The cicadas awake to see peonies bloom
as the girl with the cello plays songs in the park;
where their drones rise with ginger sweet, scented perfume;
metronomes setting time with the random dog’s bark.
Lovers lie in soft grass / fingers trail arms and cheeks
where the assembled chorus remains until dark.
At the edge of the park baby mice hide and seek
under sun-dappled canopy, safe in tall grass,
where the wild ginseng grows with its roots in the creek.
On the wind-ruffled surface where dragonflies dance
and the turtles crawl logs, sleep and sun all the day;
where occasional naturists walk on deer paths
step across to the thicket and find hidden cave.
It’s been used for some years by a mama red fox
where a pile of small bones rests asleep in their grave.
Tiny tendrils will find them; they’ll fruit with mushrooms
as one cycle completes and another begins.
The cicadas awake to see peonies bloom
where their songs rise with ginger sweet, scented perfume…
I decided to try a new form, created by Ingrid, called the pantanelle, which is a combination of pantoum and villanelle. Learn more about it by clicking here.
Carrie is today’s host of The Sunday Muse.
Tao Talk 
You’ve done a beautiful job with the form Lisa ❤️
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Thank you. I wasn’t sure where it was going but I like where it went. I knew I had to come back to the beginning to connect the last 2 lines.
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Which you did perfctly 😊
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🙂
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Lisa,
What a great Sunday afternoon read! It opens like a vision, fragrant and serene. Relishing the scent of ginger lilies as I hide indoors from the 90+ degree heat.💞
Pax,
Dora
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Thank you very much, Dora. Believe it or not it hit 90 in Michigan yesterday and probably close to that out there right now (also staying inside away from it!)
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A beautiful poem Li. Love the imagery created by your words
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Thank you very much, Sadje. Forms are good vehicles for ideas sometimes.
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You’re welcome! Yes, this one has worked exceptionally well
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Lovely
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Thank you 🙂
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Lovely!
–Shay
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Thanks, Shay!
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I doubt lovers lie in the soft grass of the park where there are cicadas! They have no doubt spoiled an assignation or two! Cicadas aside, you’ve created the most idyllic spot, describing it beautifully,.
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LOL. This was inspired by Ann Arbor and the annual peony gardens and the large # of cicadas coming out of the ground in their 17 year cycle. Let’s change the location to near here, where they are sparse Thanks much, Beverly ❤
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I have, in my life, lived where the cicadas “gather” every seventeen years. The noise after a while became part of background and I recall it didn’t bother me. Love that peonies were the catalyst for yours and the cellist was there as well. A beautiful form, which I must have a go at … you managed it beautifully.
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Thank you for your lovely comment, Helen. The ones I’ve seen around here pretty much keep to themselves and are more heard in the trees than anything else. I hope you do try Ingrid’s form. Make sure you let me know when you do so I can read it.
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Great new form Jade! It is quite challenging for both are lengthy by nature
Hank
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Thank you very much, Hank, and yes it was challenging but just trying to think of cool images out in nature was a lot of fun.
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The katydids were out singing the other morning when I went out to watch the eclipse. I haven’t noticed them since. You worked the new form well, writing for them is fun (for me).
..
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Thank you, Jim. Isn’t a katydid like a grasshopper? I hear crickets also but not many out there yet. No cicada here yet either. They usually don’t show up where I’m at until the height of summer.
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This is a visual delight. So many images crop up between those lines. A superb poem, Lisa 🙂
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Thanks much, Sunita 🙂
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a beautifully imagined Spring chorus on strings not least:
“metronomes setting time with the random dog’s bark.
Lovers lie in soft grass”
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Thank you, Laura!
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What an enchanting picture you paint – and how clever to follow Ingrid’s Pantanelle. Love it.
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Thanks much, Marion 🙂
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It flows beautifully, very pastoral. (K)
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Thanks, K.
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Lovely form Lisa, and your poetic description is stunning!
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Carrie, thank you. Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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Beautiful job with form and the poem is so lovely with all its descriptive movement.
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Thank you, Susie 🙂
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“metronomes setting time with the random dog’s bark.” lots of great lines in this, but i especially like that one. i miss concerts in the park, but we some starting up again now, so here we go! well written, i enjoyed this
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Thanks, Phillip. I can’t wait to hear live music outdoors again.
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So beautiful Lisa.
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Thank you, Linda ❤
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Too many beauties to quote here, Lisa!
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Music makes things come to life!
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Beautiful poem Lisa! Really enjoyed it
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Thanks much, Paul, and glad you enjoyed it.
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Love the lines Lisa…although I’m out of my depth…the picture has such a classic look.
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It is a neat picture I agree. Easier for me to write a story than a poem to it but…
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You did great Lisa…the lines were great.
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Thank you, Max.
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That is my only way to judge…
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Beautiful poem❤
Can you please visit my blog littlejinglejangle.wordpress.com 🤗
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Thank you, JJ.
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this poem was lovely Li! 🙂 It had some really beautiful imagery in it!
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Carol Anne, thanks for reading one from the archives. It gave me a chance to re-read it 🙂
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