V is for Vase and Virelai

It's April, so the Blogging from AtoZ Challenge is in full swing. My theme is Watercolor and Words.  This year I am painting a watercolor to go with each letter and composing a poem to accompany it with a type of poetry that starts with the letter of the day.  I am mostly experimenting with the watercolors still, so don't expect perfection....

Clicking on the letter of the day will bring you to the main site which has links to get to other participants if you would like to go on an alphabetical adventure!

 

 

The Virelai is a French poetic form with alternating rhymes and line lengths. Here are basic guidelines:

• nine lines per stanza
• lines one, two, four, five, seven, and eight have 5 syllables
• lines three, six, and nine have 2 syllables
• the five-syllable lines rhyme with each other and the two-syllable lines rhyme with each other for the rhyme pattern: aabaabaab
  
• the end rhyme for the short lines continues on in the following stanza: bbcbbcbbc
• the final stanza's short-line end rhyme should be the same as the long-line end rhyme in the opening stanza (to complete the end-rhyme circle) ccaccacca
• So with 3 stanzas it would look like this: aabaabaab, bbcbbcbbc, ccaccacca
  
  
  
  

  
  

  Faced with a Vase
  

  
  

  Reflections I face

  as I pause in space

   

  by bed

  water in clear vase

  six flowers embrace

  re-fed
  

  I grant each a place
  

  for petals misplaced

  and spread
  

   

  It seems that I've read
  

  blooms have no dread
  

  when picked

  and a vase doesn't shed
  

  a tear it is said

  when nicked
  

  blooms pink, orange, red
  

  and vase are instead
  

  sore tricked
  

   

  Though tall walls constrict
  

  they see no conflict
  

  of place
  

  warm sunlight is clicked
  

  the sky that's cloud-slicked
  

  replaced
  

  they all contradict
  

  and only depict
  

  dead space

  
  

  by Donna JT Smith ©2025

  
  

  Oh, my.  That was tiring and trying.  This form has quite the structure.  I may try it again, but it takes a lot out of you.  Trying to make it make sense, have a flow, and follow syllables and rhyming repetitions was like wrangling cats!  You have to make sure you have enough words that rhyme and are usable, before you even start or you will run out before the end or have to just say gibberish.  It then becomes less a free-flowing expression and can get very mechanical and deliberate sounding.

  Tomorrow is W and I am not ready.  Wagon, wheel, witch, willow, window...maybe window.  That could be fun.  See you later, when I know and have done what I'm doing.