Form Challenges #13
GLOSA
A Spanish form also known as mote or retruécano, closely related to the cantiga.
In its strict form it is a poem consisting of a line or a short stanza called cabeza (or texto), stating the theme of the poem and followed by one stanza for each line of the cabeza explaining or glossing that line and often adding a refrain as the last line.
The cabeza may be any length or rhyme scheme and the poet is free to choose any other form.

Loosely the glosa is any poem expanding in the theme presented at the opening stanza and usually repeating one or more of the lines of that stanza.

texto:
As I sleep alone in this distant town.
An ethereal blanket keeps me safe and sound.

glosa:
The lonely night draw swiftly down
Covering the world in a deep black gown
Creeping softly in without a sound
As I sleep alone in this distant town.

I close my eyes, but sleep can't be found
Till your loving spirit wraps itself around
Then I'm covered and warm wrapped in love
An ethereal sheet keeps me safe and sound.

Teagan De Danaan

In the example above the glossing has been done by means of a short Rubaiyat. In the example below, Court uses an Envelope Sestet and repeats the glossing as the first line as well as the last line.

Western Wind
Western wind, when wilt thou blow,
That the small rain down shall rain?
Christ! that my love were in my arms,
And I in my bed again.

--ANONYMOUS

Western wind, when wilt thou blow?
 When shall the rivers begin to flow
Over this ice toward the sea?
When will the branches of the tree
Drop their mantles of rime and snow?
Western wind, when wilt thou blow,

 That the small rain down shall rain?
 Then may the willows in their train
Loosen their limbs upon the stream;
Then may birdsong burst this dream
Of winter to seek the sprouting grain,
That the small rain down shall rain.

 Christ! that my love were in my arms
 Where the grass greens and the bee swarms!
She is fair as the mountain heather,
Comely and kind as Maytime's weather
Over the land after April storms--
Christ! that my love were in my arms,

 And I in my bed again
 Where gladly I have slept and lain
Upon the pillow of her hair.
When shall I once more come there,
Her breast beneath the counterpane,
And I in my bed again.

 --Wesli Court

Glosa Posts....Contents

Carly Svamvour

The Wedding of Roddy McGrath
Irene goodnight, Irene
I gave my love a cherry

Etain Druantia

I'm Too Sexy
Princess Dreams

Mary-Lidia Evans

Tears

Leny Roovers

Chains(Villanelle)
The Lilac-tree(Petrarchan sonnet)
Memories(Villanelle)

Sal Coraccio

Meadow Sung (Sestina)

Teagan De Danaan

Angels. (Free Sonnet)
Autumn (Rondel Prime)
Had we but the world (Stave Stanza)

Carly Svamvour

The Wedding of Roddy McGrath

The first to get up was old Mrs. Russell
She couldn't sing so she started to whustle.
Then somebody gave her a kick in the bustle,
The night of the wedding of Roddy McGrath
old drinkin' song)

'Someone must sing' said the young bride's father
He looked quite sad, when nobody bothered.
Delighted was he to hear a slight rustle;
the first to get up was Old Mrs. Russell.

She picked up her glass, and tossed down her wine,
proceeded to fart in three-quarter time.
The wedding guests roared - oh what a chuckle,
She couldn't sing so she started to whustle.

A few bars of Dixie, some doo wop dee doo,
then she croaked out some Bessy Smith blues.
She stripped to the waist, showed off her muscles,
Then somebody gave her a kick in the bustle.

A grand time we had, said the bride's good old dad,
'Twas a night we'll remember in awe.
And we all agreed - what good fun it was,
The night of the wedding of Roddy McGrath.

-----

Irene Goodnight, Irene

Saturday night I got married
Me and my man settled down
Now me and my man we have parted
I'm gonna' take a little stroll downtown
The Weavers

Saturday night I got married
~~~~~The wedding was lovely, bridesmaids in blue.
~~~~~The preacher, he asked, 'Do you take this man?'
~~~~~I promptly replied 'Yes, I do.'
Me and my man settled down
~~~~~We got a place on the outskirts of town.
~~~~~Not a year passed, I was surely aghast
~~~~~to find he was fooling around.

