Welcome to Day 17! Today's prompt is a type of poem: a lune, and as it's Friday, this is a tiny little quickie form.
Lunes were invented by Robert Kelly, as an alternative to English haiku, because as we discussed with haiku, English syllables don’t really reflect the 5-7-5 on structure of the Japanese haiku. It’s a three-line form with a simple syllable count per line: 5 syllables, 3 syllables, 5 syllables. It has no other rules: no set subject matter, no ‘cutting’ word, it can rhyme or not. Jack Collom created a variant, based on word count per line: 3 words, 5 words, 3 words. Again, it has no other constraints. With both, you can also write a series of lunes, much like a series of haiku: each one self-contained, but thematically connected.
And if you'd like an idea of what to write about, the lune is such a focused little form that I think it warrants paying very close attention to something, so how about a texture? You could wander round your home and find something you love to touch, a favourite glass or wooden spoon or piece of clothing. Or perhaps a natural texture: moss, the feel of grass under bare feet, dreams of sand, the surface of still water when you press your palm against it... I ran my hands through a small fountain on a hot day in Brussels, once, when I was eighteen, and the memory has never left me. Spend some time giving a texture your close, undivided attention.
The Meddling with Poetry course explores a host of different poetry forms as well as the musicality of language, poetic imagery, and other aspects of the poetic. It's 8 weeks long, one evening a week, and absolute beginners and experienced writers are equally welcome. You can read more details and book a place here.
