Tag rhythm

Bassline – dVerse

freyathewriter 36 Comments

You speak like the words are tripping over your tongue, boy, like your brain’s runnin’ too fast to share all your street joy, your mental agility, your linguistic ability- – – – – it silences me. I cannot compete, you’ve been doin’ it for years, listenin’ to those MCs, they’re controllin’ like masters, freestylin’ with fluidity, there ain’t no rigidity, shoutin’ over ghetto blasters – – – – – you’re a tough act to come after. So I ain’t rhymin’, or reasonin’, or trying to emulate, you win hands down, boy. I dig it.

Watching drum and bass MCs spit words like broken teeth sends me crazy.

 

Bassline

———-

This week, on dVerse Meeting the Bar, Bjorn is our benevolent bartender and he has cordially invited us to indulge in haibun (prose, followed by haiku), but he also invites us to test and distort the tradition. I think that I have broken all the rules, apart from using 17 syllables in the closing line, which is in the style of an American Sentence – because I love, love, love Allen Ginsberg, I couldn’t resist. And, because I spent some time last night watching a drum & bass DJ and MC on an internet radio station, I threw rhyme and rhythm into my (not quite) prose section.

Poetry is all about breaking the rules, right? I hope you enjoy it 🙂

Please pop over to dVerse to see how others have risen to this challenge.

 

 

Destination – dVerse Form for All – the Rondeau

freyathewriter 46 Comments

Here’s my latest entry into the dVerse Form for All – why not take a look at everyone else’s wonderful responses?

This piece was inspired by my journey home from work this evening – after a particularly long and tiring day at work. I literally squeezed every ounce out of what was left of my mental energy today to produce this rondeau – the first that I have ever knowingly written!  I hope you enjoy it.

*****

– Destination –

As the train rolls along the tracks
Its rhythm soothes, bids us relax
Our aching souls, our weary minds
That chew on cares enough to bind
Our beating hearts, encased in wax.

With no real love, spirits contract
Hands of friendship are pulled back
Metal-clad world, we are confined
As the train rolls

Sinking bodies, fall, collapse
On threadbare seats, like formless sacks
Smiling in sleep, we bring to mind
Our joys and hopes, bright pleasures find
The tunnel’s end brings light, perhaps
As the train rolls

Jazz Man & Views – dVerse Jazz Poetry

freyathewriter 28 Comments

– Jazz Man and Views –

brother believe in your silver-spangled skill-set
stand on the shore, survey the scene
let your guitar sing, reverberate those rhythms
play it again boy, play it with ease

brother believe in your power and your glory
step all aboard, anchors set free
dive into those oceans, manipulate that music
play it all night boy, play with the breeze

brother believe, bring back your tall tales
return to the harbour, head held high
hold fast to the memories, they’ll last you a lifetime
play with your youth boy, play and believe.

*****

This is in honour of my young brother Doug, who sets off today for Barcelona and beyond, playing his guitar and delighting cruise passengers aplenty.  He’s a jazz muso, so this fits perfectly. Dead proud of you little bro, dead proud.

Thank you, dVerse for the timely inspiration. Enjoy many, many more jazz-inspired poems here.