By Treischel
A Golden Alley
(Mixed Formats)
Take me down this golden alley
That leads me to a large stone church,
Where the sinners seldom sally.
Take me down this golden alley
Where the leaves of Autumn dally
With all the maples and the birch.
Take me down this golden alley
That leads me to a large stone church.
<<->>
That's where I want to go, you know,
In golden glow,
With cobbled streets,
And vined retreats.
There's so much earthy comfort there,
In open air,
The breeze is crisp,
With windy wisp.
The serenity of this path,
Reduces wrath,
As one can see,
Most avidly.
<<->>
This golden alley
Where leaves of autumn dally
My spirits rally
| Author Notes |
This golden alley leads to the Cathedral of St. Paul in Minnesota. The autumn colors on the trees and vines climbing the buildings made such a lovely sight, I was inspired to write this poem.
This poem contains three separate poetic formats: a Triolet, a Minute Poem, and a 5-7-5 Poem. A triolet is a poem of only eight lines with a rhyme scheme abaaabab. The fourth and seventh lines are the same exact line as the first. The eighth line is the same exact line as the second. The Minute Poem is a poem that follows the "8,4,4,4" syllable count structure. It usually has 3 stanzas that are exactly the same. So: 8,4,4,4; 8,4,4,4; 8,4,4,4 syllables. A traditional Minute Poem has 12 lines total. It has 60 syllables. It is written in a strict iambic meter. The rhyme scheme is as follows: aabb, ccdd, eeff. A 5-7-5 follows the structure of a Haiku. It has three lines. The first line has 5 syllables. The second line has 7 syllables. The third line has 5 syllables again. This photograph was taken by the author in October, 2012 at St. Paul, Mn. |
By Treischel
| Author Notes |
This pastoral fall scene spoke to me of the leaves changing and geese getting ready to fly south.
This poem is a Blank Verse. A blank verse poem is written without rhymes. It does have a set metrical pattern, usually iambic pentameter. But it is a flexible form that is often used in narrative and dramatic poetry. It was popularized by William Shakespeare. This photograph was taken by the author himself at Lake Phalen in St. Paul, Minnesota during October 2012. |
By Treischel
Autumn's Deck
(A Rubiyat Poem)
Where I oft' sit, I spot some leaves,
To Adirondack's seat each cleaves.
Invading too my private deck,
That Autumn's artist's touch achieves.
I love the feelings they invoke,
When nature adds its master stroke,
That's always different when I check,
As all the changing trees uncloak.
This season adds a crisp cool breeze,
Foretelling Winter's coming freeze.
I'll just throw on my turtleneck,
Before I catch a nasty sneeze.
Now I'll go out to sit awhile,
And brush away that leafy pile,
To marvel at each color fleck,
Complete with coffee and a smile.
| Author Notes |
I took this picture out my back deck yesterday, October 24, 2013.
This poetic format was introduced to me by Gungalo. Rubiyat: this Arabic format has a quatrain wherein the first, second, and fourth lines rhyme. The rhyme scheme is thus; a-a-b-a. A single stanza can be a poem in itself or multiple stanzas may be joined to create a larger piece. Eight syllables per line. I also rhymed the third line of the first stanza with the third line of every stanza, but that is not a requirement. So, the rhyme scheme for this particular poem is: aaba ccbc ddbd eebe This photograph was taken by the author. |
By Treischel
Buds Begin to Show
As buds begin to show on trees
Their promise stirs my sour soul.
Bare branches dangle in the breeze,
They whisper, "Spring is in Control".
The limbs that grace my favorite knoll
Have shaken off the winter's freeze.
They have begun their Summer role
As buds begin to show on trees.
At last the Angels answered pleas,
The Winter blues are on parole.
As proof, new birth my vision sees,
Their promise stirs my sour soul.
The new found freshness makes me whole
To promised pulse of God's decrees.
I gaze amazed here as I stroll,
Bare branches dangle in the breeze.
As new growth brushes 'gainst my knees
To greet God's splendor is my goal.
Amongst returning birds and bees
They whisper, "Spring is in Control".
Nature's bounty will soon unroll.
So grab those treasures you can seize,
And seek those finds that you'll extol
As buds begin to show on trees.
| Author Notes |
Thoughts of spring abound as the trees begin to bud.
This poem is a Rondeau Redouble. The Rondeau Redouble is not, as its name suggests, a double Rondeau. With a strict rhyming pattern it consists of six stanzas (quatrains) and a final refrain, all on two rhymes. Each line of the first stanza becomes, in turn, the last line of the four succeeding stanzas. The sixth stanza is all new though followed by the first phrase of the first line. For this poem I've chosen a syllable count of: 8 The rhyme scheme is: abab. This picture is from the Author's own collection of personal photographs. This will become one of the poems in the Author's Picture Poem book series. |
By Treischel
As I looked
in astonishment
At
the silent sky
Transfixed
by
the fluttering leaves,
The arching branches
Caught my eye
With
their colors of
red and green.
Their graceful forms,
So light
and free
In
the forest
air,
Wrought
a
wonderful screen
Forming
a marvelous shape
In
the form of
A
Crown of Leaves
With
its central curves
Revealing
an image of
The Heart
in the Tree.
| Author Notes |
In Southwestern Minnesota along the Great Plains region of the state is Shetek State Park. In August of 2012, I took this photograph of a flowering tree that was located right in the middle of the Campground. The leaves and branches looked like they formed a beautiful heart in the middle. That tickled my romantic Muse and inspired me to write this little free verse poem.
This photograph is the reason that this poem exists, it moved me to express what I saw in verse. I am including it in my book called Picture Poems, which are all poems resulting from the picture image. |
By Treischel
Leaves leave lasting look
Lay low letting loose
Feeling fall's full force
| Author Notes |
Yellow leaves on Maple tree. Two days later, they dropped.
This is a 5A poem. The "5A" new format style was developed by Fanstorian DRG24. *The 5A is composed of three lines: Line 1 - 5 Syllables Line 2 - 5 Syllables Line 3 - 5 Syllables All lines must have TOTAL alliteration. Lines can be chosen in any order. The "5" stands for the five syllable count while the "A" stands for the Alliteration. This photograph was taken by the author himself. |
By Treischel
Roadside Reds
(A Minute Poem)
On Autumn ride, bound to collide,
Somewhere outside,
With roadside reds
In color spreads.
