Children are the Future


Children see the entire world in a different way than adults. The innocence of discovery is something we all enjoyed. I often wonder, had people not interjected certain ideas into my mind at certain times, where would my childlike mind had lead me? So here's to nostalgia, to innocence, and the people that will become our future.


An Apple A Day


Living a healthy life is important, and many people take their concerns with eating right or losing weight to unhealthy extremes. This month, I'll be talking about eating habits, sharing some of my favorite recipes, and focusing on healthy choices.

Legends of Africa


One thing I've noticed during my years attending predominately white schools and having circles of friends that are more diverse, is that the major factor in racism and prejudice is ignorance. There is a lot about black culture that many non-blacks just don't know. Often this lack of awareness rears its head in the form of ignorant assumptions and awkward questions. The Legends of Africa series touches on topics that may be extremely familiar to blacks, but may not be familiar to non-blacks.

Religion & Theology


I've always been interested in Religion & Theology. As I child, I questioned everything. I wanted to know why this denomination was different from that denomination. I wanted to know how Christianity differed from Islam, and how they differed from Buddhism, etc. I found that as I studied with the faith of a believer and the open mind of scientist, the world of religion started to make more sense and I was able to form beliefs that I don't question. April 2015 is dedicated to my journey to those beliefs.

Circus of Words Simple Rhyme Poetry

Friday, October 31, 2014

Simple Rhyme Poetry


Simple Rhyme is one of the first poetry styles I learned . Usually structured in quatrains with a rhyme scheme of aabb or abab, I consider simple rhyme to be structured solely based on a consistent rhyme scheme. Simple Rhyme is often found in children's stories, such as those written by Dr. Seuss, and is easily remembered.

A few less common but equally simple rhyme schemes are listed below:
  1. Second and Fourth Rhyme: xaxa
  2. First and Fourth Rhyme: axxa
  3. Mono-rhyme: aaaa
  4. All But One Line Rhyme: axaa
  5. Inner and Outer Line Rhyme: abba



My Tips, Tricks, & Opinions


Feel free to leave your thoughts and advice in the comment section below.

Achieve the Unique

A general rule of thumb is that the more unusual the rhyme scheme, the less childish the rhyming will sound. Most people stick to quatrains and the rhyme schemes listed above, but don't be afraid to play with tercets or stanzas of 5. Interweaving rhymes between stanzas like aba bcb cdc or abcb cded, can also make these poems unique and improve the flow.

Try to Avoid...

As with any poem structure requiring rhyming, you want to avoid words that are hard to rhyme--like orange--and clichéd phrasing. After penning a line (or stanza), if it sounds remotely familiar or predictable, it's going to hurt the quality of your poem.

Examples


Ancient
October 21, 2013
Beneath the sand of ancient dunes
Carved in stone, some unknown rune
This beautiful language of forgotten lore
Untold knowledge, secrets, legends, and more.
Hidden there beneath my weary feet
Forgotten and thought to be obsolete
But there's power there, in hidden words
The clear solution to a vision blurred,
And I wish to understand it in my soul,
To bond with it, learn it and gain control.


Recent Simple Rhyme Poems



Synopsis Sources Examples On the Site Tips & Tricks Recent Simple Rhyme Poetry List Simple Rhyme is one of the first...

Circus of Words Etheree Poetry

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Etheree Poetry


An Etheree poem consists of 10 lines; the first line has one syllable and each subsequent line increases by one in syllable count. Similarly, a reverse Etheree can be penned by starting with 10 syllables in line one, and decreasing the syllable count. A double Etheree is created by combining an Etheree and a reverse Etheree and a double reverse Etheree is creating from a reverse Etheree followed by a single Etheree.


My Tips, Tricks, & Opinions


Feel free to leave your thoughts and advice in the comment section below.

Achieve the Unique

The Etheree is all about building to a point. The use of gradually increasing (or decreasing) syllables can be used to add dramatic emphasis. I tend to gravitate to the Etheree style for two types of topics: 1. Heavy - topics that are emotionally heavy, sad or compelling, and 2. Lazy - topics that conjure the image or feeling of drowsiness (like rain), in which I want a slow, steady rhythm. However, this style is suitable for any topic.

