This is the page that anyone who wrote a sestina for extra credit can post his or her sestina. Please follow these directions:
- Leave several lines of space between the beginning of your sestina and the sestina above yours, but don't leave lots and lots of white space.
- Begin with the title of your sestina and the byline (by......)
- Copy and paste in your sestina, adjusting the margins to make it look right on the page (compare it to the spacing of the sestina by Elizabeth Bishop in your text). It is important that you sestina be easily readable.
- Be sure to proofread it and run a spell check.
- On Thursday, May 10, everyone is welcome to read and comment on the sestinas. Please do not comment before then.
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The War Between the Wind and the Leaves
by Ryn Gibson
There the trees went on forever,
Dropped leaves on the ground made a blanket.
The discarded carcasses no longer green,
Feeling like they lost their life's meaning.
A few in the air they made their way through,
Lightweight bodies picked up by the wind.
Anchored firmly to branches, the wind
Couldn't detach what the leaves thought was forever.
But the wind, a curveball it threw.
It grew, itself a transparent strong blanket,
Not ever knowing that it discontinues the meaning
Of the leaves on the trees, ending in green.
Revenge was the decision the green
Leaves took against the wind.
Not knowing the wind wasn't meaning
To take them in a gust forever.
So abundant they created their own blanket,
Their strength would get them through.
This wasn't the only thing to get them through.
The bright audacity of the green,
(Which created the blanket)
(Which was disturbed by the wind)
Will create it's own forever.
In the cycle of life, it's own true meaning
You may ask if the leaves know its meaning.
They must look past and through
The war to know that their forever
Is the cycle of perpetual green,
Which can be destroyed by wind.
But once again will arise, this blanket.
By recreating its life, the blanket
Understands its new meaning,
Not to be at war with the wind.
Together, they worked through
This war between wind and green.
They will start a new forever.
The misunderstanding they've gone through,
The warring wind and perpetual green,
Have created a new peaceful forever.
Life's Love
by Brianna Finnegan
Her love,
and reason for life,
great happiness
would come from just one kiss,
for many years
she had admired him from a distance.
The distance,
that split love
for all of it's years,
that life
without that kiss,
is void of happiness.
His form of happiness
while watching her from a distance,
was imagining that kiss
that came with her love,
picturing their life
together for years.
The passing of years,
made their happiness
less, as they continued their life
with the distance,
for both of their love
still needed that kiss.
That kiss
that lingered on their lips for years,
but still that love
was their happiness,
It was the distance
of life
that made it so hard. The life
they gave up for that one kiss,
the distance
is gone now with all the years
their happiness
so tied with their love
No more distance, No more life,
the fulfillment of love, with that one kiss,
giving all of the years, the greatest happiness.
Troubadour Sestina by John Taylor
They seem to behave as fools
as they take to the road.
Focused continually on tomorrow
they ply their passion.
They defy that characterization as they work,
to make tolerable noise.
That noise
which those fools
put to work,
is carried along the road
fueled by that passion
which spurs them inexorably toward tomorrow
What tomorrow?
The one which is ruled by noise,
and filled passion.
Those fools,
who stand by the side of the road
toil, resigned to their method of work
Is work still work,
when one looks forward to tomorrow?
Is it labor to ride the open road?
Is it toil when the noise
abounds, and makes men like fools
in the throws passion?
It is that passion
which has led them to forsake acceptable work.
Derided as fools
by the future leaders of tomorrow.
But it is noise
which leads the children of today, down the road.
So at the end of that road,
one finds the sum total of the passion
that surrounded them. The noise
which drives them to work
toward a tomorrow
of their interpretation. The product of those called fools.
Do not dismiss that noise, which emanates from the road.
Do not ignore the fools, nor their passion.
Their work, is the music of tomorrow.
April
by Erin Kuntz
I remember like it was yesterday the water,
glistening in my dreams.
The beams cast by the sunlight
bounced over the waves and met the blue
eyes of a little girl with golden hair
and a mysterious, far-off smile.
I come to reality, but that smile
and silent water
and golden hair
start to feel real, and not so much a dream.
My heart goes cold and blue
as out comes the moonlight.
She loved to laugh, so light-
hearted and with an angelic smile.
We played together every summer, til the bright blue
sky turned to stars that seemed to dance like water.
But now, only in my dreams
is where I still see her velvet, golden hair.
When her cancer hit, first went her hair
then that laugh, then her light.
She was more and more far-off, slipping into dreams
where she could pretend to smile.
Smile as she watched the heavenly water
turn waves of green and blue.
The hospital room with its dull, blue
wallpaper became too familiar, and nurses with their long hair
taunted her bare head silently when they came by to offer her water.
Sometimes through the shades seeped light,
but it was always temporary and smiles
became only visible in dreams.
One day she slipped permanently into a sweet dream
As her frail, tiny body grew cold and blue.
