Life, the Universe, or: Everything

Posted on by ben Alexander

My 1st Duodora

Oh, you believe
that? Well, if it comforts
you, that's wonderful.
My perception and
understanding of
Life, the Universe and Everything are
different, but you can respect that, right?

Oh, you believe
in Divine providence?
How about the Devil,
demons, ghosts, evil
spirits, witches, and
vampires? More power to you. Those are your
beliefs; just don't push them on me, alright?

d’Verse Poetics Prompt

‘Halloweeny Humans’

At d’Verse, poets were challenged to write poems speaking to human attributes that are particularly irritating to them โ€” and the poems must have Halloween or Samhain themes to them.

For extra candy corn bonus points, write the poem in the Duodora form!

Duodora?

The Duodora is:

  • a quatorzain made up of 2 septets.
  • syllabic,  4/6/5/5/5/10/10 syllables per line.
  • rhymed Axxxxxb Axxxxxb L1 is repeated as a refrain that begins the 2nd stanza. x is unrhymed.

Let’s write poetry together!

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.

–Ben Harper (b. 1969)

Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!

72 thoughts on “Life, the Universe, or: Everything”

  3. Yes David! I agree with you. Just to get a reaction, I once mentioned to someone who was pushing their beliefs on me, that praying for something was very similar to casting a spell, because I wanted the person to think about what others might be thinking. Faith is so personal after all. OMG did I get a reaction from her ๐Ÿ˜ณ๐Ÿคฃ

    1. ๐Ÿ’› Christine ๐Ÿ’› – that’s funny! I was once told that it was probably too hard for me to “imagine” the particular version of God that was being pushed on me. I said, “No, no! I used to play Dungeons & Dragons so I can imagine a dwarf wielding a battle axe flying on the back of a dragon… it’s just that I don’t believe in that stuff!”

      1. Lol David! ๐Ÿคฃ. It all begins with whatโ€™s inside us first. If I canโ€™t see, feel or understand something I have a hard time believing it, but thatโ€™s my problem. If only those proselytizing would get that, it would be easier for all ๐Ÿ˜ฌ

  8. I read the instructions – that was some challenge, David. You nailed it! I totally respect your feelings and I love how you’ve constructed the poem.
    I was brought up in Scotland where Halloween was a big thing (the Scots know how to celebrate!). When I moved to England, they didn’t bother with it then . . . but it seems to be made of a lot more now and there are some spectacular garden displays in the posh estate over the road from us. The daughter’s just spent some time at Whitby, North-east England, which is associated with Dracula. It’s a deliciously spooky place with the ruined abbey on the hill. ๐Ÿ˜€

      1. They do now David but when we moved to England when our children were young, there was a marked difference on how Halloween was celebrated. There was no dressing up – the kids just went round the doors for money. In Scotland, when I was a child, you didn’t get anything unless you were dressed up and ‘did a turn’, i.e. recited a poem, sang a song, etc.

        1. in the USA it’s not that hardcore – kids say ‘trick or treat’ but nobody ever asks them to do a ‘trick’ – they get ‘treats’ just for showing up.

          1. Hehe! You never came to my house! I made all the “a little too old to be out” to give me a trick of some sort – a cheerleader had to do a cheer, etc. before I’d give them a treat!

          2. It may be different now in Scotland, David. I havenโ€™t been back there in a very long time.

  9. Sleep soundly David
    So interesting the thoughts that this season sparks.
    I don’t get to read much Halloween rhyme where I’m coming far, yet the theme and season is as old as the hills just like Christmas
    I think it has to do with the pumpkins ๐ŸŽƒ ๐Ÿค”
    Although these days they are in full display in certain areas.
    But the real carving of the punpmkin evades us.
    It will come
    It will come

          3. Oh c’mon, she wouldn’t do that ๐Ÿ™„
            But a getaway even for work is great and of course it can be fun.

    2. P.S. Halloween isn’t really a thing here in Israel… but I grew up with it around me in the USA, and the d’Verse poetry prompt was Halloween themed… ๐Ÿง›

  10. Oh gracious
    I’m fascinated by the creative spark of Halloween ๐ŸŽƒ
    You need to be in the presence of the atmosphere
    To use this specific poetic technique so wondrously

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