A Waltz wave poem
gray
over-
cast
heavens;
my daughter
believes
God's
crying
up above
Jerusalem
and wonders
why God
gets
so sad
during the
autumn
and
winter
months
Waltz wave?
- a one-stanza poem;
- nineteen lines;
- each line has a set number of syllables;
- the pattern is: 1/2/1/2/3/2/1/2/3/4/3/2/1/2/3/2/1/2/1;
- words may be split into syllables to fit the pattern;
- this form seems to educe a soothing cadence as the lines gently increase and decrease, so it is suggested that topic chosen for this form also be soothing.
#TankaTuesday
The above was written for Colleen M. Chesebro’s ‘Tanka Tuesday’ prompt: Poets are to choose their own forms and colors to feature in their syllabic poem.
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!
Sheโs a sweetheart.
as are you.
New formโฆ wow, I love it. Thanks for sharing.
Unrelated: you made me curious about Belize so I read a little bit and learned that the official language is English. I’d had no idea!
Yes it is! English. Among all the Spanish speaking countries that surround it.
English. In the Caribbean Basin.
Iโm so glad to have piqued your interest in that very small country.
Thank you. Sweet. I bless you. xo
I had never heard of this form of poetry before, so thank you for introducing it to me, David. I love how you interpret the clouds from the eyes of a child. Well done! ๐
๐ Yvette ๐
You’re so welcome – I’ve really gotten into discovering new [to me] forms since starting this blog. This poetic “interpretation” is almost exactly what my first-grader said to me on a walk recently ๐
Much love,
David
My one grandmother always said the thunder was the from the angels bowling and getting strikes!
I guess though rain too could be tears of joy? Cleansing. Winter though is just a season, a natural season. Even those climates that seem to not change much, change some. Change is really the only constant. All the best to you and yours this New Year.
I alluded to the unseen rainbow…for this prompt.
โค thanks, Jules โค
Sincerely,
David
Here’s to grandparents and children! ๐
And parents and children ๐
Yep. Those sandwiched in between taking care of both… Been there done that and have the T-shirt ๐
Beautiful poignant musings ๐
D.A.,
On behalf of my daughter, thank youโฃ๏ธ
๐
David
It’s a pleasure dearest soul ๐๐บ
I love the rhythm here. This could be used in prose to great effect!
Could you say more about that, Constance? I don’t quite understand.
โค
David
Sorry ๐ I like the slow lilting rhythm of your poem, and I think it would be interesting to use this poetry technique to compose sentences that could be woven into a piece of prose writing. Varying rhythm is important in prose. This is usually achieved by mixing shorter and longer sentences. But this technique could make prose even more like music.
oooooh! I like that idea! How clever ๐
Wonderful waltz wave! I too wonder if God had Seasonal Affective Disorder… Or perhaps they are tears of relief that 2021 is finally over!
Well… He’s still weepy in 2022…
This is one little girl full of emotional intelligence! Lovely poem, David.
Hugs,
D
๐ฅฐ Dolly ๐ฅฐ
Aww, what a sweet, empathetic, big heart she has!
โค Cindy โค – she's a good kid. Thank you!
๐
David
Absolutely beautiful. The innocence of faith through the eyes of child. Well penned, David.
๐งธ Thanks, Suzette ๐งธ
Beautiful David! ๐คโค๏ธ๐
๐งก Ken ๐งก – thank you!
You’re welcome sir! ๐๐ The combination of a child’s innocence and God crying made it hard to resist! ๐๐โค๏ธ
A wonderful poem built from a sweet young ladyโs thoughts.
๐ค Lauren ๐ค – thank you! (she’s much too sweet!)
That’s a beautiful piece David.
xoxo
๐ค๐ค Gabriela ๐ค๐ค
You are so talented ๐๐๐
๐๐ค