X is for Xylophone and Xylopome

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!

 

Today is X.  X is one tough letter. I’m not sure we actually need it in words. It just needs to be used on treasure maps and algebra. So xylophone is a thing.

First thing to know about is that a xylophone has wooden bars.  If it has metal bars, it's a glockenspiel. A glockenspiel produces a bright, bell-like sound, while a xylophone has a more mellow tone. They are both laid out in a keyboard-style arrangement and played with mallets.  The xylophone often has a larger range and is played with harder mallets.   So there's the xylophone lesson.  

Now for the X poem! The form I am using is called a XYLOPOME, and it is just now a thing! I made it up. I discovered it so to speak. There was an x on the spot, and I found it, and have named it xylopome.  Heh-heh-heh!

So here's how you write a xylopome:

Rules. A Xylopome is like an Abecedarius in that the beginning letter of each line proceeds alphabetically — but only for 8 letters that are denoting notes, and you may start with any of the letters in an octave and, going in order, end on the letter you started with. So 8 lines, and the number of syllables goes from 8 down to 1. 

For example if you start with F it is 8 syllables and begins with an F,  G is 7 syllables and starts with G, A is 6 ...until you get to the next F is 1.  Here's mine with syllables and initial letter option shown:

F8  Floating, flutish notes swirling 'round

G7 Graceful, sweet xylophone tones;

A6 Airborne delightful dance

B5 Bubbly cascades from

C4 Cocobolo

D3 Dancing chimes,

E2 Endless

F1 Fun

Now let me explain the image...I started just with a rough thing on the edge of my scrap paper to get an idea of brush strokes and color and stuff.  I wasn't entirely enthralled with it, but it was getting late after messing about with the poem, so I decided to take its photo and go with it.  The xylophone isn't even all on the page, and there are other oddities about it, but I. do. not. care.  It's there!  So here it is – poem and picture:

 

 

 

A Xylopome for a Xylophone

 

Floating, flutish notes swirling 'round

Graceful, sweet xylophone tones;

Airborne delightful dance

Bubbly cascades from

Cocobolo

Dancing chimes,

Endless

Fun!

 

by Donna JT Smith ©2025

 

(by a Xylophobe...lol!  I accidentally wrote that in my text)