Then you'll spot a touch of yellow
Hues that mellow
Peaking behind
Branches entwined.
Deciduous leaves offset pine,
Ever so fine,
Beautiful blend
To comprehend.
| Author Notes |
Driving about soaking in the Fall colors along any roadside. The Sumac provide brilliant red.
The use of the word peaking versus peeking was intentional. This is a Minute poem. The Minute Poem is a poem that follows the "8,4,4,4" syllable count structure. It usually has 3 stanzas that are exactly the same. So: 8,4,4,4; 8,4,4,4; 8,4,4,4 syllables. A traditional Minute Poem has 12 lines total. It has 60 syllables (thus the Minute). It is written in a strict iambic meter. The rhyme scheme is as follows: aabb, ccdd, eeff. This photograph was taken by the author in September 2011. |
By Treischel
These Trees
(A Whitney)
When some trees
The likes of these
Show colors
That really please
Orange and gold
Never gets old
To see blowing in the breeze
| Author Notes |
Color blooms on local Maple trees.
This poem is a Whitney. A Whitney has a fixed syllable count of 3/4/3/4/3/4/7 in 7 lines. There is no required rhyme scheme, but I added one of: aabacca The picture was taken by the author himself |
By Treischel
Autumn leaves fall wherever they may.
Trickling down all day, I say.
Gathering on the cold ground
Anywhere they might be found
These purple Maple leafs of mine
Have gathered here in this pretty Pine.
| Author Notes |
Just a Fall Thought
This is a photograph of Maple leaves caught in the bough of a pine tree. It was taken in early October 2012 on Selby Avenue in St. Paul, Mn. I'll be adding it to my picture poem collection. Rhyme Scheme aabbcc. Syllable count 9,8,7,7,8,9. |
By Treischel
Yellow Leaves
(Whitney)
Autumn's touch
On old stone steps
Means fall's clutch
Is close at hand.
Yellow leaves
Color the land,
A time that we love so much
| Author Notes |
Old Stone Path with autumn leaves that have fallen across the path. I really liked the mix of pine and birch with the stone. Inspired this Whitney Poem.
A Whitney has a fixed syllable count of 3/4/3/4/3/4/7 in 7 lines. There is no required rhyme scheme, but I added one of: abacdca This picture was taken by the author. |
By Treischel
Ancient Instincts
(A 5-7-5-7-7 Poem)
As leaves change colors,
Bird's thoughts carry far away.
Ancient instinct pulls.
Asking, is today the day?
Is it time to go or stay?
| Author Notes |
Don't you just wonder what this bird is thinking, sitting there on the autumn leaves? I did. This is what came to me.
This poem is a 5-7-5-7-7 Poem, not a Tanka. A Tanka poem must follow all the rules of japanses poetry, while a 5-7-5-7-7 poem does not. For example, Tanka consist of five units (often treated as separate lines when romanized or translated) usually with the following pattern of: 5-7-5-7-7. The 5-7-5 is called the kami-no-ku "upper phrase", and the 7-7 is called the shimo-no-ku "lower phrase". Traditionally tanka has had no concept of rhyme (indeed, certain arrangements of rhymes, even accidental, were considered dire faults in a poem). Also, Japanese poems do not have capitalization or punctuation. They also have strict rules on how to format the poem's title. So, that is why this poem is definitely not a Tanka. The picture was taken by the author himself. |
By Treischel
Baltimore Orioles
(A Lisalet Poem)
Saw a bright flash of orange across the sky,
Startled by such rich color and a song.
Sitting twixt the twigs, raising spirits high,
Not just one, but two birds had come along.
Startled by such rich color and a song,
I stood transfixed, afraid that they would fly.
Before they left, they fluted sweet and long.
Saw a bright flash of orange across the sky.
Sitting twixt the twigs, raising spirits high,
To get too close and scare them would be wrong.
Stood there frozen, not wanting a goodbye,
Startled by such rich color and a song.
Not just one, but two birds had come along.
Beauty of Orioles, you can't deny.
Their colorful countenances do belong
Sitting twixt the twigs, raising spirits high.
| Author Notes |
I was out walking today and spotted these two birds. I was so excited that I was able to get my lens on them.
This a Lisalet Poem, a style created by Lisa Sherman on FanStory, that has a fixed format of repeating lines and, when rhymed, a forced set of only two rhyme choices in an abab rhyme scheme. The format repeats the first four lines in a structured reverse cascade down the stanzas follows: 1/2/3/4 2/5/6/1 3/7/8/2 4/9/10/3, such that the stanzas incorporate the repeating lines as 1/2 2/1 3/2 4/3 as the first and last lines of each stanza. The optional rhyme scheme becomes ABCD BabA CbcB DcdC, although C and D also rhyme with AB, and the capitals represent the repeated lines. I hope that all makes sense. I chose the syllable count to be 10, but that is not a requirement. The photograph is from my personalcollection. Took May 14, 2013. |
By Treischel
Chickadee
Chickadee, likes to flit, endlessly
Hops about, in a tree, sounding out
Voice set free, Sweet notes hit, melody
| Author Notes |
If you ever watched a Chickdee you'll notice that they don't sit still very long. They flit from branch to branch, then swoop down to grab their food, then take off to eat it in the tree. Then they'll sing and chirp.
I tried to capture that here. Just doing some style experimentation here. The idea is to have a poem that in segments, can be read across, down, or down diagonally in any direction. This poem has 3 lines of 9 syllables, with every third syllable a rhyme (a segment). The first rhyme crisscrosses into an X. The Poem ends up in a square pattern like Tic-Tac-Toe. Here is the required rhyme pattern in the square. See how the A's cross. A B A C A C A B A The Photograph is mine of a Chickadee flitting off with its food. Not sure I like it. Let me know what you think |
By Treischel
COMES THE MUSE
When I see a baby cry,
When I have a teary eye,
When I ask the Question - Why?