A Few Tips

As always, syllables can be tricky. It's definitely a good idea to have access to a syllable counter for trickier words. It is also possible to incorporate a rhyme scheme (particularly interesting is the inclusion of internal rhyme), for an added layer of complexity.

Examples


Raindrops
October 29, 2014
Rain
Falling
On the roof
Pitter patter
Like a ticking clock
Constant, steady, falling
It lulls me into deep sleep
Where nothing breaks the sweet rhythm
Where beauty sprouts from droplet pools
Nature calls me back to welcome arms
And I listen to raindrops peacefully


Recent Etheree Poems:


Synopsis Examples On the Site Tips & Tricks Recent Etheree Poetry List An Etheree poem consists of 10 lines; the first li...

Circus of Words Triquain Poetry

Triquain Poetry


Created by Shelley Cephas, the Triquain is made up of lines starting with three syllable and increasing/decreasing so that each subsequent line has a multiple of three syllables. A common form is 7 lines with the pattern 3-6-9-12-9-6-3. This form is always centered and must have at least 7 lines. Other variations include the Triquain Chain, Swirl, and Crown (see Shadow Poetry for a detailed explanation). These variations comprise of multiple Triquains.


My Tips, Tricks, & Opinions


Feel free to leave your thoughts and advice in the comment section below.

What I Like

Even though there is structure and a set length, variations such as the swirl, chain, and crown allow poets to continue thoughts that may be too lengthy for a single Triquain. Triquains do not have a rhyme scheme, but poets may choose to apply a rhyme scheme if they desire; this allows even more flexibility in the style. The amount of flexibility incorporated into this style enables poets to add their own touch of creativity--which is always a plus.

The Tricky Part...

Most styles are pyramidal (like the Etheree) or constant (like the Octain) in number of syllables, this style however, varies by multiples of 3. While this produces a unique cadence, it is difficult to pen lines following this pattern. For me, the line with 12 syllables is particularly difficult--that's like a full, complex sentence from a research paper!

Hold On
July 23, 2014
Hold on now,
I'll be there in my own time
Slower than the rest, perhaps faster
I'll manage to make it where I'm supposed to be--
I have the vision and the power,
Don't rush my progress friend--
Just hold on.


Recent Trinet Poems


Synopsis Sources Examples On the Site Tips & Tricks Recent Triquain Poetry List Created by Shelley Cephas, the Triquain ...

Circus of Words Octain Refrain Poetry

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Octain Refrain Poetry


An in depth description of the Octain or Octain Refrain style of poetry can be found at Poets Collective. Comprised of octosyllables (or iambic tetrameter), the Octain Refrain is made up of 8 lines: two tercets (stanzas of three) and a couplet. The first line is repeated in the last line and the fifth line should have an internal rhyme of some sort. A double Octain is called a High Octain (16 lines)

The rhyme scheme for the Octain is as follows: Abb a(c/c)a bA, where A is a repeating line (rhyming with a lines), and (c/c) is an internal rhyme.


My Tips, Tricks, & Opinions


Feel free to leave your thoughts and advice in the comment section below.

What I Like

I love complex rhyme schemes (not that this one is really complex, but more than simple aabb or abab rhyme)! The use of a refrain also enables you to really drive home a particular point. This style is short, sweet, and has the potential to really stick in the mind. I always feel good the final product when I create an Octain.

But Lookout For...

The refrain may need tweaking to be effective when repeated (see the High Octain below). Sometimes (most times actually), repeating the same thing is monotonous and more annoying than captivating. Also, the use of octosyllables may take time to get use to--especially for those use to iambic pentameter.

Examples


Simple Example:

Falling Tears
October 27, 2014
Tears fall when all hope seems to be lost

Time stands still for the heart to mourn
Lifeless until new hope is born
Then moves on no matter the cost...

Weep, gently rolling down the cheek
Tears soft but seeking to exhaust
Pass across red cheeks they adorn

Tears fall when all hope seems to be lost.

High Octain Example:

Orange Nights
October 26, 2014
Orange covers the rejoicing sky
The tree line bows beneath the wind
Casting shadows as the sun descends...

On brooms witches take off and fly
The black of bats, the black of cats
Show themselves when the moon draws nigh.

Hold steady--their hour will begin
When orange covers the night's sky

Orange covers, blankets the sky
The spirit of the earth ascends,
Gives way to white fog in the end

Ghosts and Gobblins, a painful cry
The day of death, of the last breath
Comes, goes in the blink of an eye...

