I ... entered the poem of life, whose purpose is ... simply to witness the beauties of the world, to discover the many forms that love can take. (Barabara Blackman in 'Glass After Glass')

These poems are works in progress and may be updated without notice. Nevertheless copyright applies to all writings here and all photos (which are either my own or used with permission). Thank you for your comments. I read and appreciate them all, and reply here to specific points that seem to need it — or as I have the leisure. Otherwise I reciprocate by reading and commenting on your blog posts as much as possible.

Showing posts with label beat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beat. Show all posts

15 August 2014

On Cold Nights (2)

This is the same poem I posted two days ago.  I am using it here for a dVerse request to mark up a poem so as to define the beats.  The heavy stresses are in bold. A caesura (a pause that's part of the rhythm) is indicated by square brackets around a space.


On Cold Nights

Although I have no husband now,
there are those that warm my bed.

One caresses my feet. [ ] My toes curl 
and stretch in ecstatic response

Another has my back. [ ] I snuggle in,
feeling comforted, safe.

A third is hot in my embrace
for hours, [ ] night after night.

There's a lad who sneaks in late. [ ] I wake to  see
his black-haired, handsome head [ ] lying beside mine.

My favourite, though, is grey-haired like me, [ ]
female like me. [ ] When I stroke her shapely flank,

she purrs. [ ] So does the black cat by my pillow ...
while the hot water bottles nestle quietly.