When I want to say -Goodbye,
Comes the Muse.
When I watch a garden grow,
When a mountain's topped with snow,
When I see the waters flow,
When I feel the moonlight's glow,
Comes the Muse.
When the secrets all unfold,
When I need the story told,
When my thoughts are getting bold,
When a love is getting old,
Comes the Muse.
'Tis the spark that lights the fire,
'Tis the point that drives desire,
'Tis the burning, churning pyre,
'Tis the raging, rasping, ire,
'Tis the Muse!
'Tis the pain within my soul,
'Tis the grasping, pulling whole,
'Tis the hot and searing coal,
'Tis the masterswitch control,
'Tis the Muse!
'Tis high hint of creativity,
'Tis the words that want to be,
'Tis in everything I see,
'Tis my spirit breaking free,
'Tis my Muse!
| Author Notes |
This is how I describe that moment when I get inspired. Almost anything can set it off, but when it happens, it freely flies.
This photograph that I took on a blue cold February morning of two Canadian Geese, exploding from the surface of a frozen pond in perfect tandem, most closely represents the essence of the Muse. |
By Treischel
The Coot's Call
(Triolet - 3)
In tall swamp grass a Coot did hide,
Near fallen timber by the side.
Through shallow water saw it glide
In tall swamp grass a Coot did hide,
With plaintive duck calling, it cried,
A plea that carried on the tide.
In tall swamp grass a Coot did hide,
Near fallen timber by the side.
I saw the pearly white duck bill,
In tall swamp grass a Coot did hide,
Was barely noticed from the hill.
I saw the pearly white duck bill.
To spot it gave us all a thrill,
We took the whole swamp sight in stride.
I saw the pearly white duck bill,
In tall swamp grass a Coot did hide.
In tall swamp grass a Coot did hide,
So lonely, looking for a mate.
It searched the site, both far and wide,
In tall swamp grass a Coot did hide.
It wanted cute Coot duck for bride.
The chance is great; he'll find love's fate.
In tall swamp grass a Coot did hide,
So lonely, looking for a mate.
| Author Notes |
The American Coot Duck is distinguishable by it's white bill and dark gray/black body. I thought it was a log, until I heard it cry out. They are small ducks that are usually in a sizeable group, but this one was solitary. Thus the genesis of the poem.
This poem is a suite of 3 linked Triolets. A triolet is a poem of only eight lines with a rhyme scheme ABaAabAB. The fourth and seventh lines are the same exact line as the first. The eighth line is the same exact line as the second. I wrote this one in iambic tetrameter, and did a bit of inversion in the middle on the rhyme. The first stanza is also mono-rhymed which is somewhat of a departure. The photograph was taken by the author during his camping trip over Memorial Day Weekend, 2013. |
By Treischel
Goldfinches Feeding
(A Rondel Poem)
Three golden birds with golden song
Flew in to eat sunflower seed.
Bright feathers flashing color creed
Of deepest hue to come along.
I hope they feel that they belong
In my backyard. I'll feed their need.
Three golden birds with golden song
Flew in to eat sunflower seed.
As my delight has risen strong,
This joy I hope time won't impede
As feathers frolic, Finches feed.
I pray their stay I might prolong
Three golden birds with golden song.
| Author Notes |
Beautiful Goldfinches eating sunflower seeds.
This poem is a Rondel. A Rondel is a verse form originating in French lyrical poetry, later used in the verse of other languages as well, such as English and Romanian. It is a variation of the Rondeau consisting of two quatrains followed by a quintet (13 lines total) or a sestet (14 lines total). The Rondel was invented in the 14th century. It is a poem of fixed format with repeating lines and structured number of lines per stanza. The first and second lines repeat in the middle of the poem and at the end. Although, only the first line repeats at the end. There is an option to repeat both. The rhyme scheme is normally ABba abAB abbaA(B), where the capital letters shown here are the repeated lines and the parenthesis shows the possible option. There is no specific meter or syllable count in this style, but 8 is the most commonly used. For this poem, I chose to use a fixed count of 8 in iambic tetrameter. The photograph is one taken by the author himself. |
By Treischel
He Spreads His Wings
(Modified Octogram)
A Mallard lifts from lake to sky
He spreads his wings
To reach aloft and freely fly.
He skyward springs
As feathers flare, his wings swing wide,
Displays the grays on underside,
When feathered physics get applied,
He spreads his wings.
This bird has character galore
That color brings.
Fluorescent shades, the basic core
'Round head it rings,
As sun shine turns it blue or green,
It changes with a splendid sheen,
Amazing sight, you've ever seen,
He spreads his wings.
| Author Notes |
A Mallard duck can lift off water nearly vertically. Depending on the angle of the sun, the male's head and neck, which has fluorescent feathers, appears either green, or blue.
I modified an Octogram for this poem. .The Octogram is a style of poetry invented by Fanstorian Sally Yocom (S.Yocom). It consists of two stanzas of eight lines each, with a very specific syllable count and rhyme scheme. Syllable count is 84848884, repeat on second stanza. Rhyme scheme:ABabccbB ababddbB, where B repeats same text. For this poem I changed it to ABabcccB ababdddB to great a three line rhyme on the triple eights. No more than 16 lines. The tempo is tetrameter on the 8 count line, and dimeter on the 4 count line, but not iambic. The photograph was taken by the author at Battle Creek park of Maplewood, Minnesota in March 2013. |
By Treischel
Ruddy Duck
I just saw a Ruddy Duck
It was sitting in the pond
I couldn't believe my luck
Rare species of which I'm fond
| Author Notes |
This is a Ruddy Duck. Known for its ruddy brown body and blue bill.
Took this photograph April 28, 2013 at Minomini Park in Woodbury, Minnesota. |
By Treischel
very large blue bird
curiously seeks a meal
taken aback when
small red-winged blackbird attacks
fierce when the family's at risk
| Author Notes |
Red-winged Blackbird attacks a stunned Great Blue Herron
Author's photograph |
By Treischel
Two Mated Ducks
Two mated ducks swim into sunset's glow,
On golden pond, where ripples clearly show
The path from whence these two did take their start,
To drift into this peaceful work of art,
Creating such contentment as they go.
