Posts Tagged ‘etherée form’

Etheree Tutorial Lesson Three - The Reversible Poem

Tuesday, January 13th, 2009

In this lesson, we will focus on the reverse form of the single etheree. Like the original version, it may be centered, left-aligned, or right-aligned, and punctuated or unpunctuated.

 

One works exactly in reverse order of the single form, starting with a ten syllable line and ending with a one-syllable line. Thus, the format is as follows, and remember each line should be two or three letters shorter than the previous one:

 

Line 1 - 10 syllables

Line 2 - 9 syllables

Line 3 - 8 syllables

Line 4 - 7 syllables

Line 5 - 6 syllables

Line 6 - 5 syllables

Line 7 - 4 syllables

Line 8 - 3 syllables

Line 9 - 2 syllables

Line 10 - 1 syllable

 

Here is an example of an unpunctuated single reverse etheree, which was actually part of a pair:

Artistic Dreams

Hear
whispers
in your soul
of dreams telling
of untraveled roads
since your secret vision
is a bright enchanted path
leading to fantasies that may
open artwork’s portals releasing
the joy residing in the human heart

And here is a punctuated one, which was part of a series:

Variations On The Seasons

I love the varied tints of summer’s clime,
the gentle pinks of phlox and the clear
blues of fescue, sage, and catmint.
The mauves of foxgloves and tall
larkspur thrill my soul, while
bright crimson Maltese
cross form piercing
cries of sheer
August
joy.

Now, using the skills taught in the previous lessons, try your own single reverse form.

 

 

 

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All About Etherées

Tuesday, January 6th, 2009
The etherée is a short poem, the single form of which consists of fifty-five syllables. It was invented in the 1980’s by an Arkansas poet, Etherée Taylor Armstrong. In my venture into the world of poetry-writing, I quickly became fascinated with this form.
 
The etherée does not use rhyme or meter. The single begins with a one-syllable first line, and each line thereafter is increased by one syllable as well as by a couple of letters, thus creating the required triangular shape, for a total of ten lines, the tenth having ten syllables and being the longest line. Punctuation is often not used, but may be employed. The message, of course, must be primary, but a good etherée is also aesthetically pleasing.
 
Etherées may be written in reverse form, starting with a ten-syllable line. A double assumes a characteristic diamond shape, with two ten-syllable lines, while a reverse double appears in a shape resembling an hour-glass.
 
I have also written triples and quadruples. As a reader is exposed to the etherée form in general, it becomes easy enough to determine the various configurations.
 
This is an interesting and challenging form with which to experiment. In future postings, I hope to add tutorial information for poets who are interested in learning to write etherées.
 
 

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