The DoReMiDo, or: Creativity forms verses

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 continued their journey together; 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 they go through the alphabet once more but in their new series, for every letter of the alphabet (A through Z), they would select not only a poetic form but also – a keyword for each poem.

Eventually, they completed their third series and decided to embark on a fourth towards the end of 2022. This time, taking turns, they would create their own poetic forms for every letter of the alphabet (A through Z), and exchange poems, as they’d done before.

For ‘D’, Sangeetha created the ‘DoReMiDo’ form.

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D: DoReMiDo

Sangeetha’s DoReMiDo

I wonder why
we travel on
without a map
while life goes by

Fall into all
possible plots
~an adventure 
always on call

One step begun
with heart in hand
hoping we may
Run into fun

Let's do our best
To flow with tides,
enjoy the ride. 
Rest. We are blessed.

David’s DoReMiDo

May I just say-
life's confusing;
all conclusions-
they wash away...

Trite truths indict
those that push them
as cocksure; but-
might they be right? 

Meanwhile, I lean
t'wards- maybe so...
how do you know?
~keen truth to glean.

So, museful, slow,
I observe; and
I contemplate-
though truth brings woe.

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DoReMiDo?

• 4 verses;
• 4 lines in each verse;
• 4 syllables per line;
• 4 corners of each verse (syllables 1, 4, 13, 16) rhyme;
• It looks like this:

axxa
xxxx
xxxx
axxa

bxxb
xxxx
xxxx
bxxb

cxxc
xxxx
xxxx
cxxc

dxxd
xxxx
xxxx
dxxd

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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!