No wind upon this silent scene did blow,
To mar the mirror, as the waters flow.
With sun's reflection, as twilights depart,
Two mated ducks.
Then Silhouettes shade shore as shadows grow,
The ducks, two darkened shapes lined in a row,
They make a master's image on my heart.
This moment makes it hard for me to part!
Yet, what a perfect privilege to know
Two mated ducks.
| Author Notes |
Two Ducks in Silhouette on a Lake at Sunset.
This Poem is a Rondeau. A rondeau is a fixed form of poetry. It is often used in light or witty poems. It often has fifteen octo - or decasyllabic lines with three stanzas. It usually only has two rhymes used in the poem.A word or words from the first part of the first line are used as a refrain ending the second and third stanzas. The rhyme scheme is aabba aabR aabbaR, where the R represents the repeated refrain. I used a syllabic count of 10 for this poem. This photograph was taken by the author. |
By Treischel
warm Earth wakes the worm
basks in the glow of spring sun
robin gets its meal
| Author Notes |
Robin return, worms beware
The photograph is from author's collection. |
By Treischel
Wood Ducks
(A Triolet Poem)
When wood ducks float on by,
They sail with painted grace.
They really catch the eye,
When wood ducks float on by.
Especially when you spy
Male's decorated face.
When wood ducks float on by,
They sail with painted grace.
| Author Notes |
A pair of Wood Ducks, male and female.
This is a picture taken by the author, in May, 2013. |
By Treischel
Alfalfa
(An Octogram)
Alfalfa blooms with bursting buds,
Purple and white.
Not the stuff of songs and ballads,
They still excite.
It's often confused with clover.
If you closely look it over,
You'll enjoy a delightful sight,
Purple and white.
Frequently used farming methods:
Setting soil right,
Fine hay for horse feed and cow cuds,
They chew and bite.
Makes it a healthy forage food!
Their flowers set a lovely mood.
Alfalfa blooms with bursting buds,
Purple and white.
| Author Notes |
Another flower in my wildflower series.
Alfalfa is one of the oldest cultivated crops, but wild seeds have escaped and grown wild across the country side. Thought to have originated in ancient Iran, it is also known as Lucerne. Its classification is Medicago sativa, named in the fourth century AD by Roman write Palladius. The Medica handle came from the fact that a people called the Medes, lives in that region of Iran at the time. Today, it is used as the most nutritious hay to feed horses and cows. It is also used to balance soils through crop rotation. This poem is an Octogram. The Octogram is a style of poetry invented by Fanstorian Sally Yocom (S.Yocom). It consists of two stanzas of eight lines each, with a very specific syllable count and rhyme scheme. Syllable count is 84848884, repeat on second stanza. Rhyme scheme:ABabccbB ababddbB, where B repeats same text. For this poem I changed it to ABabccbB ababddAB. No more than 16 lines. The tempo is tetrameter on the 8 count line, and dimeter on the 4 count line, but not iambic. I took this photograph on June 23,2013 while on a walk in the park with my wife. |
By Treischel
Carolina Rose
(A Triolet)
This wild red rose brings bold beauty
To the hedges and open fields.
She's a Carolina cutey.
This wild red rose brings bold beauty,
A pure prickly southern gypsy.
So beware of the spikes she wields.
This wild red rose brings bold beauty
To the hedges and open fields.
| Author Notes |
This Rose is a wildflower known as the Carolina Rose (Rosa Carolina)that is fairly common across most parts of the US and Canada, from the Mississippi eastward. It can be found in white, pink, or red along road sides, hedges, fields, and prairies. In fact, it also known as the Pasture Rose. It can be distinguished from other wild roses by its very thin straight spikes along its stem. Other roses have thicker curved spikes.
This is part of my wildflower series. There is also a popular Bluegrass singer named Carolina Rose, who took her name from this flower and her own Southern heritage. This poem is a Triolet. A Triolet is a poem with a fixed format. This one has a syllable structure of 8 counts or tetrameter. It is a poem of only eight lines with a rhyme scheme of only two rhymes (a and b) that can be represented as follows: ABaAabAB, where the fourth and seventh lines are the same exact line as the first. The eighth line is the same exact line as the second (This is represented by the capital letters shown). So, it is very important to compose the first two lines carefully so that the entire poem flows well and is enhanced by the repeats. This photograph was taken by the author himself. |
By Treischel
Cinquefoil, Five Hearts
(ABCB Quatrains)
Tiny little Cinquefoil,
When viewed from up above,
Only has five petals,
But each one speaks of love.
It's quite a little beauty
In its color and shape.
This flower's a cutie.
They're beauty can't escape.
So while your'e out walking
And spot five tiny hearts,
That may get you gawking,
Heed the message they impart.
That, Love is Everywhere!
Don't be afraid to share.
| Author Notes |
This wildflower is Sulfur Cinquefoil. It is a very little beauty that is such a small, unobtrusive flower, that you might walk right past it, and not notice it. That would be sad, because these are very expressive little ones. The name Cinquefoil comes from "cingue", meaning five, and "foil", meaning leaves or petals. Indeed these have 5 petals. But look! Each is a tiny little heart. As such, they have been revered for ages. They can be found in medieval heraldry meaning strength, power, honor, and loyalty. Also known in Europe as Potentilla, they are frequently called "Barren Strawberries". According to Wikipedia, this five petaled flower was used in the architecture of numerous churches in Normandy and Brittany, through the 15th century. As early as 1033, it showed up in the church at Ruellie-Vergy, Burgandy, France. It was worn on the coat of arms of Bardolph of Bretagne. Medicinally, they have been used to treat diarrhea.
So, as you are out and about, stop and look at the tiny wildflowers that grow alongside the path. This poem is a set of 3 quatrains followed by a pair of rhyming couplets. The Rhyme scheme is a simple abcb. The syllable count is 6. This picture was taken in a park in Maplewood, Minnesota on June 11, 2013 by the author. |
By Treischel
Daisies in the Daylight
(A Triolet Poem)
Daylight shining on the daisy,
Fills darkened days with bright delight.
