A Social Sestina.

[GuiltyPleasure]

Sestinas are a lonely slog. To continue the trend of form poetry how about we spread the load and try doing one as a team?

All we need are two or three people prepared to try. If there is interest will set up a blank page with the sequence of stanzas that participants can copy and paste as required.

This is an experiment, if it fails - so be it.

 

[Tzara]

Sestinas are a lonely slog. To continue the trend of form poetry how about we spread the load and try doing one as a team?

All we need are two or three people prepared to try. If there is interest will set up a blank page with the sequence of stanzas that participants can copy and paste as required.

This is an experiment, if it fails - so be it.

I'll try. I like sestinas.

 

[Angeline]

Well y'all know how much I love sestinas! But darn it I also love GP and Tzara so I'm in. Just give me a little time. I still feel crummy. Covid sucks.

 

[Remec]

I'm game. *nod*

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

Oh great! I was afraid no one would be interested in trying this.

Now we have to decide how to divvy up the stanzas and the final flourish. Then choose a subject and the six repeated words.

Personally, I find it impossible to keep to an iambic pentameter, shall we drop that or self-flagellate?

I have a vertical template of the A to F sequence which helps me no end, I don't know if that would be useful to cut and paste as we write each addition.

 

[Angeline]

I would find a template very helpful! I'm cool either way with iambic. If we do it I'll probably screw it up at least once. Otoh I'm more comfortable writing iambs than other meters (where I really start tripping over myself!).

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

Here is my sestina crutch. I hope it helps you all too.

A
B
C
D
E
F

F
A
E
B
D
C

C
F
D
A
B
E

E
C
B
F
A
D


D
E
A
C
F
B

B
D
F
E
C
A

BE
DC
FA

Feel free to correct anything from me, please. I'm certainly not an expert......Now, for a subject?

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

What about a hotel as our subject? The staff, the guests, the routine etc. could be woven in?

 

[Angeline]

What about a hotel as our subject? The staff, the guests, the routine etc. could be woven in?

I think I could make that work though if folks want a different subject I'm game for whatever we choose. My only request is for a little extra time. I'm still feeling like I've got a head full of sawdust. Covid (even after a vaccination and three boosters!) is no joke! I'm probably gonna be sub par on my poem this week.

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

I think I could make that work though if folks want a different subject I'm game for whatever we choose. My only request is for a little extra time. I'm still feeling like I've got a head full of sawdust. Covid (even after a vaccination and three boosters!) is no joke! I'm probably gonna be sub par on my poem this week.

No pressure. We'll take our time. Just look after yourself and get better.

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

I'm still waiting for some inspiration.

 

[Tzara]

What about a hotel as our subject? The staff, the guests, the routine etc. could be woven in?

That suggests potential end words like guest, clerk, lounge (or bar), restaurant, room, key, bag/luggage, travel, business, tryst (maybe?), view, taxi, pool, maid. It's always nice in a sestina to have words one can alter slightly (e.g., maid/made, guest/guessed) or which have multiple meanings (lounge as a bar or as an action).

As to your earlier question about iambic pentameter (I was just reading a book that mentions "iambic vexameter"), we could simply do decasyllablic lines (i.e. not worry about the metrical stresses), but I vote for something like lines "more or less" ten syllables in length--fairly uniform, but no strict requirements.

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

Ok, here goes. Feel free to change anything. I pass the baton to Tzara.

One Summer by the Sea

A The bookings come in thick and fast
B and the staff prepare the place
C for eager guests to come and stay
D The kitchens hum, they stock the bar.
E Each suite is primped by an eager maid
F and the concierge surveys the scene.

F
A
E
B
D
C

C
F
D
A
B
E

E
C
F
A
D

D
E
A
C
F
B

B
D
F
E
C
A

BE
DC
FA

 

[Tzara]

Dear Tess: Sorry, but you get where my mind goes. I pass it on to whomever--Angie or Remec, I guess.

Have at it folks!


One Summer by the Sea

A The bookings come in thick and fast
B and the staff prepare the place
C for eager guests to come and stay
D The kitchens hum, they stock the bar.
E Each suite is primped by an eager maid
F and the concierge surveys the scene.

F She hopes, of course, nothing's obscene
A and no one's barricaded, who will fast
E for love, or rights, or for the maids
B whose labour, well, keeps up the place.
D But damn! There's rock stars at the bar
C with some chick's corset whalebone stays.

C
F
D
A
B
E

E
C
F
A
D

D
E
A
C
F
B

B
D
F
E
C
A

BE
DC
FA

 

[Angeline]

One Summer by the Sea

A The bookings come in thick and fast
B and the staff prepare the place
C for eager guests to come and stay
D The kitchens hum, they stock the bar.
E Each suite is primped by an eager maid
F and the concierge surveys the scene.

F She hopes, of course, nothing's obscene
A and no one's barricaded, who will fast
E for love, or rights, or for the maids
B whose labour, well, keeps up the place.
D But damn! There's rock stars at the bar
C with some chick's corset whalebone stays.

C So this is where she comes to stay,
F a fresh face in a raucous scene,
D green but hopeful scanning the bar,
A wondering is this crowd too fast
B for one who may seem out of place;
E it's racy here but she's no maid.

E
C
F
A
D

D
E
A
C
F
B

B
D
F
E
C
A

BE
DC
FA


Ok. Next victim, er participant...Remec?

 

[Remec]

{Placeholder...will be back in the morning when I can think more clearly.}

 

[HarryHill]

I would suggest swapping B and C. (continuity)

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

late to party as usual. I've only wrote one in my life Nate Sestina's Sestina - more as an exercise/joke

One Summer by the Sea

A The bookings come in thick and fast
B and the staff prepare the place
C for eager guests to come and stay
D The kitchens hum, they stock the bar.
E Each suite is primped by an eager maid
F and the concierge surveys the scene.

F She hopes, of course, nothing's obscene
A and no one's barricaded, who will fast
E for love, or rights, or for the maids
B whose labour, well, keeps up the place.
D But damn! There's rock stars at the bar
C with some chick's corset whalebone stays.

C So this is where she comes to stay,
F a fresh face in a raucous scene,
D green but hopeful scanning the bar,
A wondering is this crowd too fast
B for one who may seem out of place;
E it's racy here but she's no maid.

E She sits alone, discrete plans made
C
F
A
D

D
E
A
C
F
B

B
D
F
E
C
A

BE
DC
FA

Um, full verse please, 5 more lines are required. Sorry.

 

[Piscator]

Um, full verse please, 5 more lines are required. Sorry.

my mistake I thought it was one line at a time

 

[Piscator]

One Summer by the Sea

A The bookings come in thick and fast
B and the staff prepare the place
C for eager guests to come and stay
D The kitchens hum, they stock the bar.
E Each suite is primped by an eager maid
F and the concierge surveys the scene.

F She hopes, of course, nothing's obscene
A and no one's barricaded, who will fast
E for love, or rights, or for the maids
B whose labour, well, keeps up the place.
D But damn! There's rock stars at the bar
C with some chick's corset whalebone stays.

C So this is where she comes to stay,
F a fresh face in a raucous scene,
D green but hopeful scanning the bar,
A wondering is this crowd too fast
B for one who may seem out of place;
E it's racy here but she's no maid.

E She sits alone, discrete plans made
C for purloined pleasure, not long stay
B in a dark corner in a quiet place
F a leisurely fuck. not public scene
A avec gentilhomme du Zanzibar
D who stays erect and long steadfast

D
E
A
C
F
B

B
D
F
E
C
A

BE
DC
FA

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

One Summer by the Sea

A The bookings come in thick and fast
B and the staff prepare the place
C for eager guests to come and stay
D The kitchens hum, they stock the bar.
E Each suite is primped by an eager maid
F and the concierge surveys the scene.

F She hopes, of course, nothing's obscene
A and no one's barricaded, who will fast
E for love, or rights, or for the maids
B whose labour, well, keeps up the place.
D But damn! There's rock stars at the bar
C with some chick's corset whalebone stays.

C So this is where she comes to stay,
F a fresh face in a raucous scene,
D green but hopeful scanning the bar,
A wondering is this crowd too fast
B for one who may seem out of place;
E it's racy here but she's no maid.

E She sits alone, discrete plans made
C for purloined pleasure, not long stay
B in a dark corner in a quiet place
F a leisurely fuck. not public scene
A avec gentilhomme du Zanzibar
D who stays erect and long steadfast

D But the kinship ended quite fast,
E he treated her like an old maid.
A In her dress of deep cinnabar
C she met a new man, her mainstay.
F He created a private porn scene
B and bonked her all over the place.

B
D
F
E
C
A

BE
DC
FA

__________________
Appropriation may be the sincerest form of flattery but the appropriatee is usually fleeced.

Fishy Stuff

 

[Tzara]

One Summer by the Sea

A The bookings come in thick and fast
B and the staff prepare the place
C for eager guests to come and stay
D The kitchens hum, they stock the bar.
E Each suite is primped by an eager maid
F and the concierge surveys the scene.

F She hopes, of course, nothing's obscene
A and no one's barricaded, who will fast
E for love, or rights, or for the maids
B whose labour, well, keeps up the place.
D But damn! There's rock stars at the bar
C with some chick's corset whalebone stays.

C So this is where she comes to stay,
F a fresh face in a raucous scene,
D green but hopeful scanning the bar,
A wondering is this crowd too fast
B for one who may seem out of place;
E it's racy here but she's no maid.

E She sits alone, discrete plans made
C for purloined pleasure, not long stay
B in a dark corner in a quiet place
F a leisurely fuck. not public scene
A avec gentilhomme du Zanzibar
D who stays erect and long steadfast

D But the kinship ended quite fast,
E he treated her like an old maid.
A In her dress of deep cinnabar
C she met a new man, her mainstay.
F He created a private porn scene
B and bonked her all over the place.

B Lest one think this just commonplace
D her sex life had been one long fast,
F wild trysts and parties not her scene
E at least not one she often made.
C And so, afraid she'd overstay
A her partner's lust, slipped back to bar.

BE
DC
FA

 

[Piscator]

[/HEADING][/HEADING]
[HEADING=3][HEADING=3]Tzara​

Subdued​

JoinedAug 2005Posts7,509LocationPNW
One Summer by the Sea

A The bookings come in thick and fast
B and the staff prepare the place
C for eager guests to come and stay
D The kitchens hum, they stock the bar.
E Each suite is primped by an eager maid
F and the concierge surveys the scene.

F She hopes, of course, nothing's obscene
A and no one's barricaded, who will fast
E for love, or rights, or for the maids
B whose labour, well, keeps up the place.
D But damn! There's rock stars at the bar
C with some chick's corset whalebone stays.

C So this is where she comes to stay,
F a fresh face in a raucous scene,
D green but hopeful scanning the bar,
A wondering is this crowd too fast
B for one who may seem out of place;
E it's racy here but she's no maid.

E She sits alone, discrete plans made
C for purloined pleasure, not long stay
B in a dark corner in a quiet place
F a leisurely fuck. not public scene
A avec gentilhomme du Zanzibar
D who stays erect and long steadfast

D But the kinship ended quite fast,
E he treated her like an old maid.
A In her dress of deep cinnabar
C she met a new man, her mainstay.
F He created a private porn scene
B and bonked her all over the place.

B Lest one think this just commonplace
D her sex life had been one long fast,
F wild trysts and parties not her scene
E at least not one she often made.
C And so, afraid she'd overstay
A her partner's lust, slipped back to bar.

BE Come to my place, dear primped and eager maid
DC
FA

 

[Angeline]

One Summer by the Sea

A The bookings come in thick and fast
B and the staff prepare the place
C for eager guests to come and stay
D The kitchens hum, they stock the bar.
E Each suite is primped by an eager maid
F and the concierge surveys the scene.

F She hopes, of course, nothing's obscene
A and no one's barricaded, who will fast
E for love, or rights, or for the maids
B whose labour, well, keeps up the place.
D But damn! There's rock stars at the bar
C with some chick's corset whalebone stays.

C So this is where she comes to stay,
F a fresh face in a raucous scene,
D green but hopeful scanning the bar,
A wondering is this crowd too fast
B for one who may seem out of place;
E it's racy here but she's no maid.

E She sits alone, discrete plans made
C for purloined pleasure, not long stay
B in a dark corner in a quiet place
F a leisurely fuck. not public scene
A avec gentilhomme du Zanzibar
D who stays erect and long steadfast

D But the kinship ended quite fast,
E he treated her like an old maid.
A In her dress of deep cinnabar
C she met a new man, her mainstay.
F He created a private porn scene
B and bonked her all over the place.

B Lest one think this just commonplace
D her sex life had been one long fast,
F wild trysts and parties not her scene
E at least not one she often made.
C And so, afraid she'd overstay
A her partner's lust, slipped back to bar.

BE Come to my place, dear primped and eager maid
DC She scans the bar, adjusts her stays
FA

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

One Summer by the Sea

A The bookings come in thick and fast
B and the staff prepare the place
C for eager guests to come and stay
D The kitchens hum, they stock the bar.
E Each suite is primped by an eager maid
F and the concierge surveys the scene.

F She hopes, of course, nothing's obscene
A and no one's barricaded, who will fast
E for love, or rights, or for the maids
B whose labour, well, keeps up the place.
D But damn! There's rock stars at the bar
C with some chick's corset whalebone stays.

C So this is where she comes to stay,
F a fresh face in a raucous scene,
D green but hopeful scanning the bar,
A wondering is this crowd too fast
B for one who may seem out of place;
E it's racy here but she's no maid.

E She sits alone, discrete plans made
C for purloined pleasure, not long stay
B in a dark corner in a quiet place
F a leisurely fuck. not public scene
A avec gentilhomme du Zanzibar
D who stays erect and long steadfast

D But the kinship ended quite fast,
E he treated her like an old maid.
A In her dress of deep cinnabar
C she met a new man, her mainstay.
F He created a private porn scene
B and bonked her all over the place.

B Lest one think this just commonplace
D her sex life had been one long fast,
F wild trysts and parties not her scene
E at least not one she often made.
C And so, afraid she'd overstay
A her partner's lust, slipped back to bar.

BE Come to my place, dear primped and. eager maid
DC She scans the bar, adjusts her stays,
FA She found her scene, sun, on a local sandbar.

FINIS