Contemporary

The Breath of Spring

Norma Martiri50 Comments

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Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

The breath of spring
whispers to a frigid threshold.
The breath of spring
sends winter-weary bones basking
in warmer days as they unfold
into new hopes and dreams untold –
the breath of spring.

Copyright © September 2011 Norma Martiri

Form: Rondelet

The rondelet is a classic French repeating form consisting of only 7 lines with a syllable count of 4/8/4/8/8/8/4. The rhyme scheme is AbAabbA. The three repeating A lines are the shorter lines.

The term roundelay originates from 1570, from Modern French rondelet, a diminutive of rondel meaning “short poem with a refrain,” literally “small circle”. From Old French rondel, a diminutive of rond meaning “circle, sphere,” originally an adjective from roont. The spelling developed by association with lay (noun) “poem to be sung.”

50 thoughts on “The Breath of Spring”

  1. Wonderful, Norma, and you found a matching picture. For a form that looks so awkward in its description, it lends itself to some lovely work.

    Here in the Midwest, summer still has us in a death grip, aching for fall, but we will be dreaming of spring soon.

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  16. Perfect! The imagery is maintained throughout the poem, and the idea of the breath of spring whispering hope and dreams – brilliant!
    Rosie

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  21. I had to revisit this poem as it was so beautiful. I love your total command over this poem and yet all hidden from the final product.

    The use of rhyme is so natural and unobtrusive.

    The use of meter is just exemplary. The odd numbered iambic lines provide such a solid framework with that fourth line being so amazing — the hypen of “winter-weary” slowing this line, making it stand out even more — and for me at least sets up that penultimate line, the sixth line to not be scanned as iambs but instead has set up an expecation for this sixth line to stand out as much as the trochaic second line and the slowed down fourth line.

    It really is a gem.

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    • Thanks so much zumpoems! It’s great when someone looks deep into your poetry and sees more than meets the eye. You’ve been so encouraging and I truly appreciate it.
      Norma 🙂

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