Shadowed moon flickers
on windblown cornstalk stubble.
Red fox stalks its prey,
hunting through snow covered field.
Hunter in wool cap takes aim.
Frank hosts dVerse tonight, the virtual pub for poets. We are to consider the polytoton: rhetorical repetition of words within a poem, but each time used in a different way (cornstalk and stalks; hunting and hunter).
I’ve used the Tanka form: 5 line poem with 5, 7, 5, 7, and 7 syllables.
Pub opens at 3 PM Boston time. Come join us! Image from Pixabay.com
I liked that one.
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Glad you did!
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Certainly one of the most beautiful of animals. Oh that the hunter had been left out of this one.
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I do so agree….but that last line seemed to just appear.
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It made the poem, of course. It appeared out of nowhere to completely alter the scene, as did the hunter.
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You do a lot with the confines of a tidy tanka; two polyptotons as well. Any poem with foxes or crows thrills me.
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Glad you enjoyed!
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Reblogged this on Frank J. Tassone and commented:
#Haiku Happenings #5: lillian’s latest #tanka for #dVersePoets #MTB
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Thank youf ro the reblog, Frank!
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I like the repeated use of “stalk” in your description of those two hunters in that field.
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Ah….many many years ago when we lived in the country, the surrounding fields were covered with left-over corn stalks, sticking up in the first small dustings of snow, somehow missed by the combines in harvest time.
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Very nice and subtle use of the prompt! I can see the action!!
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Glad you enjoyed!
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bravo! I love how the polytoton are so subtle – very effective.
I just smack you in the face with mine. 😅
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Thank you, Candace. We’ve been gone to visit son and grandkids for about 5 days so I am slow to the reading 😦
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I like the stalking in the stalks. Masters the challenge well.
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Thank you, Beverly!
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A beautiful tanka. I was so taken with your imagery I forgot all about the polytoton prompt and read the poem several times letting it wash over me.
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Oh, what a wonderful comment to read this morning. We’ve just returned from about a 6 day trip to visit son and family….so just now catching up.
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Interestingi approach to the polyptoton here Lillian — I enjoyed this, 🙂 gorgeous photo of red fox! 🙂
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So glad you enjoyed, Rob!
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Well done, Lill, for your poloptoton tanka. You’ve packed so much into five lines. Such a sad ending, though.
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I agree….that hunter in wool cap just suddenly appeared in the last line 😦 We have just returned from a 6 day trip to son’s (three grandkids to enjoy plus one large labradoodle named Percy! — so am afraid I am very far behind. Will post today and start anew with my reading and replies. Apologies!
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Fantastic tanka! And the ending just clinched it.
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So glad you enjoyed!
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I had the same reaction as Little Learner. Lovely stand alone poem.
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Thank you, Christine! Just returned from 6 day trip to see son and family and trying desperately to catch up! 😦
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You’ve painted a vivid scene–right in the stillness before. (K)
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Glad you enjoyed.
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The hunter being hunted… wonder if it ends with the hunter or if he is hunted at job.
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Yep! I hope the fox sees the wool cap!
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the endless story of the hunter being hunted.
I love this tanka, Lillian!
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So glad you enjoyed!
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