Now me and my man, we have parted
~~~~~Packed up our household, the old and the new.
~~~~~He's got a new life, and I understand
~~~~~another gal skips to his loo.

I'm goin' down to the River and drown
~~~~~my blues; I don't think that I'll wait around.
~~~~~Oh, don't you worry, I'm not on the lam
~~~~~The River's a tavern in town.

-----

I gave my love a cherry

I gave my love a cherry
that had no stone
I gave my love a chicken
that had no bone
I gave my love a ring
that had no end
I gave my love a baby
that's no cryin'.
(Trad)

I gave my love a cherry,
~~~~~he didn't understand;
~~~~~he rolled it in his palm a while
~~~~~then threw it on the strand.

That had no stone,
~~~~~he told me - 'twas nothing known to man.
~~~~~He contemplated me in wonder.
~~~~~Still, he didn't understand.

I gave my love a chicken,
~~~~~it was a wee bit lame.
~~~~~He put it in a little cage,
~~~~~John Henry was its name.

That has no bone
~~~~~he said to me - oh, woman don't you see?
~~~~~Poor John Henry's useless;
~~~~~why buy this bird for me?

I gave my love a ring
~~~~~That got his attention;
~~~~~He thought it boring - round and endless!
~~~~~Rhyme or reason? Care to mention?

That has no end
~~~~~and I can see, this could go on forever;
~~~~~defective cherries, malformed chickens -
~~~~~what is next? An armless sweater?

I gave my love a baby
~~~~~he looked at it and smacked my head.
~~~~~What did you do, you silly twit?
~~~~~Can't you see the poor kid's dead?

That's no cryin'
~~~~~he exclaimed, in sorry aggravation,
~~~~~he chased me round the house demanding
~~~~~some good explanation.

How can there be a cherry
~~~~~with nothing at its core?
How can there be a chicken
~~~~~that's got no bones, and more
How can there be a ring
~~~~~so endless and so round?
How can there be a baby
~~~~~that doesn't make a sound?
A cherry when it's growing,
~~~~~I patiently declared,
~~~~~has got no stone, and there's no
~~~~~reason to be tearin' out your hair.

A chicken when it's pippin'
~~~~~it doesn't have a single bone
~~~~~it's not until it gets its feathers
~~~~~not until it's fully grown.

