Poember December

First Weekend in December

And my first attempt at a terzanelle

December sloshed in with rain and puddles Dragging autumn all the way to winter Today was made for reading and cuddles

At least there’s a stack of wood to splinter For fires to warm ourselves through December Dragging autumn all the way to winter

Hearth’s crackling blaze sparks us to remember Our childhood chore to fetch sticks for kindling For fires to warm ourselves through December

Like winter’s daylight, our days are dwindling Cherished times with grandkids help us replay Our childhood chore to fetch sticks for kindling

As we light first Advent’s candle, we pray In preparing for the Nativity Cherished times with grandkids help us replay Our memories of past festivities

December sloshed in with rain and puddles In preparing for the Nativity Today was made for reading and cuddles

This is my first attempt at writing a terzanelle. Here’s how Robert Lee Brewer describes the form:

The terzanelle poetic form is what happens when you mix one Italian poem (terza rima) with another Italian poem (villanelle). It’s lyrical, repetitive, and concise — oh yeah, and fun! Writer’s Digest, September 16, 2014

I’m not sure I agree with the “fun” part! This was the most challenging form I have tackled. I wrote, rewrote, and rewrote again! I should have heeded the warning to make sure lines 1 and 3 would make a good ending. My muse (whoever she or he is) nudged me to make changes in my first stanza about halfway through. Doing this caused me to rewrite almost every subsequent stanza. Maybe if I share that first stanza, you will understand why my muse whispered in my ear, “Don’t be such a Grinch!” Here it is:

December sloshed in all wet and soggy Dragging autumn on the way to winter Dampness making bones ache and minds groggy

Well, that was how I was feeling! And part of the blame for this inauspicious beginning is owed to Carolyn Hastings mentioning assonance. I wanted to play with assonance, but that groggy mind thing, combined with my arthritic joints rebelling against the dreary rain, started me off on the wrong foot! And then there’s that rhyme and refrain order! I wrote the order in the margin to keep me on track. The upper-case letters in my margin notation designate lines that are to be repeated exactly as they are written. The lower-case letters designate a rhyme pattern with the corresponding upper-case line. Confused yet? You can observe it here:

All kidding aside, I want to thank Carolyn for her creative presentation of the Poember December prompt. I’d like to invite Shereen Bingham, CJ Coop, Jessica's Quill, Noreen (Writer), and Surekha Chandrasekhar (I’m determined to get you to share your poetic talents here, Surekha! 🤣) to play with us at Paper Poetry by responding to the Poember December prompt found here:

As always, I thank Carolyn Hastings for her gentle editing and her friendship. I wonder if your heavenly muse, Lynda, was the one who elbowed, sorry, nudged me to abandon my first stanza! 😉