Whittled Words – Minute Poem

Posted by Brad Osborne on October 29, 2021 · 16 Comments 

 

 

Welcome to the weekly series, Whittled Words. A series highlighting the innumerable types and styles of poetry to challenge any creative wordsmith. This week’s selection:

 

MINUTE POEM

 

Some forms have a long, exotic history. Some forms are relatively new but have a well-known founder. Others just seem to spring out of nowhere. Such appears to be the case with our most recent poetic form: the minute poem.

The rules are rather simple:

 

• 3 quatrains (or 4-line stanzas)
• 8 syllables in the first line of each stanza (4 iambic feet/iambic tetrameter)
• 4 syllables in the remaining lines of each stanza (2 iambic feet)
• rhyme scheme: aabb/ccdd/eeff
• written in strict iambic meter

 

Each stanza contains 20 syllables, times 3 stanzas, equals 60 syllables total. Since there are 60 seconds in a minute, I’m going to go out on a limb and proclaim that’s the origin of the name Minute poem.

 

 

Examples of Minute Poems:

 

THE WORLD

by Rita Renee Weatherbee

 

The world cast in bitter turmoil –
Masses recoil
Hatred astounds
Bashing surrounds.

The world spinning, lacking control,
Trenching a hole
Discriminate
Trash and berate.

The world whispers for Divine Peace
Loathing to cease
Halt repugnance
Love transcendence.

 

LATE SUMMER RISE

by Anthony94

Like liquid teak the river flows,
the wind that blows
has stirred the silt
as wavelets lilt

Like tiny ships; their whitened sails
dissolve, no trails
remain, just dregs
and splintered pegs

Now cast ashore like packrat’s home
Bare twigs can’t roam
From shore to float;
New anchored boats.

 

MOTHER NATURE

By Brad Osborne

The flowers bloom in rainbow hue

A wonderous view

Haunting fragrance

To which bees dance

And fluffy clouds pass by so slow

Cool winds do blow

Bird takes to wing

The heavens sing

What wonders doth she chosen share

Her charms so fair

The song of life

Her beauty rife

 

 

I hope you have enjoyed this entry to the series, Whittled Words. I look forward to your comments, and if you dare, maybe share your own Minute poem. Thanks for reading!

 

 

 

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