Rarely am I one to point a finger of accusation at anyone else–I’m well aware three fingers are pointing back at me in return.  This time, however, I’m more than happy to assign blame. 

For months now, Brandon (Words of Redemption) has suggested I’m making up poetic Pensieve_button_black_poetic_lice_2forms for Pensieve’s Poetic License (documented here and here).  Hmph!  My goal for PPL has always been to encourage non-poets (un-poets?  poet-impaireds?) to step out of their writing-comfort zone and try their hand at something new.  Along the way, I’ve stumbled across poetry forms I’ve never even heard of, so this is a stretch for me as well.

I love exercising my creative gene…and it’s no exaggeration to say it’s a THRILL when "you" join me!  I KNOW many PPL participants have never written poetry before, they shake in their shoes when they click "publish", and they feel naked and exposed to share their attempts with the interwebs.  Every month–every submission–touches and inspires me in some way…but mostly leaves me feeling like a proud mama, realizing that my babies courageously stepped onto the ice and found solid footing beneath.

Which brings us to this month’s poetic form:  a Pensieve

Yes, Brandon, I’m f i n a l l y making one up…and it’s all.your.fault!

Thank you.

While we were on vacation, Brandon’s friendly teasing prompted a "why not?" in my mind and a poetic form began to take shape .  Poetry at its best invites the reader into the author’s thoughts; you feel what they felt when writing it even if you don’t completely understand it or know the back-story.  Words brushstroke masterpieces; not with paint on canvas, but with imagery that speaks to and evolves from our need to create. 

Our need to create.   (Hmmm, because we’re created in the image of God whose creativity knows no bounds, it’s small wonder this is inherent "need" in our lives…whoa, Nellie, now THAT is seed for later thought…Heather & Erin–why am I thinking of y’all right now, lol?)

What is a Pensieve?  A titled, five-line poem; each line correlates to one of the five senses–sight, sound, scent, taste, touch–and describes the subject (title).  The goal is for the reader to take on the poem as his own, being able to "experience" your subject through your words, by seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling what you described.  (If you’re looking for an alternate definition of "pensieve" and found this post via a search engine, please click here.)

The style is reflective and should leave the reader with lingering thoughts. The name for this poetic form is somewhat of a play on words:  the subject is word-drawn from a memory (from the writer’s "pensieve" 🙂 ) and reflected upon
by both writer and reader, pensively.

Will you join me for this month’s Poetic License?  Will you help launch this new poetic form?  Will I be the only one tip-toeing on the ice this time around?  Even if you’ve never tried PPL before…I would love the company.  Inventing poetic forms is kind of scary, and it sure would be nice to do so among friends.

Here’s one to get you started; if you’d like to write a Pensieve, post it, then check back here on Friday to link your submission (leave a comment here to let me know your plans, and I’ll send you a reminder email when the link is active).

Beach

Perpetual motion, waves of blue blanket carpets of white.
Never-ending curtain-call of thunderous applause,
insisting "the show must go on".
Tightly closed lips and defiant clenched teeth–
no match for the salty drink she imposes
Briny scent inhabits each breath,
aroma familiar and certain and welcome
Feet burrow in sugared grains,
skin tingles as sun dries, then bakes, to golden.

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