I wanted to find some interesting styles of poetry for 2022. Metered poetry has always been a challenge for me. I discovered I subconsciously avoided the challenge of dabbling in this particular writing pattern. This year I decided to spread my wings and fly into the face of the storm. I stumbled across the Aquarian by accident and thought it might be interesting to play with this metered style during the last part of January and the entire month of February. This one I will call Painted Ponies.
I am discovering this style of poetry is harder than it first appeared. You only have to develop fourteen syllables for each stanza, but sometimes you want to write more. Plus, I find the constant counting of the syllables distracting. I also have to fight the urge to create rhythms. These short poems have gotten darker, and I am not sure why. Maybe it’s caused by the dark winter or all the conflicting messages we get these days. I know for sure that sadness captured my attention during this dark winter.
About the Aquarian and Painted Ponies
Maris Mazz created this metered style of poetry.
Each stanza has lines of 2/4/6/2 syllables. They can have any number of stanzas creating multiples of 4 lines. They aren’t supposed to rhythm at all.
Painted Ponies Round and Round and round we Go where we stop I don’t Yet know Watching Painted ponies Circle the carousel Going Nowhere And getting there Fast without a winey Or neigh Sound of Organ music Leads them into battle Marching Round and Round and round we Go where we stop I don’t Yet know To the Comforting sound Of Children’s laughter and Giggles All the Painted ponies Circle the carousel Because They have Traveled the same Path a million times in The past Round and Round and round we Go where we stop I don’t Yet know Life in This circus can Be easy or so hard Shifting With the Direction of The carousel you ride Journey There is Cotton candy Or lions, tigers, and bears Your choice. Round and Round and round we Go where we stop I don’t Yet know Watching Painted ponies Circle the carousel Unstable
Who is Molly Shea?
Molly Shea is an accomplished fictional short story writer from Indiana who writes short stories and novels about a fictional town called Tecumseh. To read more of her short stories and adventures, click here.
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Carousels are one of my favorite things since I first rode one as a hardly walking, held by my grandfather to keep me from falling off the horse, young kid. I still have to ride them when we see them.
They have a lot of interesting carousels here in Indiana.
At Universal Studios in Florida they have a CaraSuessel, which has characters of Dr. Seuss. It was really cool. I’m getting ready to pull some more throwback photos, I’ll see if I can find them!
Great. Thank you for reading.
This poem with this change of background color gives the impression of that movement in circles. As a child I didn’t like cars and I always chose the horse on the carousel. It is a beautiful memory that makes me think of my father who is no longer there. He always took me to the LUNA PARK.
Thank you.