Journey's End

Greetings, all! Grace here. You may have noticed the "format challenge" tag moving around a bit--I'm sorry to say this is my last format challenge article for now. I'm looking forward to having time to write and share poems and experiences with you more often, though!

I had planned to write you a very scholarly article on any number of things, but I thought, we so rarely go back and practice things that were novel once. So let us go back and try, try again. If you don't like that idea, feel free to Google "villanelle" and meet my nemesis.

You may choose any of the following, listed from most recent to least: renga (I suggest forming a group of at least three for easiest organization), tanka, fixed-form haiku, tanaga, aubade, a traditional Welsh combination, toddaid, cywydd llosgyrnog, awdl gywydd, triolet, rondeau or rondeau redoublé , rondelet, or roundel.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to have shared all of these forms with you, and now I'm looking forward to being a participant rather than a commenter!

Aside from that, I wanted to leave you with the beautiful renga that we have all created together. I've added the ageku and given it a title. I hope you all enjoyed writing it as much as I enjoyed watching it come together.

Had I the Words: a Real Toads renga.

Some claim April rain

brings the blossoms of May, but

trees here are hasty

like youth, ardor unrestrained,

eager for Spring's first sweet kiss.

Sakura blossoms

in the arms of Old Man Tree--

drops of moonlit milk.

Showgirls performing a dance

inspir'd by Moonlight's embrace,

their graceful waves in

a risqué spring ballet, legs

kick the silver sky,

stars wink at rainbow feathers

that tease with each fluttering.

My full heart flutters,

I become dancer and dance

under April's moon,

and a blossoming cherry

in the sweet, full warmth of May.

Still, you, resting far

north where snow still flies and melts,

await midnight summer.

Polar day does not circle

on cosmic calliope--

Pegasus gallops

to the music of the spheres

while star clusters spin,

the earth spins on its axis,

hums its music in B flat,

Spring pirouettes ice,

spun sugar and crystal shards,

across the cosmos.

Bright silver vessel, half moon

empties dawn into morning,

the night bids farewell.

Leaving a trail of stardust,

it flies on its way.

Restored to herself, the earth

resumes her orderly spin.

At a loss for words--

coherence has taken flight

on the wings of nerves--

I pluck the blossoming twig,

write the character for "love."

Verses contributed by Art Happens 365, Skylover, Ella, Laurie Kolp, Susie Clevenger, Other Mary, Kay (Alberta, Canada), Sunflower Shan, Jinksy, Caddoc Trellis, Margo Roby, Jules, Misky, The Happy Amateur, Sara McNulty, and Grace O'Malley, with some minor editing by Grace O. 

Individual verse credits can be found here.