A ring when it's a rollin'
~~~~~it has no end, it's round;
~~~~~until it finds a worthy friend
~~~~~it rolls along the ground.

And just in case you didn't know
you silly fool, you clown,
a baby, when it's sleeping
it doesn't make a sound.

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Etain Druantia

I'm too sexy

I'm too sexy for my love too sexy for my love
Love's going to leave me
I'm too sexy for my shirt too sexy for my shirt
So sexy it hurts
I'm too sexy for my car too sexy for my car
Too sexy by far
And I'm too sexy for my hat too sexy for my hat
what do you think about that
~Right Said Fred~

The headline caught my eye as I stood on line
buying my cheese, crackers, and wine
I'm too sexy for my love! Too sexy for my love!

Instant doubts overwhelmed my plunging self-esteem
as I browsed the glossy pages and adverts in between
If I don't search soon and find MY inner sexy
Love's going to leave me

Well, I hurried from the grocer's into boutique next door
accosted the first salesgirl I found on the floor,
I'm too sexy for my shirt! Too sexy for my shirt!

She raised an eyebrow but led me inside
and started pulling clothes for me to try
squishing and stuffing, I mumbled rude curse,
so sexy it hurts

With a small bagfull of clothes that cost me an arm
I pulled keys from my purse and felt sudden alarm
I'm too sexy for my car! Too sexy for my car!

So to the local dealership I drove in a tear
Announced, I need a more fitting auto to wear
the one I chose drove like a shooting star
Too sexy by far

A beret perched on my head, around town I sped
In a burst of joie de vive I tore beret from my head
I'm too sexy for my hat! Too sexy for my hat!

When the cashier asked if I'd like plastic or paper
I realized I'd been on a daydreamt caper
and I'm sexy as is, don't need to be 'phat'
What do you think about that?

-----

Princess Dreams

It is a good thing to be rich and strong,
but it is a better thing to be loved.
Euripides


To be a fair princess was my heart's dream

living a perfect life - so it would seem
servants to do all the chores I disliked
I could live as I pleased, do as I liked
I would be revered, remembered in song
It is a good thing to be rich and strong

Until a real princess stole all news shows,
brought media focus to royal woes
I had thought a charmed life was worry free
then I saw that that dream wasn't for me
still might be nice to live among white-gloved
but it is a better thing to be loved.

It is a good thing to be rich and strong,
but it is a better thing to be loved.

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Mary-Lidia Evans

Tears

'...My tears are like the quiet drift
Of petals from some magic rose;
And all my grief flows from the rift
Of unremembered skies and snows...'
Clown in the Moon by Dylan Thomas

My tears are like the quiet drift
Of petals from some magic rose;
And all my grief flows from the rift
As though they are a winter's gift
Of unremembered skies and snows.

My tears are like the quiet drift
As falling snowflakes, soft yet swift
Upon the earth in quilted throw;
And all my grief flows from the rift
A simple grave of sorrow's thrift
Where tears like snowflakes fell and froze.

My tears are like the quiet drift.
I pray this darkness starts to lift
As shadows, darker, deeper grow;
And all my grief flows from the rift
Each petal from a rose adrift
Upon a winding river goes.

My tears are like the quiet drift.
And all my grief flows from the rift.

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Leny Roovers

Chains (Villanelle)

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breath and height
of starlit Milky ways, at night ablaze.

These jewels on a velvet sky- eyes raised,
my soul can reach, when feeling out of sight;
how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee as a morning dawn’s cool haze,
when gentle deer unfold from fading light
of starlit Milky ways, at night ablaze.

Earth’s moon, reflecting light in every phase,
will mirror summits of my love’s delight-
how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee as the flowers’ perfect praise,
when petals open in the morning’s rite
of starlit Milky ways, at night ablaze.

As stars and flowers shine in chains of days,
they’re tokens of our love that grows, excites.
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways
of starlit Milky ways, at night ablaze.

 -----

The Lilac-tree (Petrarchan sonnet)

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

My lilac-tree is dressed in full array,
in hues of deepest purple standing proud;
with blooms abundant, she is well endowed-
her fragrance has a delicate bouquet.
As bold admirers visit her to play
among intoxicating leaves, a crowd
of blue and yellow tits have vowed:
how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
of thy sweet body, wondrous place to dwell;
within thine soft embrace I find delight-
protected from all worldly threats, your spell
my soul can reach, when feeling out of sight.
When autumn comes, I offer sweet farewells

 -----

Memories

It's not the liquid spreading on the floor,
a half a minute's labour with the mop;
It's everything you've ever spilled, and more.
"Spilled", Bruce Bennett

It's not the liquid spreading on the floor,
