Sangeetha & David’s new poetry project
Once upon a time, two poets who’d never met in person began writing verses back and forth over the Internet. Their first project took them some nine months: a 100 verse Hyakuin.
Once they’d completed their first oeuvre, they decided to continue their journey together; and Sangeetha came up with a fun idea. Beginning in January ’22, they took turns selecting poetic forms beginning with the letters of the alphabet (A through Z) and wrote poems to one another using those forms.
Upon completing that second project, Sangeetha suggested that they go through the alphabet once more, this time with an addition twist… In their new series, for every letter of the alphabet (A through Z), the two would select not only a poetic form but also – a keyword for each poem.
For ‘I’, David selected the ‘Inverted Refrain’ form and the keyword ‘Imagination’.
I: Inverted Refrain
David’s Inverted Refrain
Kind magic Fairy Queen rules realms
In vast worlds of her creation;
Each day, she reassumes the helm
Of my child's imagination.
Quite often, I feel overwhelmed
By her mind's nonstop creation.
Her darling husband's Peter Pan;
Disney's princesses are her friends.
Together, they have formed a plan
To bring wickedness to an end.
The perfect plan with Peter Pan;
I don't care, but I must pretend.
As she grows older, she's exposed
To ever more movies and books;
Plus she sure digs those children's shows
In which heroes catch cunning crooks.
She shows me shows about heroes;
Sighing, I give them a quick look.
We regularly go on walks,
To school, shopping, or for ice cream.
Of fantasies, there's ceaseless talk;
Of magic, science, adventure themes.
As my child walks, she talks and talks;
Faeries have overrun my dreams.
Sangeetha’s Inverted Refrain
She holds my dreams as she wanders
In stories of enchanted days
Paved with white wishes and wonders
Beyond a rainbow door, she says,
Where reality surrenders
As I do, to her trusting gaze
Sunlight ripples through her soft voice
She talks of what ifs and what nots
My mind is freed and I rejoice
In the realm of this tiny tot
She sees the world with new bright eyes
Making magic with what she's got
Imagination paints with grace
On pristine skies of tomorrow
Crystal stars in infinite space
Strung on heart hope, tied with a bow
Possibilities to embrace;
My precious child...somehow, she knows
Tender dreams follow her footfall;
With utmost faith, my hand she holds
Into the unknown, she walks tall
Scripting sweet stories yet untold
Step by small step, she does it all
She goes where her future unfolds
Inverted Refrain?
- Consists of four 6-line stanzas, for a total of 24 lines;
- Rhyme scheme per stanza:
- Lines #1-4 are abab;
- Lines #5 and #6, the two inverted refrain lines, can be a,b or b,a;
- Meter: 8 syllables in every line;
- The first 4 lines of a stanza create a statement from which the last 2 lines extract the meaning and invert the way it was said;
- The last two lines of each stanza, which are the โinverted refrainโ, are indented as a couplet.
Sangeetha & David’s ‘Creativity verses form’
- The Alliterisen (#alternatives)
- The Bragi (#books) [1st attempt]
- The Bragi (#books) [correct]
- The Cadae (#crisis)
- The Dodoitsu (#desire)
- The Emmett (#elves)
- The Fold (#friend)
- The Golda (#gravity)
- The Harrisham (#hope)
- The Inverted Refrain (#imagination)
- The Jram (#jubilee)
- The Kลel (#kismet)
- The Lai (#love)
- The Monometric (#motivation)
- The Nove Otto (#night)
- The Ovillejo (#origins)
- The Purely Hopeful (#poetry)
- The Quatern (#quiet)
- The Raay (#roots)
- The Septanelle (#smiles)
- The Trianglet (#time)
- The Ukiah (#underwear)
- The Violette (#vintage)
- The Whyquain (#wisdom)
- X (wildcard): The Eight-ette (#excuse)
- The Ya Hoo (#yes)
- The Zip (#zip)
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!
A gorgeous pair. Great subject too.
๐๐๐ป Sean ๐๐ป๐
Lovely poetic representations of a child world and child’s fantasies.
โค Dolly โค
Anew to me form and a wonderful exploration of a child’s imagination in both poems!
๐ค๐๐ป Muri ๐๐ป๐ค
Wonderful. โค๏ธโค๏ธ
๐๐๐ป Jeff ๐๐ป๐
Both poems were so lovingly honest and beautifulโฆSuch a cool form!! I enjoyed them both very much:)
๐ค ๐๐ป Karima ๐๐ป๐ค
Iโm laughing at this form. Good poems though!
๐๐๐ป Paula ๐๐ป๐
You guys are amazing! Beautiful writing. ๐
๐๐๐ป Colleen ๐๐ป๐