When the world is looking hazy,
Daylight shining on the daisy,
Brings peace to what's looking crazy,
Compared to beauty that's so bright.
Daylight shining on the daisy,
Fills darkened days with bright delight.
| Author Notes |
I went for a walk and found these lovely wild daisies that inspired this poem.
This poem is a Triolet. A Triolet poem is an 8 line poem with a fixed format and repeating lines. Line one and two get repeated. Line one repeated on line four and seven. Line two repeats on line eight only. There is also a fixed rhyme scheme of only two rhymes. The scheme is: ABaAabAB, where the capital letters represent the repeated lines. This picture was taken by the author on June 25, 2013. |
By Treischel
Fluted Petals
(A 5-7-5 Poem)
yellow tinged maroon
bright fluted flower petals
surrealistic
| Author Notes |
Unknown flower
Author's photograph. |
By Treischel
Hanging Flowers
(A Dizain Poem)
This pretty hanging flower pot
Adds beauty to the walking trail,
Near river where we walk a lot.
Such brilliant color hues prevail,
In red, gold, blue, and pink detail.
Held suspended on metal chains,
To catch the drops of summer rains,
Bright blooms spill out to float on air.
An awesome bud array remains,
Delighting people walking there.
| Author Notes |
I was out walking along the Mississippi River one afternoon with my wife and grandson. The winding walkway has these hanging flower pots on posts every 10 yards or so. I am teaching photography to my 9 year old grandson. So, I asked him to take a picture of one. This is it.
This poem is a Dizain. I was introduced to this format when I reviewed a poem by FanStorian, Honeycomb, called "I'm Not Alone". Her's was a lovely spiritual poem. A Dizain is a ten line poem with either 8 or 10 syllables. The rhyme scheme is ababb ccdcd I have used eight. In a Dizian you can divide the poem if you wish into two five line stanzas or two four line stanzas and a couplet. I chose the first format. This picture is part of the author's personal collection. |
By Treischel
Silken Swirls
( A Canzone Poem)
What beauty bursts in silken swirls from the rose.
Rich the hues this bush imbues,
Inspiring bards of yore to exalting prose,
While fragrance delights the nose.
Such treasures locked within nature's tiny gift,
Helping sagging spirits lift,
As shades of red set artistic minds adrift,
Aromatic airs are sniffed.
Who can conceive such thing as this!
Perfection held in flowered bliss!
| Author Notes |
I went to the Rose Garden located at Lake Harriet in Minneapolis. It has a stunning display of Roses that were in full bloom. The garden has several flower beds and two fountains. It is outdoors and open, free to the public. This is just one example of the beauties the you'll find there.
This poem is a Canzone. CANZONE: An Italian lyric poem of varying stanza length, usually written in a mixture of hendecasyllables (11) and heptasyllables (7) with a concluding short stanza or envoi. May be abab or aabb. This photograph was taken by the author himself. |
By Treischel
Brittle Wings
(A Whitney Poem with 5-7-5)
Brittle wings
Past battles won
Beauty sings
Grace in the sun
To survive
Bad blows are done
Still gloriously alive
Brittle wings in sky
Battered Buckeye Butterfly
I Watched you fly by
| Author Notes |
I had a picture of this Buckeye butterfly with battered wings. It got me to write this Poem. I was inspired by a poem that I reviewed this morning written by cheyennewy called Frayed Edges. It reminded me that I had this picture.
There are two poem styles here, a Whitney followed by a 5-7-5 Poem. A Whitney has a fixed syllable count of 3/4/3/4/3/4/7 in 7 lines. The other format is obvious. This picture by taken by the author in June 2012 in a little park in Cottage Grove, Minnesota. |
By Treischel
Butterfly on Joe Pye
(An Octelle Poem)
Pretty mops for healer Joe Pye
Power from food of butterfly
Nectar is sweet on the vine
For fevers it's very fine
Find them near pond any day
Pink tops you spot far away
Pretty mops for healer Joe Pye
Power from food of butterfly
| Author Notes |
A Monarch butterfly on Joe Pye Weed.
Joe Pye Weed is actually an amazing wildflower that is an herb, a butterfly plant, and an ornamental bush. It is usually found in the wild near wetlands and ponds. It grows in a thick cluster that provides excellent cover for birds, butterfly, insects, and small mammals. Its scientific name is Eupatorium purpureum, which is a member of the Aster family. Distinguishable as a large plant with purple or pink mops of tiny tuberous flowers, it is easily spotted. It is also called, Queen of the Field. It is named after a legendary healer named Joe Pye or Jopi, a New England Indian who helped cure early colonists of fevers and Typhus using this herb. Native Americans may also have used it for Kidney stones and urinary tract infections. This poem is an Octelle. The octelle has eight lines. It uses personification and symbolism in a telling manner. -The syllable count is 8, 8, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8 -The rhyme scheme is aa - bb - cc - aa. -The first two lines and the last two lines are identical. This photograph was taken by the author along the Mississippi River on August 3,2013. |
By Treischel
Dragonfly, Settle By
(A Shadorma Poem)
Dragonfly,
With fast flights so bold,
Settle by.
Show off why,
Your agile wings fill the sky,
Body black and gold.
Such big eyes,
How you view the world.
My surprise!
Off he flies,
When sudden wind lift applies,
See-through wings unfurl.
| Author Notes |
A Widow Skimmer Dragonfly alights on a stick in a field near my house. Agile aerial acrobats that whisk and hover about. They can fly at great speeds. It's hard to get a picture of one. This one settled down a bit.
This poem is a Shadorma, actually two. A Shardoma is a short poem of six lines (a sextet) with a fixed syllable count of 3/5/3/3/7/5. This gives it a lively, expressive tempo. It can either be free verse or rhymed. I chose to rhyme it. I used abaaab. This picture was actually taken by my grandson, JT, when I let him try my Kodak 981 digital camera. |
By Treischel
Pearly-Eye Butterfly
(Quintet with refrains)
Pearly-eye butterfly alights.
Its jeweled wings spread such delights!