a half a minute's labour with the mop;
it's everything you've ever spilled, and more.

It’s money- tears you made me cry galore,
a salty river that would never stop;
it’s not the liquid, spreading on the floor.

It’s dirty socks you put back in the drawer,
and underpants you left, where they would drop;
it’s everything you’ve ever spilled, and more.

And still I’ll cherish times you made me soar-
an upheld chalice, filling to the top;
it’s not the liquid, spreading on the floor.

Our waves once crested high, yet broke on shores,
where weary seed once spent, won’t yield a crop;
it’s everything you’ve ever spent, and more.

Lost memories are flooding me- they roar
in cadence with the angry seas we swapped;
it’s not the liquid spreading on the floor,
it’s everything you’ve ever spilled, and more.

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Sal Coraccio

Meadow Sung (Sestina)

Grace this meadow with your golden eye,
Inspire it to grow as you breathe out,
Keep it warm within your open arms,
And when hidden by the storm you gently weep
Your tears will unfurl flower petal smiles -
Then they will reach for you in kind embrace,
To behold your eye in kind embrace.
-- Song to the Sun

Within you is the power to embrace,
To lighten up their faces; spreading smiles,
To span the void, forever reaching out,
And in your absence they'll begin to weep
Until you gather them into your arms;
Grace this meadow with your golden eye.

Each blade of grass, each flower seeks your eye,
Seeks to feel your confident embrace;
They long to feel the comfort of your arms.
Without your touch there will be no smiles,
The meadow may in sadness only weep;
Inspire it to grow as you breathe out.
Golden rays of light all reaching out,
Each one a blessing from your watchful eye,
Pierce the sky as clouds begin to weep,
Each one a shining form of your embrace,
With fingertips for tracing meadow's smiles;
Keep it warm within your open arms.

You have much strength for you have many arms,
There's living heat within you, let it out;
You have the will to fill them up with smiles.
The tears, as steam around your eye,
Fill the sky as clouds in your embrace;
When hidden by the storm you gently weep.

Though even as you're moved to weep
A quenching rain is carried by your arms
To feed the growing child in your embrace,
And let the nourishment of love flow out.
Such tears of joy will fall before your eye;
Your tears will unfurl flower petal smiles.

And theirs will be such thankful smiles:
Blessed by touch they shall not weep -
Having seen the hope through your own eye,
Felt compassion from your arms,
And heard the thunder ringing out -
Then they will reach for you in kind embrace.

Such grateful smiles within your mighty arms,
Forgetting why they weep they'll all reach out
To behold your eye in kind embrace.

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Teagan De Danaan

Angels. (Free Sonnet)

We are, each of us angels with only one wing;
and we can only fly by embracing one another.
--Luciano de Crescenzo

Only angels weep true tears
Their sorrow as they watch us frail creatures
As we lead our frail lives thinking
Everything is so important
And means so much
Only love is important
Only love is carried on through death
And the soul that has been ignored in life
Carries on with that love, knowing-
We are, each of us angels with only one wing;

But an angel with one wing cannot fly
And so is reborn realising
We need the angels with the other wing;
and we can only fly by embracing one another.

-----

Autumn (Rondel Prime)

A crinkled patchwork eiderdown
With dying leaves of Gold and Brown
Anon

I always love the early autumn
With dying leaves of Gold and Brown
The fallen leaves upon the lawn
A crinkled patchwork eiderdown.

So on life goes ad infinitum
A time of rest for all that's grown
I always love the early autumn
With dying leaves of Gold and Brown

To Earth a time of sleep has come
Is wearing now a drab nightgown
Some beasts also prepare their home
Gathering what summer has grown
I always love the early autumn
With dying leaves of Gold and Brown.

-----

Had we but world and time

Had we but world and time
This coyness, Lady, were no crime
We would sit down and think which way
To walk and pass our long love's day
Andrew Marvell, "To His Coy Mistress"

As now I love you, I shall in a thousand years
I have done before, the parting leaving tears.
It shall be so again, but let them be of joy
Each parting leaving us less as natures toy,
Thinking we have a love that is sublime
Had we but world and time

In life's springtime we will meet again
My passion driving like a man insane
And you my dear so shy and oh so coy
In my heart I knew it was no ploy And I would have you by bedtime
This coyness, Lady, were no crime.

Summer is a time of light and life
Sometimes of conflict and also strife
But love and patience conquers all
As one will help should the other fall
At journey's end with the close of day
We would sit down and think which way.

In autumn there is much more peace
And love now takes on a sense of ease.
Familiar traits, knowing by just a touch
Or a single glance that means so much
A hand, a smile on our journeys way
To walk and pass our long love's day.

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