A Small Crushed Shell - Pantoum

[Shelley Hansen]

Following suit after reading Maureen's recently posted pantoum ... this is a really interesting repetitive poetry form which originated in Malaysia/Indonesia in the 18th century. It's a challenge to have the repeated lines making sense in the context of the whole poem.

A Small Crushed Shell (Pantoum)
(c) Shelley Hansen 2020

I stooped to lift a small crushed shell.
It lay upon the golden sand.
I wondered how its shellfish fell –
with age or by a human hand?

It lay upon the golden sand.
No life within the washing wave.
With age or by a human hand
entombed forever in its grave.

No life within the washing wave,
yet once it graced the ocean floor.
Entombed forever in its grave –
a fleeting sadness touched my core.

Yet once it graced the ocean floor.
I wondered how its shellfish fell.
A fleeting sadness touched my core –
I stooped to lift a small crushed shell.

[Ron]

Well done Shelley! I must admit I had never heard of this form before until reading Maureen’s poem!
A pantoum, certainly a challenge, but I might have to stick with the sonnet for a while!

Cheers
Ron

[Shelley Hansen]

Thanks Ron. It is an interesting exercise, examining some of these old forms of poetry. I've found that reading about them and trying them out has enhanced my appreciation for rhyme and metre - which in turn, helps me with bush poetry composition.

There are quite a few online resources which explain the various poetry forms and structures.

This is a really good website, easy to navigate, with examples of each form ... http://www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/pantoum.html

Cheers
Shelley

[Maureen K Clifford]

Love it - pinching it - sharing it ..... I love Pantoums

[Shelley Hansen]

Thanks Maureen - yes they are quite alluring!

[Ron]

Thanks for the link to the Shadow poetry website Shelley, It is very good! and really informative as to all the different forms of poetry.

Cheers
Ron

[Shelley Hansen]

You are very welcome, Ron. It is a good website. I refer to it often.

Cheers
Shelley