Till at last the tale is penned
And orange covers all the sky.


Recent Octain Refrain Poems

Synopsis More Sources Examples On the Site Tips & Tricks Recent Octain Refrain Poetry List An in depth description of th...

Circus of Words The Price of Hope

Sunday, October 26, 2014

The Price of Hope

  • Whispers of War
  • Snippets & Previews
  • Teaser 1B

  • At the surface of ocean, the waves were calm. The stranger and I took air cautiously, making our way to a hidden cove. There was nothing moving in the surrounding waters--no sign of life aside from my rescuer and me--but it wouldn't be that way forever. 

    "We need a plan."

    My rescuer prodded my arm gingerly. "What we need is to patch you up."

    I looked at the dark red liquid oozing down my arm and a chill ran down my spine. It was my first real glimpse of myself, and I was beaten and mangled... A brief sense of embarrassment overwhelmed me as I gazed beneath the water at my golden legs, decorated with rings of blue made pale by lack of circulation. There were welts were the vines had dug into my skin.

    "I'm Paz," he said after a long silence.

    "Nita."

    "First we should stop the bleeding in that arm... I think the rest will work itself out in time." Paz surveyed my arm. "How do you feel? Any dizziness?"

    "I'm ok," and I was, at least I thought I was; it was hard to concentrate on anything other than the stabbing pain in my arm. Holding it above the water was painful, but the salt stung like thousands of wasps.

    He pulled off one of his shirts and wrapped it around my arm tightly. I cringed at the added salt water, but tried not to flinch; he was right, we had to stop the bleeding. "How did this happen?" he asked.

    "The war," I murmured. It was then that the pain and the weight of sadness overcame me. I was no longer weightless; I was solid, heavy, and chained to a world were the price of hope was blood. "It's began."


    Whispers of War Snippets & Previews Teaser 1B At the surface of ocean, the waves were calm. The stranger and I took air cautiousl...

    Circus of Words Forever Young

    Sunday, October 19, 2014

    Forever Young

    There was a pause
    And then suddenly,
        I was no longer a child
    And suddenly...
    I expected adolescence to begin
    But it never did--
    Forever young, forever this.

    A long, long pause.

    And suddenly the world moves
    Time ticks again
    And suddenly
        I am no longer a child
    Adolescence has passed
    But it appears nonetheless
    My body is confused...

    The pause ends and acne begins--


    There was a pause And then suddenly,     I was no longer a child And suddenly... I expected adolescence to begin But it never did--...

    Circus of Words Drowning in the Waves of War

    Saturday, October 11, 2014

    Drowning in the Waves of War

  • Whispers of War
  • Snippets & Previews
  • Teaser 1A

  • I could have died that day--drowned in the depths of this unfamiliar world--but for some unknown reason, my lungs had outlasted their capacity. Tangled in long vines of kelp, each of my limbs fought the loss of circulation while I fought to regain control. I concentrated on my limbs, focusing on each one, trying to isolate its connection to my brain. There was little chance that of all 10 limbs, none was free.

    My right arm had suffered the most; it was not only entangled in the vines, but bleeding profusely. I could feel the sting of the salt as the water rubbed against my bloody skin. My left arm was cut as well, though perhaps not as deep, but awkwardly caught under the weight of my body. Then of course there were my eight legs--tentacles, perhaps was a better word... I was not yet use to this body, to the strength and weakness of each limb or how moved together. I was only aware of the weight.

    The vines were wrapped tightly around most of the tentacles, I could feel the chaffing of my flesh, but I knew there had to be some way loosen their hold. So I continued the exploration of my limbs through my mind, allowing myself to connect with each nerve, hoping for a solution.

    Nothing came. Just the sound of water moving past, the pain of salt and blood mixing, the sight of scattered limbs, like shadows in distorted light... I could have died there; I could have been the first casualty of the war.  My eyes were closing, my conscious slipping, I could feel Death inviting me in. Like gentle hands massaging away the pain where the vines held me captive. Limb by limb the hands guided me to freedom.

    As I regained my strength and dared to look into the eyes of Death, I was shocked to find a resemblance to myself--piercing blue eyes, metallic and identical to my own, eight golden tentacles and two golden arms... He was like me, I was like him, and neither of us was dead--yet.



