Mrs. Hudson's Poetry Page: The Red Circle

[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 Italian sonnet.

The Poets Garret gives this definition:

Of all the variations of the form we know as the sonnet today, the oldest is the Italian sonnet, also known as the Petrarchan sonnet, after its most famous user, Francesco Petrarca. Originally, it had no set structure and it was only after its adoption by the English that the Italian sonnet was defined as consisting of an octave, or 8-line stanza, which sets up a situation, followed by a sestet, or 6-line stanza, which sets up a counter statement.

Italian Octave: a b b a a b b a
Italian Sestet: c d e c d e


Other rhyme schemes are permissible for the sestet: c d c d c d, c d d c d d, c d d e c e, or c d d c c d. The only strict rule is that an Italian sonnet cannot end in a couplet.



Here is my example poem:


Mr. Holmes lays his fingers on my shoulder
And stares into my eyes to finish.
But my anger does not diminish
My regard for him is getting colder.
He tightens his grip, getting bolder:
His clutching fingers long and thinnish;
That bloody smile is turning grinnish.
Should I belt him with my candle holder?
And yet it seems every single client
Is comforted by this detective’s touch.
Mr. Holmes—what can the reason be?
Why are other people reliant
On you as an emotional crutch,
But your powers of soothing don’t work on me?



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, Cornish verse, curtal sonnet, diamante, doggerel, double dactyl, ekphrasis, elegiac couplet, englyn, epigram, epulaeryu, Etheree, fable, found poetry, ghazal, haiku, Italian sonnet, 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 Red Circle in the comments on this post. I look forward to seeing them!


Warm regards,

Mrs. Hudson

Comments

An Italian sonnet

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Holmes’ pile of scrapbooks:
He fills up all the spaces
With memories of his cases—
A list of all known crooks.
He settles himself in nooks,
Remembering old faces
And associated places.
It’s all there if he looks.
But one scrapbook’s kept hidden—
Always remains under wraps.
A top secret one, which is
For even Watson forbidden.
Because the contained scraps
Are all kitten pictures.

Re: An Italian sonnet

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

This explains the printed letter our editor receives on an almost monthly basis: DEAR SIR, PLEASE PRINT MORE PICTURES OF KITTENS. THANK YOU.

Re: An Italian sonnet

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

I must apologise for my lodger. Difficult childhood, I believe.

RE: An Italian sonnet

[debriswoman]

Of course
Let's hope it doesn't get misfiled, and fluffy heart remains concealed

Re: An Italian sonnet

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

It's all right - Holmes keeps it under his pillow :P

RE: An Italian sonnet

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Holmes has a Victorian tumblr! How twee!

Re: An Italian sonnet

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Oh, very clever ^__^

Re: An Italian sonnet

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

D!! And being immune to kitten pictures is a loss.

Re: An Italian sonnet

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Holmes has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of ^_^

A Romantic Proposal

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

To the lady who fainted on Brixton bus
Please be assured you didn’t cause a fuss
I’d like to meet at Joe Lyons for tea
So could you come at half past three?

RE: A Romantic Proposal

[debriswoman]

Awww....romance still flourishes...

Re: A Romantic Proposal

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

And what better way than through the small ads :)

RE: A Romantic Proposal

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Very nice. All those Gazette postings have
potential, no?

Re: A Romantic Proposal

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

A great deal of potential, I think.

Re: A Romantic Proposal

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Love the little reference to the Lyons tea shops ^^

Re: A Romantic Proposal

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

I checked and they existed at that time, so it seemed very suitable.

Your poem, Mrs H

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

I fear, dear Mrs H, you know Mr Holmes far too well for these efforts to have any success.

RE: Your poem, Mrs H

[debriswoman]

Nice try, Mr Holmes:-)

RE: Written earlier: Two English Sonnets

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Well done. Quite the tragic pair but they got a happy ending.

RE: Written earlier: Two English Sonnets

[debriswoman]

Thank you

Re: Written earlier: Two English Sonnets

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

These are beautiful and quite a contrast to the tone of the rest of the story.

RE: Re: Written earlier: Two English Sonnets

[debriswoman]

Thank you

Re: Written earlier: Two English Sonnets

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this graceful and romantic pairing.

RE: Re: Written earlier: Two English Sonnets

[debriswoman]

Thank you

Re: Written earlier: Two English Sonnets

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

So beautiful - you've written two such heartfelt love poems. It's so nice actually to have an ACD marriage that is happy and doesn't end in tragedy ^^" I love the way you bring the two sonnets together at the end by using "lost" and "cost" in both, and then repeating the final couplet.

RE: Re: Written earlier: Two English Sonnets

[debriswoman]

Thank you very much:-)

Limerick

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

A landlady brings Holmes a token:
A lodger, unseen, words unspoken.
To help “lover” Gregson
And his own education
Holmes bares a Red Circle, now broken.

RE: Limerick

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Very well done.

Re: Limerick

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

Re: Limerick

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

I love how you've managed to work in so many references. I especially like “lover” Gregson, which makes me smile for some reason. I suppose it's thinking of Gregson as actually being a lover that does it... ^^"

Re: Limerick

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

That's such a weird way for Holmes to greet the constabulary - maybe it's a private joke among the Yard or something.

attempt Italian sonnet

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Frustration seeps
Pen barren of rhyme or prose
Neither word nor wit flows
The Sunday morning poet weeps

The Sunday morning muse, she sleeps
Refuses breakfast, declines to pose
Inspiration, she stows
Away as the peaky Pekoe steeps

The gaslit pair, each in his chair
Sit silent and still
Alongside a canon of foes and friends
Such is the Sunday morning scribbler's cross to bear
When the Sunday morning muse won't bend to will
And the poet's own yellow fog descends

RE: attempt Italian sonnet

[debriswoman]

Very nice, and you have my sympathy
Such a great image at the end:-)

Re: attempt Italian sonnet

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Thank you. The story itself wasn't yielding much, but I wanted to try the form.

Re: attempt Italian sonnet

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's so, so good ^__^

I particularly like Inspiration, she stows/ Away as the peaky Pekoe steeps and ...the poet's own yellow fog descends. And I really like the image of Holmes and Watson sitting frozen in their chairs waiting to begin.

Rather ironic you're being so creative about writer's block ^^

RE: Re: attempt Italian sonnet

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

I couldn't think of a hook for the story, but I still wanted to give the form a go. Thank you!

Re: attempt Italian sonnet

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

You may not have had specific inspiration, but this is very good. I really like your self-portrait.

Re: attempt Italian sonnet

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much!