Edward Burne-Jones, The Wedding of Psyche, 1895, Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue
And a sixpence in her shoe.
--a Victorian rhyme
i.
Something old
Granite boulder sits
at delta’s mouth through seasons
a silent witness
who compiles earth’s histories
in its slow return to dust.
ii.
Something new
Death makes way for life
one’s exhale other’s first breath
do not fear endings
relax and refresh your cup
with fragrant hot tea.
iii.
Something borrowed
Lend without worry
need has its trajectory
motile as its will
germinant on fertile ground
or blown chaff, seeking purchase.
iv.
Something blue
Cloud puffs drift away
curtains open, palette plays
of smudges and bright
moods of seasons dependent
on weather inside and out.
v.
sixpence in a shoe
Maintain steady gait
not hobbled by worthless coins
complete your journey
first step important as last
as you take your final sleep.
Dora is today’s host of Dverse’ Poetics Tuesday. Dora says:
So let’s play with this bit of rhyming folklore and see where it takes us. Your challenge? Pick one of the following two options:
1) Use one (or more) of the five phrases in the Victorian rhyme either as a title for your poem or within your poem. You can write about marriage or not. The subject of the poem is wholly up to you.
OR
2) Riff off this rhyme. Let it take you wherever it takes you, from the romantic and sentimental to the fantastic or macabre. What charms or rites, humorous or serious, would you include for a particular occasion’s success (or failure)? What ritual or recipe for good fortune, peace, or harmony? For writing? Just put it in a poem, narrative, lyrical, or anything in between. And good luck!
Tao-Talk 
What a cleverly written poem and journey – Jae
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Jae, thank you. Sorry if it feels a little clunky.
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These are wonderful 👏🏾✍🏾🪄✨
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Jude, thank you!
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Beautiful written Lisa 💜
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Maggie, thanks much <3
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I love the way you merged this prompt and Laura’s definition prompt. Lisa, especially the granite boulder as something old, ‘a silent witness who compiles earth’s histories’ and the beautiful ‘something blue’ stanza, the ‘palette plays of smudges and bright moods of seasons dependent on weather inside and out’.
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Kim, thanks much. I missed Laura’s prompt on blogcation but am glad it fits <3
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You’re most welcome, Lisa.
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Beautifully written Li 🩵
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Thanks, Sadje <3
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You’re very welcome dear friend
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Well evoked and loved the final stanza. “Maintain steady gait
not hobbled by worthless coins
complete your journey
first step important as last
as you take your final sleep.”
Lots of wisdom packed intp this one, BTW welcome back, ive been thinking about taking a blogcation myself as of late to recharge. Always a pleasure to read your poetry 🩷
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Cara, thanks very much, for the kind words and the welcome back. There is something to be said for blogcation <3
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You’ve taken ye old rhyme and made of it something far finer, a seasoned meditation, a harmony of movement through life, its changing seasons and demands. In my mind the words played like a low melody, soothing, profound, playing off notes struck by the Burne-Jones painting. I especially liked
“palette plays
of smudges and bright
moods of seasons”
and
“need has its trajectory
motile as its will
germinant on fertile ground
or blown chaff, seeking purchase.”
A fantastic write, Li.
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Dora, what inspiring feedback. Most appreciated. I turn my thanks to you for the prompt, without which this poem would not exist <3
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You’re so welcome. xo
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love this!
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Thanks, Jay!
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Such a philosophical write, Li, with some wise and profound insights. ❤️
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Punam, many thanks <3
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Very thought provoking and dreamy.
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Thank you <3
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This is a great approach to the prompt, Lisa.
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Robbie, thanks so much <3
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💗
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Love how you managed to create wisdom out of all those saying… sometimes breaking it down into parts is the best approach
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Bjorn it seemed the path of least resistance. Thank you.
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Really a fun and clever way to riff off the original, Li. “Fragrant hot tea,” please!
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Jennifer, thank you. Two cups coming up, one for you and one for me. Cheers!
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Cheers to you!
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A clever poem, Lisa! Make mine coffee please.
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Thanks, Sara. A cup of hot coffee coming right up. Cheers!
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Tanka-tastic Lisa 👏
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Glad you liked it, Shaun.
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