At Joyce’s Tower, Dublin; Happening Onto a Robust Woman – Celtic Quatrain
Supposed to be Irish Soda Breads
At Joyce’s Tower, Dublin; Happening Onto a Robust Woman
Who’d Just Bathed In the Sea
Irish soda bread for real
lined shelves at shops’ rush hour;
clothes, that she had shed or peeled,
buffed feet, Martello Tower.
Pink her cheeks as plum blossom;
dimpled her skin about the midst.
Ah…. Ah… (her fulsome bosom)–
to call it else would be remiss.
‘Twas–did I forget to say?
Winter–even sun was damp,
gave us not a lot of day.
She, she shone, her own dugs lamps–
Whiteness shimmering shimmied
by a hand towel that she rubbed
staunch (like that ringing hymn we’d
sung when “Onward” sounded scrubbed
and squeaky clean), her panties
stretching wide like grin-full face,
hair wet in sea-curled shanties,
thick bare legs a true soul place
beyond Joyce, at least, for me,
that day, that year, that winter,
when what had been a history
of whole slipped into splinter.
How I got there? Roundabout.
From up to down, high to low.
Though by that sea, brown as stout,
somehow footing firmed below.
Failure, that had tolled my doom,
seemed instead part of life’s flow,
which would make a bold try room,
allow hope oar along strife’s row.
At my side, a waxen pouch,
fingered crumbs that shed or peeled–
caraway, raisins (yes, and such)–
Irish soda bread for real.
**********************************
The above is supposed to be a poem drafted in Celtic Quatrains in response to a challenge from Kerry at Imaginary Garden With Real Toads. I don’t think it’s so successful, but it was great fun to try. Thanks also to Hedgewitch (Joy Ann Jones) who wrote a great one and encouraged me to try.
At any rate, this form, the Celtic Quatrain, is supposed to have interlocking rhymes – with triple rhymes (i.e. three syllables) in the first and third lines; and double rhymes in the second and fourth. Also, there are supposed to be seven syllables a line. I tried to stay true to the rhyme scheme (more or less( but found the syllabic limit very difficult and I’m not sure that enjambment is allowed! At any rate, try one yourself! To learn more, check out Kerry’s informative post.
Explore posts in the same categories: poetry, UncategorizedTags: At Joyce's Martello Tower, Celtic Quatrain, manicddaily, Onward poem, Poem about visiting Dublin, Renewal in Dublin, Visiting Dublin
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ManicDDaily 
June 17, 2012 at 8:27 pm
Well, see how you are–I would have had a nine stanza one too if I hadn’t done those triple syllables. 😉 This is lots of fun karin, even if the form became a bit tippled–a little extra Guinness on board, as it were. Who cares–it reads delightfully. This obviously is an ode to that experience you described at Brendan’s–I applaud you for handling it like a true bard and making an epic tale of it, shot through with little bits of personal reflection. I’m sure Joyce would approve, especially those thick bare legs a true soul place, and the sea brown as stout–really some cool images. (Also, since I’ve never had soda bread, it made me quite hungry for Swedish coffee cake–mmm cardamom..)
June 17, 2012 at 8:34 pm
Thanks! I do think the triple rhymes are there, but I put them over three words! Sort of. I think. Pre-stout! k.
June 18, 2012 at 8:13 am
Agh! I just realized that the Irish Soda Bread uses Carraway! Oh dear! My brain is tippled even without the stout!!!! Thank God this wasn’t on a rhyme! k.
June 17, 2012 at 11:00 pm
I’m not at all familiar with that form, but I very much enjoyed your poem.
June 18, 2012 at 7:45 am
seems to really pick up steam as it goes further and further into the piece, nice pacing –
esp liked,
“Whiteness shimmering shimmied
by a hand towel that she rubbed
staunch (like that ringing hymn we’d
sung when “Onward” sounded scrubbed”
it sounds sung and spoken at the same time, very nice 😉
June 18, 2012 at 8:21 am
I am very impressed at how well you sustained the form throughout the story, and concluding stanzas. Such a grand response to the prompt, and a most singular character description brought to life in your lines.
June 18, 2012 at 8:26 am
Thanks so much. I only this morning remembered that of course they use caraway seeds and not cardamom! And of course caraway would have been such a great rhyme! Oh well. Really enjoyed, thanks. k.
June 18, 2012 at 8:58 am
“how i got there? roundabout.” holy quatrains, this is wonderful! gold star for you.
June 18, 2012 at 9:04 am
Ha. Thanks. I think I was a bit of a cheater, but that’s what rules are for, I suppose. (Breaking.)
June 18, 2012 at 9:01 am
yes, you have inspired me to give this form a try. what a fun piece to read. ~jane
June 18, 2012 at 9:05 am
They are fun. You have to kind of not worry too much about whether it makes sense! k.
June 18, 2012 at 10:00 am
you kow me….form is a trickster…and you carried it on well through out k…the further along you got all the strong it seemed as well…very well played…
and great job this weekend…smiles
June 18, 2012 at 10:41 am
Thanks, Brian. I like forms because they really do get me out of a rut. I am also a very bad decision maker at times and they force decisions. k.
June 18, 2012 at 10:11 am
I stand back in amazement! I had heard of the form, but I think this is the first example I have come across. It always sounded impossibly complicated to me – and seems even more so now I’ve actually seen it. So far as I’m concerned the wonder is not that it works well in its own terms – and out of them! – but that it got written at all! Bravo!
June 18, 2012 at 10:40 am
Thanks, Dave. As someone on that side of the pond, you will sympathize that I originally forgot the caraway (which would have been such a great rhyme!) And mistakenly put cardamom. Fixed the spice, but will just leave the rest alone for now.
If you go to http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com you will see many great examples, less silly (or maybe not.) k.
June 18, 2012 at 5:20 pm
I like what you did with the for K, with the last and first line linking up ~ And 3 syllabic words are a challenge, but you creatively made a roundabout ~ Thanks for sharing your journey with us ~
June 18, 2012 at 6:52 pm
Thanks, Heaven. K.
June 18, 2012 at 9:01 pm
Very nice! You aced the form, and this poem definitely has the Celtic feel to it. I seemed to read it with a Celtic accent without even trying!
June 18, 2012 at 9:06 pm
Ha, thanks!
June 19, 2012 at 10:04 am
Such a fun jaunt with words, Karen! I like the way you described her under garments make me smile!! 🙂
June 19, 2012 at 11:37 am
Thanks so much, Hannah. k.
June 19, 2012 at 6:14 pm
Brilliantly executed, Karin, and I loved how the form flows. James would be proud of you.
June 19, 2012 at 6:33 pm
Wow…This is so good…loved the humor and the inspirational use of the form!
June 19, 2012 at 6:59 pm
The Irish lilt gathers momentum! Like a fun dance!