Z is for Zigzag and ZaniLa Rhyme

Welcome to the last day of the AtoZ Blogging Challenge! This year I am painted a watercolor to go with each letter and composed a poem to accompany it with a type of poetry that starts with the letter of the day.  I was experimenting with the watercolors still, so perfection was never achieved, but fun was had....

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 visit some alphabet adventurers!

 

Z is for Zigzag and ZaniLa Rhyme

The ZaniLa Rhyme form was created by Laura Lamarca. There are 4 lines per stanza and has an abcb rhyme scheme and has a 9/7/9/9 a syllable count per stanza.
Line 3 has an internal rhyme, which is then repeated in each odd numbered stanza.  The even numbered stanzas also have that line, but the two parts of the line are swapped around. The ZaniLa Rhyme has at least 3 stanzas, with no maximum poem length.

I think, and feel, I created my best for last.... and it didn't take me forever to do.  I think I've progressed some, along with just having fun, which were both my goals!  So "SCORE!"

Here, now, is THIS year's final Blogging A to Z Challenge poem and watercolor:

 

 

 Z is for Zigzag

The waves point up then the crests curve down,

the sea zigs and zags to shore;

up, down, to and fro - this ebb and flow

dances across deep ocean's dark floor. 

Starfish zig their arms that look like zags,

a sailboat zigs and zags, too;

this ebb and flow - up, down, to and fro

with barely a straight line in birds' view!

Even this timid, scared rabbit will

zigzag like momma taught her 

up, down, to and fro - this ebb and flow 

Rabbit looks like fast flowing water. 

A zig or zagging in life can be

a welcome, or not, heart change; 

this ebb and flow - up, down, to and fro 

can be stressful and painfully strange. 

The waters flow, the scared rabbit runs

and sailboats tack to travel;

up, down, to and fro - this ebb and flow 

is a life to live and unravel.

By Donna JT Smith ©2025 

 

Bonus poem: 

As a finale in 2012 I wrote a Z poem that wasn't really theme related...just felt like writing it. This is NOT my poem for today (that's above).  This is just for fun – an oldie!

Z-z-z-z
 

Zip zap zing 

Who says z's are not the thing 

To make a poem sing? 

Zombie, zilch, zits 

These are just the pits,

But zooming, zesty, zealous 

make plainer words 

Quite jealous. 

And then you always have 

The z that's in the middle 

Wizard, lizard, drizzle. 

Pizza, razzed and fizzle.

And if that's not enough, friend 

You have them at the end then 

Like whiz and fizz and jazz 

Which give this poetic spaz 

Some dazzling razzmatazz!  

 

© 2012, Donna JT Smith

 

Have a marvelous May! 

I hope you enjoyed the Blogging from AtoZ Challenge as much as I did!