Beguiling in brown-tinted hues,
The delicacy it imbues
Can drive away the deepest blues -
When it alights.
It sits there on a fragile twig
That really isn't very big,
Amongst the branches of a tree
Poised there, posed so regally.
I stop to watch it quietly -
When it alights.
I pondered where this creature's been;
How far and long it's travelin'.
I really wouldn't be surprised
At wonders seen with all those eyes.
Believe a shaded rest applies -
When it alights.
| Author Notes |
This is a Pearly-Eye Butterfly (Enodia Anthedon). Known for the spots on its wings that are like little pearls. The wings have a brown tint with a touch of purple. This butterfly is unique in that it likes shade, it isn't attracted to flowers, and it flies later in the day than most other butterflies (often as late as 8 PM). It is a North American species that has a range from central Saskatchewan and Nebraska across Canada to Nova Scotia, then south as low as Alabama and Mississippi. There is usually one generation per year. They travel far and wide, then seek the shade to rest and mate. They like tree sap from willows, birch, and poplars. The light green caterpillars feed on grasses. Those born late in the season hibernate over the winter.
This poem is written with 5 lined stanzas (Quintets)and a repeating refrain after each. The rhyme scheme is aabbb. The syllable count is 8. This picture is a photograph taken by the author himself at Lake Elmo Park reserve in Minnesota on July 20, 2013. |
By Treischel
Velvet Butterfly
regally sits lakeshore sand
filigreed wings ripple
| Author Notes |
A Beautiful Emperor Butterfly sits on the shore at Red Lake in Northern Minnesota.
Picture taken by author September, 2012 |
By Treischel
Angry Ancient Oaks
(A Sonnet)
The ancient oaks that guard this glen
Are jealous of the folks who come.
They're suspicious of where and when,
The stranger's past they're coming from.
'Fore they've been fooled by cheats before,
Of forest treasures come to steal,
To strip the wood and leave the floor
So barren, it took years to heal.
So, let them know that you're a friend.
Despoil not any sacred ground!
Leave only footprints in the end.
All else, leave as it was first found.
Then angry looks will turn to smiles,
And nature will rejoice for miles.
| Author Notes |
I was walking in the forest this weekend, and came upon this glen of oak trees. They looked like they had angry faces and raised this poem out of me.
This poem is in sonnet format of 14 lines, three quatrains in abab rhyming and a closing rhyming couplet. Written in iambic tetrameter. The photograph is one taken of this glen this weekend. Since the trees look alive to me, this poem will become part of my animated stills collection. Animated stills are poems where inanimate objects take on human, animal, or spirit forms, traits, or articles. They are derived from Photographs I have taken, that have moved me to write a poem associated with it. |
By Treischel
Fall Trail
(A 5-7-5 Poem)
Colorful fall trail
winding in wonderful ways
leaves an impression
| Author Notes |
A favorite Autumn walkway.
This photograph taken by the author himself. |
By Treischel
| Author Notes |
"Follow the walk to the Ivy Archway"
When the path is this clear, it is easy to identify. This poem is a modified Triolet. A triolet is a poem of only eight lines with a rhyme scheme of: ABaAabAB. The fourth and seventh lines are the same exact line as the first. The eighth line is the same exact line as the second. However, this one is modified because I reversed the last two repeat lines. so the rhyme scheme is: ABaAabBA The meter is iambic tetrameter. This photograph was taken by the author, down near the Cathedral of St. Paul, Minnesota, in October 2012. |
By Treischel
Light at the End
In the deepest, darkest hour,
When you've given up all hope,
While you're trembling and you cower,
At the ending of your rope,
Your confidence soon will flower,
And you'll learn that you can cope,
When light shines at the end of the tunnel.
As you stumble in the darkness,
And you think you've lost your way,
In the labyrinth of starkness,
On October's blackest day,
Do you think you'll find your mark? Yes!
I am confident you'll say,
When light shines at the end of the tunnel.
When you think your dreams are shattered,
And are buried in the ground,
You've lost everything that matters,
And there's no hope to be found,
Well, those fears will all be scattered,
And your faith will soon rebound,
When light shines at the end of the tunnel.
| Author Notes |
There is always hope.
Why October? That's the month when the dead rise on All Soul's day, Halloween. This picture is of the tunnel along the Bruce Vento Pathway that creates the bridge for 7th street as it runs from the sandstone bluffs, known as Dayton's Bluff, over the railroad tracks and into downtown St. Paul. It was taken in March 2012. The picture moved me to write this poem. It will become part of my Picture Poem book. |
By Treischel
America's history is filled with drama.
Beautiful sights leaves us numb.
Constitution laid ground for thoughts idyllic,
Developed dreams now abound.
Elemental free rights under which we live,
Freedom flies from every staff.
Generated the lifestyle we are living.
Healthy democratic worth,
Institutions libretti,
Juxtapositioned order against hadj padj,
Kingdom removed from our back,
Loosing new unbridled liberty for all.
Macro-evolution dream
Negated suggestion of hope's suppression.
Oppressive actions echo
Policy off the doorstep.
Quantified invention, like Twitter on BLAQ,
Revolution behavior,
Sensitized precedence of world governments
Through new ideas set aloft.
Union joined without adieu!
Viewed afar, our democratic POV,
With expectations anew,
Xenic thoughts create American tableaux.
Yankee found alacrity!
Zealouscy lit the passion, setting world abuzz.
| Author Notes |
I wrote this poem on 1/21/2013, inauguration day for President Obama. I thought it fitting. Although he was not my candidate, he was my President. His very election represented the diversity of our nation. I am reposting it now in 2024, because we have a different president who is doing everything to undermine these foundations. That event represented the peaceful transition of power. The Martin Luther King holiday represented Civil rights and concept that people be judged by their character, not by the color ofd their skin, as well as the final abolition of slavery in the USA. I hope this poem carries some of that throughout it.
