In Troubadouric Tradition?

Cherry

By Rhiannonw

Mon, 11 Mar 2019
  • 4025 reads
11 comments
 

They tell a story of a man
who came one day, rode into town,
and entertained with conjuring tricks,
then left, his origins unknown…

… and so the rumours then began
– a ‘wanted’ man, his name was down
on lists for dangerous politics –
soon fictional shocking tales had grown.

When he returned, they forged a plan –
they’d lynch him, push him in to drown
(their alibis they'd carefully fix) –
he’d travelled friendless, all alone.

Soon, far away, their King began
to be concerned and wore a frown
‘Who’s seen the Prince – distribute pics’:
to all, the traveller’s face was shown.

[Poetry Monthly March: Rimas Dissolutas  … a French troubadouric verse (12th-13th centuries) in which unrhymed stanzas rhyme line by line with all of the other stanza]

 

Certificate U
Poetry Monthly
Miscellaneous
Other Fiction

Comments

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you for the cherries. Quite a hard challenge, I found. In thinking about it, the form seemed to fit the original sort of tale, but I wondered what other ways it could be used. It will be interesting to see if any use it in some different way Rhiannon.

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

I've never heard of this way of writing Rhiannon, but I think you've done a brilliant job on your poem. It must have taken ages to come up with, but well worth the time spent on it.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Jenny. No, I'd not heard of it before either, but enjoyed the challenge, and in the end it didn't take as long as many things, but just had to go back and fore and reread, and tweak, where it wasn't flowing naturally, and have a rethink over content and rhymes, but I was glad of the idea of the story working out in the end! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

I'm so pleased you enjoyed the challenge Rhiannon. Noo was a bit busy this month and Alfie very kindly agreed to do a guest spot. I hope you have a few more attempts before the theme changes again - I enjoyed this one very much!

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Insert. Just a bit of fun, really, together with the form challenge, but interesting to work at it, and nice to get a bit of a moral into the story reasonable subtly! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

You were quick off the mark, Rhiannon. I didn't know of the challenge until I read yours and Jane's entries. I believe I have come across this form before and I may have written something accordingly, although I don't recall. The format is quite versatile as you can adapt a variety of topics.
You have chosen well and the poem has echoes of the troubadors' era.

Luigi x

 

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Luigi. I think once before I only realised there was a new prompt when I saw an entry of yours. This came at a time when I seemed to have some minutes for such use and mental exercise, and I thought posting it might get others interested in having a go! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

That's a sad story, very relevant with fake news stories in the media these days, and you have done the rhyme scheme so well that by the end they brought that satisfying feeling of slipping into place like cleverly crafted carpentry

(which I know nothing of as cannot saw in a straight line)

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, again, Di, for your so careful reading and appreciation of the story and the rhyme scheme working for the flow. Rhiannon (I think I'm much better with words than wood too!)

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

This is really clever Rhiannon, the historical theme feels very genuine and it's sadly believable. It reminds me of the Pied Piper epic poem which is one of my favourites.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Jane. Glad to know you felt it worked. Rhiannon