Reason, or: Rhyme

Posted on by ben Alexander

Poetry Partners #8

‘The Infinite Wisdom of Half Asleep’, a poem by Rae Cod of ‘Rae Cod’s Writing’

In that space before I wake up words are floating free
Boundless without boundaries they make their call to me
Rise NOW and place us on the page or we’ll forever flee
I search for pen and paper, satisfy their requested fee
Gain the wisdom of the verse they seek to impart to me
But should I fall to stupor and lose my grasp on their decree
The insight that was offered will drift away from me
To grasp it akin to clutching a grain of sand upon the sea
To court the muse when half asleep attention is the key

A blank verse poem by ben Alexander of ‘The Skeptic’s Kaddish’

EPIGRAPH:

I was promised on a time –
to have reason for my rhyme;
From that time unto this season,
I received nor rhyme nor reason.

–Edmund Spenser (1553 – 1599)
Herding fleet feathered birds, I fret,
setting the net, lest deep regret
get the better of me. The keen
creatures swiftly flee to their trees,
preening with sharp beaks, and napping
happily, separately from
one another and unordered,
although oddly of one body,
they're

Of one mind; flying to the skies;
easy rhymes denied, despite my
tries, by deliberate antics;
many even glance askance at 
all attempts at assonance, as 
they race soaring relays, play games,
my prayers and tears unheeded;
shelving empty, ineffective
net.

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!

List of Poetry Partners

27 thoughts on “Reason, or: Rhyme”

  6. Oh! Rae’s poem is a joy! And when I started reading yours I was struck by the easy flow and then realized there was a wicked good internal rhyme scheme going on!

  7. I enjoyed everything here today David:) Rae Cod’s piece on muses and being half a sleep. I can totally relate to..and your herding birds, rhyming woes, I so get too:):) Loved my visit today:)❤️

  8. Yes, yes — the swirling ideas that wish to come out of imagination and become concrete — or else it may slip away and become forgotten. You’ve captured that moment 🙂

  9. Love your response poem David, I enjoy the way it rolls off my tongue when I speak it out loud, it has a wonderful rhythm and I love the imagery of the birds who refuse to be netted.

    Thank you so much for publishing my poem, it’s been a pleasure to collaborate with you ☺️

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