This is an Alphabet Poem within an Abcedarian Poem. The highlighted first words reading down the page are a poem within the poem. So, you can read this poem two ways. First read the blue words down. Then read each line down. In addition, I added an additional level of difficulty by making the last letter in every line of the Abcedarian the same letter of the alphabet as the starting word, usually in lower case where possible. The syllable count for this poem is as follows: 11-7-11-7-11-7, 11-7-7, 11-7-11-7-11-7-7, 11-7-11-7-7. 11-7-11-7-11. Color scheme: red, white, and blue An Abecdarian Poem, is a poem using the 26 letters of the alphabet chronologically. An abecedarian poem is a special form of an acrostic poem, in which the initial letters of the words beginning each line or stanza spell out the alphabet in order. An Alphabet Poem is the same, only the lines consist of a single word starting with each letter of the Alphabet in chronological sequence. Alacrity: enjoyment BLAQ: an APP that carries Twitter on Blackberries Hadj Padj: I found this in scrabble - older english for Hodge Podge, disorderly. Libretti: operatic, with musical drama Juxtapositioned: laid side by side, to examine Macro-evolution: evolving from within Precedence:what has been established or gone before POV: Point of View Sensitized: made aware of Tableaux: striking, dramatic scene Xenic: foreign Zealouscy: Having much zeal or energy. The photograph is the Author's |
By Treischel
Casting Shadows
(A Lisalet Poem)
I delight in sunlight casting shadows,
On a warm sunny summer afternoon.
It's amazing, when that golden orb glows,
Then hard objects get their images strewn.
On a warm sunny summer afternoon,
I love to sit and watch the dark sideshows
On the ground that such sights festoon.
I delight in sunlight casting shadows.
It's amazing, when that golden orb glows,
All the shapes and images that get hewn.
'Cause Earth's a canvas where the sun's ray goes
On a warm sunny summer afternoon.
Then hard objects get their images strewn
In fragile formats that the light bestows.
Watchers don't want the scene to end too soon.
It's amazing, when that golden orb glows.
On a warm sunny summer afternoon,
I delight in sunlight casting shadows.
| Author Notes |
Sidewalk shadows of tables and grass on a sunny day. I just liked the image. Especially the table legs. This picture inspired the poem.
This poem is a Lisalet. Lisalet Poem: a style created by Lisa Sherman on FanStory, that has a fixed format of repeating lines and, when rhymed, a forced set of only two rhyme choices in an abab rhyme scheme. The format repeats the first four lines in a structured reverse cascade down the stanzas follows: 1/2/3/4 2/5/6/1 3/7/8/2 4/9/10/3, such that the stanzas incorporate the repeating lines as 1/2 2/1 3/2 4/3 (I added also a closing 2/1) as the first and last lines of each stanza. The optional rhyme scheme becomes A1,B1,A2,B2 B1,a,b,A1 A2,b,a,B2 B2,a,b,A2. The capitals represent the repeated lines. I hope that all makes sense. I chose the syllable count to be 10, but that is not a requirement. I also added a closing couplet using B1,A1, but that is not a requirement either. This photograph was taken by the author himself. |
By Treischel
Cherub Fountain
( A Rondeau Redouble)
Yon cherubs dance delightfully in sky.
These little water nymphs pleasantly play,
On marble pool perched with grace and placed high,
Attracting attention of passersby.
Below, demons that spew water away,
Depict that opposing forces apply,
As heaven's offset with hellish display.
Yon cherubs dance delightfully in sky!
Under where whiskered beasts wistfully try
To fill up fine pool with fish fluid spray,
With Earth's seas beneath, above keeping dry
These little water nymphs pleasantly play.
The water flows forth, recycling all day,
Inside park where it makes people sigh,
They cavort in naked glee, as they may,
On marble pool perched with grace and placed high.
The sunlight glistens off each silver ray
That arcs to pool as sparkling droplets fly.
A fountain display that's a touch risque,
Attracting attention of passersby.
Many levels of purpose underlie
Three cosmic sites shown in artistic array.
As Heaven, Hell, and Earth, they signify,
I'd venture to see it without delay.
Yon cherubs dance!
| Author Notes |
I went over to Lake Harriet in Minneapolis the other day. It has a fabulous Rose Garden there. In it is this magnificent water fountain. At the top are seven naked cherubs cavorting in a large marble bowl that spills down into a pool. Below them are demons with horns and goatees spewing water into clam shells, as underneath sea monsters with mustached whiskers blow water from their mouths into the pool below. So this artistic fountain represents heaven, hell, and the sea covered earth. I was moved by the site to write this poem.
The poem is a Rondeau Redouble It is a poem with a very complex fixed format. It is written on two rhymes (the a and b rhymes), but in five stanzas of four lines each and one of five lines that repeats a portion of the first line of the poem. Each of the first four lines (which due to the a and b rhymes will be identified in the following stanzas as A1, B1, A2 and B2) get individually repeated in turn once in the following stanzas by becoming successively the respective fourth lines of stanzas 2, 3, 4, & 5; and the first part of the first line is repeated as a short fifth line to conclude the sixth stanza. The stanzas each carry an abab rhyme scheme, so with the repeat line shown in numbered capitals, this can be represented as - A1,B1,A2,B2 - b,a,b,A1 - a,b,a,B1 - b,a,b,A2 - a,b,a,B2 - b,a,b,a,(A1). This poem can have any meter. For this poem I chose iambic pentameter, which has lines that have 10 syllables and a tempo of: da-Dum da-Dum da-Dum da-Dum da-Dum. This photograph was taken by the author himself. |
By Treischel
Evergreen
Pines are evergreen
So it was to my surprise
I learned otherwise
| Author Notes | Was walking in the woods the other day and came across this burst of color that was remaniscent of autumn. It was just this dying pine tree. I took its picture and it inspired this little poem. |
By Treischel
Fido on the Roof
Looked across the street this morning,
There was a doggy on the roof.
The surprise came without warning
When I was startled by a woof.
Upon the neighbor's garage top,
High up in winter's frozen air,
Dog was examining the drop.
Knew he shouldn't be up there.
Now, how did it get up there?
I don't think anybody knows.
I've seen it there before, I swear,
It seems to happen when it snows
Though it really is amazing,
He could be caught up there all day.
Judging noises he is raising,
It's quite a scary place to stay
It surpasses understanding
That his down exit could be rough.
