For We Write Poems Prompt #117: What Words Mean
http://wewritepoems.wordpress.com/
Impossible Perfection
Perfect,
without blemish,
godlike inside and out,
always right, whole, and completed.
Refusing any commonality.
Human desire for flawlessness
must remain unfulfilled,
imperfectly
perfect.
Elizabeth Crawford 8/8/12
Notes: This syllabic form is called a Rictameter and is created thus:
Line 1 – 2 syllables (same as line 9)
Line 2 – 4 syllables
Line 3 – 6 syllables
Line 4 – 8 syllables
Line 5 – 10 syllables
Line 6 – 8 syllables
Line 7 – 6 syllables
Line 8 – 4 syllables
Line 9 – 2 syllables (same as line 1)
As soon as I saw the prompt for today, I thought of this form. Counting syllables is the closest I may come to form poetry. My first Rictameter may be found here:
https://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/2011/04/24/geode-soul/
Soul's Music 
This is an interesting form which I’ve not tried yet. I like how it allows you to twist the idea.
Thank you Carol, the only way I can do it is by constantly counting on my fingers. It doesn’t have to have the twist, but the prompt itself suggested the form. Glad I remembered it,
Elizabeth
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I like the form and the context. Neat.
Nan, I like it a lot as well. Glad you enjoyed it,
Elizabeth
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You did so well with this form. I love the “imperfectly perfect” view of humans…..I definitely like my humans imperfect:)
Lol, I think we all do, Sherry. Allows us to accept our own human flawedness. Think I just created a new word. Thank you,
Elizabeth
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This is the first time Ive come across a rictameter. Intriguing ! You’ve done a wonderful job with the prompt.
Glad you enjoyed. The form is a bit tricky at times, but well worth the effort.
Elizabeth
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An intriguing form…I’ve drifted away from short forms over the years but I’d like to come back and try this one.I like how the words in the last two lines contrast against each other.
-Nicole
Good to see you Nicole. I had also gotten away from short pieces and am now finding them again with a great deal of enjoyment. I like those last two lines as well. We seem to forget that were we perfect, we’d never have to reach beyond ourselves and would simply fade away.
Elizabeth
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I count on my fingers every time I write haiku or Elfje. That’s the only way 🙂
Thank you for introducing a new form. Often as writers we think that nothing we do is perfect. I know several friends who proclaim that everything they write is a draft.
Thanks for stopping by my entry. You always see more than I can imagine and I always learn something new.
Jules, I count on my fingers until I think I’ve got it in my head. Then write it out and count it off several times more, lol. We do a lot for our Art, yes? We don’t say it’s perfect, we usually just nod when we hear that quote about how a poem is never finished, even after it has been published. Thanks for stopping by and especially for your kind and generous words.
Elizabeth
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Yes I see how perfect becomes perfect through imperfection. We all want perfection and then realise how lovely are the imperfections. Thanks Elizabeth, for rising to the challenge.
You are more than welcome my friend. And absolutely correct about how lovely those imperfections can be, especially when they result in smiles or even outright laughter. Most human beings don’t seem to be aware of just how incredible they are,
Elizabeth
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Oh, I need to visit your site more often, Elizabeth! I enjoyed your exploration of the word perfect and it’s paradoxical nature. And thanks for the introduction to this form too.
Welcome and thank you Kelly. There are so many new forms, they are hard to keep track of at times. This one stuck for some reason, but then so did the Blitz poem. May have to try that one again soon,
Elizabeth
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