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Home Poetry Humor

‘Free Verse: Recondite Done Right!’ by Tonia Kalouria

February 28, 2021
in Humor, Poetry, Poetry Forms
A A
13

.

In Astrophysics, I’m ranked “One,”
and Greek and Latin I find fun.
All serve me well at Crossword “Times,”
with each day’s matrix solved by nine.

Most free verse, though?
Puzzles abstruse;
Augean tasks for “us obtuse.”
It’s glossy verse too recherché
for even Hercules to slay!

But many Eds—women and men—
have deemed  rhymed verse beyond the ken.
Said style they shun for fear of harm
to psyche, brain, tongue, ear, eye, arm.

Well, I could spend my Nobel Purse
and buy “The Code to Glossy Verse,”
but oh, how better spent the time
with Homer, Poe, and Silverstein!

.

.

Tonia Kalouria, a former Spanish teacher and “soap” actress, is now a poet in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Her most recent—and rhyming—poems appear in Literary Veganism and Fox Hollow Stories, and two anthologies: “Quoth the Raven” and “Poems from the Lockdown.”

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Comments 13

  1. Joe Tessitore says:
    5 years ago

    Well done and great fun!
    I particularly liked ‘“us obtuse”’.

    Reply
    • Corey Elizabeth Jackson says:
      5 years ago

      What fun, the selection of poets in your last line . . . a witty diversity!

      Reply
      • Tonia says:
        5 years ago

        Thanks, Corey,
        Nothing like ending on a high-note, eh?

        Reply
    • Tonia says:
      5 years ago

      Thanks so much, Joe.
      (Glad you pointed out that key line. )

      Reply
  2. Sally Cook says:
    5 years ago

    Dear Tonia –
    You sound like a very sensible person; wide ranging in both vocabulary and thought. I would like to see more of your work.
    Please, join us here at SCP.

    Reply
    • Tonia says:
      5 years ago

      Thank you, so much, Sally.
      From your mouth to
      Eds’ ears. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Joseph S. Salemi says:
    5 years ago

    Can you explain the reference to “Eds” in the third quatrain?

    Reply
    • Tonia says:
      5 years ago

      The Dread Eds: Editors.

      Reply
  4. Terry L. Norton says:
    5 years ago

    Excellent visual choice to accompany a poem on free verse.

    Reply
    • Tonia says:
      5 years ago

      Oh, I loved that choice! Adds a bit more zing:-)

      Reply
  5. C.B. Anderson says:
    5 years ago

    Welcome to the party. BYOB.

    Reply
    • Tonia says:
      5 years ago

      Thanks, CB! Happy to bring a Box: (oaky Chardonnay,
      of course.:-)

      Reply
      • C.B. Anderson says:
        5 years ago

        Red wine has more health benefits, but whatever floats your boat is fine.

        Reply

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