    Whispers of War Snippets & Previews Teaser 1A I could have died that day--drowned in the depths of this unfamiliar world--but for...

    Circus of Words Waiting on a Miracle

    Tuesday, October 07, 2014

    Waiting on a Miracle


    I hear people talk about miracles... They tend to talk about miracles the same way they talk about magic--that's probably one reason hard-core scientists think science and God are in opposition--but miracles are not like magic. Unfortunately, that means you won't get instantaneous satisfaction or clean, easy solutions. On the bright side, miracles aren't like magic: they actually exist.

    When I decided to finish my Masters and transfer schools, a lot happened and everything that happened, happened in very short amount of time. The first miracle that came out of this situation was the complete 180 in my view on my grades. I had earned mostly B's with a few B+'s and A-'s, but those weren't good enough for me to continue in the PhD program. I wasn't particularly happy and I wasn't making any progress. But when the drama unfolded within the department and I felt free to leave, those B's earned me a Masters. I had taken extra courses, in an attempt to raise my GPA, which weren't required for the PhD program, but gave me enough credits to graduate with a Masters. 

    With only two months left in the semester, I had to figure out if I was transferring or if I was getting a job. I knew that transferring would be hard; applications should have been due in January or February, particularly for funding. Explaining why I took a Masters without a thesis wasn't going to make the job hunt easy, either. It was a long shot, but I decided to try both fronts. I applied for a job, and I contacted my undergraduate university about returning. It took a few weeks, but in record time, I had been accepted and offered funding to return to my home university where I could happily continue my studies. That was miracle number two.

    Of course, I still had to get out of my lease and find a new place to live. My landlord told me if I could move out early (as in, by the end of the month), he was almost certain he could re-lease my apartment and get me out of my lease.  So I struck the deal, figuring the worst-case scenario was that I had to move all my stuff home and then to school. I devoured the internet looking for a potential new apartment and was greeted by places that required roommates, wouldn't fit my furniture, were out of my price range, and/or were already leased to capacity. I took three days (one day to drive home, one day to check out apartments, and one day to drive back to finish out the Masters program) to secure a new apartment. Only one place was "perfect"--reasonably priced, no roommate necessary, and all my furniture would fit. They had one apartment left, and the move in date was the last day of the month. It was perfect. That was miracle number three.

    Flash forward to present day, and as life always does, things begin to fall apart again. In June, I got a notice that my apartment rent would increase by a whopping $100 a month if I chose to renew my lease, and I had to let them know my decision by the end of the month. I had forseen this change when the property switched management, and not to be taken off guard, had already begun looking for a new place. The place I'd had in mind was farther away, but cheaper, and just as nice. I'd spoken to a lady who had assured me that they always had availability, and now, all that was left was to go back a set a date. Except, when I went back, they didn't have any availability. Back at square one, I reopened the hunt for an apartment. In a long-shot effort I checked out a set of condos by the lake. I wasn't sure they rented. I was positive they were out of my price range. It turned out that they were larger, nicer, closer, and cheaper. And they had exactly one availability.

    All my life, I've been able to look back and see that God was working miracles in every situation. There was bad, there was ugly, and there was downright unfairness stalking my heels. I guess I could have given up at any point. I could have doubted, but I knew that if I didn't give up, I would get to something better.

    About a month ago, when I originally felt the urge to write this post, I got a call from a recruiter at a major industry in my field. I was ecstatic that they had noticed my resume and wanted me to apply. This company is notorious for its grueling interview process and I had never thought about applying before the recruiter contacted me. I thought if I got the internship, it would make a good addition to the ideas that were shaping up for this post... Well, I didn't get the internship. But I got interview tips from one of the best companies in my field. I got to go through the interview process, and learned that it wasn't really that bad. And I started reframing my mind back to that of someone actively seeking a job. Rejection stings, nothing will ever change that, but just like the tests I failed that led to a Masters, and the increase in rent that led to a condo by the lake, I know that this is just another step in a carefully laid out plan He has for me. There's a miracle at the end of this chapter, too, I just have to be wait for it to be revealed.

    I hear people talk about miracles... They tend to talk about miracles the same way they talk about magic--that's probably one reaso...

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