The November Poem A Day Challenge (Poetic Asides via Writers Digest) is off to a strong start – so far I’ve managed to keep up despite some pretty tough prompts. This week’s Two-For-Tuesday was particularly challenging:
As a haiku poet I had one thing going for me in terms of writing in a particular form, but everything else about this prompt duo had my head spinning. Then, I spotted something on my bookshelf that made everything come into focus: a vintage volume of Shakespeare’s Love Poems and Sonnets that belonged to my grandmother.
Suddenly, it hit me: Combine the sonnet with haiku. I wrote a series of four contemporary 3-line haiku and one 2-line anti-haiku to create a grand total of 14 lines to reflect the traditional number of lines in a sonnet while also being about sonnets. In addition I pulled two lines from Shakespeare’s Sonnet V and reconfigured them into the haiku format in stanza 3.
I love it when a prompt inspires me to do something I never would have considered!
– – –
grandma’s books
unopened since she passed
left to me
she read Shakespeare’s
sonnets each night
her voice sounds …
‘never resting time
leads summer on
to hideous winter’
a pressed fern
marks her favorite
sonnet VIII
the oak leaf
saves mine
– – –
I hope your November is full of writing, whether its NaNoWriMo, the PAD Challenge, or anything else!
– – –
c.b.w. 2017
C.B. Wentworth 
I love this! What a clever way to mix what you know and love into something so unique!
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Thanks! 🙂
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This is lovely, tenderness of the leaf and the heart.
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Thanks! 🙂
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How wonderful. Made me a bit teary. I’m so glad you stretched and heard your grandma’s voice. Thank you for sharing.
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It was an unexpected response to the prompt, but one I’m glad came about. I miss her and it was nice to relive a happy memory.
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