Roundelay Poems | Examples

NINE LINES UP a reverse nonet

song
in plain
antiphon-
doxology
verse &versicle
in rhyming roundelay-
sung to greet their wedding day
an epithalamium
a prosaic prothalamion

NONET wedding verse

a prosaic prothalamion
with a epithalamium
sung to greet their wedding day
in rhyming roundelay-
verse and versicle
doxology
antiphon-
in plain
song

An Upside Down Ninette

a prosaic prothalamion
with a epithalamium
sung to greet their wedding day
in rhyming roundelay-
verse and versicle
doxology
antiphon-
in plain
song

Stellar Rondel

A stellar sight delights the eyes
when comes the night from passing day
and ends sun’s starring matinée
with drama of the darkened skies.

The world assumes nocturnal guise
as songbirds hush their roundelay.
A stellar sight delights the eyes
when comes the night from passing day.

Will once again a sun arise
somewhere somehow so poets may
in other lyric rondels say
long after earthly last goodbyes,
a stellar sight delights the eyes
when comes the night from passing day?


~ Harley White


* * * * * * * *


The poem is a rondel, which is a fixed form of verse based on two rhyme sounds and consisting usually of 14 lines in three stanzas (2 quatrains followed by a sestet) in which the first two lines of the first stanza are repeated as the refrain of the second and third stanzas.  The meter is open, but typically has eight syllables.

My Choice Nonet

a prosaic prothalamion
with a epithalamium
sung to greet their wedding day
in rhyming roundelay-
verse and versicle
doxology
antiphon-
in plain
song

Nonet Ninette Any Whichway

MY BEAUTIFUL GIRLS

Zinnia,I remember you,each day
Don't ever despair,my Petunia
Or give up,precious Lily.

Never forget,my Carnation
I'm thinking of you,my Pansy
You have my devotion,Honeysuckle.

My heartfelt love always,Myrtle 
With sincere regards my Daffodils-
Forever...my floral friends.

        or perhaps

a prosaic prothalamion
with a epithalamium
sung to greet their wedding day
in rhyming roundelay-
verse and versicle
doxology
antiphon-
in plain
song

Nonet Nine Lines Down

a prosaic prothalamion
with a epithalamium
sung to greet their wedding day
in rhyming roundelay-
verse and versicle
doxology
antiphon-
in plain
song

Beautiful Roses - the Termelay Style

~Beautiful   Roses~
(The Termelay)


Time to relax
See new roses
Nice buds growing
So much beauty and renewal
The sun  shines on all of them now
Nice buds growing.


Dorian Petersen Potter
aka ladydp2000
copyright@2013



August.29.2016



~Author's  Notes:

The "Termelay" is a poetry form or style similar to the Roundelay. This invented verse form was created by Viola Berg.

Tears of Dawn

The day you left my world just fell away,
No hope or will to face each brand new day,
Nor reason to linger awhile in bed
I cannot fix the heart you left for dead.

In ev’rything a memory of you,
No answers left to tell me what to do,
As nothing but pain fills my aching head
I cannot fix the heart you left for dead.

Each night I long to feel your touch again,
To ease my broken heart of its pain,
I close my eyes and see your rage instead,
I cannot fix the heart you left for dead.

In sleep my dreams relive each loving kiss,
And dawn breaks to bring tears for all I miss,
Regretting words I should never have said
I cannot fix the heart you left for dead.

If time should heal my heart to set me free,
I’ll not forget you are a part of me,
I’ll cherish the good times we shared instead,
I cannot fix the heart you left for dead.





Form: Roundelay

Rising Spirit

Beneath the ocean wave he falls,
His duty done as night-time calls,
I raise my eyes from cauldron spoon,
My spirit lifts to greet the moon.

The darker powers reign each night,
Yet know no fear nor feel no fright,
She’s dancing light upon the dune,
My spirit lifts to greet the moon.

I ponder much while on this shore,
My Pagan heart in lunar lore,
Within her light can now commune,
My spirit lifts to greet the moon.

Unseen the path that I must walk,
In silent words I humbly talk,
By powers found in sacred rune,
My spirit lifts to greet the moon.





Form: Roundelay

Ascension

No breath of air to ease my heart,
No reason found to be a part,
The time has come to close my eyes
As my soul goes where the raven flies.

Outstretched I feel my fingernails
Join with dark wings on feathered trails
To touch the breath that took my sighs
As my soul goes where the raven flies.

All vision seen through eyes of black
For a moment I can’t go back
My desire to reach the winter skies
As my soul goes where the raven flies.

Mantled wings lower me to ground
In darkness hearing ev’ry sound,
I’ve left behind the mortal ties
As my soul goes where the raven flies.

Ascending to the greater height
The truth found where darkness meets light
My doubting voice no more denies
As my soul goes where the raven flies.







Form: Roundelay

In Her Kiss

The first, a soft exploration,
That asks without exploitation,
Are we ready for all of this?
My lady holds me in her kiss.

The sleeping senses slowly wake,
As nerve endings begin to ache,
Our souls unite in love’s twist
My lady holds me in her kiss.

A simple caress upon lips,
That leads to our sensual eclipse,
As love placates the heart’s abyss
My lady holds me in her kiss.





Form: Roundelay

Spring Fever

Spring is here, a great a reprise.

A gentle flower-scented breeze.

     Robins sing in roundelay.

     Flowers bloom in full array.

The buds are bursting on the trees!


Contest:  Wow Me in 5 Lines
                Ralph Taylor

Sommerreigen/Summer Dance/Baile De Verano/Danza Estate

Schmetterlinge im Tanz 
Sommerreigen am Nachmittag
Mosaik der Natur 

Von Ferne der Ruf eines Kuckucks
Aus seinem unsichtbarem Versteck 

-------------------------------------------

The dance of Butterflies 
Summer roundelay in the afternoon 
A mosaic of nature 

From the distance the cry of a cuckoo 
Out of his invisible hiding 

------------------------------------------

Baile de mariposas 
Corro de verano en la tarde
Mosaico de naturaleza

De la distancia un grito de cuco 
De su invisible escondite 

-----------------------------------------

Farfalle nella danza
Danza estate nel pomeriggio
Mosaico della  natura

Il grido di un cuculo
Dal suo invisibile nascondiglio

Little Al

Little Al came out to play
With triolet and roundelay.
Boisterous John with resounding whoop,
Skipped along with stick and hoop.
That night when John lay down to sleep,
He fell into a slumber deep,
While Al lay restless in his bed,
Sorting the poems filling his head.
John laughed at Al for listless way,
But which one had more fun that day,
John with his roundabout at play,
Or little Al with roundelay?

Each child was made in different mold;
One quiet and the other bold.
John ran to make his body strong.
Al longed to give the world a song.
Brave John will grow so big and tall,
He may be one to save us all
From danger should it come our way,
His future forecast by his play.
As Little Al composed, he knew
This world will need some beauty too.

Next day Mom took John's hoop away
Gave it to Al to run and play.
She put John on the stoop to stay,
Until he wrote a roundelay.
She said "When you grow up you'll find,
You need your muscles and your mind.
You must both share in work and play
With roundabout and roundelay."


Won 4th place

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