Mrs. Hudson's Poetry Page: The Boscombe Valley Mystery

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Welcome once again to my poetry page!

I hope each week you will read Dr. Watson’s delightful narrative and then go on 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.

Unfortunately there is no contribution from my housemaid Rachel this week. She has been very busy lately with her Women In Service Poetry Group, and I believe today she is holding a meeting titled ‘Brainstorming Your Ballad’. I am sure you will join me in wishing her well with that, and we will hopefully see her next time.

Instead, here is a new poetry form to try. I understand some distress was caused by my most recent choices of form and so this time I thought we should attempt something a little more flexible: free verse.

Shadow Poetry gives this definition:


Free Verse is an irregular form of poetry in which the content is free of traditional rules of versification, (freedom from fixed meter or rhyme).

In moving from line to line, the poet's main consideration is where to insert line breaks. Some ways of doing this include breaking the line where there is a natural pause, or at a point of suspense for the reader.



Here is my example poem:


Run free, little verse
Through 221B!
Over chemicals, a violin, a consulting detective…
Over moustachioed doctor, medical supplies (a bottle of brandy)...
Over curtains, over mantel, over…
(Great heavens)
An enormous pile of papers left in the middle of the floor.
You jump!
And trip!
And fall.
Yes, sadly, little verse—this is where the line
Breaks.



But you do not have to use this form, if you do not wish to. 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, ballad, beeswing, blackout poetry, blues stanza, bref double, Burns stanza, call and response, chastushka, cinquain, circular poetry, clerihew, colour poems, concrete poetry, Cornish verse, curtal sonnet, diamante, doggerel, double dactyl, ekphrasis, elegiac couplet, elegiac stanza, elfje, englyn, epigram, epitaph, epulaeryu, Etheree, fable, Fib, florette, found poetry, free verse, ghazal, haiku, In Memoriam stanza, Italian sonnet, jueju, kennings poem, lanturne, limerick, lyric poetry, mathnawī, micropoetry, mini-monoverse, musette, palindrome poetry, pantoum, Parallelismus Membrorum, poem cycle, quintilla, renga, riddle, rime couée, Schüttelreim, sedoka, septet, sestina, sonnet, tanka, tercet, terza rima, tongue twister poetry, triangular triplet, triolet, Tyburn, villanelle



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


Warm regards,

Mrs. Hudson

Comments

Limerick

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

The gambit was Hudson’s, the same:
Find the rich man and tell him your name –
And his background of crime
That brought wealth, means a time
You can profit – or die – from his blame.

RE: Limerick

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Yeah *scratches head* I think we've seen this plot before...

Re: Limerick

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

ACD is never one to let a good plot go to waste ^__^

RE: Limerick

[debriswoman]

Yep...seems a little familiar:-p
Nicely put.

Re: Limerick

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Neatly put!

RE: Not sure if this counts as free verse...

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Very intriguing idea! Neat connection to make.

Re: Not sure if this counts as free verse...

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

That's wonderful ^__^ I love all the description in your poem: Sprigged cotton frock,/ Woollen blue coat,/ Carefully laced boots;/ Neatly bound book in hand, Striped upholstered seating, Stockinged feet tucked/ Underneath/ The sprigged frock;. That last relaxed description rather brings Holmes himself to mind. Not that he generally reads in a sprigged frock, of course. (He goes for the striped silk.)

I always like to think that Holmes and Miss Hunter continued their friendship, and this is such a clever way of renewing their acquaintance ^^

Re: Not sure if this counts as free verse...

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

What a good idea. And clearly and smoothly written.

Re: Not sure if this counts as free verse...

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Hoh hoh HOH!

If nothing else, this just might train Holmes properly to dispose of his tools.

Re: Not sure if this counts as free verse...

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

A lovely idea!

Poem by Mrs. Small-Hobbit, c/o Mrs. Hudson.

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Mrs. thesmallhobbit has asked if I wouldn't mind posting her poem for her:




You shave
By the sunlight
And yet
I can see
You do not
Shave equally
And I know
Your standards
Are high
So I deduce
Your window
Is on the right

RE: Poem by Mrs. Small-Hobbit, c/o Mrs. Hudson.

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Very nice!

Re: Poem by Mrs. Small-Hobbit, c/o Mrs. Hudson.

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Great choice of subject. Neatly done ^_^

RE: Poem by Mrs. Small-Hobbit, c/o Mrs. Hudson.

[debriswoman]

Neatly put:-)

A Free Verse Poem

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Two tickets to buy
Two corner seats to save
But Holmes waits
Until Watson arrives.

Even now
He doesn’t know.
Convenient or inconvenient
Watson will
Always
Come.

RE: A Free Verse Poem

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Aw. A poem after my own heart. *claps*

RE: A Free Verse Poem

[debriswoman]

Very nice:-)

Re: A Free Verse Poem

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

That second verse especially - really good!

Re: A Free Verse Poem

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

I do like this view of them.

RE: Written earlier...Secrets

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Ha! Mrs. Hudson doing her part.

Re: Written earlier...Secrets

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

That is brilliant ^___^ I'm not surprised that Mrs. Hudson should have such wonderful secrets going on in her life - she's an exceptional woman. And the Doctor is a lucky fellow to be getting her cooking ^^

Mrs. Hudson's poem

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Wonderful! Very clever in-reference to the poem type.

Re: Mrs. Hudson's poem

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much, madam. I do try my best.

Violet Eyes - blank verse (late and warning: I don't really like James)

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Violet eyes flash as they re-read the telegram form.
Lips part. Cheeks flush. Chin nods.
Violet eyes disappear behind curtains of lash and lid as a silent beseeching prayer floats into the ether.
---
Violet eyes shine as they re-read the telegram.
Lips curl. Cheeks flush. Chin rises.
Violet eyes look to the heavens as a silent prayer of thanks floats towards the clouds.
---
Violet eyes dart from face to face and settle.
Lips open. Voice speaks. Head is thrown back.
Violet eyes look defiant as hope surges in the heart.
---
Violet eyes rest on the husk of a father.
Lips press together. Cheeks pale. Chin drops.
Violet eyes soften as hands busy themselves with sickbed toil.
---
Violet eyes shine wet when the news is announced.
Lips part. Chin nods.
Violet eyes lay hidden in pinched sockets while tears of relief, joy cascade down cheeks.
---
Violet eyes flash when the confession is whispered.
Lips press. Cheeks hollow. Chin quivers.
Violet eyes darken, drop to the rug.
---
Violet eyes shine as they re-read the telegram form.
IT IS FOR THE BEST STOP WITH SISTERLY LOVE STOP VIOLET EYES STOP.
Head shakes. Fingers crumple paper, then reach for the handle of the suitcase.
Violet eyes sparkle as the train pulls into the station.

Re: Violet Eyes - blank verse (late and warning: I don't really like James)

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Never late - we never close ^__^ And regarding your warning - I always think it's interesting how we individually react to different characters. I personally often fall into the trap of automatically thinking: well, I feel this way - so everyone must feel this way. I think that's one of the strengths of the comm. We get to see things from other members' POVs.

Anyway, to the poem! ^_^ It's such an interesting way of telling Alice's story - taking Watson's initial description and then building on it. Telling the story from the outside, using Alice's expressive features.

I think I like the centre lines of the verses the most. And it's a neat way of bringing the poem to a conclusion - inserting an extra line with the contents of the sent telegram. Perhaps a fresh start would have been the best for both of them.