Prompt:

La Courante

La Courante is one of France’s first classic free verse poems. Two stanzas form this poem. The first stanza is a model for the second stanza (in a way, a kind of refrain is visible in the last three lines of the second stanza).

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗲𝗺:

~𝗘𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘇𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝟭𝟮 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀.
~𝗘𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁: 𝟲-𝟲-𝟲-𝟭𝟬-𝟭𝟮-𝟲-𝟴-𝟰-𝟱-𝟰-𝟲-𝟭𝟬.
~𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗵𝘆𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘀: 𝗮-𝗯-𝗯-𝗮-𝗮-𝗰-𝗱-𝗱-𝗰-𝗲-𝗱-𝗲.
~𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘇𝗮 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗵𝘆𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘇𝗮, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 (lines with refrains) 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘇𝗮.
~𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘇𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗵𝘆𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗵𝘆𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘇𝗮. (𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗲𝗺.)

A sample poem by Bianca

Secrets of My Soul

Feeling useless… that’s me! (a)
As words won’t flow today; (b)
have I nothing to say? (b)
One word could change your mind and make you see, (a)
there is more in this world to discover, just be (a)
careful, will you, please, love? (c)
He leaves, without a word spoken (d)
I feel broken (d)
A little white dove (c)
Makes him come back (e)
kisses, as a token (d)
of his love for me, are placed in my neck. (e)

A quick love game start,
fires of love burning,
two different souls learning,
how to heal the scars in each’ others heart.
then rest, nights are short and day lifes are lived, apart…
Be still, let your heart speak
I know that words are hard to find
though in your mind
I’ll find what I seek.
Yes, please, come back
kisses, as a token,
do not ever stop! Kiss me in my neck.

(Note: This poem used a different syllable counter, so the count differs from the syllable counter Penmancy recommends. Use the one we are providing you with.)

• Send in your entries,  as an attachment in a word document (.doc/.docx, any other file will not be published), to penmagica@gmail.com along with a 2-3 line bio (not required if previously sent).
• The subject of your mail should be Entry for #PenMuse-54 (compulsory).
• Along with your entry please send a suggested cover for your poem. (please send it as a separate attachment. Make sure it is a stock photo, no watermarks, and of high resolution –800 pixels and above). The elves at Penmancy are mighty pleased if a poem is accompanied by a cover.
• Check your syllable count here.

Rules:

1. The submitted poem must have a title (Keep it simple with no punctuation marks; all words more than 3 letters must be capitalised)
2. There is no limit to the number of entries you may submit –though only the first submitted poem will be qualified for contention.
3. Previously published or plagiarised works will not be considered for contention.
4. Poems found to have been shared on another platform or blog before the declaration of results stand disqualified from the event, and the writer of such content stands to be disqualified for the next Penmancy event.
5. In case a poem is received after the submission deadline, it shall be considered as a guest entry and shall not qualify for the event.
6. Entries that don’t follow rules will be published and shared on the page and group but are disqualified for winning.

Winning criteria:

• The winner will be chosen on the basis of the judges’ scores (out of 10)
  • creativity/content and originality, [12 points]
  • coherence of form and structure (harmony of words, presentation), [12 points]
  • clarity of imagery and language/grammar, [10 points]
  • emotional impact, [10 points]
  • topic/relevance to the theme, [6 points]
• The entries adjudged by a panel of judges and event organisers shall be binding. Judges’ scores to be deemed final and may not be contested. Final scores are not disclosed to the participants.
• The entries adjudged through this process shall be binding. No scores will be shared with the participants.
• All writers are required to read and comment on 5 stories other than their own and encourage their fellow writers with valuable and constructive inputs. Comments like “nice”, “good work”, “brilliant piece”, etc. do not provide the necessary critique and are not helpful for anyone.

•  Timelines-
  • The last date of submission is July 20, 2023 (Thursday)
  • Winners shall be announced on July 27, 2023 (Thursday)

The announcement of winners may be postponed or preponed depending on the number of entries received.

The winners of the event shall receive the book “The Sorcery of the Senses” by Tanima Das.

This book was extended for #BookNook Gift-a-book program by the author.