Many cried and cried, but I knew she was smiling,
for I could see her finally dancing free with her long, velvet hair
draped around her shoulders, her angelic light
once again sparkling and her eyes bright with blue.
Sometimes in dreams I still see that smile.
In the reflective water those blue
Eyes and long blonde hair shimmer in the sunlight.
I cannot wait by Katy Kelley
Please go ahead and try to break my heart
I believe it is right time.
Unbelievable that you made me wait.
It is not that hard to tell me the truth.
I will forgive you.
No matter what, don't be afraid to tell.
Please do tell.
Because if you don’t, you will break my heart
again, I will forgive you.
I will just have to watch the time
to wait for you to tell the truth.
I can’t wait.
You can’t wait.
Either, it is not wrong to tell
you should tell the truth
to break my heart
So you can leave at your own time.
I will forgive you.
Because I love you.
I don’t want you wait
I want to change the time
Forward so you can tell.
It could take long time but it won’t take my heart
away from the truth.
Please do tell the truth
I will forgive you
I love you with my whole heart
I don’t want to wait
Please tell
Right now, this time
It is time.
I want the truth
Right now, do tell
I will forgive you
I don’t want to wait
Please do tell from your heart
Please tell this time.
Let your heart tell the truth
I think that you knew that I cannot wait…
My Dogs
By: Jake Erickson
Dogs follow you around the house,
and into the backyard.
They always want to be beside you persistently
even on the couch at night.
They'll do anything for a treat,
including riding in a car.
I get to the park to walk her in the car,
or play with her in the house.
If they are good I'll give them a treat.
Then let them romp in the backyard
into the night.
They will continue this pattern persistently.
Both dogs try to show dominance persistently.
So I break them up, and bring her in the car.
We will drive all night.
Then I'll bring her back to the house,
and let her do her thing in the backyard.
Then end it with a treat.
Both of them like to start the day with a treat.
They will pursue this in the mourning persistently.
I'll let them out in the mourning to the backyard
to relieve themselves, and after we'll jump in the car.
Then we go for a walk, and come back to the house.
By this time it is night.
She gives us a big problem at night.
So we give her a treat
to settele her down in the house.
She still could be a problem persistently.
So I'll bring her out again in the car,
then back home to the backyard.
Where we play most is the backyard.
She loves to play at night.
She'll look at me then the car.
If I don't want to go I'll give her a treat
but, she still wants to play persistently.
So I'll throw a ball around in the house.
It's time for the car or the backyard.
We'll be in the house, and outside at night.
I'll give them a treat, and they'll be waiting for it persistently.
Reflections
By: Nicole Silverthorne
It’s hard to see my reflection
When his love is my sweet escape
Playing his music so smooth
Not counting my amour
Against our mission
Of life
What is a life?
Without reflection,
Of one’s mission
But only to escape
The power of amour
Created to not be rough but smooth
Unforgettable smooth,
Counteracting my aspects of life
As his amour
Grows deeper with each reflection
Looked upon his mirrored escape
This will be his mission
His mission
Is to stay smooth
With no escape
From life
Or reflection
Of amour
Quel est l’amour?
It is our mission
To look at our reflection
As one being guided so smooth
Through life
And dream the great escape
He is my escape
Amour
That is meaning of life
Our future, our integrity, our mission
Is to live bicuriously through the smooth
Beats of the hearts reflection
To live through life, is our mission
Use the escape of amour
And the smooth passing soul, will show your true reflection
Comments (10)
Anonymous said
at 9:30 am on May 10, 2007
Awesome work guys! The Sestinas were very well written! -Malea Proeschel
Anonymous said
at 9:40 am on May 10, 2007
Wow, Those were really good. I really enjoyed reading the one on dogs. It is so true about them. Bryan
Anonymous said
at 9:42 am on May 10, 2007
These are very good! My two favorites are Life Love and April.
Anonymous said
at 9:47 am on May 10, 2007
I cannot wait really gave the feeling that it was a plead full of emotions of aticipation worry and anziety and I enjoyed reading it, and the very last line made it seem so final and just fit nicely.
Anonymous said
at 9:48 am on May 10, 2007
The dog poem was the best one I thought on the page. Well written.
Anonymous said
at 9:56 am on May 10, 2007
I loved Katy's poem, very well written and it easily catches your attention
Anonymous said
at 9:57 am on May 10, 2007
I really like the poem, April. I had the goosebumps when it said cancer hit and from bright to dark but remains the girl smiled. thats brave thing to do. =) good job. - katy k
Anonymous said
at 10:03 am on May 10, 2007
All of the poems amazed me, so I couldn't really choose a favorite! I wasn't expecting these poems to go into such depth and meaning. Very insightful guys!
Anonymous said
at 10:08 am on May 10, 2007
Wow! Really great job I dont think I could have done that! Nice work everyone
Anonymous said
at 10:13 am on May 10, 2007
RYN! BEAUTIFUL!... I wish i would write like that =)
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