

RE: Re: Written Earlier: Watson knows his place

[debriswoman]

Thank you:-)

RE: Re: Written Earlier: Watson knows his place

[debriswoman]

Thank you very much:-)

RE: Limerick

[debriswoman]

Excellent summary:-)

RE: attempt quintilla

[debriswoman]

Successful:-)
I really liked the rhyming of grotesque, in particular:-)