Editors’ Picks: Etheree Poetry

Our star stories from the Sky

Welcome to the Editor’s Picks for my first-ever guest prompt, as well as my first creative prompt for Sky Collection. Sam and I have been absolutely delighted with the response — so a huge thank you to all who contributed. With over 30 entries, Sky Collection was bubbling with an effervescence of etherees (perhaps that should be the collective noun!).

Etherees have also spread across the Medium ether, popping up far and wide. Thanks to those who spread the etheree enthusiasm, and welcome to our new writers who joined us by participating in this prompt.

From the classic single etheree to double and triple etherees, and even a sextet (from the overworked pen of yours truly), many forms emerged, exploring an amazing variety of themes and subjects. From my research for the original etheree prompt article, it’s possible that, as a poetry community we’ve contributed originally to the forms out there — I found no triple or sextet etherees in my explorations. So — that’s amazing! In addition, several etherees were selected for curation.

Etheree Composition — Tips & Tricks

In composing the prompt example, and two other etherees, I discovered it’s easier to get the first layer of images and phrases down on paper in free-verse, and in our discussions, Sam also used this approach. In this way, you don’t limit the inspiration and flow of the initial ideas by getting into analytical syllable-counting.

I then asked myself, what were my “entry” and “exit” images for each verse — and with those I then shaped the phrasing to begin or end (whichever was relevant) with the crucial one-syllable, two-syllable, three-syllable lines. Sometimes they were there already, sometimes I had to create them, bearing in mind the sense of my “middle images” for each verse.

After that, construction of the etheree form could begin. It can also be immensely helpful to understand that ordering of words in poetry can be more elastic than in prose. Whilst English tends to mostly place adjective before verb in prose expression, in poetry we can play with this — which can also bring a freshness to the syntax and impact the words have on the reader.

Also, Sam observed that being prepared to search for synonyms to your original words for different syllable-counts when necessary to fit with the form is helpful. As Jay Avery (welcome to Sky, Jay) noted in their post:

It was difficult finding the words that had the correct number of syllables per line without sacrificing the feel and imagery I had intended. I think I was able to accomplish that, but it took some time and work.

I think we’d all agree that writing in the etheree form took some patience and engagement of what are traditionally considered left and right-side brain activities (wordsmithing and numeric calculation) — but that the results were worth it!

Editors’ Picks at Sky Collection — A Fresh Approach

We are doing something a little different at Sky Collection. We are paying attention to the details, encouraging and highlighting creative excellence and critical thinking.

Our Editors’ Picks won’t just be a list of dropped links — in the post, we’ll be discussing each piece in a little detail and encouraging conversation around them. I’ll be discussing insights into my creative process — and Sam’s process whenever possible — and sharing observations from our writers.

As the editors, we’ll be taking time over these selections, and we hope you will take the time to read them thoughtfully, too. Critically and curiously engaging with poetry is really how we learn to be better poets.

Our Selection Process for Editors’ Picks

As I’ve just come on board as Prompt Editor at Sky, our selection criteria is just being established and will, of course, evolve. Despite living in different hemispheres and time-zones, Sam and I are fortunate enough to be able to find time to converse in real-time (thanks FB phone-chat) and this is how we collaborated on the Editors’ Picks.

With any “form” poetry, the syllable or metre count is just one aspect — content and its crafting are equally important to create a stand-out poem. We were looking for poems that went beyond the simple achievement of form and gave attention to outstanding or notable creative expression.

Elements such as heightened imagery or metaphors, the use of rhythm and rhyme, thoughtfully enjambed lines to play with meaning, juxtaposition, and depth and originality of subject inquiry were elements we were looking for: elevating a poem into a memorable piece of art, and an actual experience embarked on for the reader, as opposed to something merely read and forgotten.

In our selection process, we read some poems out loud to each other — as how a poem sounds to the ear cannot be understated. In reading them aloud, we were able to immediately pick up those poets who were writing with an awareness of rhythms, using rhyme (subtle or more stated) and devices such as alliteration, assonance, and crafted repetition. Additionally, this made our already stimulating selection process creative and fun — and we got to appreciate your words on a whole other level.

So without further ado — introducing our etheree selections…

Melissa’s Picks

Do Not Speak Too Soon by Jupiter Grant— a deeply moving poem about an unexpected change in fate. I appreciated how the poem built slowly, exploring themes of consequence and “premature hubris” towards a revelation, all the more powerful for its subtle ambiguity.

Child Flight by Wry Welwood — a double “mirror” etheree that weaved subtle rhymes, and crafted rhythms with arresting imagery, exploring the weighty subject of loss of childhood innocence when “gravity had naught on me”, through to the “sombre” consequences of childhood neglect in later life. Wry also complimented his written imagery with a captivating visual image.

Frozen by Elizabeth Barnesco — a heartfelt exploration of loss of a significant loved one through death, this double “mirror” etheree powerfully conveys disorientation and complex grief, beginning and (cleverly) ending with the same haunting refrain.

Aphelion — by Samantha Lazar explores an astronomical concept (the poem’s title) with depth and startling imagery in a stunning triple etheree. The poem turns, like the narrator, “in imperfect circles” as it contemplates the many effects of “orbital ellipse” — from the personal to the earthly to the celestial spheres.

Thanks, Sam, for realizing my “imagined” suggestion of this triple etheree shape, and rendering it with such power.

Sam’s Picks

Along with beautiful photography, Bee Song by Janice Gill gives praise to the Tree Bumble. This nature etheree is full of rich description. Long live the bees!

Charlene Marron’s double etheree As Luck Would Have It describes the moment of transition between one phase of life and another. The double etheree form works very well as the first verse has imagery of reflection on what’s happened, and the second shows the feeling of jumping into the unknown future.

Vixen Lea’s Summer describes a simple scene of children in a personified tree, but this poem is anything but simple. The beautiful words remind us to pay attention to fleeting moments of life.

A Sextet of Sails: For my Father by Melissa Coffey brings a strong emotional response because of its depth of beautiful metaphor. There’s a visceral reaction to reading this powerful elegy’s sailing and watery images, such as: “you’ve transcended the weight of the albatross…” and “… clutching shells like she held the hope you’d return, unscathed, to harbour.” Also, SIX etherees in one poem? Bravo!

As there were stand-out poems we both just loved and didn’t want to play tug-of-war over them — we’ve decided to create a section for work that gets both our votes of approval.

Unanimous Editors’ Picks

Chronology of the Dream to Come by MDSHall draws us into his “black noise” — the music of the poet’s mind, both a political and personal metaphor. Those familiar with Michael’s work will know music is one of his prime sources of poetic inspiration. His double “mirror” etheree explodes with riffs of rhythm and wields hypnotic alliteration and word-play in his “vernacular of verve”.

Undeserving by Christina M. Ward employs a triple etheree, using the three verses to explore different phases of breaking free from a destructive relationship — the gradual reclamation of self-determination, describing the “reach to light”, and the final movement towards “the hope that lifts the skies up”.

At Sky Collection, we welcome responses to Prompts (or as we prefer to call them — Creative Incitements) anytime — so if you feel inspired to try the etheree form, here’s the original Prompt that started it all …

We welcome your comments and responses to these wonderful poems — and hope you’ll join us soon in the Sky for our next prompt — coming soon …

Melissa Coffey B.A. (Hons) is a Melbourne-based published writer, editor, and poet. A former theatre director and actor, she’s fascinated with creative process & her work often engages strongly with themes of the feminine. She is a Top Writer in Poetry on Medium. Her short stories, creative essays & poetry are published in numerous international and Australian journals & anthologies (sometimes incognito).