Film Noir, Act I

lillian

Graveyard journey.
Ghosts whisper, dance,
twist, shimmer.
Breeze skips through leaves.
Clouds balloon, curl, drizzle,
storm bubbles open.
Lightning sparks, sounds echo.

Dawn spills, melts rose-red.
Peppered blood-shadows
scar green spring grass.
Nervous giggle jars grin.
Cue shallow breath.
Still lull.
Death laughs here.

IMG_4799

[INCLUDES ALL THE WORDS THUS FAR]
Quadrille – poem with exactly 44 words, sans title.  dVerse Quadrille Mondays: every other week. Each time a word prompt is given: week #1 = Quadrille #1 and 1 word; Week #2 = Quadrille #2 and a new word; etc.  We build to Quadrille # 44 in week 44 with still another word. We’re on Week #35 with Kim hosting and providing the prompt word “pepper.”  Past words this series have included dance, bubble, grin, lull, melt, shimmer, twist, skip, green, breeze, spill, rose, journey, jar, leaves, open, shadow, cloud, spark, cue, breath, scar, curl, whisper, dawn, ghost, giggle, drizzle, still, echo, sound, storm, spring, and balloon. I tried to use all the words for #32 but mistakenly left out 2. All here this time and I’ve shifted the focus a bit. Photo: from our recent trip – Glendalough, Ireland.  Bar opens at 3 PM Boston time.  Come join us!

63 thoughts on “Film Noir, Act I”

  1. Misky June 19, 2017 / 11:40 am

    I like the staccato metre of this one. Nicely done. >

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 3:56 pm

      Thanks! Hard not to do staccato when trying to fit in all the words!

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 3:57 pm

      I must say, I’ve never liked eerie or scary movies but these words just took me there.

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  4. Bev June 19, 2017 / 12:54 pm

    Skillful use of all words … but death only laughed!

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  5. Glenn Buttkus June 19, 2017 / 1:30 pm

    Wow–our minds grooved in similar veins–cinematic consciousness. Your poem is so vigorous & fun-loving. You. Bjorn & Paul do the “all the words” poems; quite the endeavor–but what happens when there’s been 44 of them; a conundrum for sure. I love your lines /peppered blood shadows/scar green spring grass/. I’m very envious of where you live, a perfect oasis for creativity.

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 3:59 pm

      I think I may be good for 36…depending on the word. I may just quit while I’m ahead!

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  6. Candy June 19, 2017 / 2:06 pm

    Well, you left me speechless. I don’t think I could meet the ‘use all the words’ challenge.

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 4:00 pm

      I usually can’t do these at all — take a list of words and fit them all together. I fail miserably at the magnetic poetry site. But for some reason, these just worked this time.

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  7. Victoria C. Slotto June 19, 2017 / 2:38 pm

    Most definitely film noir and the perfect setting to create such a mood and include all those words, you clever lady.

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 4:02 pm

      Thanks, Victoria. I think I’ll claim victory and quit at 35! 😊

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  8. kim881 June 19, 2017 / 3:02 pm

    A wonderfully dark Quadrille, Lillian, with all the words and I love the ‘peppered blood-shadows’!

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 4:04 pm

      Thanks Kim. Those words kind of surprised me when they popped out. I actually dislike scary movies so this is a side of me that only appears in poetry — and not very often at that!

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  9. estella June 19, 2017 / 3:19 pm

    These really make me laugh. I don’t know how you guys keep pulling this off, using all the words on the list.

    I like these lines best:

    “storm bubbles open”
    “Dawn spills, melts rose-red”

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 4:04 pm

      Always happy to hand out laughs😊

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  10. jillys2016 June 19, 2017 / 3:22 pm

    The first and last lines are fabulous! They could be a stand-alone poem by themselves 🙂

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 4:09 pm

      Thanks, Jill. So glad you enjoyed —
      and I went back to your Affair poem twice – and I still feel the rush and fear that comes from jumping into an affair – using that rushing train as a metaphor. Not my thing but somehow my head went there. I think that’s a compliment though — as once we put the words out there, we can only hope they somehow resonate with the reader — and that they did. So compliments to you! You struck my imagination as you did many others!

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      • jillys2016 June 20, 2017 / 5:15 pm

        That’s the beauty of poetry – the reader completes the circle!

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 4:11 pm

      Thanks, Björn. And I suspect I’ll end with 35 — more than 35 puzzle pieces may be too much!

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  13. sanaarizvi June 19, 2017 / 4:38 pm

    This is deliciously dark and enticing! 🙂

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 4:12 pm

      I suspect I’ve hit the pinnacle here — 35 is about my limit!

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  15. Waltermarks June 19, 2017 / 5:43 pm

    Sounds like you’ve been dancing in the graveyard at midnight. Tap dancing on those headstones could make something bad happen, lol. I used to work in a cemetery. It never was scary, but I was still afraid to be there at night, eek!

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 4:13 pm

      My tap shoes go safely in my drawer when the clock strikes 12! 😳

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  16. Grace June 19, 2017 / 6:27 pm

    Great weaving of all the worlds Lillian ~ That graveyard ending strikes with finality with death’s laugh ~

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 4:14 pm

      Somehow they all fit. I suspect I’ll bow out at 35😊

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 4:15 pm

      …and I actually dislike film noir — intensely! I’m a Sound of Music kind of gal 😊

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  18. nosaintaugustine June 19, 2017 / 8:06 pm

    Suuuper creepy, I love it! I was especially taken with your description of the movement of the clouds.

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  19. NJ June 20, 2017 / 4:40 am

    Wow! This is magnificent. As if writing a Quadrille on one word isn’t enough, you use all of them!! Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant 🙂

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 4:16 pm

      Blush — many thanks. I’m bowing out at 35 — quit while I’m ahead😊

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 4:17 pm

      Thank you! Somehow they all fit…a feat I don’t expect when we get to 36!

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 4:18 pm

      Thanks, Sarah. I really can’t quite believe they all fit!

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 4:19 pm

      Thank you!! Now that’s a time when all caps are good to read😊❤

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  23. Colin Lee June 20, 2017 / 12:45 pm

    What a sport! Somehow, your unique style of lexical tapestry suits this game very well — amazingly uncontrived, may I say. 9 more rounds to the grand finale … I bet you won’t miss it. 🙂

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 4:20 pm

      Hah! You are too kind, Colin. I’m thinking I’ve maxed out at 35.

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      • Colin Lee June 21, 2017 / 6:43 am

        Then I must believe there’s more to life than the laughter of death!

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  24. qbit June 20, 2017 / 3:45 pm

    Wow, amazing to get all this in so seamlessly! Agreed, last line terrific.

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 4:21 pm

      Thank you!!! So appreciate your kind words!

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 9:30 pm

      Thank you, Sabio! Your comment is much appreciated.

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    • lillian June 20, 2017 / 9:32 pm

      Haven’ “seen” you in a bit, Hank. Nice to get your comment here. Many thanks!

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  29. colorfulpen June 21, 2017 / 1:04 am

    Excellent use of all the words! Those last three lines really intensify the darkness in this piece. Love the photo!

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  30. Bryan Ens June 21, 2017 / 8:28 am

    It’s getting to be a feat to use all the words. You did great! Bravo!

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