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It's Friday!
Visit Denise at Dare to Care for a full scoop of poetry goodness. She's hosting our weekly round-up.
September 17th is Constitution Day here in the US. And, whoo boy! I love learning about constitutional history and there's a lot of discussion about it these days.
I was inspired by Alan Wright's rondelets in his post last week. They are a bit addicting to write! If you need to remember the form, see here. That had a bit to do with these three rondelets I wrote for Constitution Day.
Our Bill of Rights
is meant to protect us all
Our Bill of Rights
flipped upside down elicits fights
Our Bill of Rights
makes our public square superfluous
Diminishing civic genius
Our Bill of Rights
We the people
are searching for a lost notion
We the people
with our stars and stripes and eagles
have given in to commotion
over peace of a great nation
We the people
A More Perfect Union
is today's poem
untangling knots of unrest
is today's poem
an unending civics pop quiz--
we haven't learned to do our best
our Constitution, under stress
is today's poem
Hamish was happy to see that kids at my school participated in making a poetry garden. They used Dictionary for a Better World as a base lesson to think about words to paint on rocks that would make the garden. Can you guess what word I painted? There's a picture of it on Hamish's padlet.
Linda, great job! I missed Alan's post last week, so today I'm enjoying some rondelets! Well done. I love the theme of Constitution Day.
ReplyDeleteI really like this section:
"We the people
with our stars and stripes and eagles
have given in to commotion
over peace of a great nation"
Go, Hamish! You have been a faithful student of the ox in 2021.
Linda, I love that there are so many active verbs in your rondelets. I think they are a good reminder that the Constitution is a living document. Maybe looking at current events as an "unending civics pop quiz" can lead to better understanding what is really at stake if we give in to all the "commotion" surrounding us.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your timely rondelets, Linda. Our constitution is definitely under stress. The concept of "freedom" in our democracy is being used as a political weapon. I just want to know where (or if) the common or public good ever comes into play for some people.
ReplyDeleteLove your painted rock!! GO Hamish!
Seems like some of our representatives need to pay attention to this day & learn more about our Constitution. You covered all the needs well, Linda! Nice rondelets! I agree about this: "public square superfluous" - well done!
ReplyDeleteI like the repetition in this form. I like thinking about the constitution. The last poem, I like best. The idea of striving for a more perfect union, doing our best, is a lovely notion. It will never be perfect, but you remind us, "we haven't learned to do our best."
ReplyDeleteAll the way with Rondelet! Three, no less Linda. I am loving the versatility of this form. You have most eloquently turned to political prognostications Linda and your musings are stirring and reflective. Well done you!
ReplyDeleteStrong collection of Constitutional Rondelets Linda. I like your poem's questioning and agree that our constitution is indeed under stress. You've given us a good feeling of it being all tangled up… thanks!
ReplyDeleteOh these are wonderful Linda! What a worthy subject - the tumult of our times really comes through in your refrains. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteThis is a powerful group of poems, Linda. I agree with Catherine's comment that all those active verbs remind us that our Constitution is a living document. I'm definitely going to have to give this form a try! Thanks for the great mentors!
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyed your rondelets, Linda (even if the subject matter causes me stress. :)) The second stanza of the first one called Hamilton to mind ("the notion of a nation we now get to build") for me. And a poetry garden! I love Hamish's rock. :)
ReplyDeleteI love it that your rock says OX. And the poem is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteLinda, I am a bit late with my PF rounds but am happy to finally bisit. Hooray for Hamish’s poem and contribution to the Poetry Garden. Your rondelets are well done. Striving for a more perfect union is a great goal on an uneasy path even to this day.
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ReplyDeleteI love how that last one turned out! Well played!
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