Writer’s Workshop-Quatern

I had to step out of my comfort zone for this one. Poetry is not my thing. Mama Kat ‘s prompt called for a 16-line poem (rhyming or non-rhyming) about a moment from my childhood that changed my life for the better. I sort of read the 16 line poem part, retained the word “childhood” and didn’t really pay attention to the rest.

So, once again, I haven’t followed the directions. Perhaps I shouldn’t be so hard on my kids when they don’t follow my instructions. But I regress.

My poem isn’t about a moment, but a series of moments that changed my life…..for the better.

In a truck the world she entered
Blackened eyes her father rendered
Always crying, crying, a whiner
Around their fingers somehow twined

The youngest child; pampered, endulged
In a truck the world she entered
Life around her mother centered
Marriage divided, sadness entered

A new union, ending in death
Wailing, wailing, lost and broken
In a truck the world she entered
The scent of her mom surrendered

Woman, wife, sister, and mother
Wouldn’t trade her life for another
Family first, finally centered
In a truck the world she entered

Quatern: 16 line French form composed of four quatrains. It has a refrain that is in a different place in each quatrain. A quatern has eight syllables per line. It does not have to be iambic or follow a set rhyme.

About Angie

Angie is a CRAFT dabbling, recipe making, WORD loving, sunshine hording, book DEVOURING, Mama to a lot! She's kind of in love with Instagram right now, so if you want her attention, go find here there. {smiling}

Comments

  1. Lacey in the Sky says

    I think it’s beautiful!

    I have to decide which one I’m going to do still!

  2. i suspect this is a rather large piece of your soul you offered us today. i haven’t known you for very long (don’t you love that??? KNOWN??? i’ve never met you!), but i think i was right behind you as you made your way through all the WW posts (i don’t know how you do it. i had to start picking and choosing once i hit #60), and i saw a couple of clues as to what this poem may mean.

    you are a strong, funny, beautiful, brave lady, miss angie! thanks for taking a chance on us.

    i LOVED it.

  3. Good stuff. Is the poem about you? Were you born in a truck, or am I way off.

  4. That was a great poem.

    Though something about it made me tear up.

  5. it doesn’t matter that you did follow the prompt, that was beautiful. Great job!

  6. That was great. I susspect it was a bit healing for you. I think that poetry is one of your many tallents. Keep it up.

  7. Oh, this is so good. I will come back and read this often. In a truck the world she entered. Fantastic.

  8. I thought it was beautiful!

  9. Oh Angie.. you are such a wonderful writer. I think you pretty much summed it up there, what an evolution you’ve gone through and yet you’ve retained all those things that make you so very special.
    I am so happy to have you for a friend! {hugs}

  10. Mrs de Miranda says

    what do you mean poetry is not your thing?? That was great!! And meaningful and emotional! Poetry not your thing…crazy girl!

  11. WOW!!! This is great!!! I wish I could be that creative…. I just end up going with the lists; my brain is to scattered to think write something this meaningful!!

  12. Great job Angie! I don’t think I could whip out a poem if my life depended on it. πŸ™‚

  13. Kristen Jensen says

    Interesting. I’d like to try this, it’s thoughtful and deep.

  14. iheartbowheads.blogspot.com says

    Wow that was great – we will have to see what I can come up with – not sure I can

    πŸ™‚

    Holly

  15. that was great and I LOVED the smarty pants part at the end telling us how you did it… I remenber learnignabout writing poetry in school and college, but it has gone all out the window since I had babies…

  16. Drama Mama says

    Oh Angie…that was beautiful. I could never in a million years write something like that…

  17. Bonnie the Boss says

    You did an amazing job, and also taught me what a Quatern is. Thanks!!

  18. Beautiful poem πŸ™‚ And you said poetry wasn’t your thing!
    Thanks for checking out my blog this morning! Comments are always appreciated!

  19. Eudea-Mamia says

    Wow – well done!

    Poetry IS your thing. And essays. And tales, etc.

    Such an incredible writer.

    Em

  20. RenΓ©e aka Mekhismom says

    Thank you for sharing such intimate details of your life with us. Rather than echo what others have said I will just say – you are a talented writer. Claim it.

  21. ahhhhhh yes.

    I RELATE.

    beautifully written.

  22. Erin, Nick and Merrick says

    Beautiful!

  23. Munchkins and Music says

    I like it!

  24. That was amazing! You have a life’s worth of tales to tell, I hope you keep sharing.

  25. Good job, Angie. Loved it!
    I wouldn’t even know where to begin!

  26. wow, i am so impressed!! that was great!! you are truly talented!! hugs and prayers…

  27. I thought this was a GREAT poem! Good job. πŸ™‚

  28. mommaof4wife2r says

    i am tipping my coffee to you right now! wow! i feel like i might know you better now.

