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    Aditus
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
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Aditus' prompts and circumstances - 32. Poetry Prompt 20 - Found Poems

Write three Found Poems on the themes of 'Loss,' 'Memory,' and 'Celebration.' Your source material is The Dead, by James Joyce.

Loss

It had begun to snow again. He watched sleepily the flakes, silver and dark, falling obliquely against the lamplight. The time had come for him to set out on his journey westward. Yes, the newspapers were right: snow was general all over Ireland. It was falling on every part of the dark central plain, on the treeless hills, falling softly upon the Bog of Allen and, farther westward, softly falling into the dark mutinous Shannon waves. It was falling, too, upon every part of the lonely churchyard on the hill where Michael Furey lay buried. It lay thickly drifted on the crooked crosses and headstones, on the spears of the little gate, on the barren thorns. His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead.

Just for a few days,

a glistening, jeweled blanket

covers up open wounds,

hides what can’t be forgotten.

Usually pulsing bright red,

now subdued, seeping unseen

into the cold ground. Quiet.

Only for a few days.

 

Memory

He thought of how she who lay beside him had locked in her heart for so many years that image of her lover's eyes when he had told her that he did not wish to live.

Hidden in the bottom drawer,

Behind long forgotten trinkets,

A locket that she never wore,

Tarnished silver, broken necklace.

Eyes so dark, here they are shining,

Forever closed, they can’t no more,

Guilt around her heart is twining,

Tarnished silver, broken necklace.

 

Celebration

A red-faced young woman, dressed in pansy, came into the room, excitedly clapping her hands and crying:

"Quadrilles! Quadrilles!"

 

Le Pantalon

Quadrilles! Quadrilles!

Dance for four in square formation.

It’s getting wild! We want the thrill!

For and back. Is that flirtation?

L’été

Quadrilles! Quadrilles!

Among persons not acquainted:

It’s getting wild! We feel the thrill!

The acquaintance ends with the dance.

La Poule

Quadrilles! Quadrilles!

To dance again with the lady:

It’s getting wild! We know the thrill!

He must be introduced anew.

La Pastourelle

Quadrilles! Quadrilles!

He has no claim at any time.

It’s getting wild! We love the thrill!

Unless the lady wishes it.

Finale

Quadrilles! Quadrilles!

Dance for four in square formation

It’s getting wild! We crave the thrill!

Two gentlemen. Is that flirtation?

I found this surprisingly difficult.
©Copyright 2013 Aditus; All Rights Reserved.
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 
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On 06/11/2016 09:26 AM, AC Benus said:

Thanks for taking the Poetry Prompt challenge! I think all three a quite evocative, but Celebration is a real triumph. Naming the components of the dance, and then following each with a refrain-like repetition of Quadrilles! Quadrilles! is pretty masterful.

 

It's a lovely poem that makes me want to jump right in. Brilliant.

I wrote found poems before, mostly from lyrics of country songs of all things, lol. It was difficult to works with the James Joyce text, I don't know why. Quadrilles! Quadrilles! was they first I found, reading the text for the first time. I also used quotes from a book about etiquette for this poem. It took me a while and I'm glad you like it.

Thank YOU for the idea and the wonderful, encouraging comment. :)

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