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The Pantoum was originally a Malasian form of poetry.
It was adopted and adapted by the French and became very popular with them. Fouinet, Hugo and Baudelaire,
are amongst the foremost users of this form. The French liked it probably because of the way the quatrains were linked to each other, which makes it similar to other Fernch forms. Let's take a look at it. The Pantoum has a rhyme scheme of, a.b.a.b…b.c.b.c..etc and as can be seen the second and fourth line of the first Stanza, become the first and third lines of the following stanza and so on. Unlike most of these strict repeating forms there is no set stanza count or need for the last stanza to repeat back to the first. This makes the Pantoum ideal for narratives that demand repetition. Here is a wonderful example by Silverthorn:
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Pantoum Posts....Contents
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Etain DruantiaFor Teagan, who puts so much into this forum with so little in the way of encouragement. Inspired by the film American Beauty ----- He works hard at his job, sometimes two and three to provide a home, a life of comfort and ease he does it to make those he loves happy while his own dreams are left outside to freeze To provide a home, a life of comfort and ease wholly unappreciated, his efforts ignored while his own dreams are left outside to freeze until one day he decides no longer to be bored Wholly unappreciated, his efforts ignored working 'til he bleeds without a single "thank you" until one day he decides no longer to be bored suddenly quits his jobs with a royal "fuck you" Working 'til he bleeds without a single "thank you" he wakes up one day, opens door to his dreams suddenly quits his jobs with a royal "fuck you" a smile splits his face, he is deaf to their screams He wakes up one day, opens door to his dreams life's greyness suffused with a shimmering gold a smile splits his face, he is deaf to their screams "A new way of living," with a flourish, "behold!" Awakening What Might Have Been Tasting your kisses on sweet fall air, my body burns with haunting touch. I never realized how much I cared- this pain I bear hurts so much. My body burns with haunting touch, arms ache to hold you once again- this pain I bear hurts so much. I often wonder what might have been Arms ache to hold you once again You were my love, my life, my soul. I often wonder what might have been Now I face alone as I grow old. You were my love, my life, my soul Now I face alone as I grow old. back to list |
Michael DixonBefore war, take my hand, wait a moment Listen in stillness to the world outside Have courage, be not scared, its as easy as Jumping from a spinning merry go round Listen in stillness to the world outside Leave the noise behind as more people are Jumping from a spinning merry go round Chancing peace from the worlds successive turns Leave the noise behind as more people are Accepting each other for all our faults Chancing peace from the worlds successive turns If we learn to live with one another Accepting each other for all our faults Shall be the way to dwell in harmony If we learn to live with one another We shall surely become a better race Shall be the way to dwell in harmony Rotation with loving revolution We shall surely become a better race Being one, we embrace different arms Rotation with loving revolution Have courage, be not scared, its as easy as Being one, we embrace different arms Before war, take my hand, wait a moment ------
After War |
Shirley Geok lin LimA poem for Chinese mother's who were forced to slay daughters. "At present, the phenomena of butchering, drowning and leaving to die female infants have been very serious." (The People's Daily, Peking, March 3rd, 1993) They say a child with two mouths is no good. In the slippery wet, a hollow space, Smooth, gumming, echoing wide for food. No wonder my man is not here at his place. In the slippery wet, a hollow space, A slit narrowly sheathed within its hood. No wonder my man is not here at his place: He is digging for the dragon jar of soot. That slit narrowly sheathed within its hood! His mother, squatting, coughs by the fire's blaze While he digs for the dragon jar of soot. We had saved ashes for a hundred days. His mother, squatting, coughs by the fire's blaze. The child kicks against me mewing like a flute. We had saved ashes for a hundred days. Knowing, if the time came, that we would. The child kicks against me crying like a flute Through its two weak mouths. His mother prays Knowing when the time comes that we would, For broken clay is never set in glaze. Through her two weak mouths his mother prays. She will not pluck the rooster nor serve its blood, For broken clay is never set in glaze: Women are made of river sand and wood. She will not pluck the rooster nor serve its blood. My husband frowns, pretending in his haste Women are made of river sand and wood. Milk soaks the bedding. I cannot bear the waste. My husband frowns, pretending in his haste. Oh clean the girl, dress her in ashy soot! Milks soaks our bedding, I cannot bear the waste. They say a child with two mouths is no good. Shirley Geok-lin Lim May 14 2000 back to list |
Samantha G. KennedyIt's only you, will always be my minds eye calls the dream once more, I stand and close my core to see horizons light some distant shore. My minds eye calls the dream once more I dance the whispers of desire, horizons light some distant shore illuminating passions fire. I dance the whispers of desire reach to the moon, without a care, illuminating passions fire in questions only lovers share. Reach to the moon without a care!! I stand and close my core to see, in questions only lovers share it's only you…. will always be. back to list |
Leny RooversI used to think our bond was strong, we shared so much in recent years. Today it seems I have been wrong, now thoughts of you will bring me tears. We shared so much in recent years, much laughter and much pain as well, now thoughts of you will bring me tears. To lose a sister hurts like hell. Much laughter and much pain as well Why all this had to end this way? To lose a sister hurts like hell! What changed your mind I cannot say. Why all this had to end this way? My mind just cannot grasp the thought, what changed your mind I cannot say. Not knowing why has me distraught. My mind just cannot grasp the thought why you should be ignoring me. Not knowing why has me distraught, the knot inside won't let me free. Why you should be ignoring me? It is a sore inside my brain, the knot inside won't let me free, it worries me and causes pain. It is a sore inside my brain. I used to think our bond was strong, it worries me and causes pain. Today it seems I have been wrong. back to list |
Teagan De DanaanHow sad to lose memories Each little treasured gift Is like lint on Fates gown Picked off and blown away. Each little treasured gift A mind full of photographs Picked off and blown away The mind is gone, body lives on A mind full of photographs A rich album collected by life The mind is gone, body lives on Simply formatted by age. A rich album collected by life Sons, daughters, lovers gone Simply formatted by age Like desert sand blown away. -----
The Crow
Dancing to loves tune
Death is a Thief
Jungle
Memories |
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