This Cascade* Poem is another collaboration between Melanie and I.
Read Melanie’s Poem HERE
Stanzas 1, 3 and 5, B.G. Bowers
Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 , Melanie Blackwell.
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Immobilized by hostile thoughts
imprisoned by yesterday’s memories
progress wavering beneath an atrophied sky
an imagination blinks, and creativity stirs
disrupting transient cycles of sabotage
∞
refreshing respite furnishes fertile fields to farm
words flow freely at first then stutter and choke
freedom proves once again fleeting
pervasive past resurfaces anew to paralyze
Immobilized by hostile thoughts
∞
limiting beliefs borne from malign exposure
cultivated in a glass house of exotic plants
mordant internal chatter rising like hot tropical air
sinking creativity in drafts of cold
imprisoned by yesterdays memories
∞
deprivation of sunlight breeds deficiency
life affirming sunshine acts like poison
as does love to one with limited exposure
tolerance levels must be built up over seasons
progress wavering beneath an atrophied sky
∞
but just like the sky, moods are transient
there is silver stitched into those clouds
today is a new day, improved conditions
render yesterday’s meagre harvest inconsequential
an imagination blinks, and creativity stirs
∞
sense of self awakens and grows stronger
slashing through the vines and weeds that tether
negativity withers away once left untended
choosing to only reap the positive things sown
disrupting transient cycles of sabotage
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© 2013 B.G. Bowers and Melanie Blackwell
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*Cascade
Cascade, a form created by Udit Bhatia, is all about receptiveness, but in a smooth cascading way like a waterfall. The poem does not have any rhyme scheme; therefore, the layout is simple. Say the first verse has three lines. Line one of verse one becomes the last line of verse two. To follow in suit, the second line of verse one becomes the last line of verse three. The third line of verse one now becomes the last line of verse four, the last stanza of the poem. See the structure example below:a/b/c, d/e/A, f/g/B, h/i/C
To make the Cascade an even longer poem, use more lines in verse one. For example, if verse one has 6 lines, the poem must have seven stanzas so that each line of verse one is reused as a refrain in each following stanza (a cascading effect).
Cascade Definition Source: Shadow Poetry
Related articles
- Fallow (Cascade) ~ a Collaboration (wordifull.com)
The post Harvests (Cascade) ~ A Collaboration appeared first on Bianca Bowers.
