Session 12: The Etheree

[Cory Raymond]

In my response to my post about all the neat new forms that have been introduced in the Haikuland section, Brigid asked me if I would try to host a Form Focus session on one of them. So here goes. I picked The Etheree.

The Etheree was named for its creator, Etheree Taylor Armstrong (February 13, 1918-March 14, 1994), an Arkansas poet. I couldn’t find out much about her life but I did find her grave, if you’d like to see it: www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5144172

The Etheree contains ten lines, with each containing an increasing number of syllables. Line One contains one syllable, Line Ten, ten syllables, with a total syllable count of 55 per poem. So, those of you who have difficulty saying all you want to say in a haiku, this relatively long short form may just be for you! For those of you who tend to write longer poems, you may find the Etheree helpful in distilling what you want to say into a mere 55 syllables.

The first word is important because it can give a clue about the content of the rest of the poem. The momentum of an Etheree naturally increases with the length of the lines. What starts out very slowly with 1-2-or 3 syllables, soon starts picking up speed, and by the final line, should be barreling into home plate.

An Etheree is similar to a haiku in that it should capture a moment in time, a descriptive poetic snapshot, in a somewhat larger format than the haiku.

An Etheree is well suited to free-verse. Meter and rhyme are not important in an Etheree.

Variations of the Etheree are: the Reverse (or Inverted) Etheree, which has the syllable count reversed. That is: Line One contains ten syllables and Line Ten contains one syllable. The Double Etheree combines a regular Etheree, followed by a Reverse Etheree, thereby creating a twenty line poem of 110 syllables. This last form, especially, sounds quite challenging.

Here is one example of the Etheree, actually my first attempt at the form:

Cats
can be
company
when you’re alone
and feeling lonesome.
Furr-covered purr-boxes
curled up in your bed at night,
their big moment of contentment,
kneading paws clutching at the blankets,
instinctively remembering Mama.

Anyone care to try your hand? Come on, it will be fun!

Cory

[Brigid Briton]

Hi Cory,

Thanks so much for doing this. It looks great.

If anyone else is interested in doing a Form Focus session on any other form of poetry, send me a PM in advance so I can make sure that topic is not already scheduled.

We will try to have a new "Session" each week, until we run out of forms of poetry or people who want to write about them!

Now, I'm off to write my poem for this thread!

Brigid

[Brigid Briton]

OK, here's my Etheree Etheree:

A
woman,
Etheree
Taylor Armstrong,
invented a form
of poetry that bears
her romantic Southern name.
We know she died, and where she rests,
but that may be all we’ll ever know
about this poet most mysterious.

[Lisa Arnold]

great poems Cory and Brigid

Brigid, yours is clever...I like it much!

[Lisa Arnold]

THE PROMISE - An Inverted Etheree


Sun glaze merges with pale blue sky, silken
winds mingle amongst trees, in her hand
she cradles a crumpled piece of
paper stating his promise
to return to her, this
morning she was told
her husband had
died on the
battle
field


©2012 Lisa Arnold


"The Promise" was published in my book Echoes of My Soul


**I have not written a new Etheree in quite awhile. I hope it is OK to post one from my book

[Cory Raymond]

Hi Brigid,

Very cute, and Etheree about Etheree! Like putting more pretty pink roses on her lonely grave.

Lisa: Sure it's OK to post one from your book. It's very sad. Thanks, Lisa, for bringing this and other short forms of poetry here for us to enjoy and experiment with.

Cory

[Lisa Arnold]

thanks Cory!

I am glad you are enjoying the new forms I introduced to the forum