The Verso-Rhyme, or: Form verses creativity

Sangeetha & David’s new poetry project

Once upon a time, two poets who’d never met in person spontaneously began writing verses back and forth to one another over the Internet. Their first poetry project took them some nine months: a 100 verse Hyakuin.

Once they’d completed their oeuvre, the two decided to continue their creative journey together; and Sangeetha came up with a fun new idea, which David loved – to explore different poetic forms together, working through the Alphabet from ‘A’ to ‘Z’.

Every week, for twenty-six weeks beginning in January of the year 2022, they would take turns selecting poetic forms beginning with the letter corresponding to that particular week (1=A, 2=B, etc., etc.) and write poems to one another using that form.

David suggested they call their new project ‘Form verses creativity’, and so it began.

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V for Verso-Rhyme

David’s Verso-Rhyme

Today we celebrate
Israel's birth,
A dream two thousand years
in the making.
Tearful Jewish prayers
heard across Earth ~
t'wards & for our one home,
unforsaken!

Sangeetha’s Verso-Rhyme

Israel's hearts ~ Rejoice
We have come far
Holding fast to our Faith
Holding Honour
Israel's voices ~ Sing
Hymns of the Star
Light bright candles for Peace
Light Forever!

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Verso-Rhyme?

• a poem in 8 lines; 
• syllabic, 6-4-6-4-6-4-6-4 syllables per line;
• rhyme, x/a/x/b/x/a/x/b, with ‘x’ being unrhymed;
• ends with an exclamation point!

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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!