It could be a nasty landing,
If he decided to hop off.
So if you spot that doggy, don't give me any guff.
Run and get a ladder, he's been up there long enough!
| Author Notes |
This is a true story.
I took that picture yesterday morning 3/6/2013,after I finished shoveling |
By Treischel
Go Fly a Kite
Family with the kite
Here within the field of sight
Sharing their delight
Feelings touching sky
Running free their spirits fly
As their kite climbs high
Floating in the air
Precious family time they share
Joy without a care
Sharing happiness
Is one secret to success
Life that God will bless
| Author Notes |
Family in the field flying a Kite.
This photograph was taken at Battle Creek Park, in Maplewood, Minnesota. The scene created the feeling expressed in this poem. It will become one of my picture poems. |
By Treischel
I often go to the park
In Afternoon
Or after dark
I seek out serenity
Upon a seat
Under a tree
With nature all around me
Clean air I breathe
My mind can see
In the Quiet Solitude
I want to be
My soul's set free
| Author Notes |
Going to the park can be a spiritual experience. What is closer to God than a Cathedral of Trees.
This poem rhymes the first and last lines of each tercet, except the last, which rhymes the last two. The syllable count for each is 7,4,4. When I took this photograph in January 2012, it spoke the words to me "Quiet Solitude" immediately. Ive lookded at it many times since with the same thought. If you look closely there is a man sitting on a bench reading among the trees. Today,a year later, I finally got around to writing the poem that I always meant to write. This photograph is the reason that this poem exists, it moved my Muse to express what I saw in verse. I am including it in my book called Picture Poems, which are all poems resulting from the picture image. |
By Treischel
><
Splish Splash
as
rain drops dash
upon the ice.
They cut and gash
Winter
Away.
~
Hurray!
><
| Author Notes |
This is a picture of rain drops falling onto an ice mound, forming a puddle that is cutting it away as the rain continues to fall.
The photograph was taken be me on March 30, 2013. This poem will become part of my Picture Poem collection. |
By Treischel
Abandoned and forgotten along the road,
Beside a field no longer sowed,
Above the gnarled growth, it rises high,
A darkened silhouette in the sky.
From its strong blades once water flowed
- But that was in the days gone bye.
Today it stands there tangled and torn;
Dismissed, forgotten, abandoned, forlorn.
Its blades are broken, lost and skattered.
Its former proud history hasn't mattered.
It's choked in vines, covered in thorn
- It stands there weathered, beaten, battered.
I was out there on that forgotten road,
Beside that field no longer sowed.
I almost passed it, but I resisted.
An opportunity to capture it existed,
Of a weathered windmill that really showed
- A structure Tangled, Torn, and Twisted.
| Author Notes |
When driving down country roads you can't help but see fallow fields, decaying barns, and sad symbols of better times. They provide stunning images of what once was. This is a photograph I took in the Afton Area of Minnesota. It is a good example. Hopefully there are better times ahead.
I recently reposted this after reading a poem of Patcelaw's that was of an ice covered windmill - a stunning image and it reminded me of this. I used this poem in my first published book called Picture Poems. |
By Treischel
The Bike
(A Modified Tyburn)
Unique
and chic
It's bold
Its gold
It's bold! It's gold! So who wouldn't like
To shine on this unique and chic bike?
| Author Notes |
This bike was spotted at a car show that I attended in August, 2012. Finally got around to writing a poem for this photograph.
This poem is a modified Tyburn. Tyburn: A six line poem consisting of 2, 2, 2, 2, 9, 9 syllables. The first four lines rhyme and are all descriptive words. The last two lines rhyme and incorporate the first, second, third, and fourth lines as the 5th through 8th syllables. Syllable Count line 1 - 2 syllables line 2 - 2 syllables line 3 - 2 syllables line 4 - 2 syllables line 5 - 9 syllables line 6 - 9 syllables The reason this is called a "modified" Tyburn is because I didn't follow the syllable 5th through 8th syllable requirement, but rather incorporated lines 1 to 4 within both line 5 and 6. Done intentionally and so noted. This photo was taken by the author himself. |
By Treischel
The Pond
As I went down a path
surrounded
shoulder to shoulder
by caressing greenery,
I heard the gentle
dribbling
of flowing water.
I glimpsed color through the foilage
from time to time.
Then I turned a corner
and
beheld a wooden bench
Beside the sparkling water.
I turned again
and there before me
was
a lovely pond
with a water fountain.
It teamed with
beautiful KOI
and left me
with
a feeling of
Peace and Joy
| Author Notes |
The Marguary McNeely Conservatory at the Como Zoo in St. Paul, Minnesota is a room full of ferns . Its a beautiful room where you wind your way around aisles of exotic plants. Its a wonderful place to visit on a cold snowy Minnesota winter's day. You walk through a maze shoulder to shoulder through dense foilage with lush tropical plants. In the center of that room is a wonderful pond.
KOI are colorful fish that are very similar in shape to large goldfish, only with variegated colors. I have a picture of them in a poem named KOI. I took this photograph shown here in the Conservatory of the center pond area on a March morning in 2012. It ispired me to write this poem. This photograph is the reason that this poem exists, it moved my Muse to express what I saw in verse. I am including it in my book called Picture Poems, which are all poems resulting from the picture image |
By Treischel
As I wandered on a walk this fall,
I came across this mortised wall,
Capped with stones both large and small.
Above It spread the season's shawl
Of leaves so rich the colors call.
It wasn't tall, as I recall.
Below it the leaf strewn path was small,
With ground coverage enough to have a ball
When kids go kick, and jump and sprawl.
I was blessed to find this wall this fall,
To walk the path, to see it all,
And what I thought was best of all
Were those colors that kept me in their enthrall.
| Author Notes |
As a walked along the sidewalk this fall kicking leaves and marveling at the colors, I came upon this lovely low wall, that I photographed. It inspired me to write this Poem - a picture Poem, if you will.
Three mono rhymed stanzas. This photograph is the reason that this poem exists, it moved me to express what I saw in verse. I am including it in my book called Picture Poems, which are all poems resulting from the picture image. |
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