My Poem: The Moorland Pony

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Title: The Moorland Pony
Poetic Form: villanelle
Length: 143
Rating: Gen

[Edited for typos]



a moorland pony plods where bitterns boom
in every season, thick of coat and skin,
a stalwart pony clods through moorland gloom

a hoary fog, exhaled by autumn’s womb,
lays heavy claim on mire and tor and kin,
a moorland pony plods where bitterns boom

a beast of east lays siege, a snowy tomb
on crest and trough, though fodder lies too thin
a stalwart pony clods through moorland gloom

grey frost recedes, and spring, like stiff-straw broom,
sweeps in; by dew, by green, by snow-melt din,
a moorland pony treads where bitterns boom

rare butterflies festoon bright summer’s loom
they shuttle-dance ‘til mist, ‘til once again
a stalwart pony clods through moorland gloom

a horse-stock culled of fancy, mischief’s bloom,
where misstep is last step, lapse, the all-in,
the moorland pony treads where bitterns boom
the stalwart pony clods through moorland gloom

Comments

[autumnia]

I really liked this poem, especially the rhythm of it as I read along in my head.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it!

[smallhobbit]

Lovely poetry - and great use of the photos.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Thank you! There were typos in the poem. I've fixed them. I was happy I had 9 photos and they fit so nicely into the grid.

[debriswoman]

This is lovely…the repeated phrases are well chosen, and you got the beast from the east neatly added in:-)
Delighted with your use of the photos, too.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Great. That's the key with the villanelle, no? I am so glad you like it. Yes, I love the 'beast of east' moniker. It was wonderful to have 9 photos and just play around with the arrangement.

[regshoe]

Lovely! Very vivid, and I like how the repetitive structure of the poem emphasises the imagery—slow and mysterious, like the foggy moorland. (And I like the bitterns :D)

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Thank you, thank you! I appreciate your kind words and glad the mood came through. It's tough to be a fan of English mystery stories and not think of the moor as mysterious and sinister, even in summertime. Every poem is better with bitterns!!