Poetry Project — October, 2022

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So, this month we committed to writing dansas — a poetic form with prescribed stanza lengths, a rhyme scheme and a refrain that’s meant to resemble dance of sort (thanks to the French for the name…) I think the rules will be obvious to you, so I won’t go into detail but I’ll offer up a few links here and here.

I had so much fun getting into character last month for our definito challenge that I decided to lean on that crutch a little longer. So, without further ado, my dansas — inelegant but fun!

The Middle School Dance: Three Dansas
Liz Garton Scanlon

1.
Shall I ask him to dance?
Can I screw up the nerve?
(I prefer to observe
through my bangs, at a glance!)
Shall I ask him to dance

or stay put and reserved?
Will I throw him a curve
if I make my advance?
Yes, I’ll ask him to dance,

like it’s what I deserve!
Deep breath now and… swerve
toward a budding romance
if I ask – I am asking! – that boy there to dance.

2.
I’m regretting everything,
questioning the clothes I wore,
keeping eyes glued to the floor.
I crack my knuckles, twist and wring
I’m just regretting everything!

I inch a little toward the door
I’ve seen enough and need no more.
But wait – my heart – a little zing –
am I still regretting everything?

Lights are pulsing, music roars
I see her coming, know what for.
She asks, I answer, my heart sings –
I’m not regretting anything!

3.
One step forward, hand meets hand
shivers rolling down the spine
(obviously that’s a sign…
and not exactly what they’d planned)
one step forward, hand meets hand

swaying, breathing, looking fine
music rushes, lights all shine
the space at once grows close, expands
one step forward, hand meets hand

gym floor shuffle, quite divine
and then it ends, that’s it, it’s time
the music stops but they still stand
take one step forward, hand in hand

 

You can read others here:
Sara
Tricia
Tanita
Mary Lee
Kelly
Laura

And Jone is hosting Poetry Friday — thanks Jone!

Finally, if you feel like joining us next month,we’re creating recipe poems! Your choice of form, length, meter, or topic, but each poem will be an assemblage of elements, using recipe text/cooking instructions to create …something. From a recipe for disaster, to your favorite aperitif, you have a month to craft your creation and serve it forth on November 25th in a post and/or on social media with the tag #PoetryPals.

14 Responses to “Poetry Project — October, 2022”

  2. Tricia

    You have so immediately captured all the feelings here and put me right back in that gym. I love the story these three tell. And the middle stanza is such a great perspective. We forget that boys too can be shy and unsure.

  3. Sara Lewis Holmes

    awwwww…this is so sweet in its hesitant circling (great use of repetition to convey angst!) and so powerful in its eventual slow steps into a new relationship. LOVE it.

  4. tanita

    Oh, my heart.
    I love her decision to ask as if it’s what she deserves. Brava. His part is especially adorable. I see her coming/I know what for… he perks right up and regrets nothing.

    Hoping to see these two in a MG book near me!

  5. janice scully

    You capture so well in #2 the shyness and insecurity of an eighth grader at a dance. “questioning the clothes I wore/ keeping eyes glued to the floor.” All were so fun and different, too.

  8. Linda Baie

    Ah, Liz, I have an eighth-grade granddaughter, sigh, tremulous is the word you’ve made me think of. This is heartwarming, a little heartbreaking.

  11. Linda Mitchell

    Love that “looking through my bangs.” From that moment on, I was picturing Princess Di…even though you probably didn’t intend that! The image fits all the way through, though.