Poetry Exercise No. 2

Killing two birds with one stone - posting new entries and at the same time doing the prescribed exercises from "The Ode Less Travelled", a poetry writing book by Stephen Fry.

The exercise is to write 20 lines of iambic pentameter. That's 20 lines of words totalling 10 syllables, with the stresses on the even syllables. No rhymes required. Here goes:

Orlando likes to swagger through the house

Its easy making New Year resolutions
But harder keeping Lentern observations

This is much harder than you think it is

With one big leap our Winky clears the wall
Or climbs the wooden frame to run away

I walked downstairs and saw my cats asleep
with arms entwined and heads just cheek to cheek

She waited for her angpow from her aunt

We cannot know what lies ahead for us
So bravely go and take a chance or two

I cooked the dinner for my family

I saw my neighbour burn some paper money
And wished that he will prosper through the year

I want to go to sit on sandy beach

Remember when the ang pows packets flowed ?
Those were the days when we were young and cute

In rainy weather we cannot go out

I watched as singers tried to prove themselves
While Randy, Paula, Simon sat and judged

Done!