Saturday, June 13, 2009

june 13 - pantoum for the piers of alvin baltrop


today's prompt is to write a pantoum. a pantoum usually has 4 - 6 stanzas of quatrains. 2 lines from each stanza repeat themselves in other stanzas until the final stanza is written (which is a culmination of the first 2 repeating lines and the last two). it sounds trickier than it is, but thighman82 has numbered each line of his pantoum in order to better illustrate the form.

and today's pantoum is inspired by the photography of alvin baltrop.

Where the smells are overwhelming 1
Unwashed men roost for hours in the sun 2
Sweat streams down slender necks 3
Hands ruddy from repetitious actions 4

Unwashed men roost for hours in the sun 2
Sizzle lips with rolled cigarettes 5
Hands ruddy from repetitious actions 4
Call out to each other across the highway 6

Sizzle lips with rolled cigarettes 5
Throwing glances laden with desire 7
Call out to each other across the highway 6
Step through a torn fence to join the party 8

Throwing glances laden with desire 7
Eyes are blinded by dangerous skin 9
Step through a torn fence to join the party 8
Find a history of public secrets 10

Eyes are blinded by dangerous skin 9
Sweat streams down slender necks 3
Find a history of public secrets 10
Where the smells are overwhelming 1

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