  29. So amazingly good. I think the quarern is now my favorite form of poetry.

  30. thank you for sharing that with us.
    i loved it.

  31. Angie, you did such a beautiful job with this. There is no way I could whip something like this up.

  32. Cheffie-Mom says

    Thank you so much for sharing this poem. So well written – beautiful.

  33. Mark and Kiss says

    poignant πŸ™‚

  34. Really beautiful!!

  35. Whatevs! Poetry is SO your thing. That was amazing!

  36. Are You Serious! says

    β™₯ Whatever is RIGHT!!! That was really good!

  37. That was great… I’m glad you didn’t follow the rules..

  38. Live.Love.Eat says

    I loved what Deb said in her comment, 2nd one down. I agree about the kind of lady you are and that this is a large piece of your soul indeed. I am honored you took a chance on me once too and shed a little more light on who you are or more so what made you who you are.

  39. girlytwins says

    I love what a window this is into your heart. I think it is beautiful Angie.

  40. great poem. i usually don’t follow directions either…well, unless i made them! πŸ™‚

  41. Tiaras and Tantrums says

    Beautiful – thanks for sharing!

  42. For someone who isn’t totally comfortable with poetry, you sure wrote a beautiful piece. Really Angie, its very good.

  43. Jenni Jiggety says

    Hey that was AWESOME Angie! All I can write is bad Haiku!

  44. Amazing…

    You need to write a book. Of poetry. For real. Please.

  45. blueviolet says

    That was absolutely beautiful. Really beautiful.

  46. J Cosmo Newbery says

    Beautifully done. Extra marks for following a form. I had never heard of a Quatern before.

  47. Casey's trio says

    For not being much of a poetry writer, you sure knocked this one out of the ballpark.

  48. Tabitha Blue says

    I think this was beautiful and shares so much in the short 16 lines!!

    Touching! πŸ™‚

  49. Gunnisac Sandersons says

    That was beautiful. I really loved it!!!

  50. Migraine Mom says

    That is the best “I don’t write poetry” poem I have ever read. I agree…you are incredibly talented..keep writing!

  51. Kiki and Lele says

    For you, the same price as normally advertised… but one little favor…??? you could take a pic after you get it and post a link back to us… Pretty Please with cherries on top…

  52. That was deep, sister! I had to read it a couple of times to let it sink in—just like with any really good poetry! Very nice.

  53. Beautiful & Powerful!!!

  54. Wow..that was amazing. I would say poetry might just be your thing. Beautifully written!

  55. Stu Pidasso says

    That is an awesome poem. I like that you even gave the grammar/mechanics breakdown within the poem, but the content is even better. When an author can draw empathy out of the audience with mere words, the connection has been made. I can almost picture you working to keep it together as you draw this out of yourself. WAS it that hard to write?

  56. Brilliant! I imagine it was challenging sticking to the eight syllable per line part, and I love the type of poem you chose to write – the echoing line in your piece continues to speak as to where your life began.

    Talented indeed.

  57. Kiki and Lele says

    Wow, that was great… You are really good at poetry… I am not so great in that area… Haave a great weekend,
    Leslee

  58. Beautiful…

  59. has this wonderful poem inspired you to write more?

  60. Some of the best things come from not following the rules. Love your poem.

  61. I enjoy reading all your writing. For you to say poetry isn’t your thing is crazy. You scrolled out an amazing poem which was surely a window to your soul.

  62. Kelli @ Gohn Crazy says

    Beautiful beautiful poem.

  63. Beautiful Poem

    I found you on BATW. My friend is having twins soon. Maybe you could (or maybe you have) do a post on how friends can help new moms of twins. I would appreciate any tips!

  64. Very nice!! A good writer is a good writer..in my opinion!

  65. Hey guess what? I have something for you on my blog:-)

  66. And I was so proud of myself for figuring out the “style” before you named it.

    Angie this is unbelievable. I love love love love love it! So powerful, I re read it like five times to take it in. Beautiful. I love it! Great work mama.

  67. Joy in the Burbs... says

    You lost me at Quatern, but I enjoyed reading your poem. Very moving.
    Joy

  68. Threeundertwo says

    Wow, a lot was said in 16 lines.

    Thank you for sharing it!

  69. Wow! Excellent!

    Thanks for posting this to Best Posts of the Week!

  70. Nice!! Not bad for a non-poetic kind of gal. I like it.

  71. Wow, Angie. That was amazing! You are so very talented!

  72. I am just getting to know all of you and this definitely helps. Beautiful work and from it i can tell I like you as a friend.