“[E]ven the sacred Scriptures had been quoted to justify this iniquitous traffic. It is true that the Egyptians held the Israelites in bondage for four hundred years, . . . but . . . gentlemen cannot forget the consequences that followed: they were delivered by a strong hand and stretched-out arm and it ought to be remembered that the Almighty Power that accomplished their deliverance is the same yesterday, today, and for ever”. – Elias Boudino, President of Continental Congress from 1782-1783
“Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of stupidity.” – Frank Leahy
“You and I are told we must choose between a left or right, but I suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There is only an up or down.” – Ronald Reagan
My response to Bernie Sanders opening calling for revolution!
“Justice is the end of government. It is the end of civil society. It ever has been and ever will be pursued until it be obtained, or until liberty be lost in the pursuit.” – James Madison (1788)
Milkwood’s Poem A Day #15 is the Pantoum. The word prompt for this form is ‘swan song’.
The Pantoum form is:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantoum
“The pantoum is a form of poetry similar to a villanelle in that there are repeating lines throughout the poem. It is composed of a series of quatrains; the second and fourth lines of each stanza are repeated as the first. The pattern continues for any number of stanzas, except for the final stanza, which differs in the repeating pattern. The first and third lines of the last stanza are the second and fourth of the penultimate; the first line of the poem is the last line of the final stanza, and the third line of the first stanza is the second of the final. Ideally, the meaning of lines shifts when they are repeated although the words remain exactly the same: this can be done by shifting punctuation, punning, or simply recontextualizing.”
“A four-stanza pantoum is common (although more may be used), and in the final stanza, lines one and three from the first stanza can be repeated, or new lines can be written. The pantoum form is as follows”
Stanza 1
A
B
C
D
Stanza 2
B
E
D
F
Stanza 3
E
G
F
H
Stanza 4
G
C
H
A
Late Night Nachos Pantoum by Michael Romani Late night cravings for nachos Simmering until these simply must be had The question becomes what meat and cheese Swan song regardless of how healthy this is Simmering until these simply must be had Kid's gloves off this will be sublime There is no better meat than bacon And three cheeses spiced up nicely Kid's gloves off this will be sublime No microwave this time, these will bake Looking at the clock, looking at the time I know I shouldn't but will power won't make No microwave this time, these will bake Late night cravings for nachos I know I shouldn't but will power won't make The question becomes what meat and cheese (c) February 18, 2019 Michael Romani All Rights Reserved
The Poem A Day form for Day#14 is the Rondel form. The word prompt is ‘sunspot’. Sorry to say. But, I am not going to use the word prompt. It’s only provided here in case there is a reader out there playing along. 😉
The Rumor from the Milkwood experts is that there are there are so many varieties of the Rondel as to almost render the form in any way you wish. All that being said, the basics on the format are:
“Rondel goes back to 14th century France but with its alternating rhyme scheme and refrains, it’s a form that works well in modern poetry.”
“The basic plan is 13 lines, like this: ABba abAB abbaA —the capital letters are refrains; lines that repeat. There are often 8 syllables per line,” but it doesn’t always have to be 8.
Talk Is Cheap Rondel by Michael Romani Everyday I find myself moody Acting like just a bit broody Feeling lost up in what we had Wasted moments of blues in E This life can bring such misery With a jump beat to feel less sad Everyday I find myself moody Acting like just a bit broody Lockstep caught up in melody Dissonant notes played harmony These always get the best of me The Blues played quick time, key of E Everyday I find myself moody (c) February 18, 2019 Michael Romani All Rights Reserved
When I despair, I remember that all through history, the way of truth and love has always won. There have been murderers and tyrants, and for a time they can seem invincible. But in the end they always fall. Think of it, always. – Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2 Oct 1869-1948)
“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclination, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.” – John Adams (1770)
A good case might be made that we are possibly living in the end times with the attacks on Christianity, the genocide committed against the unborn, and so many other countless atrocities including groups like ISIS. I was at church today listening to a sermon on this and its possible tie in with the Book of Revelations. From this sermon, I wrote the following:
Truth Is Coming by Michael Romani Truth is coming are you kept ready? Feet on the ground, keeping it steady Word of God is spoken readily here Spoken boldly, freely and without fear Holy hands raised in humble prayer Keeping the Word of God always there Asking for forgiveness for all I do wrong Knowing that each us needs to be strong Liturgical dance offered before the alter In full praise of God and not to barter But to give our all in earnest gratitude The words spoken are truth not platitude Ever grateful for God's sweet mercy The rest as they say is just history The world rests inside His hands A world at peace if only we'd understand Such a thought for us all to behold As it is written and we are told God thought we were to die for And so He did and gave so much more There is power in offering our praise Strength in the blood that we raise As we shout to the Lord in our joy Revelation's rising, are you ready to deploy? The time for rhetoric is long past gone Now is the time to stand and preach on These are times we will walk our walk While keeping firm in talking the talk (c) February 17, 2019 Michael Romani All Rights Reserved
The Poem A Day for Day #13 is to be prepared in the Echo Poem form. The word prompt if needed is ‘dense’.
From https://www.britannica.com/art/echo-verse:
“Echo verse, a type of verse in which repetition of the end of a line or stanza imitates an echo. The repetition usually constitutes the entire following line and changes the meaning of the part being repeated. This device was popular in the 16th and 17th centuries in France, England, and Italy, particularly in pastoral poetry and drama. The best-known examples are George Herbert’s poem “Heaven” and Jonathan Swift’s “A Gentle Echo on Woman.”
Naturally with instructions as clear as this (thanks Milkwood), I had to look up what are these words used by Swift called. Turns out, these are called homophones. No, really. I’m not kidding…
Click to access homophones.pdf
Home On Phone, the Homophones Echo by Michael Romani Dense as I am, I needed some advice But I wouldn't advise Ever asking another to truly accept Well then that is for except For the fact that missing this might affect My expectations in writing and that's effect I called in to find where it led Feeling like the remnant of too much lead Then again and here too All I needed was an echo or two Not really as hard as it seems Once you tear through the seams It turned out that I had little to lose And after some sleep, I felt a little loose I wasn't sure if it was maybe whether I feeling a bit under the weather Or, what it was as it were But, like other poets if we're Fully prepared all ready Then I was too, darn it already Assuredly, we'd be all right Everything is quiet alright There in the echoes that I'd mined Somewhere in the laughter of my mind (c) February 17, 2019 Michael Romani All Rights Reserved
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