Poetry Exercise No. 5

Here we take a break from iambic pentameter and move instead into iambic tetrameter!

This exercise has three parts. The subject - television.

Part 1: Write two quatrains of iambic tetrameter (four beats per line)

Domestic Goddesshood awaits
For those who take a careful note
Of how Nigella brews and bakes
And cuts her fruit and fries her steaks.

The story of these interns five
To be a surgeon they aspire
Such mixed up lives and loves they lead
Whilst struggling to save life and limb

Part 2: Two quatrains of alternating iambic tetrameter and trimeter (three beats per line)

"The Making of the Leap Years" show
Who really gives a damn
Ad nauseum plays the trailers too
Far more than for the film.

Let Seetoh guide you to the best
Of food in Singapore
Three chopsticks means "die die must try"
In Makansutra Raw.

Part 3: 2 quatrains in "trochaic tetrameter", the first with eight syllables per line and the second with the last syllable dropped every second line.

First they sing with heart and soul then
Stand to hear the judges' comments
Idol fame and fortune waits for
He who wins the viewers over.

Down with syndicates exploiting
Fans of English Premier League
Broadcast charges they keep raising
It's a deadly sin, is greed.

Poetry Exercise No. 4

Ok, so now I have learnt about variations on the iambic pentameter. These include:

Trochaic substitutions - the stress is on the first instead of the second beat in each foot, i.e. dum-da rather than da-dum.
Phyrric substitutions - no stresses in either beat.
Weak endings - adding an 11th syllable (unstressed) at the end of the line. One of the most famous quotations ending weakly is:

To be or not to be, that is the question.

The exercise for this section is: 16 unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter, with points given for trochaic substitutions (5 pts), phyrric substitutions (5 pts) and weak endings (hendecasyllables) (2 pts). Enjambments can be included too (2 pts). Subject: the News.

She cried, "Why are you talking to my husband?"
And then she gave the stewardess a slap.

Trochaic substitution (T) at "Why", weak ending (H) at "husband". Phyrric substitution (P) in "stewardess". 12 pts

Singapore won the Youth Olympics bid!
With cheers and shouts we greet the happy news.
Now the work starts to make sure all is ready.

T - "Singapore", "Now", H- "ready" . 12 pts

Spend more and tax less - Parliament debates
The pros and cons. Estate duty just died.
I got a tax rebate. Others got cash.

T - "Spend", "Others"; P - "Parliament". Enjambment (E) from first to second line. 17 pts

Amazing Race Asia was won by two
Singapore boys. It pays to know your flags.

Ts in "Asia", "Singapore". E in first line. 12 pts.

Oh foolish men! Power One called - you tried
And ended up in hospital instead.
Next time, don't stinge. Just go and buy some viagra.

T in "Power One" , "Next", E at first line, P at "hospital", H in last line. 19 pts.

So was the Spielberg magic meant to play
Over the crowds at Beijing's new Olympic
Stadium? He said, they said, we don't care.

T - at "Over", H - at "Olympic", E in second line, T at "Stadium". 14 points.

86 points. Not too good. But this was tough!

Poetry Exercise No. 3

The assignment: to write 5 pairs of iambic pentameter in blank verse about 5 assigned subjects, with the first line of each pair end-stopped.

Thereafter, to repeat the exercise but including two caesura (stops in the line) and one enjambment (carrying on to the next line) in the pair.

Subject 1: What you see and hear outside your window.

I hear the traffic come and go outside
The fast cars put my cats in danger too

I hear the cars go rushing past, and hope
The cats are safe; and resting in their beds.

Subject 2: What you want to eat, right this minute.

Pineapple tart ice cream is what I want
Its sitting in the freezer tempting me

Too many calories! Pineapple tart
Ice cream tastes so good - but no seconds, please!

Subject 3: What you last remember dreaming about

I can't recall what I dreamed of last night
But in my dreams I learnt to fly away

What did I dream about? I don't recall
But in my dreams I fly, I glide and soar.

Subject 4: What uncompleted chores are niggling at you

The buttons on my clothes keep falling off
I have to find the time to sew them on

My skirt's too tight. Each time my buttons fall
I sew them on - or buy a brand new skirt.

Subject 5: What I hate about my body

The bunions on my feet are sticking out
They make it tough for me to buy nice shoes


Not these shoes, and not heels - my bunions stick
Out from the sides. Those simple ones will do.

Done. And harder than the last time.

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!

The thrill of seeing one's name in print

It has been more than a month since my last entry. Somehow, the new year has not exactly filled me with new, inspiring thoughts to pen down and share. It didn't start off too well - my mother was hospitalised for dengue fever and so we spent New Year's Eve in the hospital and New Year's Day paying another visit. Stressed, tired for most of the first week.

Anyway I have also been spending some time realising some of my self-publishing projects which I have been doing through Blurb. I received my "Blog Book" on my months in the US and Mexico, and also the rather slimmer journal on my brief trip to Siam Reap. Nothing particularly new or exciting for readers of this blog, contentwise, but definitely looks good on my bookshelf. My only problem is that after going through the text so many times, I don't find it particularly interesting to read right now; it is also irritating to find little errors scattered throughout the book. I look forward to taking the books up at a later date when my memory of what I wrote has dimmed a bit.

For my next project, I'm thinking of doing a family cookbook, something which combines my favourite recipes from my many many cookbooks :-) and recipes pilfered from various family members. It is going to be a really long haul project if I am to cook, photograph and then write about each one. Still, it is quite an interesting project which will occupy me for some time. And one which I can potentially take orders for!

In the meantime, may I proudly present my three self-publication projects: