An entry to this week’s Totally Optional Prompts, here’s an Anaphora.
Anaphora is a repetition device where the same expression (word or words) is repeated at the beginning of two or more lines, clauses, or sentences. You can read an example written by David Lerner here and a couple more here, one by Lawrence Ferlinghetti and another by Pablo Neruda.
On reading the definition, I realized I had written an anaphora some time back, a fable: A Suitable Moment. More on the lines of a continuous prose than a poem of course, but the technique, I imagine, remains the same.
***
Her Voice
Rippling like the stream in his
backyard, clear, soft and gushing
Mirth
In abundance and overflowing
Her Voice
Tender and Soft, like a baby’s
cheek, brimming with care
Concern
In abundance and overflowing
Her Voice
Deep and Husky, a zephyr
skirting the boughs
Seduction
In abundance and overflowing
Her Voice
Playful and Naughty, an imp
darting in and out of words
Mischief
In abundance and overflowing
Her Voice
Profound and Sincere, a sage
oracle seated within
Wisdom
In abundance and overflowing
Her Voice
Vulgar and Reckless, a fisherwoman
cussing in abandon
Anger
In abundance and overflowing
Her Voice
Trembling and Shaken, a leaf
caught in a tempest
Fright
In abundance and overflowing
Her Voice
Muted and Shocked, a cadaver
frozen mid-scream
Silence
In abundance and overflowing
Brilliant! Kavi Samragni! 🙂 Lovely!
Like the emotions in it!
Bop it
Thanks Gautami. 🙂
the last para is chilling!
It's the various facets to a woman's voice. Silence happens too 🙂
*swoon* Please, as flattered as I am, this is surely no Samragni material :-pThanks Stitha 🙂
Lovely. I'm not much of a poem appreciator to be frank. But I know a good poem when I see one 🙂 This reminds me of something my husband wrote for me describing my eyes 🙂 Yay!
I know poems can be daunting and am myself just dabbling in it albeit unsteadily.So husband's a romantic eh? You do have expressive eyes 🙂
I would also like to call you "Kavi Perarasi" from now 🙂 if thats what sthitapragnya meant. Keep goin Rads!!
Okay, now you guys are just plain embarrassing me! :p
Okay, now you guys are just plain embarrassing me! :p
Incredible voice – rings true…
Yeah, I imagined it to too. Thanks for commenting! 🙂
Phew, love the progression here, love the bit when you killed her off, and her voice was frozen in mid scream! I bet the silence sounded so loud after all her whining! (TGI fable!)
LOL! Aw come now, I thought she covered them all, not just whine! 🙂
This is wonderful. It reads like a prayer for the road of life. Well done.
love-bd
That's a sweet way of putting it. Yep, a prayer it is 🙂
this is a perfect example of repetition used to its best! Love it!
Thanks Linda! I wouldn't let the reader forget her voice now would I? 😉
bee-yoo-teef-ull!!
i blv i have written some semi-anaphoric poems myself – tho the repetition is not entirely consistent
http://totaltrauma.blogspot.com/2007/07/get-lost….
http://totaltrauma.blogspot.com/2006/09/single-no…
Thank you! 🙂 I read yours, yes, they do qualify am sure. I had no idea about this type until I read it at TOP!