The Jram, or: Creativity verses form

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 ‘J’, Sangeetha selected the ‘Jram’ form and the keyword ‘Jubilee’.

---

J: Jram

Sangeetha’s Jram

It was with a hurried hello
our eyes met and knew there was more
Confusion rushed dancing heart beats
Silence sang loud; storms smiled so sweet

Silence sang loud; storms smiled so sweet
Worlds collided for us to meet
It was that first giddy feeling
That you and I kept repeating

Confusion rushed dancing heartbeats
into dreams each morning we greet
With two coffees in our one mug
melting moments into a hug

Our eyes met and knew there was more
More of both of us to explore
In each other's arms we are snug
Our life together is my drug

It was with a hurried hello
We met then...Now I love you so
We celebrate with utmost glee
Same day, each year, our jubilee  

David’s Jram

I'm finding as the years fly by -
I'm not the most romantic guy.
My love is constant every day,
Suffused into all I don't say.

Suffused into all I don't say;
Into my childish, earnest ways;
Into my odd imperfections,
Is my limitless affection.

My love is constant every day,
But special days deserve bouquets,
Days like birthdays and jubilees,
Those special opportunities.

I'm not the most romantic guy;
Some jubilees have slipped me by.
Still, over time, I've grown more wise,
Learned to better prioritize.

I'm finding as the years fly by -
That I'm the world's luckiest guy,
Blessed to be sharing soul and life
With my lovely, brilliant wife.

---

Jram?

• stanzaic: 5 quatrains;
• isosyllabic: 10 or 8 syllables to each line;
• rhyme scheme: aabb bbcc bbdd aadd aaff;
• refrain: the last line of 1^st stanza becomes 1^st line of 2^nd stanza Refrain: 3^rd line of 1^st stanza becomes 1^st line of 3^rd stanza 2^nd line of 1^st stanza becomes 1^st line of 4^th stanza 1st line of 1^st stanza become 1^st line of 5^th stanza;
• meter: optional by the poet (iambic Pentameter works well).

---

---

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!