Sunday, April 13th, 2014
I was tempted to change my prompt, but decided to hold firm–so nobody is obligated to write a sestina for today’s prompt (but if you want extra credit, both Nester and myself would love to see a few sestinas today. For today’s prompt, write an animal poem.
My first attempt at a sestina. Not very good, not at all pentameter and only slightly iambic. Picking a trochee for one of my end words was not the brightest idea I’ve ever had.
Driven Bats by Sestina Form
i.
The animal we call the bat
is often symbol of the night.
In our minds it flits and flies
as dark embracer of the wild
and haunts each eerie, unlit tower
that thrusts itself against the wind.
ii.
A silent flutter on the wind—
the graceful darting of a bat
as it leaves its nesting tower
and goes out hunting in the night;
as beautiful as it is wild,
every beat a call to fly.
iii.
Some in you see mice that fly
and scream whene’er you’re on the wind,
but I see you as glorious wild
incarnate as a wooly bat
that keeps me going in the night
here locked away in lonely tower.
iv.
In dusky light you are a flower:
Unfurl two petals, spread to fly,
a dark hibiscus in the night,
off chasing insects on the wind.
Enchanting is the lowly bat
that bears the secrets of the wild.
v.
When he was up, the crowd went wild,
‘cause he could hit to farthest tower,
another chance for his mighty bat.
His solid hit at speed did fly
and out of stadium on the wind,
then hit a flittermouse in the night.
vi.
A strong, well-set and gentle knight
who fought against the violent wild
once heard a crying on the wind–
A damsel fair in highest tower.
So forth on gallant steed did fly,
and swooped to rescue like a bat.
vii.
A clinging bat awaits the night
So it can fly both free and wild
Above the tower, leaf on wind.
Gammelor Goodenow
Tags: #bats, #poem-a-day #poetry month, #sestina